The Regional District of Nanaimo is reminding residents to avoid turning their garbage bins into a food source for wildlife, after multiple recent reports of bears and other wildlife eating from organic waste bins set out too early or left on the road after the collection date. (Dreamstime)

By Jordan Davidson

bear aware

RDN seeing increase in wildlife encounters linked to curbside collection bins

Mar 26, 2025 | 5:27 AM

NANAIMO — Island residents are no strangers to safely sharing a habitat with wild animals, but some still aren’t getting the message.

A recent report presented to the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN) during their Tuesday, March 25 board meeting said there’s been an increase in residents putting their organic garbage cans out too early or removing them long after the collection day which attracts wildlife.

RDN manager of solid waste services Ben Routledge said over the last several months, there have been multiple incidents of bears and other wild animals using the green carts as food sources.

“Other animal events such as raccoons overturning carts and birds getting into these carts, spreading material across roadways. We believe most residents are attempting to follow the rules, and those contravening the bylaw are doing so ignorant of what their actions are or could be doing. However, the incidents of carts being placed to the curb early or remaining at the curb after collection is increasing.”

He said leaving carts on the roadside after collection day also creates a hazard for drivers.

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Since the start of March, RDN staff began recording incidents of people not complying with the bylaw and found over 150 homes across three of their five collection routes were not following the bylaw.

Earlier this year RDN staff delivered targeted messages in specific areas urging compliance with the bylaw, requiring collection carts, with lids closed, be placed on the curb no earlier than 5 a.m. on collection day, but before 8 a.m.

Routledge said they are already starting to see changes in resident compliance when targeted by those messages through their website, Curbside App alerts, and physical letters.

An updated sticker detailing the offences and dates will be added to waste carts after two or more incidents of non-compliance with the bylaw. (RDN)

Their 2025 Bear Aware Campaign started on March 17, providing information on the bylaw to residents, with the intent to change their behaviour through education.

Any resident with two or more documented cases of non-compliance receives a warning sticker on their carts, with photo evidence also recorded.

Further violations will result in the removal of the offender’s cart, with retroactive fines of $100 per incident to a maximum of $500 as the next step if offences are still occurring, but Routledge said no fines have been issued in the last decade.

Residents who had their cart removed due to non-compliance would have to phone the RDN and confirm they’re going to follow the bylaw to have their cart returned.

Routledge also said he’s not aware of any bears having been euthanized in the RDN related to their organic waste bins, but he’d have to check with local Conservation Officers to be sure.

Their 2025 Bear Aware Campaign will coincide with the delivery of the upsized organic cart program deliveries until May 30, when staff will report back on their results and next steps.

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