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Bear Jam

Welcome to the Vancouver Lexicon. Its purpose is to pin down the patois of the City of Vancouver by recording its toponyms, nicknames, slang terms, personalities, places, and other Van-centric things. Full A-Z here.

Bear Jam | Phenomenon | When a bear decides to go for a stroll along the side of the highway, traffic quickly (and often dangerously) slows to a gawking crawl. This is known colloquially as a “bear jam”. It is a fact of life for many BC commuters, especially along the Sea-to-Sky highway that connects Vancouver to Squamish and Whistler, and particularly during the peak bear/tourist season of May through October.

Usage: “I’m sorry I was late for my shift but it’s totally not my fault. I got stuck in a bear jam just south of Function Junction.”

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