Progress Report on Steps Taken for Protection of Critical Habitat for Species at Risk in Canada (April 2025 to September 2025)

All

Multiple species

Steps and actions taken for specific species and multiple species during this reporting period will be incorporated into the next progress report due to data availability resulting from ongoing job action affecting the provincial government.

Agreements or Easements

Woodland Caribou (Southern Mountain population)

In August 2025, a finalized conservation agreement for southern mountain caribou under section 11 of SARA between McLeod Lake Indian Band and Canada was published on Canada’s Species at Risk Public Registry.

Securement

American Badger, jeffersonii subspecies, Eastern population

American Badger, jeffersonii subspecies, Western population

Bank Swallow

Great Basin Spadefoot

Lewis’s Woodpecker

Lindley’s False Silverpuffs

Northern Goshawk, laingi subspecies

Northern Leopard Frog (Rocky Mountain population)

Spotted Owl, caurina subspecies

Western Painted Turtle (Pacific Coast population)

Western Tiger Salamander (Southern Mountain population)

Whitebark Pine

Woodland Caribou (Southern Mountain population)

In the 2024-25 fiscal year, with funding support from several Environment and Climate Change Canada funding programs (Priority Places, Natural Heritage Conservation Program, Nature-Smart Climate Solutions Fund, Old-Growth Nature Fund, and Target 1 Challenge) land trusts secured 12,398 ha of fee-simple private land and 45.6 ha via conservation covenant (permanent encumbrance registered on title) for conservation purposes across British Columbia. Collectively these lands contribute to the protection of critical habitat for fifteen species:

• American Badger jeffersonii subspecies, Eastern population, 4,302.7 ha
• American Badger jeffersonii subspecies, Western population, 644.2 ha
• Bank Swallow, 198.6 ha
• Great Basin Spadefoot, 37.9 ha
• Lewis's Woodpecker, 60.1 ha
• Lindley's False Silverpuffs, 2 ha
• Macoun's Meadowfoam, 11.6 ha
• Marbled Murrelet, 97.9 ha
• Northern Goshawk, laingi subspecies, 8.6 ha
• Northern Leopard Frog (Rocky Mountain population), 171.4 ha
• Spotted Owl, caurina subspecies, 10.7 ha
• Western Painted Turtle (Pacific Coast population), 14.1 ha
• Western Tiger Salamander (Southern Mountain population), 106.3 ha
• Whitebark Pine, 6,317.4 ha; and
• Southern Mountain Caribou, 210.5 ha

Stewardship

Greater Sage-Grouse, urophasianus subspecies

Alberta Conservation Association removed 4.9 km of page wire fence within and adjacent to Greater Sage-Grouse critical habitat and replaced with four-wire wildlife friendly fence.

Protected Areas

Caribou (Boreal population)

On June 16, 2025, Alberta designated the Gipsy-Gordon Wildland Provincial Park, adding over 158,500 hectares of protected area to the existing Gipsy Lake Wildland Provincial Park for a total area of 186,739 hectares. This area was originally committed to in the Lower Athabasca Regional Plan, and protects this land from industrial development. The area is now protected under the Provincial Parks Act and is meant to support outdoor recreation, Indigenous land uses, and protect the natural environment including species at risk. The expanded park includes 28,606 hectares of boreal caribou critical habitat within the East Side Athabasca River caribou range.

Securement

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Not previously reported, although it did not occur within the April 2025 – September 2025 period, on January 21, 2025, the Alberta Land Trust Grant Program (LTGP) approved $140,660.53 in funding to Alberta Conservation Association (ACA) to support the fee-simple purchase of the Stackhouse-Wold Conservation Site (65 hectares). This property is located in the Central Parkland natural subregion and falls entirely within a critical habitat area for the Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee. ACA and Ducks Unlimited Canada (DUC) were registered on title as 50% undivided interest as joint tenants on May 21, 2024. ACA is responsible for implementing site management goals. Securement is complete.

Stewardship

Dusky Dune Moth

Gold-edged Gem

Smooth Goosefoot

Western Spiderwort

Efforts to control and eliminate invasive species continued in the Pakowki sand dunes in June 2025. Approximately 1,000 Baby's-breath plants were removed, and herbicide was applied to hundreds more within the critical habitat of the Western Spiderwort, Smooth Goosefoot, Gold-edged Gem, and Dusky Dune Moth. Baby’s-breath is identified as an invasive alien species that can destroy critical habitat for these species.

Legislative or Regulatory

Gibson’s Big Sand Tiger Beetle

In conjunction with adding reservations on agricultural Crown land for the Gibson’s Big Sand Tiger Beetle critical habitat, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture Lands Branch Improvement Authorization Guidelines were revised in July 2025 to further streamline the improvement application review process. This update was to include the Gibson’s Big Sand Tiger Beetle in the table of species which require Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment review. The improvement application review process focuses on species at risk and their habitat.

Policy

Caribou (Boreal population)

In August 2025, the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment approved Mitigation Measures and Guidelines for Seismic Exploration Programs in the Boreal Plain (SK2) Caribou Conservation Unit, effective November 2025. The guidelines define standard mitigation measures for Caribou Habitat Management Areas (CHMAs) in SK2. Standard measures for Tier 1 and 2 CHMAs include: no new ground access, avoiding project activities during the sensitive timing window for boreal caribou (April 1 to July 31), and improved access management on source lines to promote regeneration. The document also outlines acceptable non-standard mitigation plan alternatives, if one or more standard measures cannot be met.

