Ontario to waive fishing licence and Outdoors Card requirements June 20–21 for Canadian residents

Ontario is waiving the requirement for Canadian residents to have a fishing licence and Outdoors Card on June 20 and 21, allowing licence-free recreational fishing across the province during Father’s Day weekend.

For Northeast Ontario anglers, the waiver applies only to the licence and Outdoors Card requirement; all other fishing rules still apply. The Ministry of Natural Resources says conservation licence catch and size limits, fishing sanctuaries and other fishing regulations remain in effect during the two-day period.

Canadian residents who fish during the licence-free weekend must carry identification issued by the provincial or federal government that shows their name and date of birth, according to the ministry.

The province describes the Father’s Day weekend waiver as the third of four licence-free fishing periods in Ontario in 2026. The remaining dates are during Family Fishing Week, which runs from June 27 to July 5.

Outside of the province’s licence-free fishing periods, most people aged 18 to 64 must have an Outdoors Card and a fishing licence to fish in Ontario, the ministry says.

Veterans and active Canadian Armed Forces members who live in Ontario can fish without a licence or Outdoors Card whenever and wherever fishing is allowed, according to the province.

The province says 1.16 million anglers spend $2.4 billion per year on recreational fishing in Ontario.