(Image Credit: CFJC News)

By Sydney Chisholm

bear-resistant bins

Optional bear-resistant bins get the go-ahead from Kamloops council

Jun 25, 2024 | 6:00 PM

KAMLOOPS – For an additional $40 a year, Kamloops homeowners can now opt in to keep bears out of their trash and compost bins.

During Tuesday’s (June 25) regular council meeting, Kamloops council voted to purchase a batch of bear-resistant garbage and organics carts.

“We’re not quite a year into our organics program and we continue to look for ways that we can improve it and see what residents need in the program. One of those is, of course, conflict with wildlife,” said Councillor Katie Neustaeter. “This gives us the opportunity, purchasing this first batch of pilot carts that are better safe for folks to have another option to secure their organics.”

According to the City of Kamloops, these new carts are better reinforced than the standard bins and are equipped with clasps to keep the lid closed. Residents then unclasp the lids when placing their bins curbside for pickup.

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In 2023, the city piloted the carts in Juniper Ridge West, and after a year, the pilot was deemed a success and is now being offered to residents by request.

“This is an opt-in, so it’s not mandatory,” she told CFJC News. “[For] those residents who are finding they’re having more conflicts with animals, particularly bears, because of the part of the city that they live in or because they don’t have the option of storing things inside because they don’t have a secured carport, that kind of a thing, this is a great alternative for them.”

The initial cost is $195,000, funded through the existing Solid Waste Reserve.

The city will now go ahead and purchase 400 bear-resistant organics bins and 600 new garbage carts. Once they have arrived, the city says it will update residents as to how to order one.

Ed. note: An earlier version of this story suggested residents can now call the City of Kamloops to express interest in receiving a bear-resistant cart. As the carts have yet to arrive, the city is not yet taking orders from the public. We apologize for the confusion.