Some of the outstanding $3.5M in unpaid fish and wildlife fines are unrecoverable, says minister of Natural Resources and Forestry

Some of the millions of dollars owed to the province from fines under The Fish And Wildlife Conservation Act are unrecoverable, says Ontario’s minister of Natural resources, but steps are being taken to allow the ministry to deny fishing and hunting licenses to those who have previously been convicted.

Kathryn McGarry, Ontario's minister of Natural Resources and Forestry, was in the Sault earlier this week for the North American Wildlife Enforcement Officers Association annual conference.

McGarry said it’s up to municipalities to collect the unpaid fines, which the ministry estimated to be about $3.5-million in total accrued between 1997 and of the end of 2016.

“Some of the outstanding fines are not recoverable — they are either folks that are no longer in the province or across the border — and the municipalities have decided it’s too much for them to go after,” said McGarry.

Fines under The Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act can range from fishing or hunting out of season, dumping waste on Crown Land or burning in restricted fire zones, among others. 

Greg Farrant, manager of government affairs and policy for the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters, said the decision to not go after the outstanding fines undermines the work of conservation officers and denies fine money used for conservation.

“(Conservation officers) put a lot of time and effort into these investigations — sometimes months — before charges are laid. Once people are convicted, it’s incumbent upon the province to collect those fines because under the current set up, the fines and license revenues from angling and hunting go into the Special Purpose account, which funds all fish and wildlife programs across Ontario,” said Farrant.

Recently passed legislation, called The Burden Reduction Act, allows the ministry to deny licenses to hunters and anglers who have been convicted of an offence under The Act, but McGarry said IT systems will need to be upgraded.

“We are looking quite closely with a system that will prevent somebody from getting their license until they have paid their fines, whether that is a hunting or fishing license. We are developing that system right now, so stay tuned for that,” said McGarry.

Farrant would like to see the government go one step further and deny renewal of drivers licenses to those convicted under The Fish And Wildlife Conservation Act.

“If you’re inclined to break the law, you are inclined to break the law whether you are licensed or unlicensed. If, however, you can’t drive your vehicle to get to your job or get to your hunting and fishing opportunities, that has a little more impact on you,” said Farrant.

Also granted under the recent legislation, municipalities now have additional tools at their disposal to collect the outstanding fines, the money from which goes back into ministry programs.

“(They) go back into the fish and wildlife special purpose account to go back into the fish and wildlife programs we have here in Ontario,” said McGarry.

Farrant wonders why it is the responsibility of the municipalities to collect the outstanding fines, and not the province.

“These are fines that are levied under provincial statutes, so why is it the responsibility of the municipalities to collect it? These are charges that are levied and convicted under The Fish And Wildlife Conservation Act or other provincial statutes,” noted Farrant.

He said illegal actions can impact the perception the public has of people who fish and hunt, while also negatively impacting the environment and the wildlife that live in it.

“The vast majority of people who hunt and fish in this province — there roughly about one-and-a-half million who are licensed to do so — are law-abiding people who care deeply about the resources and pay attention to the rules and regulations,” said Farrant.

Earlier this month, fines for starting forest fires were increased by the provincial government for the first time since 1968.

Individuals found to have started a forest fire can now be fined up to $25,000 and a corporations can be fined up to $500,000.

“People have to be aware of their own behaviour. Campfires, lit cigarettes, sparks that are flying, fireworks — all of those things can end up starting a fire,” said McGarry.