A number of years ago, Toronto went on a painted moose tourist promotional thing. I never much cared for it - thought it silly.
Winnipeg has basically done the same thing, but with polar bears. Don't know which promotion came first - don't matter much but I liked what I saw in Winnipeg. In behind their legislature building there are (I think) 17 such bears (and more spead out thoughout the city).
I also found in stores polar teddy bears, bear figurines, bear t-shirts ... And I was told that folks come from all over to go on trips to Churchill in northern Manitoba (check out the map on reply #2 on the 'Accounts of a trip in the past '08') to see real polar bears and, if they're lucky, the northen lights.
Anyways, the statues are quite lovely to look at & I posed with all 17 polar bears behind the legislature buildings. Bryan took the photos.
Enjoy
