The governments of Canada and Quebec would like to inform the public that progress has been made in the discussions concerning the management, protection and recovery of the boreal caribou. Both governments can state today that they are confident that they will come to an agreement regarding the management, protection and recovery of the woodland caribou in Quebec.
The boreal caribou has been listed as threatened under Canada's Species at Risk Act since 2003, and as vulnerable in Quebec under the provincial Act Respecting Threatened or Vulnerable Species since 2005.
The Government of Quebec, with financial support from the federal government and in collaboration with the Indigenous nations that have an interest in the boreal and the Gaspésie caribou, wishes to take significant additional measures that will have tangible benefits for all of the local caribou populations. The goal is to move toward ensuring that all the populations of caribou can become self-sustaining in the long term, by applying measures and timelines adapted to each of these populations. Measures will be put in place to reduce the disturbance rate of the habitat used by the boreal and the Gaspésie caribou, in order to achieve 65 percent undisturbed habitat in each of their ranges, based on measurements and timelines adapted to each population. To accomplish this, Quebec intends to use the tools at its disposal to protect caribou habitat, including legally protected wildlife habitats, biological refuges, administrative protection, and decommissioning of forestry roads.
Discussions are continuing between the two governments on the ways in which the Government of Canada will support the plan financially and the transitional measures to be taken by Quebec in order to minimize the socio-economic impacts that could result from increased protection measures for the caribou and their habitat.
The governments of Canada and Quebec are confident that this negotiation will lead to an agreement between the parties that will enable us to work toward long-term self-sufficiency for the caribou populations and to maintain them in their habitat in order to support their recovery.
To demonstrate its commitment to the process and its serious concern with caribou conservation, Quebec is currently implementing short-term measures totalling almost $12 million. The Government of Canada will provide $6.1 million for the implementation of these measures, including funding to support Indigenous nations leaders in caribou conservation.
Lastly, Quebec would like to take this opportunity to reiterate its commitment to publishing the final version of its boreal and mountain caribou strategy and to announce that this strategy will be released by the end of June 2023.
