Species at risk public registry
On March 31, 2022, the Government of Canada introduced Bill S-6, An Act respecting regulatory modernization. The Bill proposes amendments to 29 statutes, including targeted amendments to the Species at Risk Act (SARA) that would clarify certain requirements and remove those that are outdated. For more information, see: Bill S-6, An Act respecting regulatory modernization.
In this registry you will find documents relating to the administration of the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The act is part of Canada’s strategy to protect hundreds of wild plants and animal species from becoming extinct, and to help in their recovery. Please visit the species at risk sub-topic page to read more about species at risk and the act, the accord and the funding program, and visit our education centre. Help with navigating the Species at Risk Public Registry.
Species
Species
Search species list by range, taxonomy group, risk category or schedule.
Schedule 1 - List of wildlife species at Risk
Access the official lists of wildlife species at risk (schedules 1, 2 and 3).
Species listing process under the Species at Risk Act
Measures to Protect Listed Wildlife Species
Species at Risk Act (SARA) instruments
The following sections provide information relating to SARA instruments and the implementation of the Act.
- Regulations
- Orders
- Permits and agreements
- Policies and guidelines
- Round table reports and Minister's response
- Environmental Assessment Best Practice Guide for Wildlife at Risk in Canada
- Species at Risk Program: Results-Based Management and Accountability Framework and Risk-Based Audit Framework
Parliamentary review
Section 129 of the Species at Risk Act requires Parliament to review the Act five years after that section comes into force.
Status reports
Status reports
Recovery
Recovery strategies
A recovery strategy is a planning document that identifies what needs to be done to stop or reverse the decline of a species.
Action plans
Action plans identify the measures to take to implement the recovery strategy for threatened, endangered and extirpated species.
Management plans
Management plans include measures for the conservation of species of special concern and their habitat.
Residence descriptions / rationales
Residence descriptions and rationales describe the dwelling-place such as a den, nest or other similar area or place that is occupied by a species.
Critical habitat orders, reports and statements
Documents on the identification and protection of habitat that is necessary for the survival or recovery of a species.
List of recovery team chairs
Recovery team chairs, alphabetically listed by species.
Recovery guidance handbook (ROMAN) [archived]
Current best practices for recovery.
Saving the wild; an opportunity to participate in species at risk recovery in Canada
This publication celebrates the tens of thousands of Canadians from all walks of life who are striving to save the wild in Canada.
Identification of critical habitat
Critical habitat identification toolbox
Under the federal Species at Risk Act (SARA), critical habitat (CH) is the habitat that is necessary for the survival or recovery of listed extirpated, endangered, or threatened species, and that is identified as CH in a recovery strategy or action plan. This CH Identification Toolbox is intended to be used by Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) recovery practitioners and those who work with ECCC in the development of recovery documents where CH identification is required.
ECCC invites you to familiarize yourself with the process by which ECCC identifies critical habitat for endangered and threatened species.
Recovery document posting plans
Documents detailing multi-year plans for posting recovery documents by Environment Canada, Parks Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
Permits
Permits
A permit may be required to conduct an activity that could affect a species listed under SARA, or its habitat.
Find a document
Find a document
A requirement of SARA is the establishment of this registry for the purpose of providing easy access to documents relating to matters under the act.
In addition to the documents listed in the previous tabs, this registry contains thousands of documents in 40 categories.
Latest publications and news
Publications
December 2023
November 2023
- 2023-11-30 Government of Canada’s approach to addressing imminent threats to the Spotted Owl caurina subspecies
- 2023-11-28 Management Plan for the Mapleleaf (Quadrula quadrula) Great Lakes – Upper St. Lawrence Population, and Rainbow (Villosa iris) in Canada
- 2023-11-27 Report on the Progress of Recovery Strategy Implementation for the Misty Lake Sticklebacks (Gasterosteus aculeatus) in Canada for the Period 2018 to 2022
- 2023-11-27 Report on the Progress of Recovery Strategy Implementation for the Northern Madtom (Noturus stigmosus) in Canada for the Period 2017 to 2021
- 2023-11-23 Management Plan for the Dwarf Lake Iris (Iris lacustris) in Canada [Final]
- 2023-11-18 Description of critical habitat of American Badger jeffersonii subspecies Western and Eastern populations in Kootenay National Park of Canada
- 2023-11-16 Recovery Strategy for the Black-foam Lichen (Anzia colpodes) in Canada [Final version]
- 2023-11-09 Management Plan for the Collared Pika (Ochotona collaris) in Canada [Final version]
- 2023-11-09 Management Plan for the Yellow-banded Bumble Bee (Bombus terricola) in Canada [Final version]
- 2023-11-08 Critical Habitat of the Atlantic Mud-piddock (Barnea truncata) Order
- 2023-11-08 Management Plan for the Eastern Pondmussel (Ligumia nasuta) in Canada [Final Version]
- 2023-11-08 Order Acknowledging Receipt of the Assessment Done Pursuant to Subsection 23(1) of the Act
- 2023-11-03 Report on the Progress of Management Plan Implementation for the Eastern North Pacific Grey Whale (Eschrichtius robustus) in Canada for the Period 2016 to 2022
October 2023
- 2023-10-19 Management Plan for the Spiked Saxifrage (Micranthes spicata) in Canada [Final version]
- 2023-10-18 COSEWIC annual report 2022 to 2023
- 2023-10-18 COSEWIC assessment and status report on the Bicknell’s Thrush Catharus bicknelli in Canada
- 2023-10-18 COSEWIC Assessment and Status Report on the Plains Sucker (Pantosteus jordani) Saskatchewan-Nelson River population Missouri population and Cordilleran Sucker (Pantosteus bondi) in Canada
- 2023-10-12 Recovery Strategy for the American Badger jeffersonii subspecies (Taxidea taxus jeffersonii) Western population and Eastern population in Canada [Final version]
- 2023-10-07 Description of critical habitat of Chimney Swift in Riding Mountain National Park of Canada
News
2022
2020
2018
- 2018-08-28 Summary of the Imminent Threat Assessment for the Southern Resident Killer Whale
- 2018-08-28 Summary of the imminent threat analysis for southern mountain caribou
- 2018-08-28 Minister’s response statement to the emergency assessment of Steelhead Trout, Chilcotin River population
- 2018-08-28 Minister’s response statement to the emergency assessment of Steelhead Trout, Thompson River population
- 2018-08-28 Action Plan for the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal Population, in Canada - Federal Actions
- 2018-08-28 Consultation on Amending the List of Species under the Species at Risk Act: Terrestrial Species January 2018
- 2018-08-28 The governments of Canada and British Columbia reach a draft conservation agreement for southern mountain caribou
- 2018-08-28 Fisheries and Oceans Canada Species at Risk Act Listing Policy and Directive for "Do Not List" Advice
- 2018-06-21 Conservation commitment on the boreal caribou: Val-d'Or population
Consultations
Consultations
Note: A new online commenting feature is available for all stakeholders wishing to send comments on proposed regulations published in the Canada Gazette.
Search current and past public consultations.
Consulting with Canadians website.
E-mail newsletter
Subscribe to our e-mail newsletter and receive periodical updates on new items that were added to the public Registry.
Contact us
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