Insurance Coverage for Wildlife Damage
Res #: 5-23M
Number: 5
Year: 2023
Midterm: Yes
Expired: No
Responses Received: Yes
Departments: Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, Saskatchewan Government Insurance (SGI)
WHEREAS increased deer populations are causing a negative financial impact to farming operations as a result of damage to vehicles and equipment caused by deer sheds.
BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government to work with insurance companies to have damage caused to vehicles and farm machinery by deer sheds be insurable and that no deductible be required to be paid when making a claim.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that SARM lobby the provincial government to take steps to reduce the deer population within the province.
Responses From: Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture & Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment
December 5, 2023
SCIC administers the Wildlife Damage Compensation Program , which compensates producers up to 100 per cent compensation for damage to crops caused by wildlife. In accordance with The Wildlife Damage and Livestock Predation Regulations, SCIC is limited to only allowing compensation for losses to commercial agriculture products resulting from damage caused by wildlife. Commercial agriculture products in the regulations are listed as annual seeded field crops, perennial field crops, market garden crops, trees on tree nurseries, sod on sod farms, leafcutter bees, leafcutter bee shelters, honeybees, and honeybee hives. Compensation is limited to losses that occurred in the field due to wildlife.
SCIC works with the Ministry of Environment to help identify areas of high wildlife crop damage. The Ministry of Environment uses informed population management strategies, based on crop losses.
The Honourable David Marit – Minister of Agriculture, Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture
December 18, 2023
Regarding resolution 5-23M Insurance Coverage for Wildlife Damage, I am responding specifically to reducing deer populations. White-tailed and mule deer have different biological requirements and populations are managed separately across ecological regions (e.g. grasslands, parkland and forest). Seasons and quotas are considered and set for each wildlife management zone each year using the best available population data from standardized aerial surveys, ground-based spotlight and spring recruitment surveys. Environmental factors and field reports are considered alongside population measures to provide a more fulsome picture of wildlife populations and how they are coexisting with people of the province.
Recent survey data indicates that both white-tailed and mule deer populations have experienced substantial declines across much of the province over the past two years, driven mainly by harsh winter and ongoing droughts. This year’s surveys suggest mule deer and white-tailed deer populations across much of the province, especially the forest fringe and grassland regions, are at their lowest level in recent years and, in some cases, are below population objectives. The Ministry of Environment will continue to evaluate population data sources and review deer quotas and seasons due to deer population trends to ensure populations remain sustainable.
The Honourable Christine Tell – Minister of Environment, Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment
