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By Angela Kazmierczak

Are stricter rules for bear spray coming?

Mar 16, 2023 | 12:51 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – The mayor of Edmonton, Amarjeet Sohi, is calling for stricter rules on bear spray. This follows after Edmonton police officers reported an increase in bear spray cases in their LRT system.

More close to home, bear spray incidents are a concern for Medicine Hat Police Service – but does that mean stricter rules for the city?

Much like pepper spray or dog spray, bear spray is derived from chili peppers, and it causes temporary blindness, tearing and swelling when in contact with the eyes.

Insp. Joe West from the Medicine Hat Police Service says bear spray cases do occur throughout the year, but they aren’t as frequent.

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Generally, they occur in person-to-person assaults in home robberies or drug debt confrontations.

West says further bear spray restrictions aren’t necessary in the city, but it does concern officers. As in some incidents, police officers were sprayed.

West says there’s a time and place for certain items, however.

“Certainly there’s all kinds of weapons that people can use when used in the wrong way, whether it be bear spray or machetes – they are available. Of course, a machete used in the woods in a path is just fine but carrying one around town is not. So it’s really about context,” said Inspector West.

“If you’re using it for exactly what it’s designed for, we certainly don’t want to see that capability taken away. That’s a public safety precaution that you can take when hiking in the backcountry and to prevent injuries that way.”

It is considered a criminal act to be in possession of bear spray for any other purpose than what it’s intended for.