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Preamble:
WHEREAS southern Alberta continues to experience rising grizzly bear conflicts, including dangerous encounters, livestock depredation, and incursions into residential and agricultural areas; and
WHEREAS recent incidents, including a grizzly bear attack on a fisherman near Cardston and increasing reports of bears chasing or bluff-charging workers and landowners, highlight the risk to public safety; and
WHEREAS research from the Waterton Biosphere Reserve indicates long-term growth in grizzly bear populations in Bear Management Area 6, creating additional pressure on rural communities;
Operative Clause:
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta (RMA) advocate to the Government of Alberta (GOA) to end the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan and implement a Grizzly Bear Management Plan;
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the GOA establish a dedicated funding program to support grizzly bear research, conflict-mitigation efforts, and community safety initiatives;
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that this dedicated funding program include stable contributions to organizations focused on grizzly bear-related research and management (such as the Waterton Biosphere Reserve) and provide direct or indirect financial assistance to landowners for bear-proofing measures, such as secure grain and feed storage, electric fencing, carcass management, and other proven deterrents;
FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED that the RMA advocate to the GOA to implement a regulated grizzly bear hunt administered through a draw system, with the number of available tags determined annually based on population data, conflict trends, and the outcomes of previous seasons, to help maintain an appropriate and sustainable bear population.
Member Background:
Grizzly bear activity has increased steadily across southern Alberta over the past decade, especially within Bear Management Area 6 (BMA 6), which includes much of the Foothills-Little Bow and surrounding regions. Research presented by the Waterton Biosphere Reserve shows an annual growth rate of roughly four percent since 2007, with the region now supporting the highest grizzly bear population density in the province. The last comprehensive estimate from 2016 identified 172 bears using the area and 67 resident bears; local observations and ongoing conservation work suggest that numbers have continued to rise since then.
As the population grows, communities in southern Alberta have seen a significant increase in human-bear interactions. Residents, ranchers, and municipal staff have reported bears approaching homes, entering outbuildings, breaking into grain bins, and preying on livestock. Field workers in Cardston County have faced aggressive encounters while performing routine duties, including a recent incident where a summer staff member was chased by a grizzly bear at close range while working near the river in Kimball.
Public safety concerns intensified following a severe attack on a fisherman south of the Town of Cardston in summer of 2025. Similar incidents in nearby jurisdictions have been widely reported, noting a general uptick in dangerous encounters province wide. These include hikers injured on popular trails, hunters attacked in remote areas, and numerous close calls involving outdoor workers. Media coverage reflects what residents have expressed for years: the frequency and severity of conflicts are increasing, and rural communities feel more vulnerable.
While conservation officers, Fish and Wildlife staff, and the Waterton Biosphere Reserve have made strong efforts to support coexistence through carcass management, attractant control programs, and public education, the demand for intervention continues to grow. Many residents feel uncertain about when they are legally allowed to defend themselves or their livestock, and municipalities have asked for more explicit provincial guidance.
On September 25, 2025, Cardston County and the MD of Pincher Creek sent a letter to the Minister of Forestry and Parks (attached) highlighting these concerns directly, noting the rise in encounters, the pressure placed on rural residents, and the need for stronger provincial direction. The County requested updates to Alberta’s grizzly management strategy, increased support for mitigation work, and a clear protocol outlining what actions landowners and authorities can take when bears threaten human safety.
Given these realities, Cardston County and the southern Alberta region are seeking a balanced approach that protects the lives and livelihoods of residents while recognizing the ongoing importance of responsible wildlife management. A targeted, controlled hunt for problem grizzly bears, utilized only in specific situations and in conjunction with continued non-lethal measures, is being proposed as part of a broader strategy to address escalating risks, reduce conflict, and maintain safety for communities and workers who share the landscape with a growing grizzly bear population.
RMA Background:
17-24F: Improved Grizzly Bear Management to Ensure Human, Livestock and Wildlife Safety
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Rural Municipalities of Alberta advocate to the Government of Alberta to increase funding for Conservation Officers and problem wildlife specialists to ensure that an updated and properly funded grizzly bear management plan is in place to protect both the public and bears.
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Alberta Environment and Protected Areas
Grizzly bears remain threatened in Alberta, and management decisions must balance public safety with population recovery using scientific data. The population estimate cited in the Rural Municipalities of Alberta resolution is based on an inventory conducted in Grizzly Bear Management Area 6 in 2013 and 2014. The GoA is updating population monitoring to support informed decisions.
