CWS Roles and Responsibilities

Environment Canada, Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) is responsible for management of wildlife in the national interest. Its roles and responsibilities derive from the following legislation:

Migratory Birds Convention Act (MBCA)

Under this act, CWS is responsible for the conservation and management of migratory birds in Canada and administers the Migratory Birds Regulations which govern hunting and possession of migratory birds. The Migratory Bird Sanctuary Regulations provide the legal basis for CWS to establish and manage bird sanctuaries. As of 2002, there were 17 Migratory Bird Sanctuaries (MBS) in the NWT and Nunavut.

Canada Wildlife Act (CWA)

This act enables CWS to protect wildlife species in danger of extinction and to acquire lands for wildlife research, conservation, and interpretation. These lands, known as National Wildlife Areas (NWA), are managed in accordance with the Wildlife Area Regulations. NWAs are managed in cooperation with local people in accordance with the terms of various land claim agreements throughout the north. As of 2002 there are two National Wildlife Areas in Nunavut.

Wild Animal and Plant Protection Act (WAPPRIITA)

In cooperation with the provinces and territories, CWS may control or prohibit import into Canada, export from Canada, or transport between provinces of any wild animal or plant.

Species at Risk Act (SARA)

The Species at Risk Act serves to prevent species or subspecies from becoming extirpated or extinct, provide for the recovery of endangered or threatened species, and encourage the management of other species to prevent them becoming at risk. The legislation takes a cooperative approach to species-at-risk management, working in conjunction with provincial and territorial partners as agreed to under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk.

Canadian Environmental Protection Act

Under this act, CWS is responsible for conducting research aimed at developing regulations to protect migratory birds and their habitat from the toxic effects of environmental contaminants.

International Issues

CWS is responsible for Canadian participation in international agreements and fora such as the Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears and Their Habitat, the IUCN/SSC Polar Bear Specialist Group, the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands of International Importance, and the Circumpolar Agreement on the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna. CWS plays a major role in the international management of migratory birds through the North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP), the Flyway Councils, Western Hemispheric Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN), and other cooperative efforts. CWS is also a participant in the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme, an international program intended to document the extent and effects of environmental pollution in circumpolar countries.

National Issues

CWS plays a role in all domestic interjurisdictional wildlife issues. For example, CWS provides a secretariat for the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) and participates on the Polar Bear Technical and Administrative Committees. CWS has played a key role in determining the distribution of contaminants in wildlife species over time and distance, particularly with regard to migratory birds through the Northern Contaminants Program. CWS also collaborates with Health Canada to inform northern residents about the levels of contaminants in country foods.

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