Polar Bear Safe Community Exchange

As the Arctic’s ice-free seasons lengthen, polar bears are spending more time on land, increasing the probability of chances of encounters with people. These interactions will likely grow across the Arctic as climate change continues to melt the sea ice polar bears depend on, so it’s crucial to invest in solutions that will foster peaceful coexistence. 

Across the Arctic, communities have developed unique ways of living with polar bears, shaped by different cultures, regulations, and wildlife management approaches. Recognizing the value of sharing diverse knowledge and perspectives, Polar Bears International (PBI) hosted the first-ever Polar Bear Safe Community Exchange in Churchill, Canada, with participants from Northern Ontario and Svalbard, Norway, spending time with delegates from Churchill.  

Over the course of a week, participants shared information on bear safety, coexistence approaches, bear viewing guidelines, responsible tourism, and waste management practices, learning from each other and taking home ideas. 

It was no small feat to organize a circumpolar gathering involving travel from distant northern regions, but PBI’s Geoff York emphasized its importance: “It’s vital for communities to share their knowledge and experiences, especially in different cultural and regulatory contexts. We believe it’s essential to create opportunities to share what’s working—and what isn’t—for living alongside polar bears.”

Circumpolar gathering

Participants from Svalbard, Norway, and Northern Ontario (Kashechewan, Peawanuck, and Attawapiskat) brought their unique experiences of living with polar bears. Life on Svalbard is changing as it warms up to six times faster than anywhere else in the world– contributing to an increasing number of polar bear encounters at cabins and camps on the archipelago. And while some Northern Ontario communities have been living with polar bears for thousands of years, others have started seeing polar bears arrive for the first time in recent years as the changing sea ice in Southern Hudson Bay and James Bay leaves polar bears on land longer and sometimes venturing further to look for food.  

PBI hosted the exchange in Churchill, Canada, right as this area’s annual polar bear gathering was in full swing. Every year, polar bears travel near — and through — the town of Churchill as they gather on the shores of Hudson Bay and wait for the sea ice to form, so they can resume hunting seals. Concurrently, the town created the Churchill Bear Smart Working Group which has several coexistence initiatives to keep polar bears and people safe during this time.

On their way to Churchill, the group stopped at the Leatherdale International Polar Bear Conservation Center housed at the Assiniboine Park Zoo in Winnipeg, a PBI Arctic Ambassador Center. They also heard from polar bear and sea ice scientists including Dr. Stephen Petersen, Dr. Alex Crawford, and Dr. Evan Richardson.

Arrival in the polar bear capital

As snow whizzed around them, the Churchill programming commenced with a visit to the Polar Bear Holding Facility, which is run by the Provincial Polar Bear Alert Program and completely unique to Churchill. Its conservation officers talked us through their facilities, approaches, and equipment – from a 24/7 polar bear hotline to its polar bear holding facility – all of which prioritize non-lethal approaches to keeping polar bears a safe distance away from people in the community. After a drive past Churchill’s waste management facilities and a visit to Cape Merry – where the Parks Canada bear guards kept them safe as they strolled among the snow-covered boulders – they settled in for a deeper discussion into Churchill’s initiatives compared to protocols in Ontario and Svalbard. 

The group met with Churchill’s Bear Smart Working Group members, including Mayor Mike Spence, Caleb Ross of Nanuk Operations, and Leann Fishback of Parks Canada. Mayor Spence delivered a warm bilingual welcome in English and Cree, and as participants from Northern Ontario spoke in Cree with Mayor Spence, it underscored how linguistic and cultural ties can strengthen collaboration and drive positive change.

Responsible tourism

It’s jaw-droppingly spectacular to sit a few meters away from a polar bear while staying completely safe. The Tundra Buggy style tourism is unique to Churchill, and the giant “school buses on monster truck wheels” drive on old military roads throughout the Churchill Wildlife Management Area. Two bears even put on a show, playfully sparring nearby. For one Cree participant, this moment called for a traditional tobacco offering, a respectful acknowledgment of the bears’ presence and role in northern life. He explained that a key element of coexistence is this shared respect, which can be conveyed spiritually. 

While on board the Tundra Buggy – which was amazingly silent as Frontiers North Adventures has been converting its fleet to EVs – the group discussed the nuances of responsible tourism in polar bear communities with differing cultural contexts. Participants from the Svalbard Museum and Visit Svalbard elaborated on Svalbard’s history – from its lack of an Indigenous population to its transition from whaling to coal to a tourism-focused economy – and tourism today, as visitors come to experience its glaciers, fjords, aurora borealis, and wildlife. There were some audible gasps from Canadians as Norwegian participants spoke about new Svalbard regulations that keep people at least 500 meters – or five football fields – away from polar bears. 

As tourism operators and community members grapple with regulatory changes like these, how can they encourage the government to hear their concerns? Change begins from scaling up individual efforts, and Churchill successfully impacted provincial and national change by uniting local voices. The Churchill Bear Smart Working Group brings together Churchill residents, tourism operators, city government officials, and other interested people to discuss polar bear management with each other and the higher levels of government. Likewise, a concerned group of Churchill’s beluga whale tourism operators came together to impact the area’s whale-watching rules. 

Expanding responsible tourism helps polar bear conservation and coexistence, as it reinforces the value of protecting polar bears. As some Northern Ontario participants foray into the indigenous-lead tourism sector – such as Gooseberry Tours in Peawanuck – they discussed the need for more education on non-lethal deterrence methods, and how a working group model may help with coastal community collaboration and standardized training on polar bear encounters.

Deterrence Training

By the last day, it was time for participants to get their hands on some practical deterrence methods, highlighting the wide variety of tools for less-lethal interactions with polar bears. The group tested non-lethal approaches including handheld flares (which you’re often able to find at a marine supplies store), bear spray (which is effective even in the cold– though it helps to keep it warm in your coat, and to be mindful of the wind’s direction and speed), and different types of less-lethal ammunition, from rubber bullets to noise crackers. 

You don’t need to be a sharpshooter to effectively use bear spray or handheld flares, you just need to keep them in easy reach when you’re in bear country. Like anything, deterrence is all about context – weather, distance, the bear’s temperament, and local regulations – so there’s a toolkit of options. In Norway, for example, bear spray is still illegal – but handheld flares are easily available, and a great alternative to relying on a rifle. And as tourism brings more visitors to the North who may not be particularly comfortable using firearms (like myself), they need to learn about bear safety – through a safety video or pamphlet on arrival – and know both when to carry a bear deterrent and how to use it.

Moving forward, together

Living near polar bears puts you in a fairly exclusive club – one Norwegian participant remarked that despite our differences, polar bear communities share more in common than we often realize. I felt fortunate to be surrounded by such passionate and knowledgeable individuals, all united by a commitment to peaceful human-polar bear coexistence. As participants return home to implement and share what they’ve learned, Polar Bears International looks forward to continuing this collaborative journey. Change starts at the local level, and we’re honored to support the ongoing efforts to amplify these community insights within government and wildlife management organizations.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this exchange, and here’s to fostering more connections that safeguard both people and polar bears in the changing Arctic.

Annie Edwards advises strategic communications and policy for Arctic and marine conservation, and organized the exchange for Polar Bears International. She is based in Edinburgh, Scotland.