Bc wildlife act pdf

This consolidation is current to June 18, 2024.
See the Cumulative B.C. Regulations Bulletin 2024
for amendments effective after June 18, 2024.

Link to consolidated regulation (PDF)
Link to Point in Time

Wildlife Act

Wildlife Act General Regulation

[Last amended July 1, 2022 by B.C. Reg. 157/2022]

Repealed

1 Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 166/2001, s. 6.]

Definitions

1.001 In this regulation:

"FWID number" , in relation to a person, means a unique number assigned to the person by the director as that person's fish and wildlife identification number.

[en. B.C. Reg. 127/2017, App. 8, s. 1.]

Division 1 — Release of Animals

Falconry exemption

1.01 Where a person is legally in possession of a raptor and the person uses the bird for the purposes of falconry, the person is for those purposes exempted from section 77 (2) of the Act.

[am. B.C. Reg. 74/2017, App. 6, s. 1.]

Native non-wildlife exemption

1.02 Where a person keeps an animal that

(a) is not designated as wildlife, and

(b) is native to the Province or occurs naturally in the wild in the Province

and releases the animal in an area of the Province where it naturally occurs, the person is for that purpose exempted from section 77 (2) of the Act.

[am. B.C. Reg. 74/2017, App. 6, s. 1.]

Repealed

1.03 Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 220/2000, s. 1.]

Captive game bird exemption — private land

1.04 A person who releases on private land a pheasant, quail, partridge or wild turkey which is hatched and raised in captivity is for that purpose exempt from section 77 of the Act.

[en. B.C. Reg. 151/83, s. (a).]

Repealed

2.01-2.02 Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 168/90, s. 2.]

Division 3 — Information for Search Warrant

Form of information

3.01 An information for the purposes of section 92 of the Act may be in the form provided as Form 1 in the Schedule to the Offence Act.

[am. B.C. Reg. 138/2013, s. (b).]

Division 4 — Transporting Wildlife or Fish

Definitions

4.001 In this Division:

"authorization" means a licence, permit or limited entry hunting authorization;

"licence year" has the same meaning as in the Hunting Licensing Regulation, B.C. Reg. 8/99, or the Angling and Scientific Collection Regulation, B.C. Reg. 125/90, as applicable.

[en. B.C. Reg. 1/2019, Sch. 6, s. 1.]

Demonstrating that authorizations were held

4.002 For the purposes of sections 4.01 and 4.07, a person may demonstrate that the person held an authorization by

(a) producing the authorization, or

(b) except with respect to an authorization described in section 20.05 (2),

(i) producing a legible copy of the authorization, or

(ii) stating the person's FWID number, if the authorization is one of the following:

(A) a hunting licence issued with respect to a licence year that began on or after April 1, 2017;

(B) a special area licence required by Part 2 or 3 of the Hunting Licensing Regulation issued with respect to a licence year that began on or after April 1, 2017;

(C) an upland game bird licence issued with respect to a licence year that began on or after April 1, 2018;

(D) a limited entry hunting authorization issued with respect to an open season that began on or after April 1, 2017.

[en. B.C. Reg. 1/2019, Sch. 6, s. 1.]

Transport by person who killed or took wildlife or fish

4.01 (1) For the purposes of section 37 of the Act, a person may ship or transport wildlife or fish or parts of them where the person

(a) has killed or taken them,

(b) personally accompanies them, and

(c) is able to demonstrate, while shipping or transporting the wildlife, fish or parts, that the person held all authorizations that that person was required under the Act to hold in order to kill or take the wildlife or fish lawfully.

(2) In addition to the requirement under subsection (1) (c), a person must carry, while shipping or transporting wildlife or parts, all species licences for the species of wildlife or parts being shipped or transported, whether cancelled or not, issued to the person for the current licence year if

(a) the person is required to hold a species licence for that species, and

(b) the wildlife was killed or taken in the current licence year.

[am. B.C. Regs. 74/2017, App. 6, s. 2; 1/2019, Sch. 6, s. 2.]

Transport for another person

4.02 For the purposes of section 37 of the Act, a person may offer to ship or transport, or engage another person to ship or transport, wildlife or fish or parts of them where they are lawfully in the first person's possession or in the possession of the person on whose behalf the first person offers to ship or transport or engages another person to ship or transport them.

[am. B.C. Regs. 74/2017, App. 6, s. 3; 64/2021, ss. 2 and 3.]

