Since the 1970s, anthropogenic changes to the landscape (e.g., shifts in agricultural practices, increase in waterfront lawns, golf courses, and stormwater ponds) combined with favourable environmental conditions, have resulted in the creation of ideal breeding habitat for the Canada Goose in southern Canada. This has led to the rapid population growth of Canada Geese nesting in temperate regions. Temperate-breeding Canada Geese populations are now well-established from British Colombia through the Maritimes, but are not yet in Newfoundland and Labrador. Although Temperate-breeding geese are sometimes referred to as "residents" because they do not migrate to far northern regions for the breeding season (see Subarctic-breeding populations), some do migrate long distances; north to moult or south to winter during severe winters. The status of Temperate-breeding Canada Goose populations in all regions in Canada are at or well above management population objectives. In some areas, these populations have grown rapidly to the point where they are causing conflicts with humans. Regulatory amendments liberalizing the harvest of Temperate-breeding populations were adopted in recent years to reduce their population sizes and potential conflicts with humans. This species has been identified as a priority for conservation and/or stewardship in one or more Bird Conservation Region Strategies in Canada.
Temperate-breeding populations of Canada Geese have grown rapidly, to the point where they are causing conflicts with humans (e.g., fouling parks, golf courses, and private lands), crop damage and danger (e.g., collisions at airports, territorial aggression towards passers-by, and concerns about disease transmission). Human-goose conflicts are the most significant management concern for the Canada Goose, and these usually occur in urban areas. Problematic populations of resident and urban Canada Goose are primarily controlled by municipal initiatives and through federal hunting regulations. Key management practices include egg addling, prevention of nesting, landscape management, and relocation of moulting flocks to areas where they can be subjected to hunting mortality. Regulatory amendments liberalizing the harvest of Temperate-breeding Canada Geese were adopted in recent years to reduce their population sizes and potential conflicts with humans. For more information on the management and population control of Canada Geese in southern Canada, please see Environment and Climate Change Canada's migratory bird conservation website.
Environment and Climate Change Canada and partners have developed Bird Conservation Region Strategies in each of Canada’s Bird Conservation Regions (BCRs). In these strategies, selected species are identified as priorities for one or more of the following reasons:
Select any of the sub-regions below to view the BCR strategy for additional details.