For the first time Parks Canada is requiring hikers to carry bear spray on a popular Banff trail and it’s enforcing the rule.
Korean student Han Kang is the first person caught without bear spray on the Lake Minnewanka Trail and received a $400 fine as a result.
Kang pleaded guilty in Canmore Provincial Court in front of Judge George Gaschler this week to the offence along with not being in a group of four hikers, another restriction on the trail.
Crown prosecutor Anita Szabo asked for a stiff penalty because the hiker was only in a group of two and wardens had to take them off the trail and out of the area by boat.
“The Crown is seeking a rather high fine in this matter,” Szabo said.
The Minnewanka Trail is restricted to groups of four hikers or more by order of the superintendant annually from July 10 to Sept. 15 but this is the first year bear spray has also been a requirement.
Parks Canada spokesperson Mark Merchant added mountain bikes and dogs are not permitted either.
Merchant said the trail has a history of encounters with grizzly bears including two mountain bikers being charged by a sow with cubs in 2007 and an incident last summer that saw another biker charged.
“Just this week alone boaters reported a sighting of a grizzly bear and cub in the area – bears are there,” he said. “It is one of the best berry patches around and the bears know that, they go to the slope to eat.”
Feeding bears are distracted bears, Merchant said, and that increases the likelihood of a surprise encounter.
“For us to do this we really want to use this as a way to emphasize the seriousness of the situation,” he said. “We don’t want to (close the trail) we want people to go out and enjoy nature and give bears their space.”
Merchant said wardens are actively patrolling the area and will enforce the restrictions including to have bear spray.
Because bear spray is to be easily accessible, usually worn on a belt, he added enforcing the regulation will not require Wardens to search hikers belongings.
Contravening the National Park Act regulation results in a mandatory court appearance and a fine of up to $25,000.
