Progress Report on Steps Taken for Protection of Critical Habitat for Species at Risk in Canada (October 2025 to March 2026)

June 2026

Introduction

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Parks Canada (PC) have a core responsibility to protect, conserve and recover terrestrial species at risk and their critical habitat (CH). This responsibility is shared with provincial and territorial governments. ECCC and PC carry out this work as part of their ongoing cooperative efforts with provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, other federal departments and agencies, and numerous partners to undertake conservation measures to recover species at risk and protect biodiversity.

The Government of Canada has also prioritized biodiversity conservation globally. The Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF) was adopted in 2022 at the 15^th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP15). A major focus of the KMGBF is halting and reversing biodiversity loss by 2030 and restoring biological diversity levels by 2050^{Footnote 1}.

The purposes of Species at Risk Act (SARA) are to prevent wildlife species from being extirpated or becoming extinct, to provide for the recovery of wildlife species that are extirpated, endangered or threatened as a result of human activity, and to manage species of special concern to prevent them from becoming threatened or endangered. Listing species under SARA triggers a set of requirements focused on protecting and recovering that species and its habitat. As such, Section 63 of SARA requires the Government of Canada to track and report on actions taken and measures put in place to protect identified critical habitat of species at risk.

The responsibility for conservation of species at risk in Canada is shared by different levels of government. The Government of Canada first looks to the provinces and territories for the protection of terrestrial species’ habitat on non-federally administered lands. The federal government is responsible for critical habitat^{Footnote 2} protection for all species at risk on federal lands. However, as more species are listed under SARA, consensus has emerged on the need for a prioritized, multi-species, stewardship-based approach.

The Government of Canada has been collaborating with provinces^{Footnote 3}, territories, Indigenous Peoples, and other conservation partners to implement the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada^{Footnote 4} (Pan-Canadian Approach) since 2018. Conservation efforts under the Pan-Canadian Approach are concentrated on shared priorities across Canada, focusing on sets of priority places, species, and sectors.

• Twelve priority places have been established that are hotspots for species at risk. These priority places cover more than 30 million ha (including more than 2 million ha of critical habitat for species at risk) with more than 320 species at risk (~147 of which have > 50% of their range included within the priority places). To learn more about the Priority Places initiative and the work undertaken by our partners to recover species at risk within these priority places, please visit our interactive website
• Six priority species have been identified by federal-provincial-territorial governments: Greater Sage-Grouse; Wood Bison; Barren-ground Caribou; Peary Caribou; Caribou, Boreal population (“boreal caribou”); and Woodland Caribou, Southern Mountain population (“southern mountain caribou”). These priority species have large ranges, an important ecological role at the national or regional scale, and many have high cultural, traditional and spiritual meaning for Indigenous Peoples. All six of the species occur on Parks Canada-administered places, and Parks Canada continues to advance work to support these species
• Three priority sectors have been identified: agriculture, forestry and urban development. The priority sectors initiative addresses each of these sectors through a three-pronged approach:
  • supporting projects that can lead to the protection and recovery of species at risk (such as integrating species at risk into sectoral plans, testing of decision support tools, and assessing financial incentives and mechanisms)
  • creating a mechanism for collaboration with sectors; and
  • developing strategic conservation frameworks for species at risk with sector partners and stakeholders

Nature Agreements between the federal and interested provincial and territorial governments include mutually agreed actions and financial commitments to reach conservation goals. Nature Agreements may include protecting critical habitat and adopting land use planning measures to improve outcomes for species at risk and migratory birds. For more information, please refer to Nature Agreements in Canada.

In April 2003, Yukon became the first territory to assume responsibilities for land and resource management via the Yukon Devolution Agreement. The Northwest Territories followed with its own agreement in April 2014. Most recently, a similar agreement was signed with Nunavut in February 2024. The federal government is working collaboratively with territorial governments, Indigenous governments and organizations, and northern Wildlife Management Boards to develop a path forward for the protection of critical habitat on lands now administered by the territories (also referred to as devolved lands).

