The Town of Minto in southwestern Ontario is the 192nd municipality in Ontario that has voted to permit Sunday gun hunting.
The decision was made at a Mar. 5 council meeting in response to a presentation by local hunters, with support from the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters (OFAH). Council also received a petition and letters of support from other citizens.
At the meeting, OFAH Policy Manager Mark Ryckman spoke of the history of Sunday gun hunting in southern Ontario since 2005, when the province allowed municipalities south of the French and Mattawa Rivers to decide whether to permit it. He provided perspective on safety, why there was a ban on Sunday hunting in the first place, and informed council on how it would be regulated.
“None of this could happen if it weren’t for the efforts of individual hunters – the local champions for our hunting heritage who rally local support from like-minded folks and put the issue in front of municipal councils for consideration,” Ryckman said after the vote.
Sunday gun hunting in Minto remains prohibited until the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry approves the amendment. Minto has applied for a September 1, 2024 start date.