Airport permits
The Airport permit allows its holder and their nominees to scare and kill migratory birds that are a danger to aircraft operated at the airport with a firearm or aircraft.
Application and record keeping forms
The service standard for Airport permit applications is that 90% of decisions are made within 14 calendar days.
Airport permits are free of charge. They are valid until the expiry date indicated on the permit or December 31 of the year in which it was issued if no expiry date is listed on the permit.
Applications must be submit to the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) office in the region where the activity will take place. A list of regional permitting offices and contact information for regional CWS offices is found below.
Who can apply?
The applicant must be a manager of a civilian airport or a commanding officer of a military airport.
Responsibilities of an Airport permit holder
An Airport permit holder or nominee may only have birds killed under the authority of an Airport permit in their possession to dispose of them in the manner indicated on the permit.
Airport permit holders may not use or have in their possession toxic shot while scaring or killing birds.
The Airport permit holder, and the nominees, must carry a signed copy of the permit on their person when undertaking permitted activities. These include scaring a migratory bird with an aircraft or firearm, killing a migratory bird and transporting the bird for disposal. A copy of the permit must be shown to any Game Officer, or other authorized officer, immediately upon request.
Reporting and record keeping requirements
Airport permit holders must maintain accurate records of the migratory birds killed and submit a report to their CWS regional office before January 31st of each year that the permit is valid. The report must contain the date each kill occurred, the migratory bird species, the number of individuals of each species killed, the location where the bird was killed and the method of killing. Permit holders are required to keep all records for a period of five years following the permit expiry date.
Contact information for Canadian Wildlife Service offices (by region)
Atlantic region
New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island
17 Waterfowl Lane
P.O. Box 6227
Sackville, NB E4L 1G6
Telephone: 506-364-5068
Fax: 506-364-5062
Email: Permi.Atl@ec.gc.ca
Quebec region
801-1550 Avenue d'Estimauville
Quebec, QC G1J 0C3
Telephone: 418-649-6129
Fax: 418-648-4871
Email: PermisSCFQuebec-CWSQuebecPermit@ec.gc.ca
Ontario region
335 River Road
Ottawa, ON K1V 1C7
Telephone: 613-990-8355
Fax: 613-990-8400
Email: wildlifeontario@ec.gc.ca
Prairie region
Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba
115 Perimeter Road
Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X4
Telephone: 306-975-6794
Fax: 306-975-4089
Email: prpermisscf-cwspermitpr@ec.gc.ca
Pacific region
British Columbia
60 Front Street L3
Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H7
Telephone: 250-327-4101
Email: scfpacpermitscwspacpermits@ec.gc.ca
Northern region
Northwest Territories, Nunavut and Yukon
PO Box 1870
Suite 301, 933 Mivvik St.
Iqaluit, NU X0A 0H0
Telephone: 867-975-4636
Fax: 867-975-4645
Email: CWSPermitNorth@ec.gc.ca
Related links
- Note to all applicants: Service standards for migratory bird permits can be found online. Please note that when incomplete applications are received, Environment and Climate Change Canada will notify the applicant and the time limit will be “paused” or “suspended” until all the missing information is received
- It is the applicant’s responsibility to contact the appropriate provincial/territorial wildlife agency and municipal office for information about possible additional permits required for the planned activity.
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