Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act (Certain Wildlife Species of Red Knot and Four Other Wildlife Species)
A review of the potential environmental impacts of amendments to the list of species at risk under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), as published in the Canada Gazette.
The Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, can add, reclassify or remove species on Schedule 1 of SARA (the List). The Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act (Certain Wildlife Species of Red Knot and Four Other Wildlife Species) (the Order) helps support species at risk by updating their designation on the list of species at risk. The designation of a species depends on the severity of the risk of the species disappearing from the wild in Canada.
Of the nine species included in the Order:
- two species were removed from the List (delisted or no longer on the List)
- one species was reclassified to a higher risk status (uplisted)
- four species were reclassified to a lower risk status (downlisted)
- one species maintained its existing status, but was reclassified as a new population
- one species was renamed (no change in its risk status)
| Common species name | Range | Action | Old Status | New Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aweme Borer | ON, SK | Reclassification | Endangered | No longer on Schedule 1 |
| Cobblestone Tiger Beetle | NB | Reclassification | Endangered | Special Concern |
| Lakeside Daisy | ON | Reclassification | Threatened | Special Concern |
| Seaside Centipede Lichen | BC | Reclassification | Endangered | Threatened |
| Red Knot islandica subspecies | NWT, NU | Reclassification | Special Concern | Delisted |
| Red Knot roselaari subspecies | BC, YK | Maintain status | Threatened | Threatened |
| Red Knot rufa subspecies (Northeastern South America wintering population) | AB, MB, NB, NL, NWT, NS, NU, ON, PEI, QC, SK | Reclassification | Threatened | Special Concern |
| Red Knot rufa subspecies (Southeastern USA/Gulf of Mexico/Caribbean wintering population) | AB, MB, NB, NL, NWT, NS, NU, ON, PEI, QC, SK | Reclassification | Threatened | Endangered |
| Red Knot rufa subspecies (Tierra del Fuego Patagonia wintering population) | AB, MB, NB, NL, NWT, NS, NU, ON, PEI, QC, SK | Name change | n/a | n/a |
The purposes of SARA are to:
- preventing wildlife species from being extirpated or becoming extinct
- providing for the recovery of wildlife species that are extirpated, endangered or threatened as a result of human activity
- managing species of special concern to prevent them from becoming endangered or threatened
The Order ensures protection of the species on the List on federal lands that are threatened or endangered.
This protection includes SARA’s general prohibitions where:
- no one can kill, harm, harass, capture or take an individual of the species
- no one can possess, collect, buy, sell or trade an individual of the species, including parts of the individual
- no one can damage or destroy the residence (e.g., nest or den) of an individual
The Red Knot is a migratory bird protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994. As a result, individuals of the species, as well as their nests and eggs, are protected by the general prohibitions under SARA anywhere they are found in Canada.
Environment and Climate Change Canada (the Department) is also required to develop a recovery strategy and action plan for these threatened and endangered species.
The prohibitions do not apply to species listed as special concern. For the three species reclassified as special concern, the Department is required to develop a management plan which sets out goals and objectives for maintaining sustainable population levels.
Two species have been removed from the List. Protections and recovery planning no longer apply.
- The Red Knot islandica subspecies population appears stable. Consequently, COSEWIC has assessed the subspecies “not at risk”
- New information has been discovered about the habitat of the Aweme Borer suggesting it may be more widespread than was thought. COSEWIC has classified it as “data deficient” at this time
The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) reassesses species every 10 years. This is one of the ways to monitor the health of the species. Additional monitoring occurs through recovery plans or management plans, which are reassessed every 5 years.
The Order is expected to have low socio-economic impacts. The cost is expected to be less than $10 million over 10 years.
Listing these species will preserve associated socio-economic and cultural value for Indigenous peoples, pest-control, pollination, and nutrient cycling benefits, as well as scientific and existence values. As a flagship shorebird species, the Red Knot has recreational benefits, attracting eco-tourists and birdwatchers. The Cobblestone Tiger Beetle serves as an important model for the study of ecology and evolution.
Protecting species at risk in Canada helps to maintain biodiversity. Biodiversity, in turn, can help maintain ecosystem function and services, such as natural pest control, pollination, temperature regulation and carbon fixing. For instance, in areas where the Lakeside Daisy is abundant, its pollen likely supports a large group of insect visitors. This occurs in the early spring, when other food sources are limited. Footnote 1
Ecosystem functions and services are important to the health of Canadians and have important ties to Canada’s economy. Small changes in an ecosystem can result in the loss of individuals and species. Such loss can lead to irreversible and wide-ranging effects.
The downlisting or delisting of species may signal population stability improvements. This allows the Department to reallocate resources to species needing more urgent attention.
The Order supports the 2022-2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) Goal 15 “Protect and recover species, conserve Canadian biodiversity”. It also supports the Government of Canada’s related priority, as stated in the FSDS, of “enhancing the implementation of the Species at Risk Act”. Retaining species on the List that continue to require protection and management under SARA leads into the protection of habitat, a clear intent of FSDS Goal 15.
The Order moreover contributes to the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 “Life on Land” of the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development to halt biodiversity loss, protect biodiversity and natural habitat by preventing the extinction of threatened species. It also supports the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the overarching global goal regarding the “sustainable use and management of biodiversity to ensure that nature’s contributions to people are valued, maintained, and enhanced”.
By conserving and maintaining healthy ecosystems, the Order indirectly contributes to FSDS Goal 13, to “Take action on climate change and its impacts” (and the associated SDG 13, “Climate Action”). Ecosystems can play a key role in mitigating climate change impacts. Coastal ecosystems contribute to absorbing excess flood water or buffering against coastal erosion or extreme weather events. In addition, forests, peatlands and other habitats are major stores of carbon. Protecting and conserving ecosystems may also help limit atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.