As of January 1, 2019, all veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces members residing in Ontario can enjoy recreational fishing across the province without having to purchase a fishing licence.
A news release published earlier this month confirmed the Ontario Government’s earlier promise to make fishing easier for Canadians. With this regulatory change, all Canadian Armed Forces members can fish without a licence throughout the year.
“Our government is working to show appreciation for veterans and Canadian Armed Forces members, helping make it easier and more affordable to enjoy recreational fishing,” said John Yakabuski, Minister of Natural Resources and Forestry. “By allowing veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces members to fish for free in Ontario’s beautiful waters and encourage more time outdoors, we are offering a token of recognition to these heroes who deserve our respect and gratitude. Thank you for your service.”
For more information, call the Natural Resources Information and Support Centre at 1-800-667-1940 .
Keep Canada Fishing is the national voice of Canada’s anglers, and we lead the effort to preserve your right to sustainably fish on our lakes, oceans, rivers and streams. By informing anglers of current and potential issues and threats affecting recreational fishing and access to public waters, our goal is to motivate anglers to take action on matters of importance to the future of fishing and conservation. We’re also your voice on Parliament Hill. If you would like to contribute to our efforts to “Keep Canada Fishing,” you can donate now via PayPal.
Do we know if this is the sport or conservation licence?
Hi Tim. At https://www.ontario.ca/page/fishing-licence-canadian-residents it states:
Starting January 1, 2019, veterans and active members of the Canadian Armed Forces who reside in Ontario are able to enjoy free fishing across the province as a token of recognition for their service. In place of an Outdoors Card and recreational fishing licence, veterans and active members will be required to possess and carry one of the following pieces of identification to legally fish in Ontario:
Canadian Forces Identification Card (NDI 20);
Record of Service Card (NDI 75); or
Canadian Armed Forces Veteran’s Service Card (NDI 75).
In accordance with other deemed licences, veterans and active members of the Canadian Armed Forces will need to follow the seasons, quotas and limits associated with a sport fishing licence.
For more information on this initiative, please contact the Natural Resources Information and Support Centre at 1-800-387-7011.