First Nations have plan to move problem grizzly but need go-ahead from B.C.
CBC
Three coastal First Nations have worked together to come up with a plan to move a grizzly bear that's been causing problems on Texada Island — just off B.C.'s Sunshine Coast — but so far, the province has not signed off.
On June 13, the B.C. government said there was no "kill order" for the bear — but also that it was "not a candidate for relocation," because it had already been moved twice, before returning to human-inhabited areas.
On Texada, the community of about 1,000 people has been divided on whether the bear should be killed or removed or left alone.
But Erik Blaney — a legislator with the Tla'amin Nation — thinks the solution is to trap the bear and move it about one hundred kilometres northwest to Bute Inlet, where it can live with other coastal grizzlies and be far enough away that it can't swim back.
Previously, the bear was relocated to Jervis Inlet, which is approximately 75 kilometres away.
Blaney said he has worked with his nation, the neighbouring shíshálh Nation, and the Homalco First Nation to craft a plan for the relocation.
Texada Island lies near the intersection of Tla'amin and shíshálh territory.
Stewardship guardians from the nations would work together to trap the bear, which would then be moved by boat, and possibly plane, to Orford Bay in Bute Inlet, which is in Homalco territory.
"We have the plan; we have the funding to do it. What we don't have is the province's assistance and backing," said Erik Blaney.
He said they have been meeting with provincial officials and have some support, but have also been told that what they're asking is outside current policy — and that to capture and move the bear without a permit could lead to charges under the Wildlife Act.
But he sees this as an opportunity for Tla'amin and shíshálh —both of which have self-governing agreements — to look after their lands and waters.
"This really shows unity among coastal guardian programs that are doing exactly, you know, what we should, which is protecting the natural resources and wildlife within our territories."
Homalco Chief Darren Blaney, who is a cousin of Erik Blaney, thinks it's a great plan.
"When Erik called me to see about this bear that could potentially get killed, I thought...we'll give it a chance in Bute," he told CBC News.
A holiday event that began in 2020 during the pandemic with three floats on pickup trucks has now become one of Kelowna’s big winter events, drawing thousands to the city’s downtown core.
WARNING: This story details allegations of child abuse.
It’s been hard to keep track of how many legal challenges and active court proceedings the United Conservative government has tried to quash or pre-emptively block in the last six weeks, but let’s try to tally:
Margaret Walker, the emcee of a Waterloo vigil commemorating the victims of the Montreal massacre, doesn't feel enough is being done to reflect on the killings and address gender-based violence.
The P.E.I. Humane Society says it is doing far more fundraising than it used to, and rising expenses — including the cost of animal medications — are a big reason why.
Ottawa is staring down a court-ordered deadline to submit a new plan to reform the on-reserve child welfare system, as a group of First Nations leaders and children’s advocates prepare a competing proposal.
An underpass revitalization project that was meant to pay tribute to the people of Parkdale has instead deteriorated into “a garbage dump,” according to nearby residents.
A young man has been charged with criminal negligence causing bodily harm after a fire at a frat party near Western University that injured five sorority sisters, including two seriously, late Tuesday night.
The massive deal to combine one of Hollywood's oldest studios with a streaming giant hasn't even been approved yet, but it's already riling multiple related industries and politicians concerned about monopolies and media concentration.
Mi'kmaq chiefs and a former Nova Scotia justice minister are criticizing the provincial government for directing police to crack down on illegal cannabis, saying the order undermines relations with Indigenous Peoples.
For years, there has been “glaring inequity” in the way the province has allocated the millions of dollars in its county roads budget, according to Department of Transportation Minister Chuck Chiasson.
Six months after passing a law aimed at making it easier for new grocery stores to open, Manitoba's premier says lower grocery bills could be on the horizon.
Timothy Smith was acting in self-defence when he punched Landon Waddell, and shouldn't be found guilty of manslaughter, his lawyer says.