Species at Risk Act annual report for 2019: chapter 4

4. Recovery actions for species at risk

Under SARA, the competent ministers must prepare recovery strategies and action plans for the species listed as extirpated, endangered or threatened, and management plans for those listed as special concern. Competent ministers must identify critical habitat in the recovery strategy or in an action plan to the extent possible based on the best available information. SARA defines “critical habitat” as the habitat that is necessary for the survival or recovery of a listed wildlife species and that is identified as the species’ critical habitat in the recovery strategy or in an action plan for the species.

Recovery planning documents are developed in cooperation with federal, provincial and territorial jurisdictions, Indigenous communities, stakeholders and the public. The proposed recovery strategies, action plans and management plans are posted on the Species at Risk Public Registry for a 60-day public comment period. The competent ministers consider comments and make changes where appropriate. The final recovery strategy, action plan or management plan, as applicable, is to be published on the public registry within 30 days after the expiry of the public comment period. Five years after a recovery strategy, action plan or management plan comes into effect, the competent minister must report on the progress made towards achieving the stated objectives.

4.1. Recovery strategies

Recovery strategies have the following steps:

1. Identify threats to the species and its habitat
2. Identify critical habitat to the extent possible
3. Set population and distribution objectives for the species

In 2019, ECCC posted proposed recovery strategies for four species and final recovery strategies for 23 species. DFO posted amended proposed recovery strategies for four species and amended final recovery strategies for 12 species. Parks Canada contributed to the development of the recovery strategies where the Agency is competent for those species (indicated by a superscript "a" in Table 4 below). Parks Canada was not responsible for the posting of any recovery strategies in 2019.

^a Parks Canada is also a competent department for this species, as it occurs in its lands/waters; and contributed to the development of the recovery strategy.

4.2 Action plans

An action plan identifies the conservation measures required to address the threats to the species and meet the population and distribution objectives outlined in the recovery strategy. An action plan may include an identification of the species’ critical habitat, to the extent possible, based on the best available information and consistent with the recovery strategy.

In 2019, ECCC posted a proposed action plan for one species and a final action plan for one species. DFO posted proposed action plans for four species and final action plans for four species. Parks Canada contributed to the development of action plans where the Agency is competent for those species (indicated by a superscript "b" in Table 5 below). Parks Canada was not responsible for the posting of  any action plans in 2019.

^b Parks Canada is also a competent department for this species, as it occurs in its lands/waters, and the agency contributed to the development of the action plan.

4.3 Management plans

Species of special concern are those that may become threatened or endangered because of a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats. SARA requires competent ministers to prepare management plans for species of special concern. A management plan differs from a recovery strategy and an action plan, in that it identifies conservation measures needed to prevent a species of special concern from becoming threatened or endangered, but does not identify critical habitat. Where appropriate, these management plans may be prepared for multiple species on an ecosystem or landscape level.

In 2019, ECCC posted proposed management plans for one species and final management plans for five species. DFO posted one proposed management plan and one final management plan. Parks Canada contributed to the development of management plans for species the Agency is competent for (indicated by a superscript "c" in Table 6 below). Parks Canada was not responsible for the posting of any management plans in 2019.

^c Parks Canada is also a competent department for this species, as it occurs in its lands/waters, and therefore contributed towards the development of the management plan.

4.4. Critical habitat

Critical habitat is habitat necessary to support the population and distribution objectives which are set out to assist the recovery and/or survival of listed species in Canada and established in the recovery strategy or action plan.

4.4.1. Identification and descriptions of critical habitat

In 2019, ECCC published final recovery strategies in which critical habitat was identified for 19 species, and proposed recovery strategies in which critical habitat was identified for four species. Parks Canada did not identify any critical habitat in either its recovery strategies or action plans for 2019. DFO published three amended recovery strategies and one final action plan in which critical habitat was identified for 13 species. In addition, DFO published two proposed amended recovery strategies, and two proposed (combined) recovery strategy/action plans in which critical habitat was identified for four species.

