Saskatoon Police respond to nine bear spray incidents in under 12 hours

One person has been arrested following nine bear spray incidents in Saskatoon in less than a day.

An 18-year-old man was arrested and charged with possession of a weapon dangerous to public peace and mischief under $5,000. He was also found to be wanted on an outstanding warrant.

This happened on April 16, around 8:30 p.m., at a business in the 600 block of Idylwyld Drive North for a report of bear spray being discharged inside.

Officers were told the suspect was in a parking lot outside the business, allegedly attempting to fight staff.

Officers arrived and arrested the suspect, who was found to have the bear spray.

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Between 4:00 p.m. on April 16 and 2:30 a.m. on April 17, officers responded to at least eight other incidents involving bear spray.

The suspect(s) and victim(s) were known to one another in some but not all cases.

No additional arrests have been made. Police continue to investigate.

Bear spray problems on the rise

In 2024, the provincial government announced new regulations aiming to reduce the number of criminal incidents involving bear spray.

The changes include regulations to restrict 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, 2024, police services across the province had laid around 30 charges under the new regulations.

In December, former Saskatoon mayoral candidate Cary Tarasoff and family member Sherry Tarasoff wrote 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.

Saskatoon Police Chief Cam McBride has said there had been hundreds of bear spray incidents in Saskatoon over the last couple of years.

The Tarasoffs cited Vancouver City Council and Edmonton as dealing with the issue, with Vancouver passing a series of bylaw amendments relating to the sale of bear spray, including banning its sale to anyone under the age of 19, or anyone who doesn’t provide identification when attempting to purchase it.

Edmonton amended its bylaws in early July 2024.

What to do if bear spray is discharged?

Bear spray is a deterrent containing capsaicin, a chemical found in chilli peppers. The canister releases a cone-shaped cloud of spray to a distance of approximately 10 m and at a speed of over 100 km/h. Capsaicin inflames the eyes and respiratory system of both animals and humans.

According to bearwise.org, the spray is oil-based, so first aid for bear spray is to wash off the residue with soap and water, don’t rub your eyes or nose, and rinse your eyes with clean water until the irritation lessens. Effects generally wear off in about 45 minutes, the bear awareness site says.”