C-61.1, r. 21 - Regulation respecting trapping and the fur trade

Updated to 1 July 2024

This document has official status.

chapter C-61.1, r. 21

Regulation respecting trapping and the fur trade

Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife

(chapter C-61.1, ss. 26.1, 53, 56 and 163).

CHAPTER I SCOPE AND DEFINITIONS

1. This Regulation governs trapping in Québec, subject to any special provisions of other regulations made under the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife (chapter C-61.1) that apply to specific territories, and the fur trade.

M.O. 99026, s. 1.

2. In this Regulation,

“fur-bearing animal” means a species listed in Schedule 0.1;

“trapping implement, implement or type of implement” means one of the trapping implements described in Schedule I;

“fur-bearing animal management unit” or “FAMU” means any fur-bearing animal management unit established by the Decision concerning furbearer management units (chapter C-61.1, r. 14).

M.O. 99026, s. 2; M.O. 2011-020, s. 1.

CHAPTER II TRAPPING

DIVISION I PROFESSIONAL TRAPPING LICENCE

M.O. 99026, Div. I; M.O. 2011-020, s. 11.

3. Any person may trap if the person holds

(1)  a resident’s professional trapping licence; or

(2)  a non-resident’s professional trapping licence.

The licences are valid from their date of issue to the following 1 July.

The licences include 4 transportation coupons that bear the licence number.

M.O. 99026, s. 3; M.O. 2008-019, s. 1; M.O. 2011-020, ss. 2 and 11; M.O. 2024-0002, s. 1.

4. To obtain one of the licences provided for in section 3, a person must, at the time of application,

(1)  provide the person issuing the licence applied for with the person’s name, address and date of birth;

(2)  in the case of a resident, hold a hunter’s or trapper’s certificate under the Regulation respecting hunting (chapter C-61.1, r. 12), certifying that the person is qualified to trap and bearing code “P”, and provide the certificate number; and

(3)  be at least 12 years of age, if the person is a non-resident.

M.O. 99026, s. 4; M.O. 2008-019, s. 2; M.O. 2011-020, s. 3.

5. The professional trapping licence is numbered and contains

(1)  the holder’s name and date of birth;

(2)  in the case of a resident, the hunter’s or trapper’s certificate number;

(3)  the date, time and minute of issue of the licence.

The trapping licence is signed by its holder and by the person who issued it.

M.O. 99026, s. 5; M.O. 2008-019, s. 3; M.O. 2011-020, s. 4.

6. The holder of a professional trapping licence must enter his or her name, address and date of birth on the back of the licence when any of those particulars do not appear on the front of the licence or are inaccurate.

M.O. 99026, s. 6; M.O. 2008-019, s. 4; M.O. 2011-020, s. 5.

7. A person may not hold more than one professional trapping licence, except if it is a licence replaced in accordance with section 10.

M.O. 99026, s. 7; M.O. 2001-018, s. 1; M.O. 2008-019, s. 4; M.O. 2011-020, s. 5.

8. (Revoked).

M.O. 99026, s. 8; M.O. 2008-019, s. 4.

9. (Revoked).

M.O. 99026, s. 9; M.O. 2008-019, s. 4.

10. A lost, stolen or unusable professional trapping licence may be replaced upon the holder’s request and on payment of the fees prescribed in the Regulation respecting the scale of fees and duties related to the development of wildlife (chapter C-61.1, r. 32).

M.O. 99026, s. 10; M.O. 2011-020, s. 11; M.O. 2018-010, s. 1.

10.1. The holder of a non-resident’s professional trapping licence may trap only

(1)  on his or her private land; or

(2)  in the territory described in the lease of exclusive trapping rights of the holder of an outfitter’s licence or a professional trapping licence.

M.O. 2011-020, s. 6.

10.2. The holder of a professional trapping licence must, to trap in a territory where exclusive trapping rights have been granted,

(1)  have entered into a lease of exclusive trapping rights; or

(2)  carry a document attesting to the authorization obtained under section 96 of the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife (chapter C-61.1) when carrying on trapping activities and show it to a wildlife protection officer or wildlife protection assistant if so requested.

