Kids and teens are committing — and on the receiving end — of an increasing number of bear spray-related crimes, including assaults and robberies, Hamilton police say. 

As investigators try to determine where young people are getting bear spray in the first place, police are organizing community meetings and trying to raise awareness about potential consequences.

“It’s actually quite serious,” Insp. Frank Miscione said, adding bear spray is similar to pepper spray, and can cause burning, coughing and difficulty breathing. 

Designed to fend off bears and aggressive wildlife, the spray contains capsaicin, a chemical found in chili peppers. Parks Canada recommends carrying it when hiking or camping in bear country and notes that commercial canisters can spray about 10 metres.

5 incidents in last week alone

Because it’s non-lethal, children might not consider using bear spray on a person as being similar to using a knife, but it’s still assault with a weapon, Miscione said.

“There are very serious consequences.”

Since at least 2024, Hamilton police have warned about young people attacking one another with bear spray. Often, Miscione said, these are planned attacks. He said that last year, police saw most happening at public gatherings near schools after hours, but lately, they’re happening in or around school buildings. 

Between 2021 and 2025, there was a 115 per cent increase in bear spray-related incidents, Hamilton Police Service said in a news release. In cases where police identified the offenders, 63 per cent of them were 10 to 19 years old, the service said, noting 42 per cent of victims were in that age range. 

In the last week alone, there were five such incidents, Miscione told CBC Hamilton on Tuesday. They included a 10-year-old carrying bear spray in a park, a 16-year-old sprayed during a robbery and a 17-year-old who police found with a canister near Glendale Secondary School.

Where’s the bear spray coming from?

Bear spray “seems to be readily available” to the people involved in these incidents, Miscione said, but at this point, “We don’t know exactly where they’re getting it from.”

Retailers including Canadian Tire and Mountain Equipment Company sell bear spray for about $80 per canister. They are required to check ID to ensure the buyer is 18 or older, and keep a record of the purchaser’s name and address. 

Miscione said police do compliance checks and know retailers like those are following the rules. 

In cases where bear spray is used illegally, police can go to those stores, see their ledgers and compare it to the names of suspects, he said. 

However, he said, “we have not seen it in a store that’s legally selling bear spray to be a connection at this point in time.”

Most likely, he said, people are purchasing bear spray under the table, online or second hand from someone who already has it. Miscione said police have heard kids are often paying more than the retail price.

“Surprisingly resourceful, these young people in our community are able to afford it.”

In addition to finding out where the bear spray is coming from, police are working to engage with young people and their families, Miscione said.

Police hosting 4 community info sessions

Children and teens don’t always think about the repercussions of their actions, Miscione said, so adults need to step in. He said parents should know what their kids are bringing to school or buying online. 

Police are hosting community safety meetings for youth and families at the Central and Valley Park library branches and Les Charter Family YMCA in April. In May, they will hold a virtual session. 

In November, Hamilton city councillors asked staff to study a possible bylaw controlling the sale of bear spray. 

In an email Wednesday, the city’s Licensing and Bylaw Services team told CBC Hamilton that’s a “priority” in 2026. 

“We anticipate a report on the feasibility of banning deterrent sprays (including bear spray) coming back to committee before the end of this year.”