Species at Risk Act: order acknowledging receipt of assessments (volume 152, number 12, June 13, 2018)

Official title: Order Acknowledging Receipt of the Assessments Done Pursuant to Subsection 23(1) of the Act: SI/2018-40

Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 152, Number 12

Registration

June 13, 2018

Species at Risk Act

Order Acknowledging Receipt of the Assessments Done Pursuant to Subsection 23(1) of the Act

P.C. 2018-609 May 29, 2018

Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, acknowledges receipt, on the making of this Order, of the assessments done pursuant to subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act^{Footnote 1}  by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) with respect to the species set out in the annexed schedule.

Schedule

Extirpated species

Reptiles

Turtle, Eastern Box (Terrapene carolina)
Tortue boîte de l’Est

Endangered species

Reptiles

Softshell, Spiny (Apalone spinifera)
Tortue molle à épines

Molluscs

Forestsnail, Broad-banded (Allogona profunda)
Escargot-forestier écharge

Globelet, Proud (Patera pennsylvanica)
Patère de Pennsylvanie

Arthropods

Borer, Hoptree (Prays atomocella)
Perceur du ptéléa

Skipperling, Poweshiek (Oarisma poweshiek)
Hespérie de Poweshiek

Plants

Beakrush, Tall (Rhynchospora macrostachya)
Rhynchospore à gros épillets

Colicroot (Aletris farinosa)
Alétris farineux

Ironweed, Fascicled (Vernonia fasciculata)
Vernonie fasciculée

Orchid, Phantom (Cephalanthera austiniae)
Céphalanthère d’Austin

Toothcup (Rotala ramosior) Southern Mountain population

Rotala rameux population des montagnes du Sud

Threatened species

Molluscs

Taildropper, Blue-grey (Prophysaon coeruleum)
Limace-prophyse bleu-gris

Plants

Arnica, Griscom’s (Arnica griscomii ssp. griscomii)
Arnica de Griscom

Lady’s-slipper, Small White (Cypripedium candidum)
Cypripède blanc

Sanicle, Bear’s-foot (Sanicula arctopoides)
Sanicle patte-d’ours

Toothcup (Rotala ramosior) Great Lakes Plains population
Rotala rameux population des plaines des Grands Lacs

Lichens

Lichen, Black-foam (Anzia colpodes)
Anzie mousse-noire

Lichen, Wrinkled Shingle (Pannaria lurida)
Pannaire jaune pâle

Special concern

Reptiles

Rattlesnake, Prairie (Crotalus viridis)
Crotale des prairies

Watersnake, Lake Erie (Nerodia sipedon insularum)
Couleuvre d’eau du lac Érié

Molluscs

Slug, Pygmy (Kootenaia burkei)
Limace pygmée

Slug, Sheathed (Zacoleus idahoensis)
Limace gainée

Arthropods

Dancer, Vivid (Argia vivida)
Agrion vif

Plants

Hoptree, Common (Ptelea trifoliata)
Ptéléa trifolié

Podistera, Yukon (Podistera yukonensis)
Podistère du Yukon

Saxifrage, Spiked (Micranthes spicata)
Saxifrage à épis

Sedge, Baikal (Carex sabulosa)
Carex des sables

Mosses

Tassel, Tiny (Crossidium seriatum)
Petit pompon

Lichens

Jellyskin, Flooded (Leptogium rivulare)
Leptoge des terrains inondés

Mountain Crab-eye (Acroscyphus sphaerophoroides)
Acroscyphe des montagnes

Not at risk

Mosses

Moss, Pygmy Pocket (Fissidens exilis)
Fissident pygmée

Explanatory note

(This note is not part of the Order.)

Proposal

Order to acknowledge receipt of the assessments from the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) regarding the status of 31 wildlife species under paragraph 15(1)(a) and in accordance with subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

Objective

The objective of this Order is for the Governor in Council (GIC), on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, to acknowledge receipt of the assessments undertaken pursuant to subsection 23(1) of SARA by COSEWIC with respect to the wildlife species set out in the annexed schedule of the Order.

Background

The purpose of SARA is 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 endangered or threatened. COSEWIC was formed as an independent scientific body in 1977 with a mandate to provide a single, official, scientifically sound, national classification of wildlife species at risk in Canada. COSEWIC provides the Minister of the Environment with assessments of the status of Canadian wildlife species.

Implications

Under subsection 27(1.1) of SARA, the GIC may, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, within nine months after receiving COSEWIC’s assessment of the status of a species, review the COSEWIC assessment, accept the assessment and add the species to the List of wildlife species at risk contained in Schedule 1 of SARA, decide not to add the species to the List, or refer the matter back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. Under subsection 27(1) of SARA, the GIC may also, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, reclassify or remove a listed species.

In addition, under subsection 27(2) of SARA, before making a recommendation in respect of a wildlife species or a species at risk, the Minister of the Environment must take into account the assessment of COSEWIC in respect of the species, consult the competent minister or ministers and, if a species is found in an area in respect of which a Wildlife Management Board is authorized by a land claims agreement to perform functions in respect of a wildlife species, consult the Wildlife Management Board.

Under subsection 27(3) of SARA, if the GIC has not taken a course of action under subsection 27(1.1) of SARA within nine months after receiving a COSEWIC assessment, the Minister of the Environment must, by order, amend the List in accordance with COSEWIC’s assessment. However, this nine-month timeline does not apply to the assessments recommending reclassification, as these species are already on the List.

Consultations

Initial consultations were held with interested stakeholders and members of the public between January 2016 and May 2016 for 16 species and January 2017 to May 2017 for another 14 species. No additional consultations were held for Toothcup (Southern Mountain population) since it has been assessed at the same risk classification as the original species at risk (Toothcup).

These consultations will be summarized in the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement (RIAS) that will accompany the proposed Order to amend Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act.

Departmental contact

Mary Jane Roberts
Director
Species at Risk Act Management and Regulatory Affairs
Canada Wildlife Service
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0H3
Telephone: 1-800-668-6767
Email: ec.LEPreglementations-SARAregulations.ec@canada.ca