A person who does not hold a professional trapping licence but who is authorized to use such a licence under sections 5 to 7 of the Regulation respecting trapping activities and the fur trade (chapter C-61.1, r. 3) must also, to trap in a territory where exclusive trapping rights have been granted, carry that attestation when carrying on trapping activities in such territory and show it to a wildlife protection officer or wildlife protection assistant if so requested.

M.O. 2011-020, s. 6.

10.3. The holder of a professional trapping licence must, when trading in undressed pelts from hunted or trapped fur-bearing animals, declare the number of the FAMU from which the traded fur originates.

M.O. 2011-020, s. 6; M.O. 2015, s. 1.

DIVISION II TRAPPING CONDITIONS

11. The trapping of fur-bearing animals is permitted for the animals and under the conditions prescribed in Schedule III, except in the territories shown on the plans in Schedules IV to XIII and to XV where trapping remains prohibited. In the territory of the Beauharnois canal shown on the plan in Schedule XIV, trapping is prohibited from the third Saturday in September to 26 December.

M.O. 99026, s. 11; M.O. 2001-018, s. 2; M.O. 2002-012, s. 1; M.O. 2010-025, s. 1; M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 1; M.O. 2024-0002, s. 2; I.N. 2024-05-01.

12. Trapping is permitted using the following instruments:

(1)  subject to the fourth paragraph, bait, either food or odorous substances to attract an animal for the purpose of trapping it;

(2)  decoys, that is, inanimate objects or artificial reproductions of the shape of an animal or stuffed animals used to attract an animal or to gain its confidence for the purpose of trapping it;

(3)  a trapping implement shown in Column II of Schedule II for each of the species provided for in Column I of the Schedule.

However, the trapping of black bears is permitted with a Type 2 trapping implement except from 15 May to 30 June.

The holder of a trapping licence who uses a Type 2, 3, 5 or 8 trapping implement must install it so that the trapped animal is never in an entirely suspended position.

Food may not be deposited to bait black bears during the following periods:

(1)  from 1 July to 15 August as regards FAMUs 6, 38 to 40, 50 and 56 to 66;

(2)  from 1 July to 31 August as regards FAMUs 1 to 5, 7 to 37, 41 to 49, 51 to 55 and 70 to 86.

M.O. 99026, s. 12; M.O. 2003-011, s. 1; M.O. 2004-004F, s. 1; M.O. 2007-014, s. 1; Erratum, 2007 G.O.2, 1573; M.O. 2008-019, s. 5; M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 2.

13. The holder of a professional trapping licence may, 30 days before the beaver trapping period starts and during that period, damage a beaver dam to locate a beaver; the licence holder may also, during the beaver trapping period, damage the dam to install a trap.

Furthermore, the holder of a professional trapping licence may, during the muskrat trapping period, open a muskrat’s den to install a trap; however, the licence holder must close up the den immediately after setting the trap.

M.O. 99026, s. 13; M.O. 2005-027, s. 1; M.O. 2010-025, s. 2; M.O. 2011-020, s. 11.

14. Notwithstanding section 11 and subparagraph 3 of the first paragraph of section 12, muskrat and American mink trapping is permitted with a Type 7 trapping implement in the FAMUs specified in Schedule III, from the starting dates of the trapping periods for these species, determined for each FAMU up to 31 December.

However, the trapping of the species referred to in the first paragraph with a Type 7 trapping implement is not permitted from 1 January to 15 May.

M.O. 99026, s. 14; M.O. 2018-010, s. 2.

15. For trapping purposes, a dog may be used to locate a muskrat.

M.O. 99026, s. 15.

16. The holder of a professional trapping licence may use a fire-arm to kill a black bear, lynx, wolf, fox, raccoon, coyote, beaver or a striped skunk that is caught in a trap.

M.O. 99026, s. 16; M.O. 2011-020, s. 11; M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 3.

17. The holder of a professional trapping licence may, in one year, capture a maximum of 4 black bears. The captures are apportioned according to the FAMUs frequented by the holder:

(1)  2 black bears in all FAMUs 1 to 7, 11, 30 to 32, 42 to 54, 75 to 79 and 82;

(1.1)  3 black bears in all FAMUs 16, 80, 81 and 83 to 86;

(2)  4 black bears in all FAMUs 8 to 10, 12 to 15, 17 to 29, 33 to 41, 55 to 66 and 70 to 74;

(3)  (subparagraph revoked);

(4)  (subparagraph revoked);

(5)  (subparagraph revoked);

(6)  (subparagraph revoked);

(7)  (subparagraph revoked).

