Open-door policy

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 23/11/2024 (683 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Virtually every city in the world has a problem with car theft and vandalism.

But there is one exception.

Churchill, Man,, population 995.

There, citizens are encouraged to leave their car doors unlocked, as well as the front doors of their homes and offices.

Why?

Because Churchill has a problem with polar bears who walk through the town in mid-autumn, and if a bear threatens, a person can run for cover to the nearest safe place: an open car, home or office.

The bears, the largest land mammals in the world, can weigh as much as 1,700 pounds and are potentially dangerous. As a result, Churchill residents frequently need last-second escape routes, 24 hours a day.

“We take bear attacks, or at least their potential, very seriously,” said Frontiers North Adventures guide Josh Mazza. “It is kind of an unofficial by-law that people in the town leave their vehicles open.”

The last person killed in a bear attack in Churchill was in 2010, but there have been a few close calls since then.

“Churchill is the polar-bear capital of the world and we can’t take chances with the bears interacting with people,” said longtime Mayor Michael Spence. “Everyone takes safety incredibly seriously.”

Spence said guides and residents are encouraged to use horns, spray and bear-bangers (projectile firecrackers that sound somewhat like a gunshot) to deter the bears. “It can happen — we have to be cautious, alert and smart. A couple of people were mauled eight or nine years ago, but they survived, thank God.”

The number of bear attacks has declined over the past decade or so — for several reasons.

There are now around-the-clock patrols for the bears, especially in the fall when they come off the ice and make their way into town before heading out hunting again.

Everyone in town knows the number for the bear patrol and uses it when necessary.

The solution is to tranquilize and capture any bear the comes too close to town.

Last year alone, there were more than 140 polar bear sightings around Churchill. Residents are used to looking cautiously around corners and not walking after dark.

About 40 years ago the town built a bear “jail,” a facility constructed largely of concrete and steel, that can hold up to 24 errant bears if found in town.

The bears are trapped, taken to the facility and kept there for up to a month before they are released onto ice several kilometres away. But, they are not fed — because it would only encourage the bears, which have a strong sense of smell and direction, to come back into town looking for a free meal.

So with the patrols and jail, residents are also urged to play their part by leaving doors open. “It works well,” said the local RCMP.

“Our crime rate is no higher because of the open-door policy.”

Despite this initiative, crime here is very low throughout the town. “Everyone is keen to take care of each other,” says the mayor.

Having said that, tourists flock to see the polar bears, beluga whales and northern lights — and the town takes safety extremely seriously. “We are a rural community and depend on these tourists, so we can’t afford to take a chance. And educating the visitors is just as important as the townsfolk,” says Spence.

Frontiers North spokesman Ian Wood says: “We believe polar-bear safety to be paramount to the success of our tours and dedicate ourselves to being as responsible as possible.

“It is also important to recognize and credit the community of Churchill for contributing to this safety, as their programs and infrastructure for managing polar-bear interactions are well developed and followed.”

Frontiers North does arm employees with appropriate deterrents, so if there is an incident on a tour they are prepared. This is typically an armed “bear guard” accompanying the group with a shotgun that is first loaded with a larger cracker shell, also known as a bear-banger.

The town of Churchill and indeed the tour operators and guides take the safety of tourists and inhabitants seriously. But it is up to all of us to ensure our admiration for these magnificent creatures does not impinge on the bears’ safety. Because at the end of the day, we are all guests in “their” home.

Clive Jackson was provided a promotional trip to Churchill.