MONTREAL—Humane Society International/Canada applauds Environment Canada for moving another step forward in closing the Canadian market to elephant ivory and rhino horn trade. Proposed regulations which would prohibit elephant ivory and rhino horn trade in Canada, along with imports of hunting trophies made from these parts, have been published in Gazette I. HSI/Canada encourages all Canadians to sign our letter in support of the measures, which will be submitted to government during the 30-day public consultation.  

Kelly Butler, wildlife campaign manager, Humane Society International/Canada, stated: 

“Elephants and rhinoceros could be extinct within our lifetimes if urgent action is not taken to save them. We commend the Canadian government for showing global leadership in protecting these iconic species for future generations. Canadians have made it clear that there is no place for elephant ivory and rhino horn trade, nor hunting trophies from these species, in our country. HSI/Canada strongly supports the regulations as they are published in Gazette I, which would become the global standard for elephant and rhino protection in non-range states.” 

The proposed regulations follow years of campaigning by HSI/Canada and our coalition partners, along with the support of scientists, public figures and hundreds of thousands of concerned individuals. In its 2021 mandate letter, the federal government responded with a commitment to “curb illegal wildlife trade and end elephant and rhinoceros tusk trade in Canada.” 

Critically, the regulation aligns with the directives of the foremost elephant and rhino conservation experts and stakeholders: The African Elephant Coalition (representing 78% of African countries holding elephants), the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature have all called for the closure of domestic ivory markets. 

According to a 2020 poll by Insights West, 94% of Canadians support an elephant ivory trade ban. A public petition calling for a Canadian ban on elephant ivory trade has amassed over 700,000 signatures.  

Publication in Gazette I, the government of Canada’s newspaper, is one of the final stages in creating new regulations. Once proposed regulations are published in Gazette I, they are subject to a consultation and amended based on feedback, if necessary, then published in Gazette II as official regulations. 

Quick Facts:  

• As many as 25,000 elephants and 1,300 rhinos die at the hands of poachers in Africa every year. 

• In March 2021, the IUCN updated its Red List of Threatened Species and declared the African forest elephant to be Critically Endangered and the African savanna elephant to be Endangered. Black rhinos, found in Africa, are classified as Critically Endangered.  

• Canada’s top trading partners, including the United States, China and the United Kingdom have closed their elephant ivory markets in response to declining elephant populations.

• In addition to elephant ivory trade, Canada allows the import of elephant tusks, rhino horns, and parts from trophy hunts. According to CITES data, over 450 African elephant tusks, 16 rhino horns, and an additional 81 elephant trophies and 44 rhino trophies were legally imported into Canada from 2010-2021. 

• In June of 2021, an open letter calling for an end to elephant ivory trade in Canada was signed by notable Canadians including Bryan Adams, Robert Bateman and David Suzuki.

• The proposed regulations follow a public opinion consultation conducted by Environment Climate Change Canada in the summer of 2021, in which Canadians and people from around the world overwhelmingly voiced their support for federal action to end Canada’s role in the elephant ivory trade.  

ENDS

Media contact: Michael Bernard: 438-873-5769; mbernard@hsi.org