Management plans and activities for National Wildlife Areas

Introduction

Management of National Wildlife Areas (NWAs) is undertaken to protect habitat for the benefit of migratory birds, species at risk, and other wildlife of national importance. Guided by the Wildlife Area Regulations, NWAs are managed according to the conservation objectives as set out in each site management plan.

Although each protected area is managed individually in accordance with the specific characteristics of the site and local area, all NWAs share the same overall management strategy, which is “to protect and maintain habitat vital for wildlife and to improve habitat when necessary for wildlife use.”

What is a management plan

Management plans provide the framework in which management decisions are made. Management plans are used by Environment and Climate Change Canada staff to guide decision making on the monitoring of wildlife, the maintenance and improvement of wildlife habitat, the enforcement of regulations, the maintenance of facilities, and permitting.

Each NWA management plan specifies activities that are allowed, including those that may be undertaken by permit only. Where measures are carried out for the conservation of wildlife, they must be consistent with any law respecting wildlife in the province or territory in which the NWA is situated.

Management plans are developed in consultation with Indigenous Peoples, stakeholders and the public, and respect the rights of Section 35 and Treaty rights holders and allowable practices specified under land claims agreements.

Activities and entry

To ensure that habitat is protected for the benefit of wildlife, human activities are controlled and human impacts are minimized in NWAs through the implementation of the Wildlife Area Regulations. While most NWAs are open to public, some might have restricted access for conservation purposes. We encourage members of the public to visit one of our 10 Connecting Canadians with Nature sites, or to consult specific NWA web pages prior to planning a visit. Please note that the Wildlife Area Regulations [subsection 3(1)] set out activities that are prohibited in NWAs.

Prohibited activities and authorizations and permits

The amended Wildlife Area Regulations include a new Schedule I.1, which lists the activities that are authorized in certain NWAs without a permit. The prohibited activities listed in the regulations are:

• introducing any living organism whose presence is likely to result in harm to any wildlife or the degradation of any wildlife residence or wildlife habitat
• hunting, fishing or trapping
• having in their possession any equipment that could be used for hunting, fishing or trapping
• having in their possession, while fishing, any lead sinkers or lead jigs
• having in their possession any wildlife, carcass, nest, egg or a part of any of those things
• carrying on any agricultural activity, grazing livestock or harvesting any natural or cultivated crop
• bringing a domestic animal with hooves into the wildlife area
• allowing any domestic animal to run at large or keeping any domestic animal on a leash that is longer than three metres
• carrying on any recreational activities, including swimming, camping, hiking, wildlife viewing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and skating
• participating in a group meal or group event involving 15 or more people
• lighting or maintaining a fire
• operating a conveyance – including a conveyance without a driver on board – other than an aircraft
• conducting a take-off or landing of an aircraft, including a remotely piloted aircraft
• operating on land or in the water a remotely controlled self-propelled device or setting in motion on land or in the water an autonomous self-propelled device
• removing, damaging or destroying any poster or sign or any fence, building or other structure
• selling, or offering for sale, any goods or services
• carrying on any industrial activity
• disturbing or removing any soil, sand, gravel or other material
• dumping or depositing any waste material or any substance that would degrade or alter the quality of the environment
• removing, damaging or destroying any artifact or natural object; or
• carrying out any other activity that is likely to disturb, damage, destroy or remove from the wildlife area – whether alive or dead – wildlife residence or wildlife habitat

Under certain conditions, the activities listed above may be authorized through a permit issued by the Minister. Permits may be issued only if the Minister is of the opinion that:

• (a) in the case where the purpose of the proposed activity is to promote the conservation or protection of wildlife or wildlife habitat,
  • (i) the benefits that the proposed activity is likely to have for the conservation or protection of wildlife or wildlife habitat outweigh any adverse effects that it is likely to have on wildlife or wildlife habitat, and
  • (ii) there are no alternatives to the proposed activity that would be likely to produce the same or equivalent benefits for the conservation or protection of wildlife or wildlife habitat but would be likely to have less significant adverse effects; and
• (b) in any other case,
  • (i) taking into consideration the measures described in the amended Wildlife Area Regulations, paragraph (2)(d), the adverse effects that the proposed activity is likely to have on wildlife or wildlife habitat would not compromise their conservation, and
  • (ii) there are no alternatives to the proposed activity that would allow the applicant to achieve the same outcome but would likely have less significant adverse effects on wildlife or wildlife habitat

Additional terms and conditions governing the activity may be added to the permit to protect and minimize the impact of the proposed activity on wildlife and wildlife habitat. In addition, depending on the type of activity, other federal or provincial permits may be required.

Please note that a proposed permitting guidance document is forthcoming. When published, it will be available for public review and comment until March 31^st, 2021.

Contact information

For more information on National Wildlife Areas please contact the Environment and Climate Change Canada office assigned to your province or territory as per the list below. Please note that all requests must be made through the Inquiry Center, enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca or to one of the following addresses:

Environment and Climate Change Canada - Atlantic Region^{Footnote 1} 
Canadian Wildlife Service
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

Environment and Climate Change Canada - Quebec Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
801-1550 d’Estimauville Avenue
Québec QC G1J 0C3

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

Environment and Climate Change Canada - Ontario Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
335 River Road
Ottawa ON K1V 1C7

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

Environment and Climate Change Canada - Prairie Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
115 Permiter Road
Saskatoon SK S7N 0X4

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

Environment and Climate Change Canada - Pacific Region^{Footnote 2} 
Canadian Wildlife Service
60 Front Street, L3
Nanaimo BC V9R 5H7

Telephone: 250-327-4101
Email: scfpacpermitscwspacpermits@ec.gc.ca

Environment and Climate Change Canada – Northern Region
Canadian Wildlife Service
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  

Related links

• Selection criteria