Video shows bear approaching child in Port Coquitlam, B.C., before being scared off

Surveillance video captured some tense moments as a black bear approached a young child in a Port Coquitlam, B.C., residential neighbourhood earlier this month.

The recording was uploaded to YouTube over the weekend, showing a boy with a scooter standing on the roadway in a residential housing complex in the city's Fremont area when a bear emerges from behind a Jeep and rushes towards him.

Shortly after, a man steps out of a nearby pickup truck and walks toward the bear with arms outstretched, causing the animal to run back behind the Jeep.

Speaking to CTV News on Monday, Kaitlyn Brett identified the man in the video as her husband Liam.

Brett said they were pulling into her father’s driveway on the morning of Oct. 1 when she saw the bear in her rear window. Panicked, she yelled at her husband to do something while she waited in the car with their two children, both under the age of three.

“I could just see the intention of the bear going towards the kid so then I was like, go Liam! Go! Go! Go!” she said.

The YouTube video ends with her husband shooing the bear further away as the child gets on his scooter and rides down the street.

The synopsis of the video describes the young boy as “unfazed,” but Brett said that wasn’t the case.

“The child just looked like he was frozen in fear,” she said. “I could see his shoulders shaking.”

Online commenters have since praised Brett’s husband for intervening, describing his decision to potentially put himself in harm’s way as heroic.

“Brave dude,” one poster wrote. “Give him some recognition, deserves a meal or something.”

Wildlife experts warn that bear activity is heightened at this time of year as the mammals prepare for hibernation, consuming upwards of 25,000 calories daily.

“This year has been even more challenging for the bears,” said Tom Madrigan, section manager of solid waste and fleet for the City of Port Coquitlam. “We’ve had a difficult year for drought, and how does that impact wildlife? Well, their food sources start to deplete.”

According to the B.C. government, people who encounter bears should never run away, and instead remain calm and consider the bear’s behaviour before deciding how to proceed.

Depending on whether the bear appears calm or curious, the advice can range from backing away slowly to standing your ground, yelling, and being prepared to deploy bear spray, if available. 

Bear encounters are not uncommon in the Tri-Cities, where officials have long emphasized the importance of properly managing attractants to avoid potentially dangerous wildlife conflicts. Madrigan encouraged residents lock their garbage and green bins, ideally storing them in a garage or shed when not being picked up.

Over the summer, picnics were banned at three Coquitlam parks due to bears increasingly accessing coolers and other food containers. 

It's unclear whether the black bear recorded in the YouTube video has been involved in any previous conflicts in Port Coquitlam, or is considered a potential safety risk. CTV News has asked the B.C. Conservation Officer Service for more information.