Burnaby’s forests and wildlife are some of the city’s best features. But sometimes, when nature and humans meet, things can get a bit messy – like when bears search for food in your backyard.

Dumpster-diving bears have become a problem for residents of northeastern Burnaby, which is why the city launched a pilot program last summer to install some bear-proof dumpsters and green bins at five multi-family complexes in the Cariboo area, near Simon Fraser University and in Forest Grove.

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The pilot program tested several different types of containers and locking mechanisms to find which were the most effective at keeping bears out. Those bins have metal bars that wrap around the lid and body, with two clips on either side. The green waste bins also have metal bars and clips.

This year, the winning bin is being rolled out to other residents of multi-family complexes in those areas, first to those with existing waste and food-scrap collection programs, then to those that don’t have them.

These bear-resistant bins are being rolled out to multi-family residents in Burnaby's bear territories. - Contributed

Tracey Tobin, environmental services officer in Burnaby, says the program has been successful so far and is good for not only the residents but the bears too.

“As there are more bears moving into the area due to development and more human-bear interactions, the bear-resistant bins will really help keep the bears out and stop them becoming habituated to human food sources, and really push them back into nature and having more of their natural food source,” she told the NOW. “This is just one way to reduce that bear-human conflict”

The more bins that are installed, the less likely bears will be to try to get food from garbage containers, and the more likely they will be to move on to another source.

“Bears are intelligent animals and basically, if something is not easily attainable for them, they will move on,” said Tobin. “Bears do what we call ‘imprinting,’ so if they can’t get into a specific type of container, … even if they are walking by the same container at a completely different areas they will remember that they can’t get into it.”

But it’s not just garbage that can attract bears to your neighbourhood, says Tobin.

Fallen fruit, improper composting, pet food and bird feeders can also draw them in.

TIPS ON KEEPING BEARS OUT OF YOUR YARD:

Use garbage and food-scrap bins with clips to keep bears out of your garbage

Clean your barbecue and drip trays after every use

Keep bins in enclosed areas

Pick fruit when it’s ripe, and collect fallen fruit

Keep pet food indoors

Remove bird feeders