The City of Prince George is looking for public feedback on a plan to prohibit residents from placing their garbage containers on the curb the night before collection day.
Under the current regulation, residents may place their garbage can on the curb no earlier than 9 p.m. the day before collection, and no later than 8 a.m. the day of collection. In July, city council approved the first three readings of a bylaw which would prohibit placing garbage cans on the curb until 4 a.m. the day of collection.
The goal of the plan, according to city parks and solid waste manager Flavio Viola's report to city council, is to reduce amount of time garbage is in the open to attract bears and other animals.
The move is part of the initiaitive to make Prince George the third Bear Smart city in B.C.
In February, Conservation Officer Gary van Spangen told city council the conservation service destroyed 161 black bears and 13 grizzly bears in Prince George between April 2008 and December 2010.
A further 12 grizzlies and 8 black bears were relocated during that time.
Over the three years, the conservation service received an average of 1,190 calls per year about bears in the city.
This year the Conservation Officer Service has received 226 calls regarding black bears and destroyed five bears. Far below the average, according to Bear Aware community coordinator Rachel Caira said
Residents can have their say by filling out a survey prior to 5 p.m. on Oct. 7.
The survey can be found online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/6TFLQHB or hard copies can be picked up at City Hall.