Stewardship

Chestnut-collared Longspur

Greater Sage-Grouse, urophasianus subspecies

Sprague’s Pipit

Swift Fox

Not previously reported, although it did not occur within the April 2025 – September 2025 period, between October 1, 2024, March 31, 2025, a total of 20 oil and gas wells received approval for Acknowledgement of Reclamation (AOR) from the Government of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Energy and Resources within federally-designated critical habitat. Seven wells were in Chestnut-collared Longspur and Swift Fox critical habitat; two wells were in Chestnut-collared Longspur critical habitat; two wells were in Chestnut-collared Longspur, Greater Sage-Grouse, Sprague's Pipit and Swift Fox critical habitat; two wells were in Chestnut-collared Longspur and Sprague's Pipit critical habitat; two were in Chestnut-collared Longspur, Sprague's Pipit and Swift Fox critical habitat; two wells were in Sprague's Pipit critical habitat, two wells were in Swift Fox critical habitat; and one well was in Sprague's Pipit and Swift Fox critical habitat.

Between April 1, 2025, and September 8, 2025, 7 oil and gas wells received approval for Acknowledgment of Reclamation (AOR) from the Government of Saskatchewan's Ministry of Energy and Resources within federally-designated critical habitat. Three wells were in Chestnut-collared Longspur, Sprague's Pipit and Swift Fox critical habitat. One well was in Chestnut-collared Longspur, Greater Sage-Grouse urophasianus subspecies and Swift Fox critical habitat. One well was in Chestnut-collared Longspur and Swift Fox critical habitat. One well was in Sprague's Pipit and Swift Fox critical habitat. One well was in Swift Fox critical habitat.

All

Multiple species

No new steps and actions were taken for specific species during this reporting period.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Poweshiek Skipperling

Small White Lady's-slipper

Western Prairie Fringed Orchid

Western Silvery Aster

A mitigation plan was established during the reporting period to limit impacts to SAR populations and CH in roadside right-of-way along a highway being reconstructed. The plan was developed by provincial Wildlife and Transportation staff. It includes transplanting a small number of Western Prairie Fringed Orchids, reducing the footprint of reconstruction and staging areas to limit impacts to all species, and planting appropriate native plant species and managing invasive species following project completion. Transplanting has already taken place. The bulk of construction activities will take place in summer 2026, with monitoring occurring during construction and for 2 years following.

All

Multiple species

No new steps and actions were taken for specific species during this reporting period.

Stewardship

Policy

Multiple Species

During this reporting period, the provincial Species at Risk Stewardship Program supported 39 ongoing or new stewardship projects that support the protection and recovery of the province's species at risk. Since April 2025, those projects have reported the restoration or enhancement of 1,078.4 ha of critical habitat for species at risk.

Stewardship

Multiple Species

The Caribou Conservation Stewardship Program continues to be implemented as part of the province of Ontario’s Species at Risk Stewardship Program to identify and support external projects that contribute to boreal caribou conservation. From June 2024 to March 2025, 13 new transfer payments agreements were executed with recipients. A total of 32 projects that are undertaking habitat management/restoration activities are currently funded through this program.

Stewardship

Securement

Blanding's Turtle (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

Eastern Foxsnake (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

Massasauga (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

Spotted Turtle

Western Chorus Frog (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence - Canadian Shield population)

In 2024-2025 ECCC continued to support the implementation of conservation actions in the Maamwi Anjiakiziwin / Eastern Georgian Bay Community-Nominated Priority Place.

Relevant actions implemented include:

• road mortality mitigation, which included the installation of exclusion fencing, ongoing monitoring, turtle nest protection and excavation/incubation
• securement of Fairwood Island (13.4 ha)
• invasive species (Phragmites australis) management in wetland habitat

Stewardship

Acadian Flycatcher

American Ginseng

Bank Swallow

Blanding's Turtle (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

Cerulean Warbler

Chimney Swift

Eastern Foxsnake (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Engelmann's Quillwort

Five-lined Skink (Carolinian population)

Golden-winged Warbler

Gray Ratsnake (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

Least Bittern

Little Brown Myotis

Loggerhead Shrike (Eastern subspecies)

Massasauga (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

Northern Myotis

Red-headed Woodpecker

Spotted Turtle

Tri-coloured bat

Western Chorus Frog (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence - Canadian Shield population)

Wood Turtle

In 2024-2025 ECCC continued to support the implementation of stewardship actions in the Land Between Community-Nominated Priority Place.

Relevant actions implemented include:

• road mortality mitigation, which included the installation of fencing, monitoring and management of mitigation sites
• wetland/shoreland restoration and management including continued Phragmites management and monitoring
• creation of a pollinator garden

Stewardship

Securement

Acadian Flycatcher

American Badger, jacksoni subspecies

American Chestnut

Bank Swallow

Bent Spike-rush (Great Lakes Plains Population)

Blanding’s Turtle (Great Lakes/St. Lawrence Population)

Cerulean Warbler

Cucumber Tree

Eastern Flowering Dogwood

Eastern Foxsnake (Carolinian Population)

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Fowler’s Toad

Golden-winged Warbler

Gray Ratsnake (Carolinian Population)

Horsetail Spike-rush

Jefferson Salamander

Large Whorled Pogonia

Least Bittern

Little Brown Myotis

Northern Myotis

Prothonotary Warbler

Queensnake

Red-headed Woodpecker

Round-leaved Greenbrier (Great Lakes Plains population)

Rusty-patched Bumble Bee

Spiny Softshell

Spotted Turtle

Spotted Wintergreen

Tri-coloured Bat

Virginia Goat's-rue

In 2024-2025, ECCC provided funding to 24 projects in the Long Point Walsingham Forest (LPWF) and Carolinian Zone (CZ) Priority Places. Through these projects, partners continue to implement the stewardship actions identified in the LPWF and CZ Conservation Implementation Plans which directly and indirectly benefit the critical habitat of multiple species at risk.

