Un-fur treatment

A First Nations trapper sought our help in obtaining a refund from the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry for licences to sell furs commercially, and a mandatory humane trapping course. He had learned that the course was available through his First Nation at a greatly reduced cost, and complained that the Ministry should have informed him of this when he was applying for the licences. He noted that the information provided to Indigenous trappers was unclear. He had escalated his concerns within the Ministry, but was dissatisfied with its initial response and lack of follow-up. After our Office made inquiries, the Ministry reimbursed the man $317 for the licences and course. Ministry staff also told us they would ensure trappers are provided with relevant information about course providers, including resources available specifically for First Nations trappers.