Report framework / category definitions

ECCC contacted provinces and territories to request that they report on steps and actions taken to contribute towards the protection of critical habitat on non-federally administered land. This request considers information regarding protection measures for critical habitat as identified in federal recovery strategies or action plans for federally listed terrestrial species at risk. Information was also solicited on other collaborative efforts as well as information on steps and actions taken on federal lands including input from PC.

Guided by the Pan-Canadian Approach, steps or actions are organized in this report based on whether they relate to a single species, relate to multi-species, priority places, or priority sectors. ECCC summarized the input and categorized it into the type of step or action taken. The key categories of steps or actions are defined as follows:

• Legislative or regulatory: Steps taken related to the development or implementation of a wildlife/species at risk legislation or a regulation under existing legislation
• Policy: Steps linked to the development or approval of a policy to apply a species at risk legislation or consider wildlife and species at risk in decision making
• Protected areas: Steps linked to the setting aside of land under an existing act or regulation for the purpose of regulating activities to reduce their adverse effects on habitat, or steps linked to the negotiation or establishment of a protected area
• Agreements or easements: Steps linked to the negotiation or signature of a conservation agreement, under section 11 of SARA or under other applicable legislation (such as a Conservation Easement Act)
• Securement: Voluntary setting aside, sale or purchase of land for the purpose of conservation and protection by a private landowner or a government, without legal designation as a protected area
• Range and management planning: Steps linked to the development and implementation of management plans and range plans
• Control of Activities likely to result in destruction of critical habitat (ALTDs): Any steps not already above captured which help control activities likely to result in the destruction of critical habitat for species at risk, when these activities are identified as such in the recovery strategy for the species
• Stewardship: Habitat management actions that help maintain, restore or enhance the quality of habitat

The list of species in each jurisdiction to which this report applies can be found in Annex A. This list represents all terrestrial species currently listed on Schedule 1 of SARA as threatened or endangered for which critical habitat has been identified in a final federal recovery strategy or action plan^{Footnote 5}.

This report provides a summary of actions taken and underway by provincial, territorial and federal governments to protect identified critical habitat for 291 terrestrial species at risk^{Footnote 6} in Canada, it covers the critical habitat identified for four new species since the previous report published in December 2025 (see Annex A). Building on the previous 16^{Footnote 7} publications, this report covers the reporting period of October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026. Since the first multi-species report (June 2019), 608 steps and actions have been reported towards protection of identified critical habitat for species at risk.

1 Protection of critical habitat in the provinces

For critical habitat occurring on non-federally administered lands in the provinces, before taking federal action, the Government of Canada first looks to the provinces for the protection of terrestrial species’ habitat. The following sections provide a summary of the applicable legislation followed by the measures put in place to protect critical habitat.

1.1 British Columbia

Status summary

In British Columbia (BC), there are 116 species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A1). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, critical habitat for four new species (Columbia Quillwort, Dwarf Hesperochiron, Hairy Paintbrush and Nuttall’s Sheep Moth) was identified within BC.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

1.2 Alberta

Status summary

In Alberta, there are 30 species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A2). From October 1, 2025 to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within Alberta.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

1.3 Saskatchewan

Status summary

In Saskatchewan, there are 23 species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A3). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within Saskatchewan.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

1.4 Manitoba

Status summary

In Manitoba, there are 23 species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A4). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within Manitoba.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

1.5 Ontario

Status summary

In Ontario, there are 110 species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A5). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within Ontario.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

1.6 Quebec

Status summary

In Quebec, there are 40 species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A6). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within Quebec.

The Canada-Quebec agreement for the protection of species at risk in Quebec expired on March 31, 2022. Since then, the province has shared very little data with ECCC. As such, the following section may be incomplete.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

1.7 New Brunswick

Status summary

In New Brunswick, there are 16 species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A7). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within New Brunswick.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

1.8 Prince Edward Island

Status summary

In Prince Edward Island (PEI), there are five species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A8). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within PEI.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

1.9 Nova Scotia

Status summary

In Nova Scotia, there are 23 species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A9). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within Nova Scotia.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

1.10 Newfoundland and Labrador

Status summary

In Newfoundland and Labrador, there are 11 species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A10). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within Newfoundland and Labrador.

