Grain-gobbling bears spark 'no stopping' zone in Banff National Park
A popular highway in Alberta's Banff National Park now has a 'no stopping zone' to help protect two bears.
Parks Canada say the 320-metre 'no stopping zone' will be in place on the Bow Valley Parkway between Baker Creek and Protection Mountain Campground.
The change is being implemented to assist the bears who have been "persisting" in the area along the railway track since April 2 to eat spilled grains.
"Photos and videos of the bears are circulating on social media and many visitors are travelling to the area in search of wildlife viewing opportunities," explained a Friday news release.
"Parks Canada has received and responded to a number of documented reports of bear jams, unsafe parking and people leaving their vehicles to approach the bears in the past 10 days."
Spokesperson James Eastham says the grain itself is too dispersed for Parks Canada to clean effectively.
They did attempt to use hazing to discourage the bears from spending time along the tracks, but their efforts proved unsuccessful.
The 320-metre 'no stopping zone' will be in place on the Bow Valley Parkway between Baker Creek and Protection Mountain Campground. (Parks Canada) Eastham says the bears can leave the tracks suddenly to avoid trains, causing them to move quickly toward the road, making it particularly unsafe for people outside of their vehicles.
"Space in the area is also limited and cannot accommodate a safe viewing distance of 100 metres between people and the bears," he said in a news release.
"The area also lacks a road shoulder to pull over onto and traffic flow is impeded by parked vehicles."
Kicking Horse Bridge reduced to single lane
Kicking Horse Bridge has been reduced to a single lane of alternating traffic after erosion damage was discovered. (Parks Canada) Parks Canada also announced on Friday that Kicking Horse Bridge had been reduced to a single lane of alternating traffic after erosion damage was discovered to a wing wall.
Delays in the area are expected until both the wall and riverbank are stabilized, a project expected to take two weeks.
The bridge is located between Wapta Falls and Hoodoo Creek campground.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
NEW Is there a cost to convenience? Canada approves new cancer immunotherapy treatment
A new cancer treatment recently approved in Canada promises to cut treatment time down to just minutes, but experts have differing opinions on whether it's what's best for patients.
Air Canada walks back new seat selection policy change after backlash
Air Canada has paused a new seat selection fee for travellers booked on the lowest fares just days after implementing it.
Canada's new dental program offering hope of free care to millions but many dentists aren't signed up
A new Canadian dental care program is offering the hope of free care to millions, but while 1.7 million people have signed up for the plan, only about 5,000 dentists have done the same.
Province boots mayor and council in small northern Ont. town out of office
An ongoing municipal strike, court battles and revolt by half of council has prompted the province to oust the mayor and council in Black River-Matheson.
'Fatalities' reported following wrong-way collision on Highway 401, SIU called in: police
Ontario's Special Investigations Unit has been called in following a deadly wrong-way collision on Highway 401 in Whitby on Monday night, say police.
Winner of US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot is an immigrant from Laos who has cancer
One of the winners of a historic US$1.3 billion Powerball jackpot last month is an immigrant from Laos who has had cancer for eight years and had his latest chemotherapy treatment last week.
King Charles III returns to public duties with a trip to a cancer charity
King Charles III returned to public duties on Tuesday, visiting a cancer treatment charity and beginning his carefully managed comeback after the monarch's own cancer diagnosis sidelined him for three months.
NDP says Ottawa's new grocery task force isn't living up to government promises
The federal government says the task force it created to monitor and investigate grocery retailers' practices has not conducted any probes and doesn't have a mandate to take enforcement action.
A group of Toronto tenants have been on a rent strike for a year and say there's no resolution in sight
Dozens of tenants in Toronto's Thorncliffe Park area have now been withholding their rent for one year, and it’s unclear when the dispute will end.