Invasive Species Act

Enacted in 2015 and amended in 2022 and 2024, the Invasive Species Act provides a framework for identifying, classifying, and managing invasive species in Ontario. As of the amendment in 2024, 28 species and 3 genera are now prohibited, meaning it is illegal to import, transport, possess, or release these species anywhere in Ontario. Additionally, 15 species and 1 genus are restricted, meaning it is illegal to import or release them anywhere in Ontario and illegal to bring them into a conservation reserve or national park. Under the Act, invasive species are non-native species that can cause harm to the environment, economy, and human health.

As of Jan. 1, 2022, amendments also included new regulations pertaining to pigs, as well as recognizing watercraft as a vector of spread for Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS).

Watercraft

New regulations require users to ‘Clean’ and ‘Drain’ their watercraft and equipment after removing it from the water and transporting it across land. This includes pulling drain plugs and other devices to allow the watercraft to be emptied of water, including draining live wells, as well as removing any animal or plant material from the watercraft or equipment. ‘Watercraft’ includes motorboats, rafts, canoes, and kayaks, while watercraft equipment includes trailers, ropes, fenders, and anchors.

Wild Pigs

Wild pigs (Sus scrofa) have been listed under the Invasive Species Act as a prohibited species, which means that no one is permitted to allow a pig to be released into the wild in Ontario. It is also prohibited to hunt for, or trap, wild pigs in Ontario unless they have authorization from the Minister or are protecting their property on their land. Additionally, Eurasian wild boar farming was phased out by Ontario in 2022. It is now illegal to possess, transport, propagate, lease, trade, buy, and sell a Eurasian wild boar in Ontario. Learn more on Ontario’s strategy to address the threat of invasive wild pigs.

Prohibited

Restricted

Federal Fisheries Act

The Federal Fisheries Act, enacted in 1985 and most recently amended in 2024, sets guidelines for management and control of Canadian fisheries as well as the protection of Canadian fish and their habitat through conservation.The Federal Fisheries Act contains Aquatic Invasive Species Regulations that outline which species are prohibited to what extent within different Canadian provinces. 4 species, the invasive carps, are prohibited throughout Canada with no exceptions, and Ontario has 5 additional species specific to this province.

Prohibitions

Different species fall under various types of prohibition, depending on the risk they pose to Ontario. The five prohibitions are:

• Prohibition against importation
  • You cannot bring the species into Ontario, including any genetic material that could propagate the species. The only exception is when the specimen is in the condition listed under the ‘conditions’ column. 
• Prohibition against possession
  • You cannot have any of these species on your person or in your care, including any genetic material that could propagate the species. The only exception is when the specimen is in the condition listed under the ‘conditions’ column. 
• Prohibition against transportation
  • You cannot move any of these species from one location to another, including any genetic material that could propagate the species. The only exception is when the specimen is in the condition listed under the ‘conditions’ column. 
• Prohibition against release
  • You cannot release or do anything that could cause the escape of these species, including their genetic material, into a body of water with fish present. The only exception is when the specimen is in the condition listed under the ‘conditions’ column. 
• Prohibition against introduction of non-indigenous species
  • Not a species specific prohibition, but a general rule that you cannot introduce a non-native aquatic species to a body of water with fish present unless authorized to do so by provincial or federal law.

The below chart outlines only prohibitions relevant to Ontario: