The Manitoba government, including the agriculture department, is taking action to reduce bear spray attacks in the province.
This morning justice minister Kelvin Goertzen and agriculture minister Derek Johnson unveiled new measures that should make it harder to purchase bear spray.
Before purchase, Manitobans will have to show photo identification and specify the intended use of the product. Vendors will be required to verify the buyer’s identification and submit this information to the Manitoba government.
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Stores selling bear spray must also register the serial numbers for any sale of more than two cans.
“Manitoba already has strong protections in place to ensure the sale and proper application of bear spray,” said Johnson.
“These regulatory changes go further to ensure bear spray is kept out of the hands of dangerous criminals.”
The agriculture department is involved because bear repellent is regulated under the Pesticides and Fertilizers Control Act.
The act requires anyone who supplies, sells or distributes a pesticide to obtain a licence. Under the act, a person with a pesticide dealers’ licence is required to keep a record of all commercial and restricted products they sell.
“Requiring photo identification and validated contact information at the point of purchase will deter people from using bear spray illegally, but not prohibit legal purchases. It will also assist with tracing in the event of an incident,” said Goertzen.
Over the last year there have been numerous bear spray attacks in Manitoba, including a couple of teenagers who sprayed passengers and the driver of a City of Winnipeg transit bus in February.
The tipping point was likely an attack this week, when a 13-year-old, 18-year-old and 20-year-old were charged with multiple assaults in Winnipeg.
The CBC reported April 11 that the first assault happened in a convenience store in a Winnipeg suburb, when the group sprayed an employee in the face.
After leaving the store, they used bear spray on another person and were eventually confronted by police and a police dog.
The group resisted arrest and “three officers and a dog were also sprayed in the face with bear spray,” the CBC reported.
The regulatory changes may make it more difficult for people in rural Manitoba who may actually need spray to repel bears to purchase the product.
The province is also looking at other ways to discourage young people from buying bear spray, says a government news release.
“The Manitoba government is … asking the federal government to consider stronger restrictions for online sales of bear repellent in Canada and will be considering potential future legislative changes to change the age requirements to purchase bear spray in Manitoba.”
Right now, there is no age restriction for buying bear repellent in the province.
Contact robert.arnason@producer.com
