Saskatoon’s mayor says the municipal government doesn’t have all the tools to implement the legislation required to deal with the increase of bear spray incidents that have swept the city, such as giving more powers to police officers.

However, Mayor Cynthia Block says the city is doing its part by creating a bylaw that requires people who purchase bear spray to register. She says that businesses would be required to produce this record in case that bear spray gets used inappropriately following its purchase.

“In the meantime, we will also make sure we’re also asking the province to expand that through the entire province, because that’s really the only way it works is if the whole province is working together in this direction,” she explains.

The matter goes before Saskatoon City Council on Wednesday. Some of the suggestions for mitigation being presented to council include not allowing businesses to display bear spray and to keep it out of sight, and having the purchaser present two valid pieces of government identification.

Bear spray incidents have been on a steady climb over the last five years in Saskatoon. For example, 2023 saw 256 events and 2024 saw 367. Offences committed by youth have increased by 517 per cent between 2021 and 2024. In 2024, 60 per cent of bear spray related incidents were committed by youth, compared to 24 per cent last year.