NIPIGON — NEWS — A Nipigon couple sustained non-life-threatening injuries after a black bear entered their residence late Tuesday, September 16, 2025. The incident began when the homeowners opened the back door to let their dog out; a bear entered and attacked both individuals.
The pair retreated to a bedroom, barricaded the door, and called 911.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) arrived to find the bear contained in the basement by the family dog.
Officers safely evacuated the homeowners—who were transported to hospital—and, to protect public safety, dispatched the bear.
Authorities stress that while bear entries into homes are uncommon, encounters and sightings tend to rise in the fall. For emergencies where a bear poses an immediate threat, call 911. For non-emergency encounters, contact the Bear Wise line at 1-866-514-2327.
Bear-Proofing Your Home: A Quick Checklist
The single best way to prevent conflicts is to remove attractants and secure entry points. Ontario’s Bear Wise program recommends the following:
-
Lock doors and windows—including garage and porch doors—especially at night. Install sturdy screens and consider bear-resistant latches on ground-level windows.
-
Garbage: Keep indoors or in a bear-resistant container; put curbside morning of pickup. Clean bins with bleach solution to remove odours.
-
Barbecues: Scrape grates, empty grease traps, and store the BBQ clean and covered—ideally locked.
-
Pet & livestock feed: Store indoors in sealed containers; bring pet food and water dishes inside nightly.
-
Bird feeders: Remove spring through fall; spilled seed is a powerful attractant.
-
Compost & gardens: Avoid meat, fish, oil, or sweet scraps; manage fruit trees and pick ripe/ fallen fruit promptly.
-
Fridges/ freezers: Keep inside—never in accessible sheds or on decks.
-
Motion lighting & noise tools: Install bright motion-activated lights; keep an air horn handy when stepping outside at night.
These practices align with Bear Wise guidance that reducing food rewards is the most effective prevention.
If a bear gets inside:
-
Do not confront the animal. Move to a secure room, keep doors between you and the bear, and call 911. If you can safely do so, give the bear an exit by opening an exterior door from a distance, but never block its escape route. (In any emergency, follow police instructions.)
Did This Summer’s Weather Increase Bear Encounters?
Black bears rely on natural foods—notably berries, nuts, and insects. When natural food is scarce, bear reports typically increase as animals range farther for calories.
For summer 2025, national outlooks called for warmer-than-normal conditions and flagged drought risk in parts of Northwestern Ontario, factors that can stress berry crops in some areas.
Preliminary federal updates also noted drier-than-normal conditions across large parts of Canada this summer, though precipitation in Ontario has been patchy and highly localized.
In short, some zones likely had reduced natural food, while others fared near normal.
Bottom line for residents: Regardless of micro-climate, fall is peak feeding season.
Expect bears to be food-focused and more active around communities if they find easy rewards. Keeping garbage, grills, pet food, and fruit secured makes neighbourhoods far less attractive.
Key Numbers & Resources
-
Immediate danger / bear in a dwelling: 911
-
Non-emergency bear encounters (tracking, advice): Bear Wise 1-866-514-2327 (TTY 705-945-7641)
-
Bear Wise prevention tips: Ontario guidance