Despite the first paragraph, where the holder of a lease of exclusive trapping rights has not reached the bag limit specified in the first paragraph in the territory described in the lease, the lease holder may ask another holder of a valid professional trapping licence, who is authorized to trap in that territory under the second paragraph of section 10.2, to capture black bears on his or her behalf, until the bag limit is reached. Those captures are then considered to be those of the holder of the lease of exclusive trapping rights. The holder of the professional trapping licence who captured the animals is then considered to have captured them in the FAMU where the territory under lease is located.

M.O. 99026, s. 17; M.O. 2001-010, s. 1; M.O. 2002-012, s. 2; M.O. 2003-009, s. 1; M.O. 2003-011, s. 2; M.O. 2003-025F, s. 1; M.O. 2005-027, s. 2; M.O. 2006-025, s. 1; M.O. 2007-014, s. 2; Erratum, 2007 G.O. 2, 1573; M.O. 2008-019, s. 6; M.O. 2008-031, s. 1; M.O. 2010-025, s. 3; M.O. 2011-020, ss. 7 and 11; M.O. 2012-018, s. 1; M.O. 2014-001, s. 1; M.O. 2018-010, s. 3; M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 4.

CHAPTER III FUR TRADE

18. The types and classes of licences for the activities referred to in section 53 of the Act respecting the conservation and development of wildlife (chapter C-61.1) are the following:

(1)  a trader’s or intermediary’s licence to sell or trade undressed pelts for residents or non-residents;

(2)  a licence to dress raw pelts for taxidermy purposes;

(3)  a licence to dress raw pelts;

(4)  a public auction licence to sell raw pelts.

M.O. 99026, s. 18; M.O. 2011-020, s. 8.

19. The licences provided for in section 18 are valid from 1 October to 30 September of the following year.

M.O. 99026, s. 19.

19.1. To obtain one the licences provided for in section 18, a person must

(1)  state on the form provided by the Minister the person’s name and address and sign it; in the case of a legal person, its name and the address of its head office; in the case of a partnership, the name and the address of its main place of business; in the case of a natural person carrying on business under another name, that name, the name and address of the person and the address of the person’s main place of business;

(2)  indicate the class of the licence applied for; and

(3)  pay the fees payable on the issue of a pelts trader’s licence determined in section 7 of the Regulation respecting the scale of fees and duties related to the development of wildlife (chapter C-61.1, r. 32).

In addition to the conditions mentioned in the first paragraph, the holder of the licence must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the renewal of their licence:

(1)  send to the Minister, as applicable, before 10 September of the current year, copies of the completed forms of the register referred to in paragraphs 2 and 3 of section 19.2, the copies of the cancelled forms of that register or the last completed number in the register if no pelts have been traded during the period of validity of the licence;

(2)  pay the fees payable under subparagraph 3 of the first paragraph before 10 September of the current year.

In the case of an application for a licence renewal, failing to comply with the requirements of the second paragraph renders the licence holder ineligible for a new licence for the year that follows the reference year.

M.O. 2008-019, s. 7; M.O. 2011-020, s. 9; M.O. 2024-0002, s. 3.

19.2. The holder of one of the licences provided for in section 18 must comply with the following requirements:

(1)  keep a numbered register, provided by the Minister, of the undressed pelts of hunted or trapped animals that are purchased and enter in it;

(a)  his or her licence number;

(b)  the date of each purchase or receipt of undressed pelts and the total number of undressed pelts for each species;

(c)  the origin of the pelts with the following particulars:

i.  the name, address and date of birth of the trapper or hunter, the number of the FAMU where the animal was trapped or the number of the zone where the animal was hunted, the number of the hunter’s or trapper’s certificate referred to in paragraph 2 of section 4 and, in the case of a registered Indian within the meaning of the Indian Act (R.S.C. 1985, c. I-5), the name of the band to which he or she belongs;

