Species at Risk Act annual report for 2016: chapter 3

3 Listing of species at risk

On this page

• 3.1 Listing process
• 3.2 Federal government response to COSEWIC assessments
• 3.3 Public consultations
• 3.4 Listing decisions
• 3.5 SARA Schedule 1 current status

3.1 Listing process

Upon formally receiving the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC)’s assessments, the Minister of the Environment has 90 days to post a response statement on the Species at risk public registry indicating how the Minister intends to respond to each assessment and, to the extent possible, providing timelines for action.

During this 90-day period, the relevant competent minister carries out an internal review to determine the level of public consultation and socio-economic analysis necessary to inform the listing decision. Timelines for action and the scope of consultations included in the response statement are based on the results of this initial review.

In addition to public consultation and socio-economic analysis, for aquatic species classified as threatened or endangered Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) often develops science advice in the form of a recovery potential assessment. This provides scientific information on the current status of the species, population or designatable unit, threats to its survival and recovery, and the feasibility of its recovery in given scenarios. These recovery potential assessments are taken into consideration at various steps in the SARA process, including at the recovery planning stage. In 2016, DFO led five recovery potential assessments for five species: Winter Skate, White Sturgeon, Bull Trout, Rainbow Trout, Black Redhorse. The department also produced reports associated with recovery potential assessments (2 proceedings, 9 research documents, and 5 science advisory reports).

Figure 1 outlines the species listing process under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Table 2 (see section 3.4) provides the status of the listing process for each batch of assessed species.

For more information, go to the listing process page of the Species at risk public registry.

3.2 Federal government response to COSEWIC assessments

In October 2016, the Minister of the Environment received the assessments for Batch 14 from COSEWIC. These assessments included 29 terrestrial and 10 aquatic wildlife species at risk. The Minister’s response statements were posted in January 2017. The response statements (full list included in Table 2) indicate the following:

• for 20 terrestrial and three aquatic wildlife species, normal consultations (i.e., consistent with the path that is typical for most species; see Figure 1) would be undertaken
• for four terrestrial and five aquatic wildlife species, extended consultations will be undertaken, because in some cases, listing these species could have marked impacts on the activities of Indigenous peoples, hunters and trappers, ranchers, commercial and recreational fishers, or Canadians at large
• for five terrestrial and two aquatic wildlife species already listed on Schedule 1, COSEWIC’s assessments confirmed the current status, and no changes to Schedule 1 are required

Fourteen (14) of the terrestrial species and 2 of the aquatic species are already listed on Schedule 1 and are eligible to have their status changed: 6 to a higher risk category (uplist) and 10 to a lower risk category (downlist). One species, the Pygmy Pocket Moss, is being considered for removal from the list, as it was found to be not at risk in its latest assessment.

Table 1 shows the risk status of species received from COSEWIC in 2016.

↓ risk status downgraded
↑ risk status upgraded

↓ risk status downgraded
↑ risk status upgraded

3.3 Public consultations

Public consultations provide the Minister with a better understanding of the potential social and economic impacts of possible changes to Schedule 1, and of the potential consequences of adding or not adding a species to the list. Information collected during consultations is used to inform the Minister’s recommendations to the Governor in Council on amending Schedule 1 of SARA.

In 2016, the Minister of the Environment carried out consultations for 25 terrestrial species for which status assessments had been received from COSEWIC as part of Batch 13. The document Consultation on Amending the List of Species under the Species at Risk Act: Terrestrial Species – January 2016 was posted on the Species at Risk Public Registry.

In 2016, DFO consulted Canadians on the possible listing on Schedule 1 of five aquatic species. DFO mailed / emailed consultation documents directly to other government departments, Wildlife Management Boards, stakeholders, Indigenous groups and non-governmental organizations for their input, and held meetings with potentially affected groups and organizations. Public consultations were also facilitated by inviting respondents to contribute to a web-based, species-specific survey hosted on the Species at Risk Public Registry along with supporting documents.

In 2016, three regulatory proposals on whether or not to amend Schedule 1 of SARA according to the COSEWIC assessments for the 48 species on Schedule 1 were published in Canada Gazette, Part I for a 30-day public comments period. The comments received will inform final listing decisions for these species.

3.4 Listing decisions

Governor in Council decisions on whether or not to amend Schedule 1 according to the COSEWIC assessments are published as orders amending Schedule 1 of SARA in the Canada Gazette, and include Regulatory Impact Analysis Statements. Decisions to not add a species at risk to Schedule 1 of SARA or to refer the matter back to COSEWIC are published in the Canada Gazette with an explanatory note.

There were no orders amending Schedule 1 of SARA published in 2016. However, in June 2016, 18 terrestrial species were proposed for addition or reclassification to Schedule 1 of SARA. In August 2016, 13 aquatic species were proposed for addition, reclassification or removal from Schedule 1 of SARA, and a proposal was made to not add two additional aquatic species to Schedule 1. In October 2016, 15 terrestrial species were proposed for addition or reclassification on Schedule 1 of SARA. Final decisions on these 48 species are expected in 2017.  

^a The total includes species assessed for the first time, species being reassessed and previously assessed species that have been split into more than one designatable unit.

^b The total listed as “Added to Schedule 1” may not add up to the number of species included on Schedule 1 (518) because it does not account for species that were subsequently split into more than one designatable unit with no corresponding change in status and were therefore treated as status confirmations or were subsequently removed from the list.

^c One species was referred back and subsequently not listed. It is counted under “not listed.”

^d Includes four wildlife species that were not listed for further consideration from Batch 1 and reconsidered in
Batch 2, and five additional wildlife species when one designatable unit received by COSEWIC was split into six for listing.

^e Includes five wildlife species in Batch 1 that were referred to COSEWIC and resubmitted by COSEWIC with the original assessments.

3.5 SARA Schedule 1 current status

When SARA was proclaimed in June 2003, Schedule 1 included 233 species. Starting in 2005, species have been added to the list every year, except in 2008, 2015 and 2016. As of December 31, 2016, Schedule 1 listed 23 extirpated species, 241 endangered species, 127 threatened species and 130 species of special concern, for a total of 521 species.

Tables 3 and 4 show the number of species added to Schedule 1 each year, by risk status and government department/agency, respectively.

^f  The Eastern Foxsnake was split into two populations. The new populations inherited the species’ status on Schedule 1 of SARA before it was split, and both new populations were uplisted in 2010. For the purpose of this table, one of the new Eastern Foxsnake populations was treated as an addition to Schedule 1.

^g Although the total number of listed species (521) is correct, the total listed as endangered, threatened and special concern is slightly different because the values presented in this table do not reflect status changes (i.e., uplisting or downlisting of a species).