Government proposing amendments to Wild Life Act

The Newfoundland and Labrador government introduced proposed amendments to the Wild Life Act aimed at strengthening enforcement and increasing penalties for wildlife-related offences.

Forestry, Agriculture and Lands Minister Pleaman Forsey tabled the legislation Thursday, saying the changes are intended to better equip resource enforcement officers and enhance protection of the province’s wildlife and endangered species.

The proposed amendments would introduce higher fines to deter illegal activities and improve public safety. Under the changes, penalties for resisting, obstructing or impersonating a wildlife officer would increase significantly—from a current maximum fine of $500 to a range between $500 and $25,000. The maximum jail term of up to six months would remain unchanged.

Fines for big-game offences would also rise. A first conviction, currently carrying a fine between $1,000 and $5,000 or up to six months in jail, would increase to a range of $2,000 to $25,000, while maintaining the same potential jail time.

For repeat offenders convicted within five years, proposed fines would increase from the current range of $3,000 to $10,000 to between $6,000 and $25,000. The mandatory jail sentence of one to six months would remain in place.

The legislation would also expand licence suspensions, prohibiting anyone convicted of an offence from holding any type of hunting licence for five years, rather than limiting the ban to specific species such as moose or caribou.