Former Saskatoon mayoral candidate urges stricter bear spray bylaws

Former Saskatoon mayoral candidate Cary Tarasoff and family member Sherry Tarasoff have written a joint letter to the City of Saskatoon suggesting it follow the lead of two other cities by enacting its own bylaws or regulations on the sale of bear spray.

The letter cites a Global News report with Saskatoon Police Chief Cam McBride stating there had been hundreds of bear spray incidents in Saskatoon over the last couple of years.

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In a letter dated Dec. 3, 2024, the Tarasoffs said that on March 28, 2023, in response to public concerns, Vancouver City Council unanimously passed a series of passed a series of bylaws amendment recommendations relating to the sale of bear spray, including banning its sale of it to anyone under the age of 19, or anyone who doesn’t provide identification when attempting to purchase it.

The recommendations also stated the bylaw “Require(s) retailers to keep bear spray in a locked or inaccessible area from the public, and require(s) retailers to record details of each sale, keep the record for a period of 12 months, and make it available upon request to the Chief Licence Inspector to ensure bylaw compliance.”

The bylaws were then amended in April of that year.

The Tarasoffs say Edmonton has also passed similar recommendations and amended its bylaws in early July, 2024.

Saskatoon does not have any bylaws regulating the sale of bear spray. (Saskatoon Police Service/submitted)

During Saskatoon’s planning, development and community services meeting Dec. 11, Mayor Cynthia Block asked how recently passed provincial legislation might impact the city.

“If the province is in the process of strengthening legislation with regards to weapons including bear spray, what is the role of the city, since the city has to opt in,” she asked.

Block was told administration would look into the matter, while city manager Jeff Jorgenson said they would be in contact with Saskatoon Police to find out more details.

“We’ll track it through (the city) solicitor’s office to make sure if there are any requirements for city council to formally adopt or pass a bylaw, we’ll make sure that we bring that forward at the appropriate time,” he said.

The letter was then received as information.

The new provincial regulations from March include restricting the possession of bear spray in public urban spaces, and a ban on altering bear spray in order to hide or disguise the product’s identity.

Anyone charged under the new regulations could face fines of up to $100,000.

As of Oct. 10, police services across the province had laid around 30 charges under the new regulations.

According to provincial statistics, there have been more than 3,000 bear spray incidents in Saskatchewan over the last five years.

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