Relevant actions implemented include:

• restoring, improving, managing, and protecting natural features in marginal agricultural lands through conservation agreements
• promoting agricultural Best Management Practices (BMPs) to landowners and farmers through existing incentive programs
• implementing a landscape scale management plan for Phragmites australis in coastal wetlands and upland habitat on private and public lands
• improving open country habitat including tallgrass prairie, oak savannah and oak woodland communities through prescribed burning, vegetation planting, and invasive species control
• installing reptile and amphibian breeding habitat and overwintering structures
• improving forest and treed swamp habitat by controlling invasive species, managing visitors (for example, installing signage and fencing) and planting native trees and shrubs
• engaging with public and private landowners to protect and improve forested habitat by implementing BMPs to mitigate negative impacts to species at risk birds
• acquisition of 5 parcels of conservation land totaling over 125 ha

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Stewardship

Securement

Western Chorus frog (Great Lakes St. Lawrence - Canadian Shield population)

In 2024 to 2025, the Canada Nature Fund provided additional funding for the project to support the recovery of the Western Chorus Frog and the protection of its habitat. This is a multi-year project involving collaboration between a number of conservation organizations and partners in the Montérégie and Outaouais regions. The project includes:

• securing roughly 1.91 ha of critical habitat in Longueuil in the Montérégie region within the past year
• outreach activities to secure an additional 48.6 ha of critical habitat in Boucherville
• the restoration of 17.4 ha of critical habitat in Boucherville via the creation of 12 breeding ponds (5,000 m²) contributing to the recovery of the species
• the release of 705 juveniles into ponds in Mont-Saint-Bruno provincial park
• continued outreach and social marketing activities to reach more than 62,000 people, and efforts to develop adaptive regulatory tools to assist municipalities in protecting the species and its habitat

Securement

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Stewardship

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander (Appalachian population)

American Ginseng

American Water-willow

Blanding’s Turtle (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

Eastern Whip-poor-will

False Hop Sedge

Forked Three-awned Grass

Golden-winged Warbler

Least Bittern

Little Brown Myotis

Northern Myotis

Purple Twayblade

Spiny Softshell

Victorin's Gentian

Western Chorus frog (Great Lakes St. Lawrence - Canadian Shield population)

White Wood Aster

Wood Turtle

In 2024 to 2025, the Canada Nature Fund provided additional funding for 15 ongoing projects and 3 new ones in the St. Lawrence Lowlands (SLL) Priority Place established in Quebec under the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation. All of these are multi-year projects and involve a variety of partners. The habitat (including critical habitat) of some 17 species at risk could benefit from the various conservation actions taken under these projects. These projects include the development of partnerships, planning activities and the creation of tools to implement concrete measures that benefit the habitat of species at risk, as well as biodiversity as a whole, including:

• outreach efforts that secured 228 ha of important habitat for species at risk in the Mauricie region and the area of L'Isle-aux-Grues through acquisitions by a conservation organization
• engagement activities that led to the signing of voluntary conservation agreements to implement best management practices that could benefit species at risk in several types of habitat, including 2,728 ha in the Centre-du-Québec region; and
• 53 enhanced forest management plans for species at risk to promote the implementation of silvicultural practices favourable to these species over a total of approximately 1,684 ha of private forest

The exact list of species whose critical habitat has benefited from these conservation measures will be determined upon completion of these projects.

Securement

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Stewardship

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander (Appalachian population)

American Ginseng

Bicknell’s Thrush

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Golden-winged Warbler

Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster

Horned Grebe (Magdalen Islands population)

Little Brown Myotis

Northern Myotis

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

Roseate Tern

Wood Turtle

In 2024 to 2025, the Canada Nature Fund provided additional funding for two projects underway in the Magdalen Islands and Northern Green Mountains Community-Nominated Priority Places in Quebec. These are multi-year projects involving a wide range of collaborative activities and partners. The habitat of some 13 species at risk could benefit from the various conservation actions taken under these projects. Both of these projects are seven years in length (until March 31, 2026).

In the Northern Green Mountains, ten or so partners have continued working together to implement activities for the protection and recovery of species at risk. These actions include:

• community engagement initiatives, which in some cases have led to the protection of important areas for species at risk and, where possible, critical habitat. Thanks to these efforts, nearly 938 additional hectares of priority habitat for species at risk and ecological connectivity were secured through acquisitions and conservation agreements
• conducting over twenty field research and monitoring activities to, among other things, better document habitat use by species at risk and the anthropogenic pressures that may impede their recovery, in order to better inform the conservation measures to be implemented

In the Magdalen Islands, collaboration and co-operation between community stakeholders has continued as part of the implementation of actions aimed at the protection and recovery of species at risk and the maintenance of their habitats. These efforts have fostered greater awareness of the issues related to the enforcement of regulations on land use in fragile environments and have fueled ongoing discussions aimed at developing concrete solutions. These actions reflect significant advances in the conservation of species at risk in this island environment, including:

• concrete stewardship measures, such as installing protective structures for Piping Plover nests, dune restoration work, and installing signs regulating the use of motorized vehicles in the critical habitat of several species at risk; and
• outreach efforts to secure legal protection for 42 ha of habitat

The exact list of species whose critical habitat has benefited from these conservation measures will be determined upon completion of these projects.

All

Multiple species

No new steps and actions were taken for specific species during this reporting period.

Control of activities to result in destruction of critical habitat

Bank Swallow

Bicknell’s Thrush

Chimney Swift

Little Brown Myotis

Least Bittern

Maritime Ringlet

Northern Myotis

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

Tri-coloured Bat

Wood Turtle

The number of land-use reviews (Mineral and Mine applications, Crown Land applications, Wetland and Watercourse Alteration permit applications, Environmental Impact Assessment) that resulted in proposed mitigation/comments to proponents and the number of those that were in identified critical habitat. A total of 336 land use applications were reviewed for potential impacts to SAR.