The following section highlights the actions taken for species at risk critical habitat protection on non-federal lands within the reporting period.

2 Protection of critical habitat in the territories

For critical habitat occurring on non-federally administered lands and in respect of the spirit of devolution agreements in the territories, the Government of Canada first looks to the laws of the territory for the protection of terrestrial species’ habitat. In the following sections, a summary of the applicable legislation is provided followed by the different actions and measures put in place which reduce the risk of destruction of critical habitat, as reported by the territorial governments.

2.1 Yukon

Status summary

In the Yukon, there are three species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A11). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within the Yukon.

There is no critical habitat on non-federal land in this Pan-Canadian Approach Priority Place within this territory.

2.2 Northwest Territories

Status summary

In Northwest Territories (NWT) there are seven species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A12). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within NWT.

There are no Pan-Canadian Approach priority places within this territory.

2.3 Nunavut

Status summary

In Nunavut, there are four species at risk with federally identified critical habitat to which this report relates (see Annex A13). From October 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, no additional critical habitat was identified within Nunavut.

There is no Pan-Canadian Approach priority places within this territory.

3 Other collaborative and federal protection of critical habitat

4 Protection of critical habitat on federal land

The Government of Canada relies on SARA to protect critical habitat on federal lands. Some of the tools available under SARA are: descriptions in the Canada Gazette [s.58(3)]; protection statements [s.58(5)(b)]; and, orders [s.58(5)(a)]. A description of critical habitat in the Canada Gazette applies to species at risk found in federally protected areas (including National Wildlife Areas, Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, national parks, and Rouge National Urban Park). A protection statement in the public registry can also be used to describe how critical habitat is protected. The government can also issue orders under SARA to protect critical habitat. ECCC and PC also take a stewardship approach to support critical habitat protection on federal lands.

PC administers more than 464,000 km² of lands and waters in Canada and protects species at risk in these places. In addition to implementing SARA, PC has a range of legislative tools that protect species at risk and their critical habitat. For example, in national parks, PC uses the Canada National Parks Act and other legislation like the Impact Assessment Act and their associated regulations to provide special protection to species at risk through mechanisms like zoning, designation of “Environmentally Sensitive Areas” and seasonal closures. Ecological integrity is the first priority in managing national parks and includes the protection of species at risk and their critical habitat.

The following section summarizes the actions and measures taken by ECCC and PC to protect critical habitat for terrestrial species at risk for the reporting period of October 2025 to March 2026.

Annex A – Lists of species with critical habitat identified by province/territory

A1– British columbia

A1.1– Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Acuteleaf Small Limestone Moss

American Badger jeffersonii subspecies, Western population

American Badger jeffersonii subspecies, Eastern population

Audouin’s Night-stalking Tiger Beetle

Bank Swallow

Barn Owl, Western population

Batwing Vinyl Lichen

Bear’s-foot Sanicle

Bearded Owl-clover

Behr’s Hairstreak

Blue-grey Taildropper

Bog Bird’s-foot Trefoil

Branched Phacelia

Brook Spike-primrose

California Buttercup

Caribou (Boreal population)

Cliff Paintbrush

Coast Microseris

Coastal Giant Salamander

Coastal Scouler’s Catchfly

Coastal Vesper Sparrow

Columbia Quillwort

Contorted-pod Evening-primrose

Crumpled Tarpaper Lichen

Deltoid Balsamroot

Dense-flowered Lupine

Dense Spike-primrose

Desert Nightsnake

Dromedary Jumping-slug

Dun Skipper, vestris subspecies

Dwarf Hesperochiron

Dwarf Woolly-heads (Southern Mountain population)

Edwards’ Beach Moth

Foothill Sedge

Fragrant Popcornflower

Golden Paintbrush

Grand Coulee Owl-clover

Gray’s Desert-parsley

Great Basin Gophersnake

Great Basin Spadefoot

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Hairy Paintbrush

Half-moon Hairstreak

Haller’s Apple Moss

Howell’s Triteleia

Kellogg’s Rush

Lemmon’s Holly Fern

Lewis’s Woodpecker

Lindley’s False Silverpuffs

Little Brown Myotis

Macoun’s Meadowfoam

Marbled Murrelet

Mexican Mosquito-fern

Mormon Metalmark (Southern Mountain population)

