The Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations is contemplating amendments to the Wildlife Act Designation and Exemption Regulation to improve the management of non-native, invasive rabbit populations (Eastern cottontail and European rabbit).
The proposed amendments will remove an exemption that currently allows individuals to capture and relocate non-native invasive rabbits to the wild, and will provide authority for the transfer of possession of captured non-native invasive rabbits (e.g. allow rabbit rescue facilities to receive and adopt out rabbits to prospective homes without a permit).
The Province has undertaken consultation with key stakeholder groups on the proposed amendments. If your local government would like to discuss the proposed changes, please contact Courtenay Jacklin, Policy Analyst, Wildlife and Habitat Branch by March 31st, 2021.