- Look outside before you leave a building
- Check your surroundings before stepping out, to avoid a surprise encounter.
- Travel in groups and stay together
- Do not walk alone — a larger group has a better chance of spotting a bear. Dedicate one person to watch for bears. Small groups of three or fewer should take a taxi or a designated driver in the fall after 10 p.m.
- Avoid areas of limited visibility
- Bears are naturally camouflaged and can be hidden from view. Watch for and avoid tracks, dimly lit areas, and anywhere sightlines are short. If you must walk, stay on the main streets of Churchill and never walk in dark or dimly lit areas.
- Restrict your travel out of town
- Walking or biking out of town is not recommended in September, October and November. Bears travel close to the shore — use extreme caution on the shoreline in summer and stay off the rock outcrops during the ice-free period. Never go beyond a polar bear warning sign, obey all posted and spoken warnings, and tell someone where you are going and when you will be back.
- Reduce odours and manage garbage
- Scents from cooking and garbage attract bears. Avoid scented soaps and cosmetics, don't carry a lunch on a walk, use sealed bags, and put garbage out on the Town's pick-up schedule. Never approach a seal or whale carcass — bears will defend their food.
- Never approach or feed a bear
- Polar bears are predators, and females defend their cubs — intruding on their space can provoke an attack. A bear that gets food from people learns to link humans with food and becomes a danger to everyone.
- Know your Safety Zone
- Stay close to vehicles and buildings you can shelter in. Leave vehicle doors unlocked — you may need to get back in quickly.