Service standards and performance: permits for Migratory Birds Regulations
We issue permits for various activities affecting migratory birds each year. Our service standards tell you how long it will normally take us to process and respond to your permit application. We base these timelines on our resources and our experience.
Current service standards summary
When you apply for a Migratory Bird Regulations (MBR) permit, we will give you a decision within the following timelinesFootnote 1:
- airport permit: 14 calendar days
- eiderdown permit: 14 calendar days
- aviculture permit: 35 calendar days
- charity permit: 40 calendar days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later
- damage or danger permit: 35 calendar days
- scientific permit: 40 calendar days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later
- taxidermist permit: 35 calendar days
A 90-day service standard applies to any permit applications which may affect a species protected by the Species at Risk Act (SARA).
If your application is incomplete, we will notify you and the time limit will be paused until we receive all missing information.
Background and detailed service standards
Service standards are necessary for good client service and important for managing performance because they:
- set out expectations (both internally and externally)
- drive improvement
- contribute to results-based management
Our service standards set the timeframe for the Minister to issue or refuse to issue a permit under the MBR. We regularly analyze performance data and review service standards for all permit types issued under the MBR (except migratory game bird hunting permits).
Service standards and performance targets were reviewed in 2022 and no changes were made. The next review of service standards is scheduled for 2025.
In November 2013 we published service standards and performance indicators for 2 types of permits:
- damage or danger
- airport
In March 2014, we established service standards and performance indicators for all 4 remaining permits issued under the MBR:
- aviculture
- eiderdown
- scientific
- taxidermist
In July 2022 we established service standards and performance indicators for the new charity permits.
We have developed tools to assist MBR permit applicants. For this information, please visit the permit application forms web page.
Performance targets
We present performance targets in percentages of decisions provided for permit applications in a reporting timeframe (i.e. from April 1 of a year until March 31 of the following year).
For damage or danger and airport permits:
- 2013 to 2014: 80% of decisions made within the service standard
- 2014 to 2015: 85% of decisions made within the established service standard
- 2015 to 2016 onwards: 90% of decisions made within the established service standard
For taxidermist, aviculture, eiderdown and scientific permits:
- 2014 to 2015: 80% of decisions made within the service standard
- 2015 to 2016: 85% of decisions made within the service standard
- 2016 to 2017 onwards: 90% of decisions made within the service standard
For charity permits:
- 2022 to 2023 onwards: 90% of decisions made within the service standard
Performance reporting
ECCC measures service performance for permit decisions under the MBR annually and posts performance information online no later than June 1st for the preceding reporting timeframe.
We met the performance targets for all permits decisions, under the MBR in 2023 to 2024, except for Eiderdown permits.
Statistics relating to processing times for issued permits are provided in the following tables:
Reporting timeframe | Target | Performance |
---|---|---|
April 2013 to March 2014 |
80% of permits issued within 14 days |
99% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2014 to March 2015 |
85% of permits issued within 14 days |
100% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2015 to March 2016 |
90% of permits issued within 14 days |
100% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2016 to March 2017 |
90% of permits issued within 14 days |
95% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2017 to March 2018 |
90% of permits issued within 14 days |
98% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2018 to March 2019 |
90% of permits issued within 14 days |
100% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2019 to March 2020 |
90% of decisions made within 14 days |
98% of decisions made within 14 days |
April 2020 to March 2021 |
90% of decisions within 14 days |
89% of decisions made within 14 days Footnote 2 |
April 2021 to March 2022 |
90% of decisions within 14 days |
100% of decisions made within 14 days |
April 2022 to March 2023 |
90% of decisions within 14 days |
95% of decisions made within 14 days |
April 2023 to March 2024 |
90% of decisions within 14 days |
97% of decisions made within 14 days |
April 2024 to March 2025 |
90% of decisions within 14 days |
Performance data to be provided by June 1st, 2025 |
Reporting timeframe | Target | Performance |
---|---|---|
April 2013 to March 2014 |
No targets set |
No results reported |
April 2014 to March 2015 |
80% of permits issued within 40 days |
99% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2015 to March 2016 |
85% of permits issued within 40 days |
99% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2016 to March 2017 |
90% of permits issued within 35 days |
99% of permits issued within 35 days |
April 2017 to March 2018 |
90% of permits issued within 35 days |
98% of permits issued within 35 days |
April 2018 to March 2019 |
90% of permits issued within 35 days |
98% of permits issued within 35 days |
April 2019 to March 2020 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
100% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2020 to March 2021 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
99% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2021 to March 2022 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
100% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2022 to March 2023 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
99% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2023 to March 2024 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
99% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2024 to March 2025 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
Performance data to be provided by June 1st, 2025 |
Reporting timeframe | Target | Performance |
---|---|---|
April 2022 to March 2023 |
90% of permits issued within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
100% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required |
April 2023 to March 2024 |
90% of permits issued within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
100% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required |
April 2024 to March 2025 |
90% of permits issued within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
Performance data to be provided by June 1st, 2025 |
Reporting timeframe | Target | Performance |