Mountain Holly Fern

Muhlenberg’s Centaury

Northern Goshawk, laingi subspecies

Northern Leopard Frog (Rocky Mountain population)

Northern Myotis

Northern Saw-whet Owl, brooksi subspecies

Nugget Moss

Nuttall’s Sheep Moth

Okanagan Efferia

Olive Clubtail

Oregon Forestsnail

Oregon Spotted Frog

Pacific Water Shrew

Pallid Bat

Phantom Orchid

Pink Sand-verbena

Poor Pocket Moss

Porsild’s Bryum

Prairie Lupine

Purple Sanicle

Rayless Goldfields

Rigid Apple Moss

Rocky Mountain Tailed Frog

Roell's Brotherella Moss

Rosy Owl-clover

Rusty Cord-moss

Sage Thrasher

Sand-verbena Moth

Scarlett Ammannia

Seaside Bone Lichen

Sharp-tailed Snake

Short-rayed Alkali Aster

Showy Phlox

Slender Collomia

Slender Popcornflower

Small-flowered Lipocarpha

Small-flowered Tonella

Smooth Goosefoot

Southern Maidenhair Fern

Spalding’s Campion

Spotted Owl, caurina subspecies

Stoloniferous Pussytoes

Streambank Lupine

Tall Bugbane

Tall Woolly-heads

Taylor’s Checkerspot

Toothcup (Southern Mountain population)

Townsend’s Mole

Tweedy’s Lewisia

Vancouver Island Marmot

Victoria’s Owl-clover

Water-plantain Buttercup

Western Painted Turtle (Pacific Coast population)

Western Rattlesnake

Western Tiger Salamander (Southern Mountain population)

White Meconella

Williamson's Sapsucker

Woodland Caribou (Southern Mountain population)

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

Yellow Montane Violet, praemorsa subspecies

A1.2 – Species with critical habitat identified on federally administered lands

Dwarf Sandwort

Seaside Birds-foot Lotus

Seaside Centipede Lichen

A2 – Alberta

A2.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Bank Swallow

Caribou (Boreal population)*

Dusky Dune Moth

Five-spotted Bogus Yucca Moth

Gibson's Big Sand Tiger Beetle

Gold-edged Gem

Greater Sage-Grouse, urophasianus subspecies*

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

Little Brown Myotis*

Loggerhead Shrike, Prairie subspecies

Non-pollinating Yucca Moth

Northern Myotis*

Ord’s Kangaroo Rat*

Piping Plover, circumcinctus subspecies*

Porsild’s Bryum*

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

Slender Mouse-ear-cress*

Small-flowered Sand-verbena*

Smooth Goosefoot

Soapweed*

Tiny Cryptantha*

Western Spiderwort*

Woodland Caribou (Southern Mountain population)*

Yucca Moth

* Species listed provincially under Alberta’s Wildlife Regulations, prescribed as endangered or threatened species.

A2.2 – Species with critical habitat identified only on federally administered lands

Banff Springs Snail

Bolander’s Quillwort

Half-moon Hairstreak

Haller’s Apple Moss

Western Harvest Mouse dychei subspecies

Whooping Crane*

* Species listed provincially under Alberta’s Wildlife Regulations, prescribed as endangered or threatened species.

A3 – Saskatchewan

A3.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Bank Swallow

Black-footed Ferret*

Black-tailed Prairie Dog

Burrowing Owl*

Caribou (Boreal population)

Chestnut-collared Longspur

Dusky Dune Moth

Eastern Yellow-bellied Racer

Gibson's Big Sand Tiger Beetle

Gold-edged Gem

Greater Sage-Grouse, urophasianus subspecies*

Loggerhead Shrike, Prairie subspecies

Mountain Plover

Piping Plover, circumcinctus subspecies*

Red-headed Woodpecker

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

Slender Mouse-ear-cress*

Small-flowered Sand-verbena*

Smooth Goosefoot

Sprague’s Pipit

Swift Fox*

Tiny Cryptantha*

Western Spiderwort*

* Species listed provincially under the Saskatchewan Wild Species at Risk Regulations as threatened, endangered or extirpated wild species at risk.

