Algonquins of Ontario Harvest

The harvesting of flora and fauna for food and trade has been integral to the Algonquin way of life since time immemorial. These practices embody an inherent respect for the environment and a fundamental commitment to the sustainable management of resources which has been passed from generation to generation.

The Algonquins of Ontario (AOO) are comprised of ten Algonquin communities, including the Algonquins of Pikwàkanagàn First Nation, Antoine, Kijicho Manito Madaouskarini (Bancroft), Bonnechere, Greater Golden Lake, Mattawa/North Bay, Ottawa, Shabot Obaadjiwan, Snimikobi and, Whitney and Area.

The rights of Aboriginal people in Canada to engage in traditional activities, including the harvesting of wildlife, fish, migratory birds and plants, are recognized by the Constitution Act, 1982 and upheld by the Supreme Court of Canada. As stewards of our ancestral lands, the AOO recognize the importance of exercising this right in a responsible manner.

In 1991, the Algonquins of Golden Lake (Pikwàkanagàn) took a ground-breaking step with the establishment of its first Hunting Agreement which led into the development of today’s AOO Harvest Management Plan (HMP) for the Wildlife Management Units (WMU) within the Algonquins of Ontario Settlement Area. The HMP is a living document, which is reviewed annually and updated as new information becomes available. Its primary purpose is to clearly articulate the framework in which the Algonquin harvest is conducted by Algonquin harvesters. In particular, the HMP contains clear provisions which specify:

the seasons and the geographic locations in which harvesting for moose, elk and white-tailed deer can occur
what the sustainable harvest targets for those species will be
who is eligible to participate in the harvest
reporting requirements by harvesters

The AOO establishes annual sustainable harvest targets for Algonquin harvesters for both moose and elk per WMU. These sustainable harvest targets are established with input from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) and are based upon data that addresses wildlife conservation and the sustainability of wildlife populations. Harvest targets are reviewed annually along with moose population data from MNRF. In recent years, the moose population has declined in WMU 51 – Algonquin Provincial Park. As a result, the AOO lowered moose harvest targets in WMU 51.

The AOO is the first and only Indigenous group in Canada that has voluntarily enacted these types of harvest management practices. The AOO are leaders at the national level with their commitment to maintaining self-sufficient wildlife populations that will enable future generations to continue practicing traditional ways of life.

The AOO tradition of collectively sharing food and resources has been practiced by the Algonquins for millennia. In preservation of this long-held tradition, the sharing of food and resources continues to be commonly practiced today providing meat to Elders and other community members that are unable to participate in the harvest.

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For more information about the recreational hunt, click here.