Could Grizzly Hunts Return? Alberta Considers New Solutions

With our city bordering wild spaces, wildlife management hits close to home. Remember recent bear sightings near Signal Hill or Oakridge? Now, Alberta's grizzly bear policies are under the microscope.

On November 3, 2025, Minister of Forestry and Parks Todd Loewen announced a comprehensive review of grizzly bear management. All options are on the table, including potentially lifting the province's general hunting ban, in place since 2006. Grizzlies were designated a threatened species in Alberta in 2010.

While a full ban remains, a new Wildlife Management Responder Network program began in June 2024. This allows qualified hunters to address "problem" grizzlies in specific conflict situations. As of October 2025, one grizzly has been lethally removed under this program after killing livestock. Alberta's grizzly population was estimated between 856 and 973 bears in 2021. This review could significantly reshape conservation efforts across the region.