Instruction sheet: Applying for an airport permit under the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022

General information

The Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994 (MBCA) serves to protect and conserve migratory birds, their nests and eggs in Canada, including surrounding ocean waters. The Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 (MBR) authorize permits for activities that would otherwise be prohibited under the MBCA or MBR.

An airport permit is issued under subparagraph 12(1)(c) of the MBR, in accordance with section 72. The permit authorizes the airport permit holder or their nominee(s) to scare migratory birds with a firearm or aircraft, or to kill and take them within the perimeter of an airport when they are considered a danger to aircraft operation.

To request authorization to perform these activities, you must complete the Application for an Airport Permit under the Migratory Birds Regulations, 2022 and send it by email (preferred), fax or regular mail to the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) permitting office in your region. A list of regional permitting offices and contact information is available at the end of this instruction sheet.

CWS processes applications on a first-come, first-served basis. Airport permit decisions will be made within the number of the service standard days after the application and any required supporting documentation have been received. Incomplete, unsigned or illegible application forms will not be processed and may result in a delay or refusal of your application. The current service standard for permit application processing is available online at the Government of Canada website.

Note: The permit holder must ensure compliance with the Species at Risk Act (SARA) when undertaking any actions affecting species, or their residences or habitat, that are listed as threatened, endangered or extirpated pursuant to Schedule 1 of SARA.

An airport permit does not authorize the removal or destruction of migratory bird eggs or nests or actions related to migratory birds that are causing serious damage or danger to people or other property or structures. A different damage or danger permit is required to authorize these activities. For more information on damage or danger permits, please refer to the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) website.

When completing an application for an airport permit, please note that:

1. all applicable sections must be completed accurately. Please do not attach or refer to any additional documents to your application, except for relevant supporting documentation such as maps, photographs or a land authorization letter for carcass disposal. Additional sheets may only be attached if the space provided for a section is insufficient. Any attachments, as described above, must be listed in Appendix B
2. the applicant must sign Section 6 of the application; unsigned applications will be considered incomplete
3. once the application is complete, it should be sent to the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) office in your region. Any questions may also be directed to the appropriate regional CWS office. A complete list of regional CWS offices is available at the end of this instruction sheet

For Canada Goose related activities: Before completing and signing the application form, make sure that you and any nominees read and understand the following guidelines:

• Guidelines for the Euthanasia of Humane Killing of Migratory Birds in Canada – Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperation, and
• Best Practices for Developing Management Plans – Canada Goose and Cackling Goose Management

These documents are available on the Government of Canada website or from your regional CWS office.

For activities affecting other non-migratory bird species, such as birds of prey: If you have reason to believe that species listed on Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) are endangering aircraft, or other? species protected under provincial or territorial jurisdiction, additional permitting requirements may apply.

Reporting: If required by the terms and conditions of your permit, the Report for the Migratory Birds Airport Permit form must be completed and sent to the CWS office that issued the permit.

Section 1: Airport information

Information about the airport must be provided in Section 1. Specifically, you must indicate:

• the official name of airport
• whether the airport is a military, commercial (civilian), or private (civilian) airport
• whether this airport already had an airport permit issued under the MBR in the past, and provide the last permit number (if applicable)

Section 2: Applicant information

The applicant is the person to whom the permit will be issued and referred to as the permit holder on the permit. Applicants must be either the manager (airport owner/operator) of a civilian airport (commercial or private) or the commander of a military airport. Only one name can be provided for the applicant.

The contact information provided by the applicant in this section will be used by the regional CWS office to communicate with the applicant, if needed, and will appear on the permit. Therefore, it is important that the information provided be accurate and legible.

Important: In case of change to the manager or commander of the airport, a new permit application must be submitted indicating an amendment to the existing permit by the new manager or commander. The permit no longer valid if the permit holder is not the manager or commander of the airport.

Please indicate if you have previously been issued an airport permit, and if so, indicate the identification number of the most recent permit numbers.

If you have ever been refused an airport permit or had one cancelled or suspended, please indicate so here and provide the reason(s) for permit cancellation or suspension.

If you have ever been convicted of an offence under the MBCA or the MBR, please indicate so here and provide the reason(s) or an explanation as indicated.

Section 3: Nature of the situation

Note that Airport Permits only authorize the killing of migratory birds. A different Damage or Danger permit application is required to request the removal or relocation of migratory birds, eggs or nests.

