Caribou Conservation Agreement Between Alberta and Canada

Official title: Caribou conservation agreement engagement

Closed Policy & Studies Environment & Climate Natural Resources
Alberta and Canada negotiated an agreement to protect woodland caribou under the federal Species at Risk Act. The province gathered public feedback in 2019 before signing the final deal in October 2020. The agreement aims to stabilize caribou populations while maintaining jobs and supporting local economies.

Why This Matters

Woodland caribou are at risk of disappearing from Alberta. This agreement affects how the province balances wildlife protection with forestry, oil and gas, and other industries. If you live in northern Alberta or work in resource sectors, these decisions shape your community's future.

What Could Change

The signed agreement commits both governments to stabilize and recover caribou populations. This could mean new land-use restrictions in caribou habitat, changes to industrial activity permits, and coordinated recovery efforts between federal and provincial agencies.

Key Issues

  • How should Alberta balance caribou conservation with economic development?
  • What measures are needed to achieve self-sustaining caribou populations?

What Happened

Alberta Environment and Parks received feedback through a survey from August 8 to October 6, 2019. The feedback was considered during negotiations with the Government of Canada. In October 2020, Alberta signed the conservation agreement with Canada, setting out how both governments will work to stabilize and recover woodland caribou populations.