Photo by Mark Clement
Ontario has 1.32 million licenced anglers and over 400,000 hunters. The 2010 Survey of Recreational Fishing in Canada estimates the value of Ontario’s recreational fisheries at $2.5 billion and hunting is estimated to contribute another $1.8 billion. Together, recreational fishing and hunting provide more than $4 billion to the Ontario economy. In addition, commercial fishing harvests of approximately $35 – 40 million in fish annually create additional economic value through the processing and retail sale of resultant food products. However, trends in fishing and hunting participation, demographics and the economy are impacting the funding available for MNR’s fish and wildlife program and Ontario’s resource-based tourism industry which includes approximately 1,575 licensed tourist operators generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenues annually, and account for a significant portion of tourism revenue for Northern Ontario.
In 2013, Ontario had 1.3 million licensed anglers and over 400,000 hunters. Recreational fishing contributes almost $2.5 billion[1]to the Ontario economy.
The economic contribution of recreational hunting has not been assessed since the 1996 survey, The Importance of Nature to Canadians: the Economic Significance of Nature-related Activities. This survey estimated that Ontario hunters spent a total of $200.6 million on direct hunting-related expenditures, generating an additional contribution to the provincial gross domestic product of $199.7 million[2].
In addition, the commercial fishing industry harvests approximately $35 million to $40 million in fish annually, creating additional economic value through the processing and retail sale of resultant food products.
Tourism activities associated with fish and wildlife-related activities support approximately 1,575 resource-based tourist operators generating hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue annually. It also accounts for a significant portion of tourism revenue for northern Ontario.
[1]Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Survey of Recreational Fishing in Canada, 2010. Based on Ontario angler responses, Ontario’s economy benefited from $912,785,206 spent on package deals, food and lodging, transportation costs and fishing services and supplies, and from $1,573,687,354 spent on fishing, boating and camping equipment, special vehicles, and land and buildings. www.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/stats/rec/canada-rec-eng.htm
[2] Environment Canada, The Importance of Nature to Canadians: the Economic Significance of Nature-related Activities, 2000. http://publications.gc.ca/site/eng/421527/publication.html