---|---|---|
April 2013 to March 2014 |
80% of permits issued within 40 days |
95% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2014 to March 2015 |
85% of permits issued within 40 days |
99% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2015 to March 2016 |
90% of permits issued within 40 days |
97% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2016 to March 2017 |
90% of permits issued within 35 days |
97% of permits issued within 35 days |
April 2017 to March 2018 |
90% of permits issued within 35 days |
95% of permits issued within 35 days |
April 2018 to March 2019 |
90% of permits issued within 35 days |
99% of permits issued within 35 days |
April 2019 to March 2020 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
99% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2020 to March 2021 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
100% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2021 to March 2022 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
99% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2022 to March 2023 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
98% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2023 to March 2024 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
99% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2024 to March 2025 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
Performance data to be provided by June 1st, 2025 |
Reporting timeframe | Target | Performance |
---|---|---|
April 2013 to March 2014 |
No targets set |
No results reported |
April 2014 to March 2015 |
80% of permits issued within 14 days |
100% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2015 to March 2016 |
85% of permits issued within 14 days |
0% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2016 to March 2017 |
90% of permits issued within 14 days |
50% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2017 to March 2018 |
100% of permits issued within 14 days |
100% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2018 to March 2019 |
100% of permits issued within 14 days |
100% of permits issued within 14 days |
April 2019 to March 2020 |
100% of decisions made within 14 days |
75% of decisions made within 14 days |
April 2020 to March 2021 |
100% of decisions made within 14 days |
100% of decisions made within 14 days |
April 2021 to March 2022 |
100% of decisions made within 14 days |
33% of permits issued within 14 days Footnote 3 |
April 2022 to March 2023 |
100% of decisions made within 14 days |
67% of decisions made within 14 days Footnote 3 |
April 2023 to March 2024 |
100% of decisions made within 14 days |
0% of decisions made within 14 daysFootnote 3 |
April 2024 to March 2025 |
100% of decisions made within 14 days |
Performance data to be provided by June 1st, 2025 |
Reporting timeframe | Target | Performance |
---|---|---|
April 2013 to March 2014 |
No targets set |
No results reported |
April 2014 to March 2015 |
80% of permits issued within 40 days |
82% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2015 to March 2016 |
85% of permits issued within 40 days |
92% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2016 to March 2017 |
90% of permits issued within 40 days |
92% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2017 to March 2018 |
90% of permits issued within 40 days (April 1st to December 31, 2017) or 90% of permits issued within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later (January 1, 2018 onwards) |
97% of permits issued within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required |
April 2018 to March 2019 |
90% of permits issued within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
95% of permits issued within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required |
April 2019 to March 2020 |
90% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
94% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required |
April 2020 to March 2021 |
90% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
94% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required |
April 2021 to March 2022 |
90% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
98% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required |
April 2022 to March 2023 |
90% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
92% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required |
April 2023 to March 2024 |
90% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
96% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required |
April 2024 to March 2025 |
90% of decisions made within 40 days or 20 days before the permit is required, whichever is later |
Performance data to be provided by June 1st, 2025 |
Reporting timeframe | Target | Performance |
---|---|---|
April 2013 to March 2014 |
No targets set |
No results reported |
April 2014 to March 2015 |
80% of permits issued within 40 days |
100% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2015 to March 2016 |
85% of permits issued within 40 days |
100% of permits issued within 40 days |
April 2016 to March 2017 |
90% of permits issued within 35 days |
100% of permits issued within 35 days |
April 2017 to March 2018 |
90% of permits issued within 35 days |
100% of permits issued within 35 days |
April 2018 to March 2019 |
90% of permits issued within 35 days |
100% of permits issued within 35 days |
April 2019 to March 2020 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
100% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2020 to March 2021 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
100% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2021 to March 2022 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
99% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2022 to March 2023 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
100% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2023 to March 2024 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
99% of decisions made within 35 days |
April 2024 to March 2025 |
90% of decisions made within 35 days |
Performance data to be provided by June 1st, 2025 |
Service feedback
Contact us at CWSPermit.PermisSCF@ec.gc.ca for any feedback on these service standards or on any issue related to Canadian Wildlife Service permits.
For more information
- Government-wide forward regulatory plans
- The Cabinet Directive on Regulatory Management
- The Red Tape Reduction Action Plan
- The Canada-United States Regulatory Cooperation Council
- Buy a Migratory Game Bird Hunting permit
- Service standards and performance targets for migratory game bird hunting permits
- Application forms for MBR permits For additional information please contact your regional Canadian Wildlife Service office or email CWSPermit.PermisSCF@ec.gc.ca .
To learn about upcoming or ongoing consultations on proposed federal regulations, visit the Canada Gazette and Consulting with Canadians websites.
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