Hunting & the Military

[deerslayer1511]

Here is the Question,
Does a member of the Canadian military have to prove 6 months residency in a particular Province in order to hunt there as a resident.
The Scenerio
A friend of mine has been in the Military for 25+years & has been stationed all over the world.He has been living in Edmonton for the past 2 months & was in NB for 4 months before that.
If he wants to hunt Moose with me in Ontario, does he need to buy a Non-residents licence or is he A RESIDENT of Canada and can buy residents license in ANY province?

Thanks
Deerslayer1511

[Okotokian]

I think it would be a nice touch if ALL provinces and territories let members of the military have resident status for hunting and fishing, even if they aren't stationed there. Just a nice "Thank you". Our military isn't that large, and the proportion of hunters probably isn't large enough to throw any game management out of whack.

[JohninAB]

I would hazard a guess and say no, he is not eligible to hunt with you in Ontario as a resident.

[duffy4]

Google......."Ontarion Hunting regulations"

"An Ontario resident is a person whose primary residence is any part of Ontario and who has actually resided in any part of Ontario for a period of at least six consecutive months during the 12 months immediately preceding the time the licence is purchased. Generally hunters who do not fit this definition must purchase a non-resident licence. (See page 18 for non-resident licence information.)"

This is all it said about ontarion resident definitions. So it looks like there is no exception for armed forces personel.

But as usual I would recomend contacting them directly. If they get a number of inquiries they may think about making that change.

[hal53]

I will have to check with my daughter when she's done her hitch at Suffield, I'm probably wrong, but I think she told me with her military card, she was treated as a resident....will check and post

[deerslayer1511]

I found this on another site

http://www.ohep.net/Info.cfm?ID=9

What are the Alberta Rules if he lived in Ontario?
Seems like if he was in the American Forces ,here for 1 day he would Qualify as a Resident.

Thanks
Deerslayer1511

[Red Neck Girl]

Alberta's regulations state:

Resident - a person who either

Has his or her only or primary residence in Alberta and
1)is a Canadian citizen.....
2)has lived in Canada for the 12 mount period immediately preceeding th relevatn date;

OR

is on full-time service with the Armed Forces of Canada and would, if an election were held under the Elections Act (Canada), be eligible to vote in Alberta under that Act.

Doesn't really help you for hunting in Ont. Surprises me that they don't have something simmilar. I believe that when I lived in Manitoba they had something like that in their resident definition. I would phone a Fish & Wildlife Office in Ont. just to be for sure.

[ex811]

I seem to remember that every province I was ever posted to had regulations similar to what Red Neck Girl quoted out of the AB regs.
If your buddy is posted to AB he's a resident here, and Not in Ontario. Kinda makes sense...but...I like what Okotoian said, however that hasn't happened yet and can't see it ever happening.

[hal53]

Originally Posted by ex811

I seem to remember that every province I was ever posted to had regulations similar to what Red Neck Girl quoted out of the AB regs.
If your buddy is posted to AB he's a resident here, and Not in Ontario. Kinda makes sense...but...I like what Okotoian said, however that hasn't happened yet and can't see it ever happening.

Just my thoughts....but....if my daughter was posted to Afghanistan for 9 mos. comes home in Sept. can't buy a resident license?????...ridiculous...the LEAST we could do is give them resident privileges nation wide.IMO

[duffy4]

"The second group are deemed residents and are identified under the F.W.C.A., in Ontario Regulations 665/98. This regulation states that a person who falls under the following conditions qualifies as an Ontario resident.

A person with diplomatic credentials in an embassy, consulate or trade commission posted to Ontario is deemed a resident.
Armed forces of a foreign government stationed in Ontario are deemed to be residents.
RCMP or armed forces of Canada personal who are stationed in Ontario for a month. (Note: This does not mean that they have to wait a month prior to becoming a resident but the posting must have duration of at least a month.)
Immediate family members of 1, 2, or 3 who live with the person. "

This is the kind of thing I was looking for but did not find in the section on Resident definition.



From Alberta's regulations:
Resident - a person who either

has his or her only or primary residence in Alberta and
is a Canadian citizen or is admitted to permanent residence in Canada, or
has lived in Canada for the 12-month period immediately preceding the relevant date; or
is on full-time service with the Armed Forces of Canada and would, if an election were held under the Elections Act (Canada), be eligible to vote in Alberta under that Act.


