Prairie NWA reorganized into five NWAs

Summary#

The government has published a proposal called the Regulations Amending the Wildlife Area Regulations (Canada Gazette, Part I, June 1, 2024) to reorganize the scattered Prairie National Wildlife Area in Saskatchewan. The plan would remove 19 low-value parcels from the Prairie NWA and create five smaller, higher‑value National Wildlife Areas to make conservation work more efficient.

What it does#

• Removes the current Prairie National Wildlife Area (originally 26 units, about 2,873 hectares) from the list in the Wildlife Area Regulations.
• Creates five new NWAs made from the highest-value parts of the Prairie NWA:
  • Great Sandhills National Wildlife Area — 474.7 hectares
  • Harris Sandhills National Wildlife Area — 372.1 hectares
  • Longspur National Wildlife Area — 193.4 hectares
  • Moose Mountain Creek National Wildlife Area — 162.7 hectares
  • Thickwood Hills National Wildlife Area — 298.6 hectares
• Authorizes a set of public activities in those five new NWAs that are already allowed in parts of the Prairie NWA, including:
  • Wildlife viewing
  • Hiking
  • Non-commercial berry picking
  • Sport hunting (including dogs off‑leash when hunting migratory or upland game birds), during set daylight hours and without the use of toxic shot
• Says the 19 delisted parcels would no longer be subject to the NWA rules. The government may later transfer, sell, or otherwise dispose of those lands; it says any disposition would consider Indigenous and treaty rights.
• The proposal is not yet law. There is a public comment period of 90 days after publication.

Who's affected#

• Ranchers and farmers who currently hold permits (mostly grazing) on Prairie NWA lands. The government expects permit applications to drop from 24 to 12 because of the delisting.
• Small businesses that use those permits — the analysis says about 12 businesses would see a small paperwork reduction.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada / Department of the Environment and the Canadian Wildlife Service, which would manage the new NWAs.
• Indigenous groups near the lands (the Department consulted about 267 Indigenous organizations earlier and has followed up with many). The Department says no treaty rights would be directly affected but that further engagement about future land dispositions would continue.
• Environmental NGOs and local communities that commented during consultation or that use or value these habitats.
• Permit holders and the public who use the new NWAs for recreation (wildlife viewing, hiking, hunting under the stated conditions).

Why it matters#

• The government says only 7 of the original 26 units contain high conservation value (habitat for species at risk or intact connected habitat). The change focuses protection where it matters most and reduces the cost and complexity of managing many widely scattered, low‑value parcels.
• The department estimates net benefits from the change: total discounted benefits of about $235,000, estimated costs of about $9,000, and net benefits of about $226,000 over a 10‑year period (2024–2033). The savings largely come from fewer permit applications and lower enforcement/administration needs.
• For local land users, delisted parcels could be transferred, sold, or otherwise repurposed in future. That could matter for grazing access, land ownership, or local land use — the Gazette notice says the government will seek meaningful conservation outcomes or transfers where possible.
• This is a proposed regulation. The public and affected groups can comment during the 90‑day consultation window after publication. The government says the amendments would come into force when they are registered.