1. Provide a clear description of the problem
2. Provide a detailed description of the existing and proposed management techniques used to reduce or eliminate the danger caused by the migratory birds at this airport. For example, identify sources of attraction for birds at the airport, and if deterrent techniques were implemented
3. If applicable, describe the non-lethal methods you intend to use to reduce the danger caused by the migratory birds
4. If applicable, describe the methods you intend to use to kill the migratory birds

Section 4: Nominees

Indicate whether nominees will be engaged to undertake the authorized activities and use Appendix A to fill in the information regarding nominee names and organizations.

Nominees are individuals chosen by the applicant to carry out the activities that are authorized under the permit.

Note: All nominees are required to carry a copy of the permit as well as identification while conducting the activities authorized under the permit on site, and while transporting carcasses for off-site disposal.

Section 5: Location

Applicants must provide the physical/civic address and/or latitude/longitude coordinates of the airport. A post office box is not an acceptable location and will be used for mailing purposes only.

Describe where on the airport property the migratory birds will primarily be killed (e.g. beside the runways, on the flight path, etc.), and where the killing activities will not be conducted (i.e. where migratory birds will be exclusively managed by non-lethal techniques).

Additional information such as acreage, maps and information about adjacent land uses can be provided for clarification.

Any additional documents, such as maps, that are included must be listed in Appendix B.

Note: Note that airport permits only authorize the killing of migratory birds. A different damage or danger permit application is required to request the removal or relocation of migratory birds, eggs or nests. Furthermore, the authorization to kill migratory birds pursuant to an airport permit is restricted to lands on the airport. If you wish to undertake management activities on lands that are not on the airport, you will need to apply for a damage or danger permit and you will need to obtain the landowner’s permission.

Section 6: Statement of certification and applicant signature

The applicant must sign and date at the bottom of the box in Section 6. If the applicant does not sign the application, the application cannot be processed and will be returned for signature.

The applicant should ensure that all information is correct and that the statement is read before signing and dating the application. The applicant’s signature in this section binds the applicant to the statement of certification, which includes an attestation that everything included in the application is true to the best of the applicant’s knowledge. This also means that the applicant certifies that he/she has read and understands the application and relevant best practices documents, and that the permit holder and nominees have the knowledge to conduct the activities for which the permit is being requested.

The applicant’s name in Section 6 must match applicant’s name in Section 2 of the application.

Appendices

Appendix A: All the nominees that may undertake the activities for which the application is being made must be indicated in this section. For those nominees that do not belong to an organization, please list their full name and leave the organization column blank. If an organization will be undertaking the authorized activities, list the organization and the full name of the employee. If multiple employees from the same organization will be undertaking the authorized activities, it is sufficient to write “Employees of” under the Name field and list the company name under the Organization field.

Appendix B: The titles of any additional documents that are included with the application must be listed to ensure that the regional CWS office is aware of all documents that were attached and need to be reviewed with the application (e.g. photographs, maps and landowner authorization letter for carcass disposal).

Appendix C: The extra space provided is for any sections where further space is required to sufficiently respond to the questions on the application form. Please clearly indicate the section number(s) that is continued here (e.g. Continuation of Section 3: Nature of the Situation).

Contact information for Canadian Wildlife Service offices (by region)

Atlantic Region - Newfoundland and Labrador, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and New Brunswick

17 Waterfowl Lane, P.O. Box 6227
Sackville, NB
E4L 1G6

Telephone: 506-364-5068 / Fax: 506-364-5062
Email: Permi.Atl@ec.gc.ca

Quebec Region

801-1550 Avenue d'Estimauville
Québec, QC
G1J 0C3

Telephone: 418-649-6129 / Fax: 418-648-4871
Email: PermisSCFQuebec-CWSQuebecPermit@ec.gc.ca

Ontario Region

335 River Road
Ottawa, ON
K1V 1C7

Telephone: 613--990-8355 / Fax: 613-990-8400
Email: wildlifeontario@ec.gc.ca

Prairie Region - Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba

115 Perimeter Road
Saskatoon, SK
S7N 0X4

Telephone: 306-975-4090 / Fax: 306-975-4089
Email: prpermisscf-cwspermitpr@ec.gc.ca

Pacific Region - British Columbia

60 Front Street L3
Nanaimo, BC
V9R 5H7

Telephone: 250-327-4101 / Fax: 604-946-7022
Email: scfpacpermitscwspacpermits@ec.gc.ca

Northern Region - Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon

P.O. Box 1870
Suite 301-933 Mivvik St.
Iqaluit, NU
X0A 0H0

Telephone: 867-975-4636 / Fax: 867-975-4645
Email : cwspermitnorth@ec.gc.ca

Please visit the Contact information for Canadian Wildlife Service office (by region) for the most up-to-date information.