The Saskatoon Police Service (SPS) is investigating after five bear spray attacks were reported this week, including one on a seven-year-old boy.
Police responded to 19th Street West and Avenue C South at 9:50 a.m. on Monday, July 22. According to police, a 24-year-old woman was suffering from the effects of bear spray, but was uncooperative and didn’t provide any further information.
Later that day, at around 3:50 p.m., police were called to the 200 block of Avenue O South where a seven-year-old boy had been assaulted with bear spray.
Around three hours later, officers went to the 400 block of Confederation Drive for a report of someone being bear sprayed. Police say the suspect fled and officers took the victim home.
At around the same time, police were called to the 100 block of 33rd Street West for a report of a bear spray incident. Police say the victim in that case did not want to press charges.
Then, at around 1:50 a.m. Tuesday, police responded to reports of a bear spray incident in the 100 block of Nelson Road. Officers couldn’t locate the suspect, but the victim was treated at the scene by paramedics. Police say the victim did not want to press charges.
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Insp. Tyson Lavallee with the Saskatoon Police Service said the incidents are not thought to be related and there are no updates on the investigations. He said there hasn’t been much of an increase in these types of incidents compared to last year, with 141 at this time in 2023, and 148 so far this year.
“That being said, the overall five-year trend with weapons calls and violence is on the increase,” he said. “While we’re not much different than last year, it’s still a concern, obviously for the service.”
Troy Davies, director of media relations with Medavie Health Services West said incidents like these aren’t common.
“We have a bunch of them and then we don’t see some for quite some time,” he said. “I’d say when they do happen though, they’re isolated incidents. It’s not like it’s in the middle of a mall or the middle of a public place.”
In March, the province introduced new bear spray regulations after what Justice Minister and Attorney General Bronwyn Eyre called thousands of public disturbances.
The regulations restrict the use of capsaicin-containing wildlife control products in public urban spaces, and prohibit disguising the product’s identity. Those charged under the regulations could face fines of up to $100,000.
“We’re hearing from law enforcement that it has given them that additional tool,” Eyre said Wednesday. “We hope going forward we’ll really reduce these incidents we’re seeing because they’re really a problem increasingly in our communities.”
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