(d)  in the case of undressed pelts from black bears and polar bears, the number of the tag provided by the Minister or the number of the transportation coupon or the export form issued by the authority of their territory of origin;

(2)  send a copy of the register form without delay to the seller or shipper for each purchase made in accordance with paragraph 1;

(3)  send to the Minister, on or before 10 September each year, the copies of the completed forms of the register prescribed in paragraph 1 and the copies of the cancelled forms of that register or communicate in writing the last completed number in the register if no pelts have been traded during the period of validity of the licence;

(4)  notify without delay a wildlife protection officer where the licence holder has possession of any of the following pelts:

(a)  an undressed pelt of a black bear hunted or trapped in Québec without a transportation coupon provided by the Minister, or with an unstamped transportation coupon;

(b)  an undressed pelt of a polar bear without the tag provided by the Minister or not indicating the territory of origin, or with an unstamped tag; or

(c)  an undressed pelt of a grey fox or wolverine hunted or trapped in Québec but outside the territory referred to in section 2 of the Act respecting Cree, Inuit and Naskapi Native persons (chapter A-33.1); and

(5)  return to the Minister all unused registers within 30 days of the cessation of his or her activities.

M.O. 2011-020, s. 9; M.O. 2015, s. 2; M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 5; M.O. 2024-0002, s. 4.

CHAPTER III.1 PENAL

M.O. 2011-020, s. 10.

19.3. Any person who contravenes any of sections 6, 7, 10.1 to 10.3, 12 to 14, 17 and 19.2 commits an offence.

M.O. 2011-020, s. 10.

CHAPTER IV FINAL

20. This Regulation replaces the Regulation respecting trapping and the fur trade (O.C. 1289-91, 91-09-18).

M.O. 99026, s. 20.

21. (Omitted).

M.O. 99026, s. 21.

SCHEDULE 0.1

(s. 2)

FUR-BEARING ANIMALS

______________________________________________________________________

Common name                              Scientific name
______________________________________________________________________

1. Long-tailed weasel                    Mustela frenata

2. Least weasel                          Mustela nivalis

3. Wolverine                             Gulo gulo

4. Beaver                                Castor canadensis

5. Coyote                                Canis latrans

6. Red squirrel                          Tamiasciurus hudsonicus

7. Grey squirrel                         Sciurus carolinensis

8. Ermine                                Mustela erminea

9. Wolf                                  Canis lupus

10. River otter                          Lutra canadensis

11. Canadian lynx                        Lynx Canadensis

12. Bobcat                               Lynx rufus

13. American marten                      Martes americana

14. Striped skunk                        Mephitis mephitis

15. Polar bear                           Ursus maritimus

16. Black bear                           Ursus americanus

17. Fisher                               Martes pennanti

18. Muskrat                              Ondatra zibethicus

19. Racoon                               Procyon lotor

20. Red fox (silver, crossbred or red)   Vulpes vulpes

21. Arctic fox (white or blue)           Alopex lagopus

22. Grey fox                             Urocyon cinereoargenteus

23. American mink                        Mustela vison
______________________________________________________________________

M.O. 2011-020, s. 12.

SCHEDULE I

(s. 2)

TRAPPING IMPLEMENTS

(1) “Type 1”: spring traps designed to kill the animal quickly, and whose jaws do not have teeth, hooks, claws, barbs or other projections;

(2) “Type 2”: neck snares equipped with a locking device and designed to kill the animal quickly;

(3) “Type 3”: spring traps designed to hold an animal alive by the leg and whose jaws do not have teeth, hooks, claws, barbs or other projections;

(4) “Type 4”: spring leg-hold traps equipped with a device that drowns the animal, and whose jaws do not have teeth, hooks, claws, barbs or other protections, or snares equipped with a device that drowns the animal;

(5) “Type 5”: foot snare traps designed to hold an animal alive and equipped with a locking device;

(6) “Type 6”: spring leg-hold traps equipped with a device to prevent self-mutilation and a second device that drowns the trapped animal, and whose jaws do not have teeth, hooks, claws, barbs or other projections;