In accordance with subsection 58(2) of the Act, ECCC published eight descriptions of critical habitat in the Canada Gazette Part I in 2019 to protect critical habitat for Fowler’s Toad, Red Knot rufa subspecies, American Ginseng, Spotted Turtle, Great Basin Spadefoot, Pallid Bat, Western Tiger Salamander, and Northern Leopard Frog in a variety of federally protected areas, including Big Creek National Wildlife Area, Long Point National Wildlife Area, Moose River Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Boatswain Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary, Akimiski Bird Sanctuary, Vaseux Bighorn National Wildlife Areas and Columbia National Wildlife Area.

4.4.2. Protection of critical habitat

In 2019, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, made orders to protect the critical habitat of the Woodland Caribou (Boreal population) and the critical habitat of the Barrens Willow on federally administered lands, pursuant to section 58 of SARA. In addition, a progress report was published on the SAR Public Registry pursuant to s. 63 of SARA, to describe steps taken to protect critical habitat for the Woodland Caribou (Boreal population).

In 2019, Parks Canada protected critical habitat for ten species in 12 national parks, national park reserves and other lands/waters under the Agency’s administration:

• Blanding’s Turtle – Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population (Georgian Bay Islands National Park) (Point Pelee National Park) (Thousand Islands National Park)
• Five-lined Skink – Carolinian population (Point Pelee National Park)
• Little Brown Myotis (Banff National Park) (Fathom Five National Marine Park) (Fundy National Park) (Glacier National Park) (Jasper National Park) (Nahanni National Park Reserve) (Wood Buffalo National Park)
• Northern Goshawk laingi subspecies (Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site)
• Northern Myotis (Banff National Park) (Fathom Five National Marine Park) (Fundy National Park) (Glacier National Park) (Jasper National Park) (Wood Buffalo National Park)
• Spiny Softshell (Point Pelee National Park)
• Spotted Turtle (Georgian Bay Islands National Park) (Point Pelee National Park)
• Tri-coloured Bat (Fathom Five National Marine Park) (Fundy National Park)
• Wild Hyacinth (Point Pelee National Park – Middle Island)
• Yellow-breasted Chat virens subspecies (Point Pelee National Park)

DFO published 15 orders to protect critical habitat for the following aquatic species at risk:

• Atlantic Salmon, Inner Bay of Fundy population
• Coastrange Sculpin, Cultus population
• Hotwater Physa
• Kidneyshell
• Northern Riffleshell
• Pugnose Shiner
• Rainbow Smelt, Lake Utopia small-bodied population
• Rayed Bean
• Round Hickorynut
• Round Pigtoe
• Salamander Mussel
• Salish Sucker
• Snuffbox
• Western Brook Lamprey, Morrison Creek population
• Western Silvery Minnow

In July 2019, DFO and the Canadian Coast Guard conducted a three-day ghost gear retrieval operation in the Gulf of St. Lawrence – Operation Ghost. Ghost gear refers to any fishing equipment that has been abandoned, lost, or even discarded in the oceans. The goal was to remove as much lost fishing gear as possible from the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which is considered to an area with known concentrations of ghost gear, in order to help prevent entanglements of marine mammals such as right whales and turtles. This resulted in DFO and the Canadian Coast Guard recovering over 100 snow crab traps and removing over 9 km of rope from the water.

To help in further protecting aquatic species at risk, DFO encourages people who are considering a project, to visit the Aquatic species at risk map website to locate these species and plan their project accordingly.

The provinces and territories are primarily responsible for the management of non-federal lands, natural resources and wildlife located on those lands. This includes the protection of the critical habitat of species at risk on non-federal lands (other than aquatic species) and implementation of protection measures through their own legislation and programs.  In 2019, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change published a report on steps taken and protection of critical habitat for species at risk in Canada, to track and report on critical habitat protection for 213 terrestrial species at risk with critical habitat identified on non-federal lands.