Transport with record of receipt

4.03 For the purposes of section 37 of the Act, a person may ship or transport wildlife or fish killed or taken by another person or parts of them where the first person has in the first person's immediate possession a record of receipt of the wildlife or fish or parts of them showing

(a) the date and place of receipt,

(b) the name, address and, if one has been issued to the person, FWID number of the person who killed or took the wildlife or fish or from whom the wildlife or fish or parts of them were acquired,

(c) the type and number of each authorization that the person who killed or took the wildlife or fish was required under the Act to hold in order for the wildlife or fish to be killed or taken lawfully,

(d) the name and address of the person to whom the wildlife or fish or parts are to be delivered, and

(e) the species and sex of the animal if it is a big game animal.

[am. B.C. Regs. 239/84, s. 1; 74/2017, App. 6, s. 4; 1/2019, Sch. 6, s. 3; 64/2021, ss. 2 and 3.]

Transport by trapper, trader, taxidermist or tanner

4.04 For the purposes of section 37 of the Act,

(a) a person who holds a trapping licence or fur traders licence,

(b) a taxidermist, or

may ship or transport wildlife or fish or parts of them lawfully in the licence holder, taxidermist or tanner's possession where

(d) the licence holder, taxidermist or tanner personally accompanies them, or

(e) the licence holder, taxidermist or tanner identifies each package with the licence holder, taxidermist or tanner's name and address and completes a written declaration that accompanies the shipment stating

(i) the contents of the shipment,

(ii) the number of packages in the shipment,

(iii) the name and address of the consignee, and

(iv) the royalty fur export permit number or game export permit number as appropriate.

[am. B.C. Regs. 74/2017, App. 6, s. 5; 64/2021, ss. 2 and 3.]

Other transport

4.05 For the purposes of section 37 of the Act, a person, other than

(b) a taxidermist, or

engaged in the person's calling, may ship or transport, or offer to ship or transport, dead wildlife or fish or parts of them

(d) that have been tanned or processed into manufactured items, or

(e) obtained from a licensed commercial outlet.

[am. B.C. Regs. 74/2017, App. 6, s. 6; 64/2021, s. 3; 157/2022, App. 8, s. 1.]

Repealed

4.06 Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 91/96, s. 1.]

Transport by supervising hunter

4.07 (1) For the purposes of section 37 of the Act, a supervising hunter may ship or transport wildlife if

(a) the wildlife was killed or taken by the person the supervising hunter accompanied for the purposes of the Act,

(b) the supervising hunter personally accompanies the wildlife, and

(c) the supervising hunter is able to demonstrate, while shipping or transporting the wildlife, that the supervising hunter held all authorizations that the supervising hunter was required under the Act to hold in order for the wildlife to be killed or taken lawfully.

(1.1) In addition to the requirement under subsection (1) (c), the supervising hunter must carry, while shipping or transporting wildlife or its parts, all species licences for the species of wildlife being shipped or transported, whether cancelled or not, issued to the supervising hunter for the current licence year, if

(a) the supervising hunter is required to hold a species licence for that species, and

(b) the wildlife was killed or taken in the current licence year.

(2) In this section "supervising hunter" has the same meaning as in the Hunting Licensing Regulation.

[en. B.C. Reg. 38/2013, App. 6, s. 1; am. B.C. Regs. 1/2019, Sch. 6, s. 4; 64/2021, s. 2.]

Repealed

5.01 Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 168/90, s. 2.]

Division 6 — Commercial Vendors

Commercial vendor commission

6.01 A commercial vendor of licences issued under the Act may retain a commission of $1.50 per licence issued by the commercial vendor.

[en. B.C. Reg. 85/2003; am. B.C. Reg. 64/2021, s. 4.]

Division 7 — Licence Cancellation and Ineligibility

Definition

7.01 In this Division, "conviction" includes the granting of an absolute or conditional discharge.

[en. B.C. Reg. 426/98.]

Prescribed offences

7.02 (1) It is a second or subsequent offence for the purpose of section 24 (8) (e) of the Act to commit an offence under the regulations made under the Act, or under the Act and not listed in section 24 (8) (a) to (d) of the Act, within 2 years from conviction for an offence under the Firearm Act, the Act or the regulations made under the Act.

(2) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 340/2005, s. 13.]

(3) It is a second or subsequent offence for the purpose of section 24 (10) (c) of the Act to commit an offence under the regulations made under the Act, or under the Act and not listed in section 24 (10) (a) to (b) of the Act, within 2 years from conviction for an offence under the Firearm Act, the Act or the regulations made under the Act.

[en. B.C. Reg. 426/98; am. B.C. Reg. 340/2005, s. 13.]

Calculation of a period of ineligibility

7.03 (1) For the purposes of section 7.04, a period of ineligibility is calculated from

(a) the date of conviction, or

(b) the date a court makes a disposition under the Young Offenders (British Columbia) Act.

