Saskatchewan

Saskatchewan Environment

Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment is the major department responsible for protecting biodiversity in the province.

Legislation and Regulations

Saskatchewan has enacted a number of pieces of legislation and related regulations to protect biodiversity. These acts are listed below. For more information on each, see the Saskatchewan Environment website.

  • The Conservation Easements Act

    Encourages private landowners, conservation organizations and governments to protect ecologically sensitive lands and natural areas through voluntary agreements.

  • The Ecological Reserves Act

    Protects unique, natural ecosystems and landscape features through the designation of Crown land as ecological reserves.

  • The Environmental Assessment Act

    Provides a mechanism for requiring and undertaking impact assessment and evaluation. Ministerial approval is required before a proponent may proceed with a development, and terms and conditions may be imposed on the approval to mitigate impacts.

  • The Environmental Management and Protection Act

    Protects the air, land and water resources of the province through regulating and controlling potentially harmful activities and substances.

  • The Fisheries Act (Saskatchewan), 1994

    Enables sustainable management of fisheries resources by affirming provincial ownership of fish, creating a provincial licensing system, and regulating allocation of fish resources, fish marketing, aquaculture, sport fishing and commercial fishing.

  • The Forest Resources Management Act

    Allows the department to implement a new framework for sustainably managing Saskatchewan's forest resources.

  • The Grasslands National Park Act

    Ratifies and validates the Grasslands National Park Agreement and allows the province to transfer land to the federal government for inclusion in the Grasslands National Park.

  • The Natural Resources Act

    Establishes the province's mandate to manage, protect, conserve and develop renewable resources in a sustainable manner.

  • The Parks Act, 1997

    Provides authority for the management, administration and disposition of park land and park land reserves.

  • The Prairie and Forest Fires Act, 1982

    Provides for the prevention, detection and suppression of prairie and forest fires originating in provincial forests, parks and on unoccupied Crown lands. It also governs compensation for conscripted fire fighters and authorizes establishment and regulation of fire bans and burning permit areas.

  • The Provincial Lands Act

    Creates authority for the management and transfer of Crown lands.

  • The Regional Parks Act, 1979

    Allows the Minister to assist local governments and agencies in establishing regional parks and agencies to increase availability of parks to the public.

  • The State of the Environment Report Act

    Provides for public accountability in reporting of environmental conditions and activities through the preparation and release of a State of the Environment Report every two years.

  • The Wildlife Act, 1998

    Provides for the management, conservation and protection of wildlife resources through the issuance and revocation of licences, the prosecution of wildlife offenses and the establishment of annual hunting seasons.

  • The Wildlife Habitat Protection Act

    Provides for the management, conservation and protection of wildlife lands and wildlife by preventing the sale and alteration of certain Crown lands.