Harvester Card and Annual Survey

Hunting, fishing, trapping and getting out on the land were key to the Métis way of life throughout history, and remain important to Métis culture and identity today. There are active Métis hunters, trappers, fishermen, and plant harvesters found throughout every region in British Columbia. Harvesting is a measured and carefully considered practice. By protecting the land we use, our traditional ways of life - including harvesting, language and other cultural practices - are maintained for present and future generations.

Learn more about harvesting practices and apply for your Harvesting Card today. For Harvester Card holders, the 2026 is currently open and also linked below.

If you have any questions, please email harvesters@mnbc.ca.

Please note:

At this time, the MNBC Harvester Card may only be used to replace the Federal Migratory Bird license. Métis must continue to purchase all other government licenses or face charges from enforcement officers.
The MNBC Harvester Card does not authorize freshwater fishing, saltwater fishing, hunting (other than migratory birds), cutting timber or trapping.
Métis Harvester Card holders may be committing an offence under the MNBC Natural Resource Act if they harvest game, fish, birds, or animals that are not authorized by MNBC regulation.

For Harvester Card Holders: Annual Harvester Survey

The Harvester Survey gathers the voices and experiences of Métis harvesters from across B.C. who hold Harvester Cards. Your input will guide MNBC in developing programs that support sustainable harvesting practices and help strengthen community connections.

The 2026 Harvester Survey is now open and will remain open until July 31, 2026. Harvester card credentials will be required to login. For help logging into the survey, please refer to the following Harvester Survey Guide.

Fill out the Harvester Survey

If your mailing address has recently changed, please update it through the MNBC Survey Hub or by emailing harvesters@mnbc.ca. Maarsii to our dedicated harvesters for your continued participation and support.

Harvester Card Application Instructions

Citizens are encouraged to submit their application online through the Métis Hub. Alternatively, you may download the PDF version and submit in one of two ways:

Email to harvesters@mnbc.ca
Mail to Ministry of Environment, 380-13401 108 Avenue, Surrey BC V3T 5T3

Harvester Card Application (Online)

Online Application User Guide

Harvester Card Application (PDF)

Harvester Card Renewal/Replacement (PDF)

Harvester Survey User Guide (PDF)

- If you do not have an MNBC Citizenship Card you will not be issued an MNBC Harvester Card. If your citizenship application is pending approval, you must wait until your card has been received to be eligible to apply for the Harvester Card.
- You must complete the application in full. Failure to provide the signed application and appropriate consent forms will increase the application processing time.
- Be sure to provide your name exactly the same as it appears on your Citizenship Card.
- If you have moved since you received your Citizenship Card, use your new address and your Citizenship file will be updated.
- You are encouraged to sign the “Consent Form” authorizing MNBC to use your information for management purposes. MNBC is fully compliant with the Canadian Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA). Your individual information will be kept confidential.
- You must sign the “Agreement to adhere to the Métis Nation BC Natural Resource Act Articles and Regulations pertaining to the use of the MNBC Harvester Card”.
- You must provide a passport size photo or a digital photo (head and shoulders) for use on your Harvester Card.
Adult Applicant (18 years of age or older)
- No additional information is required
Youth Applicant (10 years of age or older and under 18)
- Youth applicants must provide a fully completed and signed “Acknowledgement of Responsibility” from their parent or guardian
Adult Applicant (18 years of age or older)
- A copy of your BC Resident Hunter Number card or Fish and Wildlife ID
- Proof of Hunter Safety Training (optional)
Youth Applicant (10 years of age or older and under 18)
- Proof of Hunter Safety Training
- A fully completed and signed “Acknowledgement of Responsibility” from their parent or guardian
Note: Youth Applicants who apply at age seventeen will be issued an adult harvesting card upon turning eighteen without requiring a new application.
Upon passage of the Métis Nation British Columbia – Natural Resource Act, the BCMANR Captains Assembly forwarded a motion to the 2008 MNBC Annual General Meeting regarding issuance of MNBC Harvester Cards for use in Migratory Bird harvesting. Unanimous vote of the delegates and MNBC Citizens of the AGM passed this motion.
What this means:
- Métis Nation BC will issue Harvester Cards to qualifying applicants beginning in 2008.
- Harvester Cards will only be authorized to replace the Federal Migratory Bird Stamp (license).
- All federal and provincial regulations pertaining to migratory bird harvesting must be followed.
- No other harvesting is authorized for the card at this time.
- It is important for Métis harvesters to be aware that if they attempt to use the card for harvesting that is not authorized by MNBC regulation, they are committing an offence under the Métis Nation British Columbia – Natural Resource Act and they will be open to charges by government enforcement officers.

Harvesting is a measured and carefully considered practice. By protecting the land we use, our traditional ways of life - including harvesting, language and other cultural practices - are maintained for present and future generations.

We desire sustainable use of natural resources, including:

Managing natural resources to meet present needs without compromising the needs of future generations.
Providing stewardship of natural resources based on an ethic of respect for the land.
Balancing economic, productive, spiritual, ecological and traditional values of natural resources to meet the economic, social and cultural needs of Métis people and other Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities.
Conserving biological diversity, soil, water, fish, wildlife, scenic diversity, and other natural resources.
Restoring damaged ecologies.

This valuable land use data is collected through our Harvester database, where Harvester Card holders fill out annual surveys of their land use over the year, and through Use and Occupancy Mapping data, where Métis harvesters sit down for a one-on-one interview and document their life history of land use.