Report calls for improved worker safety measures around polar bears
A new report is calling for improved worker safety protocols around polar bears.
This follows the death of a worker at a remote radar installation on Brevoort Island, Nunavut, who was killed by polar bears in August 2024 after leaving a building to take photographs, according to a recent report from The Canadian Press (CP).
Christopher Best, 34, had been working with a tank cleaning crew at the North Warning System site—operated by Nasittuq Corporation—when the incident occurred.
On the day of the attack, Best and his crew had spotted a bear and taken photos from inside a vehicle. Later, Best asked a wildlife monitor to inform him if bears were nearby so he could take more pictures. The wildlife monitor saw Best at the end of the work shift and told him a bear was outside.
Best—who had grown up in Labrador and was known for his love of photography and the outdoors—was aware a polar bear was nearby and went outside with his camera, believing the animal was at a safe distance.
However, surveillance footage later revealed a second bear was present and cut off Best’s escape route before attacking. The first bear then joined the attack.
During the attack, a worker saw the incident through a garage door window and called for a gun, but none was available. The wildlife monitor fired a non-lethal bear-banger to scare the animals, but one bear charged again and was fatally shot. Best was brought inside by other workers, but he did not survive.
Best’s mother, Shelly Cox, told CP that her son had reassured his family—prior to the incident—about the risks of photographing polar bears.
“Chris said, ‘Well, yeah, they’re not close to us,’” she said, according to the CP report. She added that he would not have gone outside if he had known about the second bear.
Recommendations
The Nasittuq report, cited by CP, notes that there had been no previous fatalities or injuries from bear attacks in the North Warning System’s seven-decade history. However, the Brevoort Island site had a history of bear encounters, including one “problem bear” killed the previous year after repeated attempts to enter buildings.
The assessment report recommends several changes to improve safety, including requiring workers to obtain supervisor permission before going outside after hours, making public address announcements when bears are present, and considering the installation of fencing and motion-sensor alarms. It also found that while Best had undergone polar bear awareness training, some documentation was missing.
Employment and Social Development Canada has not yet completed its own investigation. In a statement to CP, the department said federally regulated employers must protect the health and safety of employees under the Canada Labour Code, and fines can be imposed for violations.