A4 – Manitoba

A4.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Bank Swallow

Caribou (Boreal population)*

Chimney Swift*

Dusky Dune Moth*

Eastern Whip-poor-will*

Fascicled Ironweed*

Gattinger's Agalinis*

Gold-edged Gem*

Golden-winged Warbler*

Least Bittern*

Little Brown Myotis*

Northern Myotis*

Piping Plover, circumcinctus subspecies* Poweshiek Skipperling*

Red-headed Woodpecker*

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

Rough Agalinis*

Small White Lady's-slipper*

Smooth Goosefoot*

Western Prairie Fringed Orchid*

Western Silvery Aster*

Western Spiderwort*

White Flower Moth*

* Species listed provincially as endangered or threatened species under Manitoba’s Endangered Species and Ecosystems Act regulations.

A5 – Ontario^{Footnote 8}

A5.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Acadian Flycatcher

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander (Carolinian population)*

American Badger, jacksoni subspecies*

American Chestnut*

American Columbo*

American Ginseng*

American Water-willow*

Bank Swallow

Bashful Bulrush*

Bent Spike-rush (Great Lakes Plains population)*

Bird’s-foot Violet*

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

Bluehearts*

Blue Racer*

Blunt-lobed Woodsia*

Bogbean Buckmoth*

Branched Bartonia*

Broad-banded Forestsnail*

Butler's Gartersnake*

Caribou (Boreal population)*

Cerulean Warbler

Cherry Birch*

Chimney Swift

Colicroot*

Cucumber Tree*

Deerberry*

Dense Blazing Star*

Downy Yellow False Foxglove*

Drooping Trillium*

Dwarf Hackberry*

Eastern Banded Tigersnail*

Eastern Flowering Dogwood*

Eastern Foxsnake (Carolinian population)*

Eastern Foxsnake (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)*

Eastern Prairie Fringed Orchid*

Eastern Prickly Pear Cactus*

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Engelmann’s Quillwort*

False Hop Sedge*

False-foxglove Sun Moth*

Fern-leaved Yellow False Foxglove*

Five-lined Skink (Carolinian population)*

Forked Three-awned Grass*

Fowler's Toad*

Gattinger's Agalinis*

Golden-winged Warbler

Gray Ratsnake (Carolinian population)*

Gray Ratsnake (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)*

Grey Fox*

Heart-leaved Plantain*

Hill’s Thistle*

Hine’s Emerald*

Hoary Mountain-mint*

Hoptree Borer*

Hungerford’s Crawling Water Beetle*

Jefferson Salamander*

Juniper Sedge*

Kentucky Coffee-tree*

Large Whorled Pogonia*

Least Bittern

Little Brown Myotis*

Loggerhead Shrike, Eastern subspecies

Louisiana Waterthrush

Massasauga (Carolinian population)*

Massasauga (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population)*

Nodding Pogonia*

Northern Barrens Tiger Beetle*

Northern Dusky Salamander (Carolinian population)*

Northern Myotis*

Pale-bellied Frost Lichen*

Pink Milkwort*

Piping Plover, circumcinctus subspecies

Prothonotary Warbler

Purple Twayblade*

Queensnake*

Rapids Clubtail*

Red-headed Woodpecker

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

Red Mulberry*

Riverine Clubtail (Great Lakes Plains population)*

Round-leaved Greenbrier (Great Lakes Plains population)*

Rusty-patched Bumble Bee*

Scarlett Ammannia*

Showy Goldenrod (Boreal population)*

Slender Bush-clover*

Small-flowered Lipocarpha*

Small-mouthed Salamander*

Small White Lady’s-slipper*

Small Whorled Pogonia*

Smooth Yellow False Foxglove*

Spiny Softshell*

Spoon-leaved Moss*

Spotted Turtle*

Spotted Wintergreen*

Toothcup (Great Lakes Plains population)*

Tri-coloured Bat*

Unisexual Ambystoma, Jefferson Salamander dependent population*

Unisexual Ambystoma, Small-mouthed Salamander dependent population*

Virginia Goat’s-rue*

Virginia Mallow*

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

