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By The Canadian Press

Provincial Politics

Alberta government tables proposed changes to Wildlife Act

Mar 12, 2025 | 3:58 PM

New legislation tabled by Alberta’s government would make hunting in a wheelchair legal while also permitting kids as young as 12 to use guns to hunt without adults around.

Forestry and Parks Minister Todd Loewen says his new bill will also approve new types of hunting and trapping equipment and remove a requirement that hunters wear high-visibility clothing.

Loewen says those changes and others being proposed to the Wildlife Act will modernize hunting laws.

He says Albertans in wheelchairs are largely prevented from hunting as the existing legislation considers them a type of vehicle, and firing weapons from vehicles is not permitted.

Loewen says his bill would also allow hunters to use leashed-dogs to track wounded animals like deer and shoot waterfowl from motorized boats as long as the boat isn’t in motion.

The legislation also looks to remove a requirement that hunters keep the hides of black bears and cougars after killing them.

It would also allow people to transport certain injured animals to a veterinarian without a permit as is currently required.

(The Canadian Press)