There is no need to live in Alberta for 6 months to be a resident.

[Ratlander]

Originally Posted by hal53

Just my thoughts....but....if my daughter was posted to Afghanistan for 9 mos. comes home in Sept. can't buy a resident license?????...ridiculous...the LEAST we could do is give them resident privileges nation wide.IMO

Your daughter would deploy to Afgahnistan, not be posted there-she would still be posted to Suffield and it wouldn't effect her residency so you don't have to worry there.

[saltwater cowboy]

The way it worked when I was in the forces was if you are posted, be it 1 day or 1 year you are are resident, but you must be posted, not on course, deployment, etc.
I was also able to put in for draws in my province of birth (NFLD) and did untill the year of my release
Salty

[mudman]

Deerslayer1511 Your friend will not be able to hunt as a resident of ontario because he is not a resident of ontario. I am also in the military and when I was posted to Ontario 3 years ago I had to get a letter from my commanding officer to get a waiver and be able to hunt within 12 months of moving to there.
It would be nice if it was like Alberta because the 2 years that I was in Ontario I was still able to build up my hunting draws because alberta considers me a resident because I vote in alberta.

[TrollGRG]

Things may have changed since I got out but when I did (almost 20 yrs ago) I was getting the best of both worlds.

In the military you elect to be a resident (for election purposes) of whatever province you want. Most people just leave it as the province they joined up in or were raised in. You end up voting in that electoral district whenever there is an election there - even if you are not there. They send you the forms for your electoral district. You can get a hunting license for that district (province) whenever you want because you are a resident. I was originally from Ontario so I got hunting and fishing licenses there because I was classed as a resident even though I was living here in AB.

Now, if you lived in AB for the last year (or whatever is required), you can get a license here also (which I did).

Note: I am not saying anything about the ethical issues - I will leave that to you.

Clear as mud eh.

[russ]

Originally Posted by Ratlander

Your daughter would deploy to Afgahnistan, not be posted there-she would still be posted to Suffield and it wouldn't effect her residency so you don't have to worry there.

Ratlander, my stepson was stationed in Petawawa for 7-8 years. He voted as an Albertan in every federal election. In fact, if I remember correctly the MP's delivered the ballot to him and made sure he voted

Never did hunt in Alberta while stationed in Ontario though.

[Ratlander]

Originally Posted by russ

Ratlander, my stepson was stationed in Petawawa for 7-8 years. He voted as an Albertan in every federal election. In fact, if I remember correctly the MP's delivered the ballot to him and made sure he voted

Never did hunt in Alberta while stationed in Ontario though.

Good point! I've been in Alberta for over 13 years but I should check the Saskatchewan regs as well, as that's where my election home riding is-they have some mighty big muleys in them sand hills

[hal53]

Originally Posted by Ratlander

Your daughter would deploy to Afgahnistan, not be posted there-she would still be posted to Suffield and it wouldn't effect her residency so you don't have to worry there.

5 week training in suffield prior to be posting (deployed???) to Afghanistan for her second tour

[russ]

hal - Afghanistan would be considered a deployment. The stepson is down in Suffield right now too but he's part of OPFOR.

[duffy4]

Originally Posted by TrollGRG

Things may have changed since I got out but when I did (almost 20 yrs ago) I was getting the best of both worlds.

In the military you elect to be a resident (for election purposes) of whatever province you want. Most people just leave it as the province they joined up in or were raised in. You end up voting in that electoral district whenever there is an election there - even if you are not there. They send you the forms for your electoral district. You can get a hunting license for that district (province) whenever you want because you are a resident. I was originally from Ontario so I got hunting and fishing licenses there because I was classed as a resident even though I was living here in AB.

Now, if you lived in AB for the last year (or whatever is required), you can get a license here also (which I did).

Note: I am not saying anything about the ethical issues - I will leave that to you.

Clear as mud eh.

Sounds like you are saying that you held resident ONT. hunting and fishing licences and Alberta resident licences as well. I don't think that is right and perhaps not legal.

[ctd]

Give them your base addresse and a local number.
When I was in training in Ontario (18months)I maintained my BC Licence, insurance, and fishing licence. I also had a Ontario fishing licence. I also had a Manitoba (6months) licence.

There is a group I cannot remember the name who is trying to exclude the Military from the Licence rules of Residency within Canada in respect to hunting and fishing.