Bank Swallow - Reviewed 14 projects, 6 were in CH

Bicknell's Thrush - Reviewed 12 projects, 10 were in CH

Bats - Reviewed 14 projects, none were in CH

Chimney Swift - Reviewed 1 project, none were in CH

Least Bittern - Reviewed 1 projects, 1 was in CH

Maritime Ringlet - Reviewed 5 projects, none were in CH

Piping Plover - Reviewed 10 projects, 4 were in CH

Wood Turtle - Reviewed 35 projects, 13 were in CH

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

Wele’k Pemjajika’q Siknikt – Healthy Coasts NB Community-Nominated Priority Place for Species at Risk, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported monitoring (species, habitats and pressures) and beach visitor engagement on best practices to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat (such as reduction of off highway vehicles on beaches and dunes).

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Bank Swallow

Wele’k Pemjajika’q Siknikt – Healthy Coasts NB Community-Nominated Priority Place for Species at Risk - with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported the implementation of beneficial management practices to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat for Bank Swallow (for example, shoreline hardening).

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Bank Swallow

Wood Turtle

Wolastoq/Saint John River Priority Place for Species at Risk, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported implementation of mitigative measures to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat and harm to Wood Turtles and Bank Swallow during the reforestation of 7 ha of floodplain and riparian forest in the Nashwaak Watershed.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Bank Swallow

Wolastoq/Saint John River Priority Place for Species at Risk, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported landowner engagement in the implementation of beneficial management practices to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat for Bank Swallow (for example, shoreline hardening)

All

Multiple species

No new steps and actions were taken for specific species during this reporting period.

Securement

Multiple species

There continues to be progress on Protected and Conserved Areas in PEI, in particular through securement (with support from the ECCC Challenge Fund, the PEI Forested Landscape Priority Place for Species at Risk Project (PEI and ECCC), and PEI's Land Securement Fund). Since 2020, the Province and conservation partners (Island Nature Trust and the Nature Conservancy of Canada) have acquired over 5,014 hectares to be added to the PEI Protected Areas Network. Of this land, 119 hectares contain Bank Swallow critical habitat, and 78 hectares contain Piping Plover critical habitat.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

Prince Edward Island Coastal Ecosystems: Understanding Connections, Protecting and Sharing the Space Community-Nominated Priority Place, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported monitoring (species, habitats and pressures) and beach visitor engagement on best practices to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat (such as reduction of off highway vehicles on beaches and recreational use).

All

Multiple species

No new steps and actions were taken for specific species during this reporting period.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Black-foam Lichen

Blanding’s Turtle (Nova Scotia population)

Boreal Felt Lichen (Atlantic population)

Chimney Swift

Eastern Ribbonsnake (Atlantic population)

Little Brown Myotis

Northern Myotis

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

Roseate Tern

Tri-coloured Bat

Wood Turtle

Nova Scotia reviews land-use applications for Species at Risk through Endangered Species Act Permits, Crown Land applications, Wetland Alteration Permit applications, Mineral Exploration applications and Environmental Assessments. The following summary highlights a minimum number of applications for which mitigation was requested or that were rejected during the specified reporting period (April to September 2025).

Eastern Ribbonsnake - 3

Little Brown Myotis - 4

Northern Myotis - 4

Piping Plover - 8

Tri-coloured Bat - 4

Wood Turtle - 6

Roseate Tern - 3

Boreal Felt Lichen - 2

Black Foam Lichen - 1

Blanding's Turtle - 2

Chimney Swift - 1

Securement

Blanding’s Turtle (Nova Scotia population)

Within the Kespukwitk/ Southwest Nova Scotia Priority Place for Species at Risk and through the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, the Nova Scotia Nature Trust secured and permanently protected 136 ha of high biodiversity land containing critical habitat for Blanding’s Turtle.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Black-foam Lichen

Blanding’s Turtle (Nova Scotia population)

Boreal Felt Lichen (Atlantic population)

Eastern Ribbonsnake (Atlantic population)

Vole Ears Lichen

Wood Turtle

Kespukwitk/ Southwest Nova Scotia Priority Place for Species at Risk, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported small woodlot owner and forestry professional engagement in the implementation of best practices for species at risk to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat related to forest harvesting activities, including formal stewardship agreements (for example, Woodlands for Wildlife incentive/recognition program for woodlot owners for the protection of species at risk, critical habitat and other high conservation values).

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Blanding’s Turtle (Nova Scotia population)

Eastern Ribbonsnake (Atlantic population)

Pink Coreopsis

Plymouth Gentian

Kespukwitk/ Southwest Nova Scotia Priority Place for Species at Risk, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported private landowner engagement in the implementation of best practices to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat on lake shorelines including critical habitat for at risk Atlantic Coastal Plain Flora, Blanding’s Turtle, and Eastern Ribbonsnake.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

Kespukwitk/ Southwest Nova Scotia Priority Place for Species at Risk, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported beach visitor engagement and social media outreach on best practices to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat for Piping Plover on beaches (for example, off highway vehicles etc.).

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Wood Turtle

Kespukwitk/ Southwest Nova Scotia Priority Place for Species at Risk, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported the Establishment and enhancement of riparian zones in Wood Turtle critical habitat in the Annapolis Watershed to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of their critical habitat.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Bank Swallow

Kespukwitk/ Southwest Nova Scotia Priority Place for Species at Risk, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported landowner engagement in the implementation of best practices to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat for Bank Swallow (for example, shoreline hardening).

