Since 2008, WildLife Canada Society has built partnerships with business, educators, and governments throughout the country and internationally. We are pursuing a variety of initiatives designed to counter the multi-billion dollar illegal international trade in wildlife products and to implement national programs to reduce the human threat to wildlife.
Integration of international wildlife issues into provincial anti-poaching programs has continued with six provinces now including non-native wildlife as part of their reporting structure. In addition, the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario and New Brunswick now extend protection to non-native species through their respective endangered species legislation.
With the passage of anti-shark fin legislation in Hawaii, California, Washington and Oregon, the debate over the issue has moved to the North American continent. WildLife Canada Society has worked in concert with other groups to implement bans in a number of provinces. WildLife Canada Society was instrumental in the ban in Brantford in May 2011 that led to bans in Mississauga, Toronto, Oakville, Pickering, and is working with a number of additional government bodies on additional bans.
The organization has also met with federal officials to promote an expanded role for Canada in the Coalition Against Wildlife Trafficking, (CAWT) an organization using bilateral agreements to strengthen wildlife protection initiatives among member states. When fully implemented, CAWT provides a strong parallel process alongside organizations like the Convention on the International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).