(2) Despite subsection (1), if a person is convicted of offences that result in more than one period of ineligibility under this Division, those periods run consecutively.

(3) Despite subsection (1), if a person is ineligible to hold a licence on the date referred to in subsection (1) (a) or (b), the period of ineligibility described in section 7.04 runs consecutively with the person's current period of ineligibility.

[en. B.C. Reg. 426/98.]

Periods of ineligibility for a licence

7.04 (1) A person convicted of an offence listed in Column 1 of the Table in this section is ineligible to obtain a hunting licence for the period for that offence indicated in Column 3 of the Table.

(2) A person convicted of an offence listed in Column 2 of the Table in this section is ineligible to obtain an angling licence for the period for that offence indicated in Column 3 of the Table.

(3) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 340/2005, s. 14 (a).]

(4) Despite subsection (1), a person is ineligible to obtain a hunting licence for one year, if

(a) the person is convicted of an offence under the Firearm Act, under the Act, or under regulations made under the Act, not relating to angling or an angling licence, and

(b) the person has within the 2 years prior to the conviction been convicted of an offence under the Firearm Act, under the Act, or under regulations made under the Act.

(5) Despite subsection (2), a person is ineligible to obtain an angling licence for one year, if

(a) the person is convicted of an offence under the Act, or under regulations made under the Act, relating to angling or an angling licence, and

(b) the person has within the 2 years prior to the conviction been convicted of an offence under the Firearm Act, under the Act, or under regulations made under the Act.

(6) Despite subsections (1) to (5), if a person is convicted of

(a) an offence listed in Column 1 of the Table in this section and the person has within 2 years prior to the conviction been convicted of an offence under the Firearm Act, under the Act, or under regulations made under the Act, not relating to angling or an angling licence, the person is ineligible to obtain a hunting licence for 3 years,

(b) an offence listed in Column 2 of the Table in this section and the person has within 2 years prior to the conviction been convicted of an offence under the Act, or under regulations made under the Act, relating to angling or an angling licence, the person is ineligible to obtain an angling licence for 3 years, and

(c) Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 340/2005, s. 14 (a).]

(7) Despite subsections (1) to (6), if a person is convicted of an offence under section 26 (1) (a), (e) or (g) of the Act and the person has within 2 years prior to the conviction been convicted under the Firearm Act, under the Act, or under regulations made under the Act, not relating to angling or an angling licence, the person is ineligible to obtain a hunting licence for 5 years.

(8) In this section, "licence year" has the same meaning as in the Hunting Licensing Regulation, B.C. Reg. 8/99, or the Angling and Scientific Collection Regulation, B.C. Reg. 125/90, as applicable.

Table

ItemColumn 1
Hunting
Column 2
Angling
Column 3
Period
1Firearm Act — section 3 3 years
2Wildlife Act — section 22 2 years
3Wildlife Act — section 24 (6) (a) or (b)Wildlife Act — section 24 (6) (a) or (d)2 years
4Wildlife Act — section 24 (7) (a) or (b)Wildlife Act — section 24 (7) (a) or (c)3 years
5Wildlife Act — section 24 (14) (a) or (b) (i)Wildlife Act — section 24 (14) (a) or (b) (iii)3 years
6Wildlife Act — section 26 (1) (a), (e) or (g) 5 years
7Wildlife Act — section 26 (1) (f) 3 years
8Wildlife Act — section 28 3 years
9Wildlife Actsection 81 with reference to a hunting licenceWildlife Actsection 81 with reference to an angling licence1 year
10Wildlife Act — section 82 (1) (a) or (5) with reference to a hunting licenceWildlife Act — section 82 (1) (a) or (5) with reference to an angling licenceThe remainder of the licence year in which the person is convicted of an offence under section 82 (1) (a) or (5)
11Wildlife Act — section 82 (1) (b), (c) or (d), (3) or (4) with reference to a hunting licenceWildlife Act — section 82 (1) (b), (c) or (d), (3) or (4) with reference to an angling licence2 years

[en. B.C. Reg. 426/98; am. B.C. Regs. 220/2000, s. 2; 340/2005, s. 14; 68/2016, s. (d); 79/2018, App. 4, s. 1.]

Prescribed limits under section 24 (5) and (12) of Act

7.05 The prescribed limit for the purposes of section 24 (5) and (12) of the Act is 30 years.

[en. B.C. Reg. 426/98; am. B.C. Regs. 368/99, s. 1; 157/2022, App. 8, s. 2.]

Repealed

7.06 Repealed. [B.C. Reg. 74/2017, App. 6, s. 7.]