I am all for it, I had no choice where I would be during fishing season at the time. nor would I have a choice for hunting season if I was still in.

Make sure that you are there for more then just visiting, and don't do anything to mess it up by doing something stupid. Most Bases have a hunting club you can get ahold of and they can update you on their local situation.

Good luck,

[mudman]

the rules for alberta concerning the military are in "definations" in the hunting regs

Resident - a person who either

has his or her only or primary residence in Alberta and
is a Canadian citizen or is admitted to permanent residence in Canada, or
has lived in Canada for the 12-month period immediately preceding the relevant date; or
is on full-time service with the Armed Forces of Canada and would, if an election were held under the Elections Act (Canada), be eligible to vote in Alberta under that Act.

When I was in ontario 2 years ago I got my renewal form for my win card, I called the number to renew it and that is when I was told that they still considered me a resident of alberta because I was in the military and I voted in Alberta.


Hal, training prior to deploying does not change your daughters residence if her home base is Edmonton for example she will remain a resident of alberta even if she spends 5 month in Ontario prior to a 9 month deployment.

[Gunner22a]

Nunavit didn't exist when I was posted to Whitehorse but the territories are different. As a member of the CF I have been given resident status from the minute I entered a province on a posting in every (7) province including here in Alberta.

Not so in the north. Mounties and CF get no special treatment. Yukon you wait a year and NWT you wait 2 years for resident status. My friends posted to Yellowknife basically didn't hunt for 2 years due to the need to do it with an outfitter. At least I got to hunt with a resident guide the first year in Whitehorse but still paid big bucks for the license and trophy fee. No resident guides in the NWT, at least when I was up north.

[ctd]

It does not change her residence but they are failry lienent towards Military Members due to the nature of their work.

[raised by wolves]

A soldier is a resident of the province in which he/she has been posted. That person becomes an official resident of the province as soon as they are posted. If the provincial driver's permits or other ID have not been updated, miltary ID is used, but must often be accompanied by an official letter from either the unit commander or the base commander that indicates the recent posting. There are a fair number of technicalities when troops bounce around the country for courses and short term stints.

There are a few guys that scam the system and travel to other provinces and simply purchase their licences in a community with an obvious military presence. I have a couple of buddies that frequently bounced back and forth between Quebec and Ontario, despite having a primary posting in Pettawawa.

There is also a fair bit af confusion or variation in intrepreting the existing laws. It's all quite a grey area as far as military personnel. Years back a bunch of us descended on Dundern SK to instruct a Militia Basic Training. Most of the instructors were fishing and hunting nuts, so we went for our licences to get out for the occassional evening if we had some down time. We came from all across the country, but the shop owner insisted on setting us up with resident licences as we were living on the base, and as far as she was concerned, we were residents currently residing in SK. We were later checked for licences by one of the local boys, and as soon as he saw military ID, he did not even care if we had fishing licences.

[kennedy]

As far as i'm concerned, anyone who is in the military should be able to hunt in any province/ territory in canada. i also think that anyone should give our soldiers permission to hunt whatever land the want. these fine people are the reason why we live in a country like canada. they are our heros and i am proud of them.

[raised by wolves]

Let`s hear an Ooh-Ahh for Kennedy!

[CNP]

The answer to the original post is............he is not a resident of ON and when I lived in ON, I didn't see any exceptions for CF personnel in their regs. He is non-resident status.

Originally Posted by duffy4

Sounds like you are saying that you held resident ONT. hunting and fishing licences and Alberta resident licences as well. I don't think that is right and perhaps not legal.

It's legal whether you think it is right or not. That is the way the AB regulations are written. Everyone has the opportunity to get a license in the province they live. In addition to a hunting license in the province of residence, a CF person may also obtain a resident license in AB, IF THAT PERSON HAS ELECTED TO HAVE HIS STATEMENT OF ORDINARY RESIDENCE IN AB. That allows him to vote in AB and that is the criteria stated in the AB hunting regulations for CF personnel. God Bless AB.

You posted the answer in your own post:

From Alberta's regulations:
Resident - a person who either

has his or her only or primary residence in Alberta and
is a Canadian citizen or is admitted to permanent residence in Canada, or
has lived in Canada for the 12-month period immediately preceding the relevant date; or
is on full-time service with the Armed Forces of Canada and would, if an election were held under the Elections Act (Canada), be eligible to vote in Alberta under that Act.