All

Multiple species

No content on the steps and actions taken for specific species was provided for this reporting period.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

Long Range Biodiversity Community-Nominated Priority Place for Species at Risk partners Intervale Associates, Qalipu First Nation, and others, with the support of the Enhanced Nature Legacy Fund, supported monitoring (species, habitats, and pressures) and in-person beach visitor engagement on best practices to reduce activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat (such as reduction in vehicles on beaches and recreational use) on Piping Plover Critical Habitat beaches.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Caribou (boreal population)

Yukon government evaluated a Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Board (YESAB) Project, which involved creation of overland access to a historic oil and gas exploration well for the purpose of remediating the site, for impacts to caribou (boreal population). Significant potential adverse effects were identified with mitigations proposed. On July 26, 2024, YESAB issued is Evaluation Report, which recommended the project not complete.

Control of activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Use existing Yukon Environmental and Socio-economic Assessment Act development assessment process to review applications potentially affecting Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee critical habitat.

During the reporting period, five projects were proposed that overlap with Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee critical habitat and one project was proposed within 10 km of Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee critical habitat, which did not previously identify the presence of critical habitat. These projects were either mineral exploration, agriculture or recreation development applications involving trenching, drilling, vegetation clearing or trail development.

Mitigations were provided as guided by the recovery strategy to ensure no impacts occur to the species including:

• becoming familiar with the identification of Gypsy Cuckoo Bumblebee and its habitat according to the Recovery Strategy for Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee
• interdiction to use neonicotinoids. In general, minimizing the use of pesticides, using Integrated Pest Management practices and following the best practices in the application of pesticides (insecticides, fungicides, herbicides)
• ensuring the project does not include honeybee apiaries or honeybee farming practices
• avoiding disturbing areas where high concentrations of forage species are noted to be flowering. A list of typical food species for Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee and its hosts can be found in the Recovery Strategy.
• avoiding activities during the nesting period
• reporting observations of Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee and/or suspected nesting habitat (that is, abandoned underground rodent burrow, in mulch or other decomposing vegetation such as rotting or fallen dead wood) to Environment Yukon

All

Multiple species

No new steps and actions were taken for multiple species during this reporting period.

Stewardship

Caribou (Boreal population)

Not previously reported, although it did not occur within the April 2025 – September 2025 period, in 2023, GNWT received funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada and Natural Resources Canada to work on a 5-year project called “Landscape-level Restoration Trial of Seismic Lines in Boreal Caribou Habitat in Southern Northwest Territories”. The project’s objectives are to:

1. identify and evaluate seismic lines suitable for restoration within a 10 km buffer around all-season highways in southern NWT
2. implement restoration trials of various treatments (for example, tree planting, mounding, tree bending) in partnership with developers
3. deploy wildlife cameras along seismic lines to investigate the response of wolf and ungulate use of seismic lines across a gradient of regeneration status
4. actively involve local First Nations and Métis in prioritizing seismic lines for restoration, implementing a restoration trial, and deploying/retrieving wildlife cameras in southern NWT
5. publish the resulting Boreal Caribou Candidate Restoration Site Inventory geodatabase in the NWT Species and Habitat Viewer

All

Multiple species

No new steps and actions were taken for multiple species during this reporting period.

All

Multiple species

No new steps and actions were taken for specific species during this reporting period.

All

Multiple species

No new steps and actions were taken for multiple species during this reporting period.

Stewardship

Multiple species

North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP) - Habitat

In 2024-2025, over $171 million was invested in support of the NAWMP in Canada in wetland and waterfowl conservation, which may directly or indirectly benefit the critical habitat of multiple species. Conservation actions supported include but are not limited to:

• securement, restoration and enhancement of wetlands and associated uplands
• conservation/action planning for NAWMP implementation
• coordination, communication, policy, and compensatory mitigation
• waterfowl banding, surveys, research, observation and management

Stewardship

Multiple Species

Environmental Damages Fund (EDF)

From October 2024 to September 2025, the Environmental Damages Fund allocated funding to 23 projects that seek to directly or indirectly benefit the critical habitat of multiple species (funding total for 23 projects: $10.82 million). Activities included, but were not limited to:

• habitat restoration and improvement
• development of monitoring and species recovery tools
• community outreach and education to youth through workshops, clean-up events, training, and demonstrations
• ecosystem-level assessments of threats and prioritization of restoration activities
• creation of species management plans
• baseline surveys, monitoring, and assessments of species at risk populations and habitat to increase habitat resilience
• collaborative, consensus-building community partnerships to support restoration activities
• training of Indigenous community members through technical skills workshops and practicum projects, such as habitat restoration, ecosystem monitoring and fisheries management improvement of the ecological functions of habitats
• monitoring habitats for signs of pollution and run-off impacts to enhance awareness of threats to local ecosystems
• creation of reports providing recommendations to decision makers on how to improve the environmental quality of habitats
• fostering knowledge transfer relating to ecosystem restoration through social media, the development of communication products, and attending community events
• data collection to develop accurate understandings of habitat conditions and stressors
• development of comprehensive restoration plans and establishing restoration criteria within areas impacted by industrial development activities

SARA SS.58(3) Description in the Canada Gazette

(Legislative or Regulatory)

Blanding’s Turtle Great Lakes/St. Lawrence population

Chestnut-collared Longspur

Ivory Gull

Slender Mouse-ear-cress

Spiny Softshell

Spotted Owl, caurina subspecies

Sprague’s Pipit

Swift Fox

During this reporting period, ECCC led the completion of seven descriptions of critical habitat in federally protected areas for Chestnut-collared Longspur, Slender Mouse-ear-cress, Swift Fox and Sprague’s Pipit, Spotted Owl, caurina subspecies, Ivory Gull, Blanding’s Turtle Great Lakes/St. Lawrence population and Spiny Softshell published in the Canada Gazette, Part I.

