Bears and Wildlife: Garbage Management for Whistler and Squamish Stratas

Every spring the bears wake up and the calls start. This isn't a Whistler-only issue anymore. Squamish has one of the highest urban black bear densities in Canada, Pemberton's habituated bear count has been rising in recent years, and the Conservation Officer Service has shifted from education-first to enforcement-first across the corridor. For strata councils, that translates into bylaw fines, insurance friction, and the real possibility of a destroyed bear that didn't have to die. This is what councils need to know in 2026.

The bylaws, what each municipality actually requires

The Sea to Sky has four distinct regulatory regimes, and most stratas have to comply with whichever one their property falls under:

• Resort Municipality of Whistler. Local wildlife attractants bylaw. Garbage must be in a bear-resistant enclosure or stored indoors until pickup morning. Tickets escalate on repeat offences. Active enforcement.
• District of Squamish. Local wildlife attractant bylaw. Similar requirements; repeat tickets escalate. Enforcement has tightened sharply in recent years.
• Village of Pemberton. Local wildlife attractant bylaw. Less aggressive enforcement historically but increasing; warning-first in many cases.
• SLRD Electoral Areas (C, D). Provincial Wildlife Act applies, less explicit municipal framework, but bears still get destroyed and stratas still get notices.

Why the fines go to the strata, not the owner

This is the part that surprises councils most. When a Conservation Officer or bylaw officer tickets unsecured garbage at a strata, the ticket is issued to the registered owner of the property the garbage is on. For common-property garbage areas (almost every strata) that's the strata corporation, not the individual owner who left the bin out.

The strata can then enforce internally against the responsible owner under Strata Property Act s. 129 bylaw enforcement procedures, but only if your bylaws explicitly cover wildlife attractant violations. Many older Sea to Sky strata bylaws don't. A typical legacy bylaw schedule mentions "garbage" only in the context of "no littering." That's not enough to chargeback a municipal wildlife attractant ticket.

A modern bylaw amendment under s. 128 closes the loop:

• Explicit prohibition on storing garbage outside a designated enclosure.
• Schedule of fines (typically $50–$500 per incident, matched to the municipal bylaw).
• Reference to s. 133 chargeback authority for any municipal ticket received by the strata.

Get your bylaw amendment approved at the next AGM. The amendment requires a 3/4 vote and Land Title Office filing within 60 days under s. 128.

What an enclosure actually costs

Bear-resistant enclosure costs vary with site, scale, and finish. Here's what we're seeing in 2026 quotes across Sea to Sky stratas:

Factors that push cost up: hillside sites needing retaining walls, electrical (for compactors or lighting), municipal design review, roofing, and any kind of architectural matching to building exterior. RMOW in particular has design guidelines that can add cost.

Funding is usually a special levy under Strata Property Act s. 99 or a CRF expenditure under s. 96 with 3/4 vote approval. We've also seen stratas finance through their property management firm's contractor network on a 12 to 24 month payment plan.

The 8-step process to get an enclosure built

A council that's never run this kind of project asks us, reasonably, what the actual sequence is. Here's the playbook:

1. Identify need. Either you've been ticketed, your insurance broker has flagged it, or WildSafeBC has visited.
2. Site assessment. Get a contractor or your manager to walk the site and identify locations.
3. Three quotes. Multi-quote process is standard. Local Sea to Sky contractors include Wesco Steel, Mountain Steel Co, and a half-dozen general contractors.
4. Council selection. Pick a quote based on cost, references, and warranty.
5. 3/4 vote approval. Required for any structural change to common property. Notice 14 days in advance per s. 50.
6. Municipal permits. Whistler requires a building permit; Squamish may require one depending on size and location.
7. Install. 2 to 6 weeks of construction depending on scope.
8. Communication. Tell owners which bins go where, what the code is, and when garbage truck pickup is.

What happens when a bear gets destroyed

Every Sea to Sky strata council should understand the cost of inaction. When a bear becomes habituated to human food sources (strata garbage, compost, bird feeders, fruit trees) Conservation Officers eventually destroy it. In 2023, 603 black bears were destroyed in BC. The vast majority were food-conditioned and the food source was traceable to specific properties.

A destroyed bear is the consequence of a chain of failures: an owner who left the bin out, a manager who didn't communicate the rule, a council that didn't approve the enclosure, a bylaw schedule that didn't have teeth. The CRT has been clear that a strata's duty to enforce its own bylaws under s. 26 includes wildlife-related ones once they're on the books.

Working with WildSafeBC and the Conservation Officer Service

Both agencies are responsive partners for stratas that want to do this right. WildSafeBC's regional coordinators do free site visits, write compliance reports, and present at council meetings or AGMs. Conservation Officers will attend an AGM if asked. Use them. An hour of education from a CO in uniform changes more behaviour than five strongly worded notices from the strata.

For complementary Sea to Sky strata operations (wildfire preparation, snow removal, and the seasonal rhythm of a resort-area strata) see our posts on wildfire preparation, snow removal and sanding, and off-season vs peak-season management.

Beyond garbage, the broader wildlife attractant picture

Garbage is the dominant attractant, but it's not the only one. Sea to Sky strata bylaws and enforcement increasingly cover the full picture:

• Compost and organics. Squamish and Whistler both require organics collection. The bins need the same bear-resistance treatment as garbage.
• Bird feeders. Most municipal bylaws prohibit bird feeders from April through November in residential areas, because feeders attract bears reliably.
• Fruit trees. Apple, pear, and cherry trees on common property are major attractants. Councils should consider removal or aggressive harvest programs.
• Barbecues. Grease traps and uncovered BBQs on patios are attractants. Some bylaws now reference these directly.
• Pet food. Outdoor pet food storage is prohibited under most wildlife attractant bylaws.

A modern Sea to Sky bylaw schedule covers all of these in one section, with consistent fines and a clear enforcement pathway. Updating the schedule is a 3/4 vote item under Strata Property Act s. 128 with Land Title Office filing within 60 days of approval. The cost of legal review and filing is typically $1,500 to $3,500. Money well spent against ongoing per-ticket exposure.

Form I, Land Title Office Bylaw Filing

Required to file any approved bylaw amendment within 60 days of the 3/4 vote. Without filing, the amendment is not enforceable.

Communicating bylaws to owners and tenants

A bylaw on the books doesn't enforce itself. The most common failure mode we see in Sea to Sky stratas isn't the bylaw, it's the communication. Owners who've been in the building for ten years assume they know the rules. New tenants of short-term rental units don't know the rules at all.

A clear communication program looks like:

• Annual reminder to owners pre-fire season (April) and pre-winter (October).
• Required posting in common areas (laundry rooms, garbage enclosure, mail area).
• Short-term rental tenant info sheet (often a strata requirement under STR bylaws).
• Welcome packet for new owners on closing.
• Immediate notice to all owners when a ticket is received.

The communication itself does heavy lifting. We've seen Sea to Sky stratas dramatically reduce wildlife attractant violations in a single season with no bylaw change at all. Just better, more consistent reminders.

If your council needs help running the enclosure process (quotes, vote, communications) reach out. We've been through it on dozens of Sea to Sky buildings since 2011.