Proposal to update the province’s black bear management approach

Black bears are an important wildlife species and an integral part of a functioning ecosystem. Ontario is home to a healthy and stable black bear population that contributes to the province’s biodiversity and provides social, cultural, and economic benefits to Ontarians. 

As a long-lived, late-maturing species with relatively low reproductive rates, black bears can be particularly vulnerable to mortality pressures. Since 2004, the ministry has used Barbed-Wire Hair Trap monitoring (a non-invasive, widely accepted method as the standard for estimating black bear populations) to conduct regular genetic surveys and estimate black bear population densities. The long-term use of Barbed-Wire Hair Traps have provided population trends and generated population estimates across the province. 

Provincial guidance for black bear management is outlined in the Framework for Enhanced Black Bear Management in Ontario (2009) which sets a goal of maintaining sustainable black bear populations and the ecosystems they depend on. The framework emphasizes the need for defined population objectives and harvest management guidelines. Currently, Ontario does not have specific population objectives for black bears.  

Proposed Changes

1. Population Objective Setting and Harvest Management Guidelines 

Population Objective Ranges

A population objective is the desired number of black bears we aim to have in an area. It is given as a range, with an upper and lower limit, based on ecological, social, cultural, and economic considerations. 

Population objectives help guide management decisions, harvest planning, and balance ecological, social, and economic interests. Population objectives would:

• Be informed by ecological data and refined through public input, incorporating cultural, social, and economic perspectives from communities across Ontario.
• Serve as benchmarks for assessing the status of black bear populations and guiding adaptive management decisions.
• Be reviewed and updated periodically to ensure they remain achievable, science-based, and responsive to new information.  

As part of the initial development of black bear objectives for Ontario, the ministry is seeking public feedback to help incorporate social, cultural, and economic perspectives from communities across the province. 

To learn more about the preliminary population objectives in your area, please refer to the Preliminary Black Bear Population Objectives document in the Supporting Materials section at the bottom of this notice, which outlines the proposed preliminary upper and lower limits. If you have specific insights about the black bear population in your region, you are encouraged to complete this form. Your input will help refine the objectives and guide the development of the final objectives. 

Harvest Management Guidelines

Once population objectives are finalized based on public input, we are proposing to use them as benchmarks for evaluating population status and supporting harvest management decisions. This approach would:

• Create new, adaptive harvest management tools to respond to changes in bear populations that fall above or below the established population objectives. This includes managing harvest pressure through a resident draw in specific areas where we want to support population increase.
• Use harvest sustainability indicators to support evaluating trends between population monitoring surveys.  
• Support harvest opportunities while maintaining a healthy black bear population for years to come.
• Guide the allocation of harvest opportunities within and between the resident and tourism (non-resident) sectors, adapting to shifts in demand. 

The proposed guidelines aim to enhance transparency and support responsible harvest management. Grounded in recent monitoring data and mandatory hunter reporting, the guidelines would enable the ministry to better respond to population changes that may warrant targeted management actions (e.g. where a population is above or below its objective range). 

Any changes to provincial guidelines would recognize and respect the Aboriginal and treaty rights of Indigenous communities in relation to black bears in Ontario. 

Pilot and Phased Approach Transition Plan 

If the guidelines and final Population Objective Ranges are approved, the ministry proposes a phased approach with a 5-year transition plan before full implementation. During this transition period, the Population Objective Ranges would be piloted in the Saugeen Bruce Peninsula to make harvest management decisions. Provincial application of the final Population Objective Ranges would not occur until the completion of the pilot. 

As part of the transition plan, the ministry would work with the tourism industry to address necessary changes to Bear Management Areas, provide advanced notice, and support business adjustments in preparation for implementation. The ministry would also develop licensing systems to distribute opportunities to residents and non-residents through the tourism industry as described in the guidelines. Black bear population monitoring and collection of hunter reporting data would continue to occur throughout the transition period, allowing the ministry to review or refine the final population objective ranges in response to any observed changes prior to full implementation. 

2. Regulatory amendments to support implementation of proposed guidelines 

The ministry is proposing regulatory amendments under the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act (FWCA) to implement the proposed guidelines. We are also proposing to:

• extend the existing prohibitions on the hunting of black bear cubs or females accompanied by cubs in the spring (section 55 of O.Reg 665/98), to the fall hunting season; and
• strengthen enforcement of the prohibition on the possession of bear gall bladders under section 50 of the FWCA through a regulatory amendment to explicitly prohibit the possession of bear bile outside of the gall bladder. 

These regulatory measures are intended to further promote long-term sustainable black bear management.

Other Public Consultation Opportunities:

To supplement this proposal, we have developed a digital form as an additional opportunity for public comment. The form outlines the proposed population objectives described in this Environmental Registry of Ontario (ERO) posting and allows individuals to submit specific feedback. Comments may be submitted through either the digital form or directly on the ERO; there is no need to use both. All feedback through the form will be reviewed and considered. 

Regulatory Impact Analysis

The anticipated environmental and social consequences of the proposal are expected to be neutral to positive. The proposed management tools will leverage updated monitoring information to responsibly management populations and address sustainability concerns. 

The anticipated economic consequences of the proposal at a provincial scale are expected to be largely neutral to positive. The proposed guidelines would provide greater certainty on hunting opportunities in advance, shift away from the current static approach of harvest opportunities, and allow for the allocation of vacant Bear Management Areas. The proposed approach to equitably distribute opportunities through area-based allocation would result in some operators losing hunting opportunities while others gain hunting opportunities. The ministry will work through a transition plan with all operators to assist with business adjustments and explore offsets where possible.  

Enhancing the sustainability of the species also bolsters the long-term viability of businesses that depend on this natural resource.