(7) “Type 7”: a cage designed to kill the animal quickly and equipped with a valve at each opening and that may be equipped with wings or a lead, intended to be submerged by a minimum of 2.5 cm of water; the length of the cage shall be not more than 92 cm. Where the cage is round, the diameter shall be not more than 35 cm; where it is of another shape, the sides shall be not more than 20.5 cm. The wire netting of the cage may not have a diameter less than 2.5 cm where the meshes are round and it may not have an inside diagonal less than 3.5 cm where the meshes are of another shape;

(8) “Type 8”: spring traps designed to permanently hold an animal alive by the leg, equipped with 2 parallel jaws at least 9 mm thick or not touching each other over all their length when closed or without a metal contact surface with the animal; the jaws must not have teeth, hooks, claws, barbs or other projections;

(9) “Type 9”: a cage or box designed to capture and hold a living animal; its length is to be no more than 122 cm and its height is to be no more than 46 cm

M.O. 99026, Sch. I; M.O. 2001-010, s. 2; M.O. 2006-025, s. 2; M.O. 2009-031, s. 1; M.O. 2010-025, s. 4; M.O. 2018-010, s. 4.

SCHEDULE II

(s. 12)

TYPE OF TRAPPING IMPLEMENT ACCORDING TO SPECIES OF FUR-BEARING ANIMAL

 
                    Column I                                    Column II
                    Species                                   Implement type
     _____________________________________________________
 
     Common name                     Scientific name 

 1.  Long-tailed weasel (Note 2)    Mustela frenata           1, 2
 2.  Least weasel (Note 2)          Mustela nivalis           1, 2
 3.  Wolverine                      Gulo gulo                 None permitted
 4.  Beaver (Note 2)                Castor canadensis         1, 4, 9
 5.  Coyote                         Canis latrans             1, 2, 5, 8
 6.  Red squirrel                   Tamiasciurus              1, 2
                                    hudsonicus   
 7.  Grey squirrel                  Sciurus carolinensis      1, 2
 8.  Ermine (Note 2)                Mustela erminea           1, 2
 9.  Wolf (note 2)                  Canis lupus               1, 2, 5, 8
10.  River otter (Note 2)           Lutra canadensis          1, 4
11.  Canadian lynx (Note 2)         Lynx canadensis           1, 2, 3, 5
12.  Bobcat (Note 2)                Lynx rufus                1, 2, 3, 5
13.  American marten (Note 2)       Martes americana          1, 2
14.  Striped skunk                  Mephitis mephitis         1, 2, 9
15.  Polar bear                     Ursus maritimus           None permitted
16.  Black bear                     Ursus americanus          5
17.  Fisher (Note 2)                Martes pennanti           1, 2
18.  Muskrat (Notes 1 and 2)        Ondatra zibethicus        1, 4, 6
19.  Raccoon (Note 2)               Procyon lotor             1, 2, 3, 9
20.  Red fox (silver, crossbred     Vulpes vulpes             1, 2, 3, 5, 8
     or red)       
21.  Arctic fox (white or bleu)     Alopex lagopus            1, 2, 3, 5, 8
22.  Grey fox                       Urocyon                   None permitted
                                    cinereoargenteus                 
23.  American mink                  Mustela vison             1, 4, 6
    

Note 1: Only implement types 1 and 6 may be set in the muskrat’s den.

Note 2: Implement type 1 to trap long-tailed weasel, least weasel, beaver, ermine, river otter, Canadian lynx, bobcat, American marten, fisher, muskrat or raccoon, implement type 3 to trap raccoon, implement type 4 to trap muskrat, implement types 3 and 5 to trap Canadian lynx and bobcat, implement types 5 and 8 to trap wolf and implement type 9 to trap beaver must be certified to be in conformity with the standards prescribed by the Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards between the European Union, Canada and the Russian Federation (O.C. 116-2000, 2000-02-09).

The implements are published by the Ministère des Ressources naturelles et de la Faune, on its website, under the heading “List of Certified Traps” in the “Wildlife-Trapping” section.

M.O. 99026, Sch. II; M.O. 2001-010, s. 3; M.O. 2007-014, s. 3; Erratum, 2007 G.O. 2, 1573; M.O. 2008-031, s. 2; M.O. 2010-025, s. 5; M.O. 2012-018, s. 2; M.O. 2016-001, s. 1; M.O. 2018-010, s. 5; M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 6.

