Why did Ottawa police shoot and kill a bear in Kanata?

The city of Ottawa says Bylaw staff and partners with the National Capital Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry were not behind a decision to kill a bear in the city's west end Monday night.

The city of Ottawa says Bylaw staff and partners with the National Capital Commission and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry were not behind a decision to kill a bear in the city's west end Monday night.

Residents and councillors were looking for answers Tuesday after Ottawa police shot and killed a black bear Monday evening in a backyard in Kanata's Bridlewood neighbourhood. The approximately two-year-old bear had been spotted near homes and in backyards eating birdseed.

In a statement to CTV News Ottawa, Ottawa Bylaw and Regulatory Services (BLRS) director Roger Chapman said police, as the first responder, was best-suited to determining whether the bear was posing a threat.

"BLRS, the NCC and MNRF were not involved in the decision to put down the animal," Chapman said.

"When a bear is spotted near residential and urban areas, BLRS works with the MNRF, NCC, and OPS to determine the appropriate course of action for each individual case. BLRS officers are not equipped or trained to respond to immediate calls for service involving a large wild animal which could pose an imminent risk to residents. Residents should contact the Ottawa Police Service by calling 613-236-1222 if a bear is an imminent danger to safety."

Police said in a statement that when officers arrived Monday night, they found the animal close to homes and "deemed it to be a significant public safety risk."

Officers worked to safely remove the bear from the area, but "after exhausting all available options, it became clear that the animal could not be safely relocated," police said.