Ottawa, 10 June 2025—A report released today by Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Jerry V. DeMarco on behalf of the Auditor General of Canada concludes that the work carried out by Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Parks Canada to identify and monitor the critical habitat needed to protect species at risk is undermined by incomplete information and insufficient monitoring. Habitat loss is the most significant threat to species at risk.
The audit found that the 3 organizations identified critical habitat to the extent possible using the best available information to them at the time. However, they were often slow to gather additional information necessary to fully identify critical habitat—for example, where a species moves during its lifecycle. Delays increase the likelihood that habitat will be damaged or destroyed and may increase recovery costs.
The audit also found that Environment and Climate Change Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada did limited monitoring of conservation actions for critical habitat on federal lands. This resulted in organizations having little or no knowledge of whether these activities were meeting their objectives and left them little ability to course correct.
In situations where there are no other ways to avoid or minimize impacts to habitat, Fisheries and Oceans Canada can authorize an offset to counterbalance any harm done. The audit found, however, that the department had not completed any analysis to ensure that the offsetting plans—such as the creation of an alternative habitat elsewhere—were effective overall.
“This is the final audit in a series that examined how the Species at Risk Act is being put into action, from assessing species’ status to protecting their habitats. Across all these audits, we observed delays and gaps in information that have hindered the protection and recovery of species at risk,” said Mr. DeMarco. “Responsible departments need to gather more data and improve monitoring to deliver on the commitment that Canada made in 2022, through the Global Biodiversity Framework, to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, which includes preventing the extinction of species at risk.”
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The 2025 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Critical Habitat for Species at Risk, is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.
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