SCHEDULE III

(s. 11)

TRAPPING PERIODS IN FAMUS

  

M.O. 99026, Sch. III; M.O. 2000-024, s. 1; M.O. 2001-010, s. 4; M.O. 2001-013, s. 1; M.0. 2001-018, s. 3; M.O. 2002-012, s. 3; M.O. 2003-009, s. 2; M.O. 2003-011, s. 3; M.O. 2004-004F, s. 2; M.O. 2005-027, s. 3; M.O. 2006-025, s. 3; M.O. 2008-031, s. 3; M.O. 2009-031, s. 2; M.O. 2010-025, s. 6; M.O. 2012-018, s. 3; M.O. 2012-11-01, s. 1; M.O. 2018-010, s. 6; M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 7.

SCHEDULE IV

Territoire Charles-B.-Banville

M.O. 99026, Sch. IV; M.O. 2001-013, s. 2.

SCHEDULE V

Territoire Matamec

M.O. 99026, Sch. V; M.O. 2004-035, s. 1.

SCHEDULE VI

Centre d’études et de recherches Manicouagan

M.O. 99026, Sch. VI.

SCHEDULE VII

Territoire de Drummondville

M.O. 99026, Sch. VII.

SCHEDULE VIII

Territoire de Bois-de-Belle-Rivière

M.O. 99026, Sch. VIII.

SCHEDULE IX

Territoire des Laurentides

M.O. 99026, Sch. IX.

SCHEDULE X

(Revoked)

M.O. 99026, Sch. X; M.O. 2024-0002, s. 5.

SCHEDULE XI

Territoire Les Palissades

Plan (see 1999 G.O. 2, 3005)

M.O. 99026, Sch. XI.

SCHEDULE XII

TERRITOIRE DE LA CHUTE-À-MICHEL

M.O. 99026, Sch. XII; M.O. 2002-012, s. 4; M.O. 2010-025, s. 7.

SCHEDULE XIII

TERRITORIES OWNED BY THE GOUVERNEMENT DU QUÉBEC, SITUATED IN MUNICIPALITÉ DE SAINT-FRANÇOIS-XAVIER-DE-LA-PETITE-RIVIÈRE

  

M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 8.

SCHEDULE XIV

BEAUHARNOIS CANAL

  

M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 8.

SCHEDULE XV

MONTMORENCY FOREST SECTOR A

  

M.O. 2020-03-31, s. 8.

REFERENCES

M.O. 99026, 1999 G.O. 2, 2992

M.O. 2000-024, 2000 G.O. 2, 4054

M.O. 2001-010, 2001 G.O. 2, 2053

M.O. 2001-013, 2001 G.O. 2, 3450

M.O. 2001-018, 2001 G.O. 2, 4780

M.O. 2002-012, 2002 G.O. 2, 4495

M.O. 2003-009, 2003 G.O. 2, 1896

M.O. 2003-011, 2003 G.O. 2, 1941

M.O. 2003-025F, 2004 G.O. 2, 103

M.O. 2004-004F, 2004 G.O. 2, 1434

M.O. 2004-035, 2004 G.O. 2, 2675

M.O. 2005-027, 2005 G.O. 2, 2091

M.O. 2006-025, 2006 G.O. 2, 1930

M.O. 2007-014, 2007 G.O. 2, 1480 and 1573

M.O. 2008-019, 2008 G.O. 2, 1599

M.O. 2008-031, 2008 G.O. 2, 2551

M.O. 2009-031, 2009, G.O. 2, 2207

M.O. 2010-025, 2010 G.O. 2, 1531

M.O. 2011-020, 2011 G.O. 2, 1248

M.O. 2012-018, 2012 G.O. 2, 1815

M.O. 2012-11-01, 2012 G.O. 2, 3168

M.O. 2014-001, 2014 G.O. 2, 1183

M.O. 2015, 2015 G.O. 2, 384A

M.O. 2016-001, 2016 G.O. 2, 745

M.O. 2018-010, 2018 G.O. 2, 3681

M.O. 2020-03-31, 2020 G.O. 2, 957

M.O. 2024-0002, 2024 G.O. 2, 854