Everything you need to know about getting a fishing licence in Canada — plus a digital wallet that keeps every province's licence on your phone, ready to show any warden.
In Canada, anyone aged 18 to 64 needs a recreational fishing licence to fish legally. Licences are issued by each province's natural resources ministry — rules, prices, and categories vary across the country. Here's the overview, plus how the TrueNorthAngler app keeps them all in one place.
Most provinces offer a full (sport) licence and a conservation licence with lower limits. Conservation licences are cheaper and meant for catch-and-release anglers.
Annual licences cover the full season. Short-term licences (1-day, 8-day, etc.) are ideal for visitors and occasional anglers.
Some species require additional tags — salmon in BC, Atlantic salmon in the Maritimes, sturgeon in select waters. These are purchased separately.
Each province issues its own licences. Here's where to get yours — and remember, once you have it, you can store it digitally in TrueNorthAngler's licence wallet.
| Province | Issuing authority | Regulations page |
|---|---|---|
| Ontario | Ministry of Natural Resources | $— |
| British Columbia | BC Ministry of Environment | $— |
| Alberta | Alberta Environment and Parks | $— |
| Saskatchewan | Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment | $— |
| Manitoba | Manitoba Natural Resources | $— |
| Quebec | Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs | $— |
| New Brunswick | Department of Natural Resources | $— |
| Nova Scotia | NS Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture | $— |
| Prince Edward Island | PEI Forests, Fish & Wildlife | $— |
| Newfoundland & Labrador | Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture | $— |
Each province's regulations page in the table above links to its full guide — or browse all provinces here.
Tired of digging through your tackle box or glovebox for a crumpled paper licence when a conservation officer pulls up? TrueNorthAngler stores every fishing licence you hold — for every province — in one secure, offline-ready wallet. Show it in two taps. Your licences stay private and on your device.
Open the app, tap your licence, show the officer. No signal required.
Fish Ontario in May and BC in August? Both licences live in the same wallet.
Your licence data stays on your device. We never sell it. Delete it anytime.
Store every fishing licence digitally — free, offline, and always ready. Free for the 2026 season.