The short version
Every Canadian province now sells hunting licences online. The universal recipe: complete a hunter-education course once in your life, register with your province's licensing portal, then buy your licences and apply for draws each season.
- One-time: a hunter education course (and, for gun hunters, the Canadian Firearms Safety Course).
- Each year: log in to the provincial portal, buy your licence, and apply for draws (moose, elk, antlerless deer, etc.).
- Waterfowl hunters also need: the federal Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit: $17.00 + tax at permis-permits.ec.gc.ca, on sale Aug 1, valid to June 30.
- Fees change annually: treat the numbers below as a 2026 guide and confirm on the official portal before you buy.
Provincial licensing portals at a glance
| Province | Online portal | Fully online? | Prerequisite | Representative resident fee (2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BC | WILD system (gov.bc.ca) | Yes: full online | CORE course; log in with BC Services Card/BCeID | Basic resident ~$32 incl. HCTF surcharge; species licences extra |
| AB | AlbertaRELM (albertarelm.com) | Yes: online only | WiN card ($10) + Conservation & Hunter Education course (AHEIA) | Wildlife Certificate ~$26–28 + species licences |
| SK | Saskatchewan.ca licence system | Yes | Hunter Education (first-time hunters born after 1971) | Resident whitetail $40; antlerless $30 |
| MB | Manitoba e-Licensing (manitobaelicensing.ca) | Yes | Manitoba Hunter Education Certificate (age 12+) | Resident $46.20 (2026) |
| ON | Hunt & Fish Ontario (huntandfishontario.com) | Yes | Hunter Education course + Outdoors Card ($8.57 / 3 yrs) | Small game 1-yr $22.76 |
| QC | Mon dossier chasse et pêche (gouv.qc.ca) | Yes | Certificat du chasseur (ICAF + CFSC courses) | Petit gibier $24.65 (2026-27) |
| NB | gnb.ca online licensing | Yes | Firearm Safety + Hunter Education; free Outdoors Card | Deer ~$28 resident; moose draw ~$50 |
| NS | Nova Scotia online licensing (new 2026) | Yes: as of Aug 2026 | Client Card + hunter education | Deer $27.87 + HST; small game $17.26 + HST |
| PE | princeedwardisland.ca | Yes | Firearms Safety + Hunter Education | Resident $20; seniors $13; youth 12–15 free |
| NL | WILS / gov.nl.ca | Yes | Hunter Safety course + Hunter Certificate Number | Resident moose/caribou ~$52 |
Federal: the Migratory Game Bird Hunting Permit
Ducks, geese, woodcock, snipe and doves are federally regulated. On top of your provincial small-game licence you need the federal permit:
- $17.00 + tax, which includes the electronic Canadian Wildlife Habitat Conservation Stamp ($8.50 goes to Wildlife Habitat Canada).
- Youth under 18 hunt migratory birds free (e-permit online).
- On sale August 1, valid to June 30 anywhere in Canada, non-transferable.
- Buy at permis-permits.ec.gc.ca or any Canada Post office.
See our Migratory Bird License Canada guide for season frameworks, bag limits and non-toxic shot rules.
Draws and special tags
Moose in Ontario and Newfoundland, elk in Alberta and Manitoba, antlerless deer across the country: the marquee tags are allocated by draw. General pattern:
- Applications open in spring (NL moose deadline May 1; BC LEH late May; AB draws in June; MB May 1 window).
- Results land summer: BC end of June, Alberta mid-July, Manitoba end of July.
- Unsuccessful applications typically build priority points for future years.
- Group applications (Ontario moose, Newfoundland moose) are the classic camp strategy.
Frequently asked questions
Can I hunt in another province with my home licence?
No: licences are provincial. A non-resident (of that province) licence is required, and for big game in most provinces non-residents must hunt with a licensed outfitter or a direct allocation.
Is hunter education from one province valid in another?
Generally yes: provinces reciprocate hunter-education credentials across Canada and most U.S. states. Quebec additionally requires its certificat du chasseur pathway for residents.
Do I need PAL (Possession and Acquisition Licence) to hunt?
You need a PAL to possess firearms, which is separate from hunting licences. Bow hunters don't need one; gun hunters do.