The Ontario government says it wants to curb an increase in hunting license fees in 2019. It eliminates a $2 service charge from the previous Liberal government’s budget.
Natural Resources and Forestry Minister John Yakabuski made the announcement Thursday morning in Peterborough, home of the Ontario Federation of Hunters and Anglers (OFAH).
“We are making it easier for Ontarians to enjoy the outdoors by keeping hunting licenses affordable,” Minister Yakabuski said in a news release.
In December, the Ontario government also froze the price of fishing licenses and added two unlicensed fishing events in 2019 – Mother’s Day and Father’s Day weekends.
The Government recalls that it has made some improvements to the hunting regulations.
These include a new License Summary that can be downloaded to a mobile device or printed at home.
The yellow waterproof stickers that were previously sent by mail are now replaced by thumbnails of paper that the hunter will print at home.
He will also be responsible for ensuring that the sticker is not damaged by the weather.
“When you walk in the wood, it’s not dry, it’s raining, it’s snowing, and you have to make sure you have your vignette on your game, and it’s not a piece of paper go out of your printer at home and stay on your game,” said NDP MP for Algoma-Manitoulin Michael Mantha.
Mandatory questionnaire
Previously, questionnaires sent by mail to all big game tag holders did not have to be completed and returned to the Department.
The new guidelines now require hunters to complete the questionnaire even if they have not hunted or killed an animal.
The mandatory questionnaire is for moose, elk, deer, bear, wild turkey and wolf or coyote (in Wildlife Management Units where a vignette is required).
These questionnaires will be submitted online or by phone.
Any failure to complete and transmit the data could result in penalties and thus deprive a hunter of a license the following year.
According to the government, hunting in Ontario generates economic activity in the order of $ 431 million, and the changes bring about savings of about $4.3 million.
