The provincial government is making a historic $2 million investment in support of hunter education and safety, which will enhance sustainable wildlife management and support the safe enjoyment of Manitoba’s hunting opportunities.

“Manitobans are bringing new-found passion and appreciation for the world-class wildlife and fish resources this province has to offer,” said Agriculture and Resource Development Minister, Blaine Pedersen, this past Saturday. “This endowment will provide perpetual funding for hunter education and safety programming and ensure that resources are available to sustain and improve this programming for generations of Manitobans to come.”

The provincial government will be committing the gift of $2 million to endow the Hunter Education and Safety Fund, to be administered by The Winnipeg Foundation.

The new Hunter Education and Safety Fund will further support the Manitoba Wildlife Federation (MWF) in activities that educate, train and recruit hunters, and enhance safe and sustainable hunting and trapping of wildlife populations within Manitoba.

Throughout the year, the MWF delivers the province-owned hunter education programming and provides instruction on hunter ethics and responsibilities, hunting laws and regulations, firearm safety, as well as other topics that promote safe and lawful hunting in Manitoba by all resource users.

MWF Managing Director, Carly Deacon, shares how this additional funding will help to further expand the current programs.

“We’ll be able to focus some of that money to some practical training programs that are taught in theory in the Hunter Education Program. But this will give new hunters the opportunity to actually get some practical experience, for example on the range or handling a firearm or shooting, going out and being mentored by hunters. This will help to expand our capabilities to grow on those programs, and it’s a huge investment from the province to devote this money towards giving new hunters the opportunity to learn more and start off on the right foot.”

Rural wildlife chapters will also be able to tap into these funds, she says. “Local communities will definitely be able to benefit from this because one of our long-term goals with recruitment is enabling the delivery of programs to a broader outreach, to more communities within Manitoba.”

COVID has greatly impacted outdoor recreation, from an increase in the purchase of hunting and fishing licenses, to the decrease of available product in stock. Consumers have all but emptied the shelves in sporting goods stores across the province, purchasing kayaks, canoes, camping, fishing and hunting gear in record numbers over the past 18 months.

With the growing popularity of outdoor recreation, Deacon notes this extra funding comes at a perfect time - and came as an unexpected surprise to the MWF.

“This is massive for the Manitoba Wildlife Federation and it’s massive for our province too,” shares Deacon. “We weren’t expecting this though,” continues Deacon. “I do believe that the government right now has taken an active role in the last year, and you can see the newly announced C-29 The Shared Management and Hunting Safety Bill that was just passed; the enforcement efforts that they’ve gone through. They’re very passionate about the resources in Manitoba and they want to ensure that their public safety for all when we’re practicing these activities. So, they’ve taken an active investment in this and they see this as a long-term investment that will ensure sustainability of these programs, which is beneficial for all Manitobans!”

Previously, the MWF was under contract with the province which provided an approximate annual $45,000 to facilitate these programs. With this new investment by the Province, the MWF will receive approximately $100,000 per year with their first payment coming later this fall.

“We are thrilled to see the province making this investment into hunter education and safety,” she said. “It is critical that we work together with hunters to help understand the importance of the role they play in wildlife management and conservation, and safe and ethical hunting.”

“This is a security measure by the government to ensure that we will always have the capability to run and expand these programs which is just incredible for us,” she adds.

For more information on hunter education programming in Manitoba, visit: https://mwf.mb.ca/hunter-ed.