Eight systems, not one: three general licences, one sold by activity, three with no licence at all, and one we could not verify. Every figure below was read from the agency that sets it on the date shown on its page, and the price is the same for residents and visitors.
| Province | System | From | Agency | Read on | Waters covered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| British Columbia | General licence | C$11.43 | BC Freshwater Fishing | 2026-09-29 | 30 |
| Ontario | General licence | C$12.21 | Ontario MNR | 2026-09-29 | 18 |
| Alberta | General licence | C$30.00 | Alberta | 2026-09-29 | 3 |
| Saskatchewan | General licence | C$15.00 | Saskatchewan | 2026-09-29 | 2 |
| Manitoba | General licence | C$13.65 | Manitoba | 2026-09-29 | 2 |
| New Brunswick | General licence | ? | New Brunswick | 2026-09-25 | 1 |
| Nova Scotia | General licence | C$13.04 | Nova Scotia | 2026-09-29 | 1 |
| Quebec | General licence | C$15.30 | Québec.ca | 2026-09-29 | 0 |
All recreational fishing in BC’s non-tidal (fresh) waters for anglers 16 and over. 30 waters covered.
All recreational fishing in Ontario. 18 waters covered.
All recreational fishing in Alberta for residents aged 16 to 64 and for non-residents 16 and over, bought with a Wildlife Identification Number (WiN).. 3 waters covered.
All recreational angling in Saskatchewan for anglers 16 and over who are not exempt, plus a Fisheries Habitat Certificate for anglers 16 to 64.. 2 waters covered.
All recreational angling in Manitoba for anglers who are not exempt, for the licence year from 1 May to 30 April.. 2 waters covered.
Recreational angling in New Brunswick’s inland waters, with separate licences for salmon and for all other species. 1 waters covered.
Recreational fishing in Nova Scotia’s inland waters for anglers 16 and over, with a separate salmon licence for Atlantic salmon. 1 waters covered.
Sport fishing in Québec’s waters for residents and non-residents, with a separate licence for Atlantic salmon..
Who pays less, or nothing, in each system, as the agency words it.
Recreational fishing licences in Canada are provincial for fresh water. Salt water is managed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada: in British Columbia every tidal-water angler needs a federal licence, while on the Atlantic coast recreational fishing in tidal water generally needs no licence, with federal rules still in force.
Most provinces price by residency in three steps: their own residents, other Canadians and non-Canadians, with one-day or short licences for visitors. Several exempt their own seniors and children, and some exempt veterans.
Atlantic and Pacific salmon usually need more than the basic licence: BC surcharges and stamps, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia salmon licences, and, for non-residents in New Brunswick, a licensed guide.
Every figure on these pages was read on the page of the agency that sets it on 25 September 2026, and all but New Brunswick’s were read again on 27 September 2026, when the province’s page sat behind a verification check. Where a page could not be read, or two official pages disagreed, this site publishes the gap instead of a figure, and the verification log records it.
No. Each province and territory licenses its fresh water, and a licence from one is not valid in another. Salt water is federal, and in British Columbia it needs a separate Fisheries and Oceans Canada tidal waters licence.
Yes, in most provinces: prices usually step up from residents of the province, to other Canadians, to non-Canadians. Nova Scotia has a single non-resident category.
Often a separate one: BC adds a surcharge in fresh water and a stamp in salt water, and New Brunswick and Nova Scotia sell salmon licences, with guide requirements for non-residents in New Brunswick.
From the province’s own system: WILD in BC, the Ontario Fishing and Hunting Licences service, AlbertaRELM, HAL in Saskatchewan, Manitoba e-licensing, and the New Brunswick and Nova Scotia online systems.