Calls for animal-proof waste bins as bears wake from hibernation [Video]

A mother and daughter’s efforts to improve garbage management and mitigate bear interactions in their Vancouver Island community is gaining traction as bears begin their sleepy emergence from hibernation. 

Andrea Miller and her 16-year-old daughter, Alaina, have been calling on homeowners in View Royal — a suburb of Victoria — to better secure their garbage bins following the death of a mother black bear in their community last June.

“It was a really devastating day,” Alaina told CBC’s All Points West last week. 

After numerous reports of the bear accessing “attractants” like food and garbage from insecure bins, the animal was shot by conservation officers in the Thetis Lake Regional Park area, leaving three orphaned cubs.

Andrea says the neighbourhood frequently experiences wildlife interactions, as many homes border the park and lack protective fencing.

A new measure …