Saskatchewan residents have another prohibited weapon to go alongside guns, knives and explosives — bear spray.Starting Tuesday, new provincial regulations restrict the possession of capsaicin-containing wildlife control products in public urban spaces following what police said were “thousands of public disturbances” involving bear spray, including assaults and robberies. The regulations will limit where it can be bought and sold, transported and stored. They will also prohibit defacing or altering bear spray bottles in order to hide or disguise the product's identity. Law enforcement will have the authority to identify and seize the product from any individual violating the regulations, which may also lead to charges and potential fines of up to $100,000..“We have seen far too many instances where capsaicin products (bear spray) have been used to commit offences, such as robberies and this new legislation will provide police an additional tool to help reduce victimization,”Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police Chief President Richard Lowen.In that regard, police welcomed the changes.“Bear spray offences are something police officers in our city and beyond, are dealing with almost daily,” Regina Police Service Deputy Chief Lorilee Davies said. “Any time we have a new tool we can use to hold offenders accountable and deter such crimes, we welcome it.”“We have seen far too many instances where capsaicin products (bear spray) have been used to commit offences, such as robberies and this new legislation will provide police an additional tool to help reduce victimization,” said President of the Saskatchewan Association of Chiefs of Police (SACP) Chief Richard Lowen. “The SACP is in support of any legislation that curbs the illegal use of a product for anything other than its intended purpose.”.The regulations will apply only to public urban areas, not rural or northern areas where bear spray is typically used for safety purposes.They also do not apply to those, including conservation officers, hunters, and hikers, who require protection from wildlife in the course of their employment or recreational activities.People will be permitted to transport bear spray from a retail location to a place where it can be properly stored in a private home or lawfully used — on a camping trip, for instance.In limited, “appropriate instances,” a person may also be permitted to carry bear spray in an urban space if the holder can demonstrate a reasonable need to carry the product for protection; for example, if a bear was recently sighted near their community.Lower capsaicin-concentration products such as 'dog spray' will also not apply under the regulations. The regulations do not apply to retailers or impose additional record-keeping or identification requirements and stores that sell it..Last year, Regina’s Wascana pool was forced to close on opening day after someone brought bear spray and released it into the water. In 2022, dozens of people, including a one-year old child were hit with bear spray at the Saskatoon Exhibition."These regulations are designed to ensure individuals who require bear spray for legitimate safety purposes are not impacted," Corrections, Policing and Public Safety Minister Paul Merriman said in a statement.“Saskatchewan is bear country,” added Environment Minister Christine Tell. “The new regulations recognize this and make sure that bear spray remains available to help keep people safe as they work and play in the outdoors, while helping to keep it out of urban areas where it doesn’t belong.”Bear spray won’t kill people — or bears — but it can cause permanent eye damage, respiratory and skin irritation. Bear spray is also twice as strong as regular pepper spray used for self-defence.“Treat bear spray with the same respect you would give a loaded handgun,” says the Association of Fish & Wildlife Agencies.