Western Silvery Aster*

White Wood Aster*

Wild Hyacinth*

Willowleaf Aster*

Wood-poppy*

Wood Turtle*

Yellow-breasted Chat, virens subspecies

* Species provincially listed as endangered or threatened, and receiving some habitat protection under the Ontario Species Conservation Act.

A5.2 – Species with critical habitat identified only on federally administered lands

Horsetail Spike-rush*

Kirtland’s Warbler

* Species provincially listed as endangered or threatened, and receiving some habitat protection under the Ontario Species Conservation Act.

A6 – Quebec

A6.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Allegheny Mountain Dusky Salamander (Appalachian population)*

American Ginseng*

American Water-willow*

Bank Swallow

Bicknell’s Thrush*

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

Blunt-lobed Woodsia*

Caribou (Atlantic-Gaspésie population)*

Caribou (Boreal population)*

Cerulean Warbler*

Chimney Swift*

Eastern Waterfan

Eastern Whip-poor-will*

False Hop Sedge*

Forked Three-awned Grass*

Golden-winged Warbler*

Green-scaled Willow*

Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster*

Horned Grebe (Magdalen Islands population)*

Least Bittern*

Little Brown Myotis*

Louisiana Waterthrush*

Maritime Ringlet*

Mountain Holly Fern*

Northern Barrens Tiger Beetle*

Northern Myotis*

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies*

Purple Twayblade*

Quebec Rockcress*

Red-headed Woodpecker*

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

Roseate Tern*

Skillet Clubtail*

Spiny Softshell*

Tri-coloured Bat*

Van Brunt's Jacob's-ladder*

Victorin's Gentian*

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

White Wood Aster*

Wood Turtle*

* Species designated as Threatened or Vulnerable under the Act respecting Threatened or Vulnerable Species (LEMV) or listed as a species likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable under the LEMV.

A7 – New Brunswick

A7.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Bank Swallow*

Bicknell’s Thrush

Chimney Swift*

Eastern Waterfan

Eastern Whip-poor-will

Furbish's Lousewort*

Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster*

Least Bittern

Little Brown Myotis*

Maritime Ringlet*

Northern Myotis*

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies*

Skillet Clubtail*

Tri-coloured Bat*

Van Brunt’s Jacob’s-ladder

Wood Turtle

* Species provincially listed as endangered in Schedule A of the New Brunswick Species at Risk Act.

A8 – Prince Edward Island

A8.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Bank Swallow

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies

A8.2 – Species with critical habitat identified only on federally administered lands

Gulf of St. Lawrence Aster

Little Brown Myotis

Northern Myotis

A9 – Nova Scotia

A9.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Bank Swallow*

Bicknell’s Thrush*

Black-foam Lichen

Blanding's Turtle (Nova Scotia population)*

Boreal Felt Lichen (Atlantic population)*

Chimney Swift*

Eastern Baccharis*

Eastern Mountain Avens*

Eastern Ribbonsnake (Atlantic population)*

Eastern Waterfan*

Little Brown Myotis*

Northern Myotis*

Pink Coreopsis*

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies*

Plymouth Gentian*

Roseate Tern*

Sweet Pepperbush

Tall Beakrush*

Thread-leaved Sundew*

Tri-coloured Bat*

Vole Ears Lichen*

Wood Turtle*

* Species provincially listed as endangered or threatened wildlife species under the Nova Scotia Endangered Species Act.

A9.2 – Species with critical habitat identified only on federally administered lands

Sable Island Sweat Bee*

* Species provincially listed as endangered or threatened wildlife species under the Nova Scotia Endangered Species Act.

