Caribou Recovery Program

The purpose of the Caribou Recovery Program is to develop, implement, and monitor management actions and provincial strategies to ensure we are meeting or exceeding provincial and federal population and habitat objectives.

Caribou are an important part of B.C.’s landscape, and the B.C. government is committed to their recovery. The B.C. government understands that caribou recovery measures need to consider the social and economic needs of all people living in British Columbia. This includes a commitment to protecting Indigenous rights and interests, while maintaining B.C.’s natural resource sector. 

Through collaboration and partnerships with First Nations and other interested parties, the Caribou Recovery Program continues efforts to see caribou populations in B.C. return to self-sustaining levels.

On this page

• Caribou Recovery Program strategy
  • Vision
  • Goals
  • Read the strategy
• Recovery actions
• Agreements
  • Canada British Columbia Conservation Agreement for Southern Mountain Caribou in British Columbia
  • Partnership Agreement for the Conservation of the Southern Mountain Caribou – Central Group (2020-02-21)
  • ​Caribou Recovery Committee
• Procedures
• Herd planning
• Support for caribou recovery
  • What we've heard so far
• Funding for caribou conservation projects
• Reporting

Caribou Recovery Program Strategy

The Caribou Recovery Program Strategy (PDF, 4.7MB) includes goals, objectives and strategies to direct program actions.  

Vision  

Resilient ecosystems support thriving caribou populations and sustain Indigenous rights and the well-being of all people living in British Columbia.

The 4 goals of the Caribou Recovery Program

The Caribou Recovery Program Strategy (PDF, 4.7MB) commits to 4 goals to achieve our vision:

• Goal 1: Caribou Recovery - Stabilization and recovery of threatened caribou herds through a prioritized approach. 
• Goal 2: Inclusive Stewardship - Shared responsibility for caribou recovery. 
• Goal 3: Durable Provincial Program - Accountability and transparency support successful caribou recovery implementation. 
• Goal 4: Well-Informed Decisions - Multiple knowledge pathways inform caribou recovery and ecosystem health decisions

Read the strategy

Recovery actions

Implementing recovery actions supports the goal of achieving a self-sustaining caribou population. 

Agreements

Canada British Columbia Conservation Agreement for Southern Mountain Caribou in British Columbia

On February 21, 2020, the B.C. government signed the Canada British Columbia Conservation Agreement for Southern Mountain Caribou in British Columbia. The agreement’s framework supports the conservation and recovery of the Southern Mountain caribou.

Partnership Agreement for the Conservation of the Southern Mountain Caribou – Central Group

On February 21, 2020, the B.C. government also partnered with Saulteau First Nations, West Moberly First Nations and the federal government on the Partnership Agreement for the Conservation of the Southern Mountain Caribou – Central Group. It reflects a collaborative approach to caribou conservation and includes the shared recovery objective of: “immediately stabilizing and expeditiously growing the population of the Central Group to levels that are self-sustaining and support traditional aboriginal harvesting activities, consistent with existing Aboriginal and Treaty rights”.

Minor amendments to this agreement have been signed to clarify mapped boundaries for the southern mountain caribou – central group, including:

• The first Amending Agreement to the Intergovernmental Partnership Agreement for the Conservation of the Central Group of the Southern Mountain Caribou (PDF, 4.1MB), signed in December 2022
• The Second Amending Agreement to the Intergovernmental Partnership Agreement for the Conservation of the Central Group of the Southern Mountain Caribou (PDF, 3.5MB), signed in May 2024
• The Replacement Supplementary Agreement on Protected Areas and Related Matters under the Intergovernmental Partnership Agreement for the Conservation of the Central Group of Southern Mountain Caribou (PDF, 578KB), signed in May 2024 

Caribou Recovery Committee

A Caribou Recovery Committee was established in 2020 to review applications for resource development activities, as specified in the partnership agreement. The committee meets monthly to review project applications. The committee includes representation from the provincial government, federal government, Saulteau First Nations, and West Moberly First Nations. It provides consensus recommendations to statutory decision-makers on whether applications support the Shared Recovery Objective and related criteria.

• Partnership Agreement Caribou Recovery Committee Guidance to Proponents on Applications (PDF, 3.6MB)
• Caribou Recovery Committee 2022 to 2023 Annual Report (PDF, 4.9MB)
• Caribou Recovery Committee 2020 to 2021 Annual Report (PDF, 2MB)

Procedures

The B.C. government is developing guidance and procedures for staff and project proponents to implement actions that support caribou recovery. These procedures will support statutory decision-makers in determining the need for caribou recovery actions and allow the public to learn more about how and why those decisions are made.

• Wildlife Procedure 4-7-04.06 – Caribou Recovery Program – Interim Aerial Wolf Reduction Procedure (PDF, 315KB)

Herd planning

Herd-specific implementation plans identify activities to reduce the decline of caribou populations and help restore caribou habitat. A Phase 1 draft herd plan reflects the current state of the herd and management activities that are underway. A Phase 2 plan reflects recovery paths identified through a community-based herd planning process. 

The herd planning process may differ from region-to-region as partners and stakeholders work together to find solutions to support caribou recovery on the landscape. Current herd plans can be viewed by going to the interactive map, clicking on a herd of interest and then clicking on the link next to “More Info" in the menu.

Support for caribou recovery

Ensuring that our partners and members of the public are engaged in the caribou recovery process is crucial to the program's success: 

• Local governments, First Nations and stakeholder groups are and will continue to be part of community-based herd planning
• People living in British Columbia will be invited to comment on proposed recovery actions through EngageBC
• Specific projects will be discussed with those who may be affected, including Indigenous communities, tenure holders, and the public

What we've heard so far

Information on past public engagement processes related to caribou:

• Winter Motorized Recreation Management Plan in the South Peace for the Central Group of Southern Mountain Caribou
• Draft Section 11 Agreement Between Canada and B.C. and Draft Partnership Agreement Between Canada, B.C., West Moberly and Saulteau First Nations
• Caribou Recovery Program
• Boreal Caribou Protection and Recovery Plan

Funding for caribou conservation projects

Resources for funding:

• First Nations Caribou Recovery Implementation Fund (FNCRIF): a Fraser Basic Council and B.C. government initiative to fund Indigenous-led caribou recovery
• Habitat Conservation Trust Foundation (HCTF): funding for anyone (provincial or municipal governments, First Nations, academic institutions, non-government organizations, industry) to implement caribou habitat restoration and/or enhancement activities

Reporting

• 2018/19 Annual Report for the B.C. Caribou Recovery Program (PDF, 1.8MB)
• 2017/18 Annual Report for the B.C. Caribou Recovery Program (PDF, 3.59MB)