Hamilton police launch ‘Project Breathe Easy’ after spike in youth bear spray attacks

Hamilton police are warning of a growing problem with teens and bear spray after a violent week in the city involving kids as young as 10 years old.

In response, police are launching what they’re calling ‘Project Breathe Easy’ which includes enforcement in local parks and school neighbourhoods, and hosting community information nights for concerned parents.

“Our understanding is that the 10-year-old boy was going to be the target of the robbery and was carrying bear spray himself and intended on using it on the attackers,” said Insp. Frank Miscione, Hamilton Police Service, Community Safety Division.

Detectives said that’s just one of five shocking events they’ve responded to involving youth and bear spray in the past week.

“What we’ve seen in the past five incidents, is that these were pre-meditated assaults,” said Miscione. “People were wearing masks, they were filming it, they would go in groups. This was not something that’s spur of the moment.”

Officers are seeing a spike in these kinds of calls with bear spray-related incidents reportedly up 115 per cent since 2021. Police said 63 per cent of the accused are between the ages of 10 and 19.

The numbers are trending in the wrong direction so far this year. In 2025, officers responded to 30 of these calls, while there have been 21 in just the first two and a half months of this year.

“The consequences of that are assault with a weapon if you use it on someone,” said Miscione. “Carrying the bear spray for protection, as some youth do, is a criminal offence.”

READ MORE: Hamilton police investigate bear spray incident at café near Pier 8

The police initiative was launched in hopes of combating those numbers. That includes more patrols in areas the teens frequent — like school neighbourhoods, parks and malls. Another aspect of the police initiative is figuring out where kids are getting this kind of weapon. Bear spray is legal to purchase from some retailers for those 18 years or older.

CHCH News tried four different big box stores in Hamilton and only found bear spray available at one of them.

At Canadian Tire, bear spray was not available on the actual store floor;  you had to ask for it and someone had to retrieve it from a locked case. Identification is required, a phone number, an address and information to prove the purchaser is above the age of 18. It cost $79.99.

Police said they checked in on 11 stores yesterday that have a licence to sell bear spray and found three were not compliant. Police are following up with the ministry on the potential of laying charges.

“We’ve had tips of stores in our city selling bear spray without a licence, and we’ve seen that exact kind of bear spray on the streets in these incidents,” said Miscione.

If you are the victim of bear spray, medical professionals recommend washing out your eyes and face as quickly as possible.

“It can cause incredible pain in your eyes. Lots of tearing, swelling. It can cause temporary blindness just because it causes your eyes to close,” said Alim Pardhan, Chief of Emergency Medicine with Hamilton Health Sciences. “It can cause shortness of breath, people can have quite a bit of difficulty breathing.”

Police will be hosting community information sessions at libraries and a YMCA in April, and one virtually in May to help out parents concerned about their teens.

More information can be found here.

READ MORE: Two youths sought, one arrested after bear spray attack near Hamilton Mountain high school