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COVID-19 — restrictions and closures that could impact fishing and hunting
BREAKING NEWS — SATURDAY, APRIL 11, 2020
Crown land camping prohibited effective immediately
The Government of Ontario has announced the prohibition of Crown land camping. Here are the details:
Despite any Act or regulation that provides otherwise, recreational camping on public lands is prohibited for the duration of the declared emergency and includes occupying any public lands within the meaning of the Public Lands Act, including:
public lands covered by water or ice or both
for the purposes of outdoor recreational accommodation and includes occupying on the public lands any equipment used for the purpose of outdoor recreational accommodation such as a tent, trailer, tent trailer, recreational vehicle, camper-back and any watercraft equipped for overnight accommodation.
Permitted activities:
walking through or using public lands for other permitted purposes
camping for the purposes of exercising an Aboriginal or treaty right as recognized and affirmed by section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982
prohibiting temporary outdoor accommodations that are ancillary to or necessary for the operation of an essential business listed in Schedule 2 of 0. Reg. 82/20 (Order Under Subsection 7.0.2 (4)- Closure of Places of Non-Essential Businesses);
affecting any written authorization given under the Public Lands Act to occupy public lands.
Ontario Regulation made under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act
Order under Subsection 7.0.2 (4) of the Act – Closure of Public Lands for Recreational Camping
https://files.ontario.ca/solgen-oic-crown-land-camping.pdf
We hope that everyone is staying safe and healthy in these unprecedented and challenging times. We also know that many of you have questions related to the impact this situation may have on your spring outdoors pursuits. With all of the rumours and speculation, the OFAH is pushing for answers from the government.
At this point, the MNRF has not made any decisions to restrict, delay or cancel provincial fishing and hunting seasons or restrict access to Crown land.
However, some municipalities and Conservation Authorities have already restricted access to their lands, and many retailers that usually offer fishing and hunting licences are no longer open to the public.