Southwestern Alberta faces unique challenges because grizzly bears move across Montana and British Columbia borders, increasing potential human-bear encounters and the need for effective coexistence measures. Preventing conflict remains the most effective way to protect communities, supported by Forestry and Parks’ Bearsmart program and related damage compensation program. Alberta’s recovery plan prioritizes education, outreach, and attractant management to reduce conflicts. Lethal control is used only when there is an immediate public safety risk and is not considered a long term solution.
Alberta Forestry and Parks
Managing human-wildlife conflict in Alberta, particularly issues related to grizzly bears, requires coordination across multiple departments and jurisdictions along with active involvement from stakeholders across many sectors.
The Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan (2020) serves as Alberta’s current species management plan. It identifies updated population inventories and enhanced public education and outreach as priority actions. While bear management must remain adaptive, Alberta continues to focus on supporting public safety and protecting property.
The Government of Alberta has made recent investments to support these objectives. This includes annual funding for the Carnivores and Communities Program through the Waterton Biosphere Reserve Association, which works to address attractant management issues in rural communities in southwestern Alberta. My ministry also provides funding to three BearSmart community groups that support attractant management initiatives and educational outreach in the Bow Valley, Sundre-Rocky Mountain House areas, and current and new efforts underway in Bragg Creek.
The Alberta BearSmart Program delivers public education and information for people living, working, or visiting in bear country. The program promotes safe decision-making in bear habitat, encourages behaviours that reduce negative bear-human interactions, supports appropriate responses to encounters, and reduces property damage. Government staff and volunteers deliver BearSmart workshops across the province throughout the year. Should rural municipal employees wish to receive additional training to enhance bear awareness and safety, my ministry may be able to support these efforts. Additional information about the program is available at www.alberta.ca/alberta-bearsmart.
In addition to education and conflict-response measures, Forestry and Parks also considers habitat enhancement as a tool to support grizzly bears away from communities and highly used public areas. Habitat enhancements, such as prescribed burns and other forest management techniques, can improve natural forage by opening forest canopies and promoting the growth of food sources such as berries, helping to draw wildlife away from infrastructure and recreation areas. A good example of this approach is work undertaken in the West Spray Lakes area. As we continue to advance this work, we look forward to collaboration with municipal partners in developing and supporting appropriate habitat enhancement planning.
Your suggestion to establish a dedicated funding program for research, human-bear conflict mitigation, and community safety initiatives is well-received. Currently, several initiatives receive support from a range of sources. I will discuss opportunities to better integrate these efforts with my colleague, Honourable Grant Hunter, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas. Continued collaboration between agencies and stakeholders remains essential to advancing both conservation and public safety outcomes.
As part of Alberta’s broader approach to managing human-bear conflict, Alberta administers the Wildlife Management Responder Network for grizzly bears, enabling eligible Albertans to help reduce human-bear conflicts in specific circumstances. Information is available at www.alberta.ca/wildlife-management-responder-network. Forestry and Parks continues to monitor conflict rates, and if existing mitigation measures prove insufficient, additional management options will be considered.
Alberta also offers compensation through the Wildlife Predator Compensation Program for livestock losses or injuries caused by grizzly bears. Administration of this program has transferred to Alberta Agriculture and Irrigation, with claim funding provided by Agriculture Financial Services Corporation. Clients should not experience any interruptions in service because of this change.
Development:
The Government response from the Ministry of Forestry and Parks highlights some helpful resources and continued bear management efforts and policies enacted by the Government of Alberta.
The response references the Grizzly Bear Recovery Plan but does not commit to replacing it with the Grizzly Bear Management Plan.
Although no commitments are made, it is encouraging that the Minister intends to collaborate with Environment and Protected Areas and it is encouraging that the Minister recognizes the importance of establishing a dedicated funding program to support research and conflict-mitigation and safety initiatives. The response from Environment and Protected Areas provides some updated information on GOA plans to study bear numbers, and points to the complexity of managing the species near both a provincial and national boarder.
The response alludes to the GOA’s existing Wildlife Management Responder Network; although it is a mechanism used for targeted problem bear response, Resolution 13-26S advocates for a different approach that would enable a regulated grizzly bear hunt that is data-informed and administered through a draw system to help give rural residents more agency in managing problem bears while maintaining sustainable species populations.
This resolution is assigned a status of Intent Not Met and RMA will continue advocating for the necessary policy changes that will help mitigate negative grizzly bear encounters and improve public safety in rural regions.
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