SARA SS.58(3) Description in the Canada Gazette

(Legislative or Regulatory)

Eastern Banded Tigersnail

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Quebec Rockcress

During this reporting period, PC led the completion of three descriptions of critical habitat in federally protected areas for Eastern Banded Tigersnail, Quebec Rockcress, and Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee published in the Canada Gazette, Part I.

Stewardship

Multiple species

Critical Habitat Interdepartmental Program (CHIP)

From April 2024 to March 2025, the CHIP contributed $355,078 in funding to 8 projects lead by six federal departments and two Crown corporations. Participating federal departments and Crown corporations, alongside their multiple partners, contributed $390,414 in leveraged funds (cash and in-kind). The CHIP’s species at risk recovery and critical habitat conservation projects targeted 58 species at risk listed as endangered or threatened under Schedule 1 of SARA.

The CHIP projects contributed to the following initiatives:

• critical habitat identification through surveys
• critical habitat restoration through the removal of invasive species
• establishment and maintenance of a field species at risk seed bank
• species at risk population surveys
• native species reintroduction and monitoring
• community outreach; and
• research to increase scientific knowledge pertaining to species at risk and their critical habitat

American Badger, jeffersonii subspecies (Western population)

2,024,551

American Badger, jeffersonii subspecies (Eastern population)

657,648

Bank Swallow

75,006

Batwing Vinyl Lichen

29

Behr’s Hairstreak

4,500

Branched Phacelia

53

Caribou (Boreal population)

3,790,839

Coastal Giant Salamander

22,801

Coastal Scouler’s Catchfly

41

Deltoid Balsamroot

142

Desert Nightsnake

68,306

Dun Skipper, vestris subspecies

11,139

Grand Coulee Owl-clover

81

Great Basin Gophersnake

750,021

Great Basin Spadefoot

68,839

Half-moon Hairstreak

3,143

Howell’s Triteleia

93

Lewis’s Woodpecker

187,228

Little Brown Myotis

1,721,605

Macoun’s Meadowfoam

500

Marbled Murrelet

2,310,374

Northern Goshawk, laingi subspecies

145,536

Northern Leopard Frog (Rocky Mountain population)

35,849

Northern Myotis

1,721,605

Nugget Moss

200

Okanagan Efferia

636

Olive Clubtail

1,247

Oregon Forestsnail

1,401

Oregon Spotted Frog

3,718

Pacific Water Shrew

3,826

Pallid Bat

35,886

Pink Sand-verbena

1

Phantom Orchid

920

Poor Pocket Moss

4

Porsild’s Bryum

13

Purple Sanicle

123

Rigid Apple Moss

34

Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog

4,461

Rusty Cord-moss

26

Sage Thrasher

1,101

Sand-verbena Moth

1,256

Scarlett Ammannia

6

Sharp-tailed Snake

551

Short-rayed Alkali Aster

26

Showy Phlox

1,784

Small-flowered Lipocarpha

7

Spalding’s Campion

41

Spotted Owl, caurina subspecies

Unavailable

Streambank Lupine

31

Tall Bugbane

1,303

Tall Woolly-heads

30

Taylor’s Checkerspot

1,911

Townsend’s Mole

1,823

Vancouver Island Marmot

9,280

Western Painted Turtle (Pacific Coast population)

63,936

Western Rattlesnake

752,097

Western Tiger Salamander (Southern Mountain population)

67,068

Williamson's Sapsucker

73,293

Woodland Caribou (Southern Mountain population)

24,330,134

Yellow-breasted Chat, auricollis subspecies (Southern Mountain population)

521

Yellow Montane Violet, praemorsa subspecies

179

Audouin’s Night-stalking Tiger Beetle

715

Barn Owl, Western population

75,083

Bear’s-foot Sanicle

76

Bearded Owl-clover

29

Blue-grey Taildropper

413

Bog Bird’s-foot Trefoil

222

Brook Spike-primrose

6

California Buttercup

27

Cliff Paintbrush

687

Coast Microseris

14

Coastal Vesper Sparrow

30

Contorted-pod Evening-primrose

14

Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen

132

Dense-flowered Lupine

24

Dense Spike-primrose

269

Dromedary Jumping-slug

265

Dwarf Sandwort

1

Dwarf Woolly-heads (Southern Mountain population)

32

Edwards’ Beach Moth

117

Foothill Sedge

901

Fragrant Popcornflower

1

Golden Paintbrush

20

Gray’s Desert-parsley

51

Haller’s Apple Moss

127

Kellogg’s Rush

19

Lemmon’s Holly Fern

21

Lindley’s False Silverpuffs

20

Mexican Mosquito-fern

163

Mormon Metalmark (Southern Mountain population)

1,234

Mountain Holly Fern

43

Muhlenberg’s Centaury

3

Northern Saw-whet Owl, brooksi subspecies

936

Prairie Lupine

126

Rayless Goldfields

1

Roell's Brotherella Moss

90

Rosy Owl-clover

1

Seaside Birds-foot Lotus

88

Seaside Bone Lichen

86

Seaside Centipede Lichen

7

Slender Collomia

49

Slender Popcornflower

66

Small-flowered Tonella

18

Smooth Goosefoot

28

Southern Maidenhair Fern

9

Stoloniferous Pussytoes

119

Toothcup (Southern Mountain population)

Unavailable

Tweedy’s Lewisia

15

Victoria’s Owl-clover

11

Water-plantain Buttercup

22

White Meconella

28

Acute Small Limestone Moss

8

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

56,951

Banff Springs Snail

1

Bank Swallow

39,657

Bolander's Quillwort

4

Caribou (Boreal population)

