Annex J: Wildlife compensation

1.0 Definitions

The following definitions shall be used for this benefit.

• 1.1 "Applicant" means a Person who applied for compensation under the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program;
• 1.2 "Beehive" means the habitation or dwelling place constructed for a Bee Colony;
• 1.3 "Bee Colony" means a colony of bees maintained for the production of honey;
• 1.4 "Beehive Related Equipment" means equipment normally associated with operating a Beehive;
• 1.5 "Injury" with respect to Livestock or Poultry means injury by wounding, worrying or pursuing;
• 1.6 "Livestock" means animals kept or raised on a farm and that are designated in the Program Guidelines;
• 1.7 "OIC" means the Order in Council 502/2016 approved on March 30, 2016, as may be amended from time to time;
• 1.8 "Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program" means the program continued by OIC;
• 1.9 "Person" includes a sole proprietor, corporation, partnership and unincorporated association;
• 1.10 "Poultry" includes domesticated fowl kept or raised on a farm and that are designated in Schedule "C" in the Program Guidelines;
• 1.11 "Program Guidelines" means any written documents setting out the criteria governing the operation of the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program;
• 1.12 "Wildlife" means undomesticated animals that are designated in the Program Guidelines.

2.0 General

• 2.1 Provincial and Federal regulations associated with Wildlife Compensation

3.0 Eligibility

To be eligible for compensation, an Applicant is not required to have a Contract of Insurance and needs to comply with all requirements in the OIC and in the Program Guidelines.

• 3.1 Eligible Livestock Species
  • Alpaca
  • Bison
  • Cattle
  • Deer
  • Donkey
  • Elk
  • Emu
  • Fisher
  • Fox
  • Goat
  • Horse
  • Llama
  • Lynx
  • Marten
  • Mink
  • Mule
  • Ostrich
  • Rabbit
  • Raccoon
  • Rhea
  • Sheep
  • Swine
  • Eligible Poultry Species^{footnote 1[1]}
    • Bobwhite, northern
    • Chicken
    • Duck
    • Goose
    • Grouse, ruffed
    • Grouse, spruce
    • Grouse, sharp-tailed
    • Partridge, gray (Hungarian)
    • Pheasant, ring-necked
    • Ptarmigan, rock
    • Ptarmigan, willow
    • Turkey, wild
    • Turkey
• 3.2 Eligible Wildlife Species for Damage to Livestock and Poultry
  • Bear
  • Bobcat
  • Cougar
  • Coyote
  • Crow
  • Eagle
  • Elk
  • Fisher
  • Fox
  • Hawk
  • Lynx
  • Mink
  • Raccoon
  • Raven
  • Vulture
  • Weasel
  • Wolf
  • Eligible Wildlife Species for Damage to Beehives, Bee Colonies and/or Beehive-related Equipment
    • Bear
    • Skunk
    • Raccoon
    • Deer

4.0 Compensation

• 4.1 Compensation to a producer may be paid up to 80% of losses due to:
  • 4.1.1 damage or destruction to Bee Colonies, Beehives and Beehive Related Equipment that is caused by Wildlife; and
  • 4.2.1 injury or death of Livestock and Poultry that is caused by Wildlife.

5.0 Determination of Losses

• 5.1 Losses referred to in section 3 shall be determined according to the Program Guidelines and the OIC.

6.0 Administration

• 6.1 All claims will be assessed according to the Program Guidelines and the OIC.

7.0 Mitigation and Prevention

• 7.1 Section 10.2 of the AgriInsurance Agreement requires that Compensation shall only be paid if the Province has in place a program or measures to assist producers for the mitigation and prevention of damage, and the producer or province have taken appropriate actions to reduce the losses sustained.
• 7.2 In conformity with the requirement set out in section 7.1, for each combination of commodity and wildlife eligible under the program as specified in section 3.2, describe the corresponding program or measures implemented to assist producers for the mitigation and prevention of damage.
  
  In addition to the foregoing, the Province administers the following prevention and mitigation programs:
  • 7.2.1 Under section 6(3) of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997 and in accordance with the regulations, despite the requirement for a licence, a farmer or a member of a farmer's family who resides with the farmer may, during the open season and without a licence, on the farmer's land,
    1. hunt or trap furbearing mammals;
    2. hunt or trap game mammals, other than big game;
    3. hunt game birds, other than wild turkey;
    4. hunt or trap game reptiles or game amphibians;
    5. hunt birds referred to in subsection, and
    6. hunt wildlife referred to in clause
  • 7.2.2 Under Section 31 (1) of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, and in accordance with the regulations; if a person believes on reasonable grounds that wildlife is damaging or is about to damage the person's property, the person may, on the person's land,
    1. harass the wildlife for the purpose of deterring it from damaging the person's property; or
    2. capture or kill the wildlife.
  • 7.2.3 Under Section 31 (2) of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, and in accordance with the regulations, the person may use an agent to harass, capture or kill the wildlife under Section 31 (1) if the agent has the authorization of the Minister or belongs to a class of agents prescribed by the regulations.
  • 7.2.4 Pursuant to Section11 (1) of the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997, and in accordance with the regulations, municipalities may hire or employ licensed hunters or trappers to harvest furbearing mammals to help resolve human-wildlife conflicts within their municipal boundaries without obtaining prior approval of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry. These hunters and trappers will be able to accept financial compensation from municipalities for their activities.
• 7.3 By May 31 of each year, the Province shall submit a report that provides detailed performance information on the wildlife compensation program for the previous year. The report shall describe the mitigation and prevention measures that were in place for producers who received compensation and how those measures assisted in reducing the losses. The report shall also identify the lessons learned and what future mitigation or prevention measures are being considered or will be implemented to better manage wildlife and reduce production losses.

8.0 Changes/Enhancements to Wildlife Compensation

• In January 2022, Canada and the Province increased the administrative allowance municipalities receive to help offset a portion of their delivery costs for the Ontario Wildlife Damage Compensation Program from $30 to $50 per claim application for claims with an injury/kill date of February 1st, 2022 onwards.
• In Fall 2022, the ministry increased the number of applications that trigger the requirement for Reasonable Care Plans (RCPs) from five to ten applications in order to decrease administrative burden and better support producers experiencing naturally moderately higher levels of predation despite having mitigation measures in place.

9.0 Maximum Compensation Values