SUNSHINE COAST BEAR ALLIANCE
One Voice To Replace Fear With Knowledge
our team
evelyn kirkaldy
As an illustrator and graphic designer, a graduate from the Ontario College of Art’s Communication and Design Program, Evelyn worked for many prominent advertising agencies, but eventually shifted her focus to fine art. Because of her love for the outdoors, she became an active proponent for the preservation of wilderness and wildlife, and especially bears. Accordingly, she graduated with honours as a wildlife technician from Selkirk College’s Recreation, Fish and Wildlife Program.
Evelyn has been teaching “Bear Safety at Home and in the Woods” for almost 30 years. She has created artwork and educational materials as well as launched and served as advisor, spokesperson and coordinator for several organizations that advocate for bears.
Evelyn joined SCBA in March of 2026 and she looks forward to continuing her work, “Teaching people how to live with bears and teaching bears how to live with people”.
Natalie kawaja
Natalie developed a deep regard for bears and the other wildlife around her while living near Glacier National Park. Natalie has worked in the medical field for thirty years. Her caring, diligent nature lends itself to her work as a volunteer for the bear alliance. After moving to the coast she sought out the bear alliance with a desire to educate residents about living in a community home to bears and other wildlife. Natalie is a passionate and dedicated volunteer who visits residents providing educational information and tips to ensure residence have safe, positive encounters with our coast’s bears.
Natalie hopes people will appreciate how important bears are to our ecosystem and how important it is to live respectfully with the bears in our community.
kristy lewis
Growing up on a farm in SK, Kristy Lewis has been an animal lover since birth. Retired (WestJet YVR & competitive curling (sport) — Kristy moved to the Sunshine Coast in late 2019. Driven by truth & compassion, Kristy is an online advocate for humans & animals alike. She is a firm believer in protecting animals big or small, especially with the climate crisis. She was therefore a natural fit to join & volunteer for the SCBA. Kristy & her beloved dog Rocco, volunteer by driving injured wildlife/ birds for Coastal Wildlife Rescue & Conflict Resource Services on the Sunshine Coast. She joined SCBA in late 2020.
Our Mission
Is to end negative human-bear encounters on our Sunshine Coast by fostering a pragmatic understanding and appreciation of our coast’s bears that will promote a safe and respectful coexistence between our bears, residents and visitors to the community.
Our History
In October 2019 in response to the significant number of black bears killed in our community during the years’ bear season a small group of compassionate citizens banded together to ascertain the reasons for the unfortunate demise of these bears.
Shared beliefs and a shared determination to create a safe and respectful environment for our Sunshine Coast bear families in which to live lead to the formation of the Sunshine Coast Bear Alliance.
Our Values
We believe that bears and all wild animals deserve our respect and deserve to live in our community in their wild state.
We believe that we should provide a state of safe co-existence for our coast bear population within which to live with residents of our community.
Our Goals
To eliminate the death of any bear on the Sunshine Coast due to issues with garbage and attractants and/or any disrespectful and unsatisfactory practices. Education is seen as key to changing the unsatisfactory and sometimes unknowing behaviours that lead to the demise of our bears.
To replace fear with knowledge through a variety of educational measures in our community; from door to door informational campaigns, community presentations, to collaborations with local agencies and governments our goal is to create a safe and respectful environment for our bears and residents to co-exist.
To work collaboratively with local governments to address development and habitat loss such that; future development allows for wildlife travel corridors and the inclusion of those corridors into future Official Community Plans as well as the protection of den sites and other sensitive bear and wildlife habitat.