A10 – Newfoundland and Labrador

A10.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

American Marten (Newfoundland population)*

Bank Swallow

Barrens Willow*

Caribou (Boreal population)*

Fernald’s Braya*

Little Brown Myotis*

Long’s Braya*

Northern Myotis*

Piping Plover, melodus subspecies*

Porsild’s Bryum*

Vole Ears Lichen*

* Species provincially listed as endangered or threatened under the Newfoundland and Labrador Endangered Species Act.

A11 – Yukon

A11.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Bank Swallow

Caribou (Boreal population)

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

A12 – Northwest Territories

A12.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Bank Swallow

Caribou (Boreal population)*

Hairy Braya*

Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble Bee

*Species territorially listed under the Northwest Territories Species at Risk (NWT) Act.

A12.2 – Species with critical habitat identified only on federally administered lands

Little Brown Myotis*

Peary Caribou*

Whooping Crane

*Species territorially listed under the Northwest Territories Species at Risk (NWT) Act.

A13 – Nunavut

A13.1 – Species with critical habitat identified on non-federally administered lands

Ivory Gull

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

A13.2 – Species with critical habitat identified only on federally administered lands

Peary Caribou

Porsild’s Bryum

Annex B – Species with protection steps taken and species with no protection steps taken as reported in progress reports

Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) has made commitments in response to the Spring 2023 Discretionary Powers to Protect Species at Risk report by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to the Parliament of Canada. The department has been investigating approaches to determine the protection steps taken or not taken by reporting on the species and amount of their area containing critical habitat for which there have been no steps taken. The following tables outlines species with specific steps directly attributed to their area containing critical habitat, species whose area containing critical habitat may have been targeted by a multiple-species step, and species with no steps directly attributed to their area containing critical habitat.

The tables below include the approximate sum of areas containing critical habitat for each species by province and territory. Critical habitat is identified within these areas when combined with the appropriate biophysical attributes required for each species, as defined by the species’ recovery document. Therefore, typically, a species’ actual critical habitat area is smaller – sometimes much smaller – than the summed area containing critical habitat that is presented in these tables. For species-specific information, including the presence of, or potential, for biophysical attributes that are part of the identification of critical habitat, please refer to published recovery documents on the species at risk public registry. Due to data availability, sensitivity concerns, or other species-specific matters, the amount of area containing critical habitat may not be available for certain species. The area containing critical habitat is primarily identified within a recovery document via detailed polygons or defined UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) grid squares (1 x 1 km, 10 x 10 km, 50 x 50 km, or 100 x 100 km). For further information on critical habitat identification and presentation, please refer to the Critical Habitat Identification Toolbox.

Steps taken toward the protection of areas containing critical habitat may apply to the entire area or only a portion of the area containing critical habitat of a species. Progress reports may also include steps applicable to multiple species; however, a precise list of species is not always available. For this reason, the information has been reported separately in tables for three categories of species: (1) specific steps are directly attributed to some or all of the area containing critical habitat, (2) steps are applicable to some or all of the area containing critical habitat for multiple species including the listed species, and (3) no steps are directly attributed to the area containing critical habitat.

The data presented below have been produced using input from previous progress reports as well as internal data on areas containing critical habitat. In some cases, the public data from the Critical Habitat for Species at Risk National Dataset is presented using grid squares, internal data use detailed polygons, allowing for a more refined level of spatial accuracy. Any differences between this progress report and previous ones may be attributed, in part, to differences in the data sources used for the analysis. Additionally, variations in cartographic projections may affect the calculation of areas containing critical habitat, leading to differences from previously reported values. Furthermore, areas containing critical habitat are calculated based on available data for each species without consideration of provincial or territorial boundaries. Differences in boundary delineations during analysis may, therefore, also impact the calculation of areas containing critical habitat for species at risk. Data presented are current as of the publication of this document; however, they are approximate and subject to change. Steps taken are updated as of the previous progress report (Progress Report on Steps Taken of Critical Habitat for Species at Risk in Canada (April 2025 – September 2025)). Steps taken may represent past federal actions or past provincial or territorial actions.

This information does not account for all protection measures that may be in place for areas containing critical habitat, and it does not make a determination regarding whether any portion of the critical habitat of a listed species is effectively or legally protected.