Environment and Climate Change Canada and Canadian Crime Stoppers Association join forces to fight wildlife crime

HAMILTON, ON, June 2, 2018 /CNW/ - Enforcing Canadian environmental and wildlife laws is one important way that Environment and Climate Change Canada is taking action to protect wildlife and nature. 

Today, Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association signed an important memorandum of understanding that will lead to better detection and reporting of crimes against federally protected wildlife.

Currently, wildlife crime?including poaching, smuggling, and trafficking of animals and plants?is estimated by the United Nations Environment Programme and INTERPOL to be worth over US$155 billion per year, making it the world's fourth-most lucrative type of crime. In Canada, enforcement agencies work diligently across the country to protect our vast habitats from illegal destruction and pollution, stop poaching, keep invasive species out of our ecosystems, and ensure wildlife trade is done sustainably.

The national memorandum of understanding sets a foundation for strategic and technical cooperation, including joint public-awareness projects, the exchange of expertise, and the promotion of cooperation with 87 Crime Stoppers programs across Canada. People who have information about wildlife and environmental crime will now be able to report it anonymously to Crime Stoppers, at 1-800-222-8477.  

This collaboration with Crime Stoppers will support the conservation of wild species and help ensure the law-abiding citizens who depend on wildlife for enjoyment, recreation, and their livelihoods will have the opportunity to do so for generations to come.

Quotes

"Today marks an important day for wildlife in Canada. Working together, we are stronger in the fight against poachers, polluters, smugglers, and traffickers of wildlife and habitats. By reporting wildlife crime to Crime Stoppers, at 1-800-222-8477, Canadians can help protect our environment, which we all depend on."
? Sheldon Jordan, Director General of Wildlife Enforcement, Environment and Climate Change Canada

"The Canadian Crime Stoppers Association is very pleased to partner with Environment and Climate Change Canada's Wildlife Enforcement Directorate on this initiative. Environmental crime and the illegal trade of wildlife is the fourth-most lucrative criminal activity in the world. The 87 Crime Stoppers programs operating in Canada will work within their communities to educate and create awareness to assist the public in identifying these forms of criminal activity and provide an anonymous reporting platform to report this information to law enforcement."
? David Forster, President of the Canadian Crime Stoppers Association

Quick Facts

• Environment and Climate Change Canada enforces federal wildlife legislation that protects plant and animal species throughout Canada. Environment and Climate Change Canada works in collaboration with other federal departments, provincial and territorial governments, and international agencies and organizations.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada's Wildlife Enforcement Directorate makes significant efforts to ensure the protection of wildlife species and their habitat is respected by businesses and individuals.
• Crime Stoppers is an internationally renowned program that allows people to voluntarily provide information about alleged criminal activities, without fear of reprisal by remaining anonymous, and that pays rewards when their information leads to an arrest or conviction.

Associated Links

• Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act
• Canadian Crime Stoppers Association

Environment and Climate Change Canada's Twitter page

Environment and Natural Resources in Canada's Facebook page

SOURCE Environment and Climate Change Canada