12,579,662

Dusky Dune Moth

596

Five-spotted Bogus Yucca Moth

20,012

Gold-edged Gem

1,478

Greater Sage-Grouse, urophasianus subspecies

462,107

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

240,714

Half-moon Hairstreak

294

Haller’s Apple Moss

36

Little Brown Myotis

551,103

Loggerhead Shrike, Prairie subspecies

11,099

Non-pollinating Yucca Moth

20,012

Northern Myotis

9,737

Ord's Kangaroo Rat

4,630

Piping Plover, circumcinctus subspecies

8,370

Porsild's Bryum

88

Smooth Goosefoot

913

Soapweed

20,012

Tiny Cryptantha

3,864

Western Harvest Mouse dychei population

28,404

Western Spiderwort

1,169

Whooping Crane

86,031

Woodland Caribou (Southern Mountain population)

3,803,638

Yucca Moth

20,012

Red Knot, rufa subspecies (Tierra del Fuego/Patagonia population)

17,350

Slender Mouse-ear-cress

640

Small-flowered Sand-verbena

1,186

Gibson's Big Sand Tiger Beetle

1,636

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

1,398

Caribou (Boreal population)

27,405,791

Chestnut-collared Longspur

488,229

Greater Sage-Grouse, urophasianus subspecies

724,665

Gibson’s Big Sand Tiger Beetle

41,566

Sprague’s Pipit

471,007

Swift Fox

392,227

Bank Swallow

9,691

Black-footed Ferret

1,207

Burrowing Owl

139,215

Dusky Dune Moth

1,978

Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer

119,854

Gold-edged Gem

1,158

Loggerhead Shrike, Prairie subspecies

17,010

Mountain Plover

1,363

Piping Plover, circumcinctus subspecies

105,834

Red-headed Woodpecker

1,686

Red Knot, rufa subspecies (Tierra del Fuego/Patagonia population)

74,506

Slender Mouse-ear-cress

715

Small-flowered Sand-verbena

301

Smooth Goosefoot

4,033

Tiny Cryptantha

246

Western Spiderwort

1,033

Caribou (Boreal population)

20,466,813

Rough Agalinis

1,031

Bank Swallow

55,966

Dusky Dune Moth

896

Eastern Whip-poor-will

311,064

Gattinger's Agalinis

301

Gold-edged Gem

463

Golden-winged Warbler

1,748,154

Least Bittern

1,844

Little Brown Myotis

107,222

Northern Myotis

29,239

Piping Plover, circumcinctus subspecies

4,353

Poweshiek Skipperling

863

Red-headed Woodpecker

1,753,368

Red Knot, rufa subspecies (Tierra del Fuego/Patagonia population)

26,288

Small White Lady's-slipper

179,156

Smooth Goosefoot

123

Western Prairie Fringed Orchid

1,555

Western Silvery Aster

2,814

Western Spiderwort

631

White Flower Moth

468

Chimney Swift

258,541

Fascicled Ironweed

1,129

Acadian Flycatcher

18,757

American Badger, jacksoni subspecies

Unavailable

American Chestnut

52,615

Bank Swallow

100,529

Bent Spike-rush (Great Lakes Plains population)

957

Bird’s-foot Violet

1,905

Blanding's Turtle (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

19,276,099

Caribou (Boreal population)

48,809,583

Cerulean Warbler

9,513

Cucumber Tree

5,612

Eastern Flowering Dogwood

58,834

Eastern Foxsnake (Carolinian population)

2,394,382

Eastern Foxsnake (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

1,291,386

Eastern Whip-poor-will

1,140,331

Five-lined Skink (Carolinian population)10

148,513

Fowler's Toad

11,875

Golden-winged Warbler

1,117,510

Gray Ratsnake (Carolinian population)

190,762

Gray Ratsnake (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

436,952

Horsetail Spike-rush

19

Jefferson Salamander

36,555

Large Whorled Pogonia

2,227

Least Bittern

583,959

Little Brown Myotis

12,468,807

Massasauga (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

194,557

Northern Myotis

12,468,807

Piping Plover, circumcinctus subspecies

1,648

Prothonotary Warbler

4,382

Queensnake

327,302

Red-headed Woodpecker

2,588,882

Red Knot, rufa subspecies (Tierra del Fuego/Patagonia population)

110,827

Round-leaved Greenbrier (Great Lakes Plains population)

5,940

Rusty-patched Bumble Bee

1,686

Spiny Softshell

3,711,150

Spotted Turtle

17,779,667

Spotted Wintergreen

3,285

Tri-coloured Bat

12,468,807

Unisexual Ambystoma, Jefferson Salamander dependent population

36,555

Virginia Goat’s-rue

1,590

Western Chorus Frog (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence - Canadian Shield population)

1,445,206

Wood Turtle

21,627,248

Yellow-breasted Chat, virens subspecies

365

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander (Carolinian population)

10,550

American Columbo

3,795

American Ginseng

18,516,393

American Water-willow

69

Bashful Bulrush

21,007

Bluehearts

10,544

Blue Racer

42,794

Blunt-lobed Woodsia

831

Bogbean Buckmoth

41,338

Branched Bartonia

4,555

Butler's Gartersnake

10,294

Cherry Birch

105

Chimney Swift

3

Colicroot

1,810

Deerberry

3

Dense Blazing Star

3,507

Drooping Trillium

635

Dwarf Hackberry

2,559

Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid

188,297

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus

21,388

Engelmann’s Quillwort

186

False Hop Sedge

2,120

False Rue-anemone

7,190

Forked Three-awned Grass

6,852

Gattinger's Agalinis

4,925

Grey Fox

2,461

Heart-leaved Plantain

21,088

Hill’s Thistle

43

Hine’s Emerald

2,983

Hoary Mountain-mint

10,533

Hoptree Borer

74

Hungerford’s Crawling Water Beetle

36

Juniper Sedge

1,988

Kentucky Coffee-tree

3,190

Kirtland’s Warbler

77,261

Loggerhead Shrike, Eastern subspecies

197,702

Louisiana Waterthrush

4,110

Massasauga (Carolinian population)

