Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has created 251 new fines for illegal hunting and fishing and doubled about 50 of the existing fines.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/hunting-fishing-fines-increase-ontario-1.5220068
Ministry of Natural Resources refuses to discuss revenue from hunting and fishing fines
Erik White · CBC News · Posted: Jul 23, 2019 5:09 AM ET | Last Updated: July 23
Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has created 251 new fines for illegal hunting and fishing and doubled about 50 of the existing fines.
Forgetting your fishing license at home could cost you twice as much this season.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry quietly doubled about 50 of the fines for hunting and fishing infractions earlier this year.
This includes:
Fishing without a license - $200, up from $100
Failing to wear proper hunting clothing - $300, up from $100
Unlawfully firing a gun across a roadway - $500, up from $250
The province also created 251 new fines under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, some running as much as $700.
Also among the new offences is $600 for tourism operators who don't file proper paperwork, $600 for unlawfully shooting a bear cub or sow, $500 for hunting a predominantly white moose and between $250 and $500 for hunting outside of the designated season.
Click here to see a complete list of the changes to hunting and fishing fines.
The ministry refused to make an official available for an interview on the changes and refused to answer any questions regarding the revenue the province gets from hunting and fishing fines.
But it did provide the following statement:
"The Government is putting people first by making life more affordable for the hardworking people of Ontario. We continue to make hunting and angling more accessible for Ontarians who comply with regulations, and we were pleased to announce a fee freeze on hunting and fishing licenses as well as the removal of the $2 service charge. This has put about $4.3 million back into the pockets of hardworking hunters and anglers. We have also doubled the number of license free fishing opportunities in Ontario, and made fishing free for all Canadian veterans and active service members residing in Ontario.
As part of launching the new fish and wildlife licensing service, the ministry made updates to modernize some fines that had not been changed in 20 years, to respond to public and stakeholder concerns heard over time, and to support compliance with the regulations. These changes will help support compliance with the new fish and wildlife licensing service, ensure tickets are an effective deterrent for unlawful behaviour, and to address wildlife management priorities for the ministry."
Province freezes hunting licence fees, removes service fees for all hunters in Ontario
Ontario Conservation officers going online in quest to crack cold cases
One of those stakeholder groups raising concerns is the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.
Manager of policy Mark Ryckman says they lobbied for an increase in trespassing fines, which all did go up from $100 to $200.
He hopes the higher fines will make people think twice about breaking the rules.
"If you have a set fine and it's fairly low, some people could view that over time as the cost of doing business," says Ryckman.
He says he hasn't heard much chatter about the increased fines, likely because most people follow the rules when they hunt and fish.
"So the vast majority of people probably didn't know what the previous set fine was, let alone what the new set fine is," says Ryckman
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/sudbury/hunting-fishing-fines-increase-ontario-1.5220068
Ministry of Natural Resources refuses to discuss revenue from hunting and fishing fines
Erik White · CBC News · Posted: Jul 23, 2019 5:09 AM ET | Last Updated: July 23
Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry has created 251 new fines for illegal hunting and fishing and doubled about 50 of the existing fines.
Forgetting your fishing license at home could cost you twice as much this season.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry quietly doubled about 50 of the fines for hunting and fishing infractions earlier this year.
This includes:
Fishing without a license - $200, up from $100
Failing to wear proper hunting clothing - $300, up from $100
Unlawfully firing a gun across a roadway - $500, up from $250
The province also created 251 new fines under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, some running as much as $700.
Also among the new offences is $600 for tourism operators who don't file proper paperwork, $600 for unlawfully shooting a bear cub or sow, $500 for hunting a predominantly white moose and between $250 and $500 for hunting outside of the designated season.
Click here to see a complete list of the changes to hunting and fishing fines.
The ministry refused to make an official available for an interview on the changes and refused to answer any questions regarding the revenue the province gets from hunting and fishing fines.
But it did provide the following statement:
"The Government is putting people first by making life more affordable for the hardworking people of Ontario. We continue to make hunting and angling more accessible for Ontarians who comply with regulations, and we were pleased to announce a fee freeze on hunting and fishing licenses as well as the removal of the $2 service charge. This has put about $4.3 million back into the pockets of hardworking hunters and anglers. We have also doubled the number of license free fishing opportunities in Ontario, and made fishing free for all Canadian veterans and active service members residing in Ontario.
As part of launching the new fish and wildlife licensing service, the ministry made updates to modernize some fines that had not been changed in 20 years, to respond to public and stakeholder concerns heard over time, and to support compliance with the regulations. These changes will help support compliance with the new fish and wildlife licensing service, ensure tickets are an effective deterrent for unlawful behaviour, and to address wildlife management priorities for the ministry."
Province freezes hunting licence fees, removes service fees for all hunters in Ontario
Ontario Conservation officers going online in quest to crack cold cases
One of those stakeholder groups raising concerns is the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.
Manager of policy Mark Ryckman says they lobbied for an increase in trespassing fines, which all did go up from $100 to $200.
He hopes the higher fines will make people think twice about breaking the rules.
"If you have a set fine and it's fairly low, some people could view that over time as the cost of doing business," says Ryckman.
He says he hasn't heard much chatter about the increased fines, likely because most people follow the rules when they hunt and fish.
"So the vast majority of people probably didn't know what the previous set fine was, let alone what the new set fine is," says Ryckman
Don't be late folks.