3,695

Nodding Pogonia

1,065

Northern Barrens Tiger Beetle

13,002

Northern Dusky Salamander (Carolinian population)

211

Pale-bellied Frost Lichen

2,594

Pink Milkwort

10,639

Purple Twayblade

3,183

Rapids Clubtail

3,872

Red Mulberry

395

Riverine Clubtail (Great Lakes Plains population)

740

Scarlett Ammannia

1,069

Showy Goldenrod (Boreal population)

199

Slender Bush-clover

426

Small-flowered Lipocarpha

3,905

Small-mouthed Salamander

786

Small White Lady’s-slipper

10,407

Small Whorled Pogonia

106

Spoon-leaved Moss

31,826

Toothcup (Great Lakes Plains population)

624

Virginia Mallow

951

Western Silvery Aster

499

White Wood Aster

12,673

Wild Hyacinth

1,927

Willowleaf Aster

4,259

Wood-poppy

42,248

Broad-banded Forestsnail

271

Downy Yellow False Foxglove

3,483

Eastern Banded Tigersnail

302

False-foxglove Sun Moth

89

Fern-leaved Yellow False Foxglove

581

Smooth Yellow False Foxglove

627

Unisexual Ambystoma, Small-mouthed Salamander dependent population

2,177

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander (Appalachian population)

447

American Ginseng

9,850,142

American Water-willow

271

Bank Swallow

71,318

Bicknell’s Thrush

858,297

Blanding’s Turtle (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)

1,675,127

Blunt-lobed Woodsia

Unavailable

Caribou (Atlantic-Gaspésie population)

734,843

Caribou (Boreal population)

68,426,768

Cerulean Warbler

1,144

Eastern Whip-poor-will

508,210

False Hop Sedge

1,859

Forked Three-awned Grass

29,313

Golden-winged Warbler

144,431

Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster

1,246

Horned Grebe (Magdalen Islands population)

297

Least Bittern

7,469

Little Brown Myotis

Unavailable

Northern Myotis

Unavailable

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

16,514

Purple Twayblade

242

Quebec Rockcress

113

Roseate Tern

165

Spiny Softshell

1,034,092

Van Brunt's Jacob's-ladder

9

Victorin's Gentian

209

Western Chorus frog (Great Lakes St. Lawrence - Canadian Shield population)

29,751

White Wood Aster

111

Wood Turtle

18,296,937

Green-scaled Willow

2,759

Maritime Ringlet

824

Mountain Holly Fern

2,804

Northern Barrens Tiger Beetle

18,077

Red-headed Woodpecker

11,220

Red Knot, rufa subspecies (Tierra del Fuego/Patagonia population)

20,543

Tri-coloured Bat

Unavailable

Chimney Swift

Unavailable

Eastern Waterfan

69

Skillet Clubtail

22

Louisiana Waterthrush

227

Bank Swallow

55,966

Bicknell’s Thrush

317,750

Eastern Waterfan

897

Eastern Whip-poor-will

51,106

Furbish's Lousewort

Unavailable

Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster

148

Least Bittern

82

Little Brown Myotis

100,575

Maritime Ringlet

217

Northern Myotis

100,575

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

31,686

Tri-coloured Bat

100,575

Van Brunt's Jacob's-ladder

2

Wood Turtle

Unavailable

Chimney Swift

Unavailable

Eastern Waterfan

153

Bank Swallow

49,087

Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster

211

Little Brown Myotis

10,222

Northern Myotis

10,222

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

23,297

Bank Swallow

47,311

Bicknell’s Thrush

194,678

Black-foam Lichen

278

Blanding's Turtle (Nova Scotia population)

Unavailable

Boreal Felt Lichen (Atlantic population)

13,310

Chimney Swift

Unavailable

Eastern Baccharis

656

Eastern Mountain Avens

636

Eastern Ribbonsnake (Atlantic population)

Unavailable

Eastern Waterfan

423

Little Brown Myotis

199,024

Northern Myotis

199,024

Pink Coreopsis

939

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

18,708

Plymouth Gentian

892

Roseate Tern

5,301

Sable Island Sweat Bee

Unavailable

Sweet Pepperbush

217

Tall Beakrush

378

Thread-leaved Sundew

1,260

Tri-coloured Bat

199,024

Vole Ears Lichen

1,480

Wood Turtle

Unavailable

Barrens Willow

1,997

Caribou (Boreal population)

13,416,041

Fernald’s Braya

4,005

Little Brown Myotis

248,547

Long’s Braya

106

Northern Myotis

248,547

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

7,441

American Marten (Newfoundland population)

617,400

Porsild’s Bryum

78

Vole Ears Lichen

112

Bank Swallow

8,082

Bank Swallow

18,916

Caribou (Boreal population)

853,280

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Unavailable

Bank Swallow

11,850

Caribou (Boreal population)

40,785,771

Hairy Braya

11,850

Little Brown Myotis

1,292,154

Peary Caribou

8,446,276

Whooping Crane

326,692

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Unavailable

Ivory Gull

48,897

Peary Caribou

16,565,091

Porsild’s Bryum

38

Red Knot, rufa subspecies (Tierra del Fuego/Patagonia population)

110,468