4.5. Imminent threat assessments

Wood Bison (Bison bison athabascae)
Since 2003, Wood Bison has been listed as Threatened on Schedule 1 of SARA, occurring in 12 free-ranging herds (also known as local populations) in Canada and totaling approximately 9000 individuals. Currently, Wood Bison occupy only 6% of their original range. The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada and the Minister of Environment received requests from concerned First Nation communities seeking protection for the Wood Bison under SARA, specifically the Ronald Lake Bison Herd in Alberta. In July 2019, the Canada/Alberta Joint Review Panel (JRP) for the Frontier Oil Sands Mine Project recommended that ECCC complete the imminent threat assessment for the Wood Bison that was underway, so that the results of the assessment could inform federal decisions related to the Teck Resources Limited, Frontier Oil Sands Mine Project. 

In response to the requests from Indigenous communities and the JRP recommendation, in 2019, ECCC was finalizing an assessment to determine whether Wood Bison are facing imminent threats to their survival or recovery, based on the best available information to the department related to the status of Wood Bison and associated threats and incorporating Indigenous Knowledge.

Steelhead Trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)
After consultation with the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, the Minister of Environment determined, based on a 2018 emergency assessment by COSEWIC and other science information, that Steelhead Trout (Thompson River population) and Steelhead Trout (Chilcotin River population) were facing imminent threat to survival. These wildlife species are experiencing significant population declines resulting from threats including diminishing habitat quality, both in marine and freshwater environments; and bycatch mortality from Pacific salmon fisheries. In July 2019, the Minister of Environment recommended to the Governor in Council (GiC) that both populations be listed as endangered under SARA. In considering a number of factors (including science advice, shared federal-provincial management and conservation, anticipated conservation outcomes and socio-economic costs and benefits under listing and not listing scenarios, and the results of consultations), the GiC decided not to list. Instead, actions to reduce the threats and recover these species are being taken under a comprehensive action plan developed collaboratively by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia. In 2019, measures included: recreational fisheries closures in the Thompson and Chilcotin watersheds, rolling closures of commercial salmon fisheries along the steelheads’ migratory route to avoid interceptions, and measures for better watershed management.

4.6. Recovery activities

In supporting species at risk recovery, Government of Canada biologists across Canada led or supported dozens of activities, including research projects, education and awareness, habitat restoration or enhancement initiatives, monitoring, assessment, and more.

4.6.1. Agreements and collaboration

In 2019, ECCC helped advance recovery activities for a wide variety of terrestrial species at risk, including the six priority species, with conservation measures focused on research and monitoring, partnership development, conservation planning and implementation of conservation agreements under the Species at Risk Act.

On March 21, 2019, two draft section 11 conservation agreements for the Southern Mountain Caribou in British Columbia were published on the Species at Risk Public Registry for an extended consultation period that ended on May 31, 2019: a Bilateral Agreement between the Governments of Canada and British Columbia; and, a Partnership Agreement between the Government of Canada, the Government of British Columbia, the Saulteau First Nations, and the West Moberly First Nations.

Together, the agreements will advance the recovery of Southern Mountain Caribou in the province, a Priority Species whose numbers are in serious decline. This iconic species is vital to Indigenous peoples in British Columbia. The draft agreements represent a historic collaboration between all levels of government, including Indigenous partners, to implement critical measures to support the species’ recovery.

The draft bilateral agreement establishes a framework for cooperation, and includes commitments to science and Indigenous knowledge, monitoring, and herd planning, for the recovery of Southern Mountain Caribou throughout the species’ distribution in the province. The draft partnership agreement focuses on three Central Group local population units of Southern Mountain Caribou within the Peace Region of British Columbia. It includes commitments to interim and long-term habitat protection and conservation (e.g., creation of protected areas), and to operational recovery activities (e.g., maternal penning) and habitat restoration.

To support the recovery of Boreal Caribou, conservation agreements were finalized with the Yukon Territory and the Na-Cho Nyäk Dun First Nation and the Gwich’in Tribal Council, the Northwest Territories, Cold Lake First Nations, Saskatchewan, Quebec, and  Labrador, bringing the total number of conservation agreements in 2019 for Boreal Caribou to six. Negotiations were advanced for conservation agreements with Alberta, and Manitoba, as well as with two other First Nations. These agreements aim to support the conservation of the species and the protection of its critical habitat through concrete measures, including commitments to range-level planning, habitat protection, habitat and population management, and monitoring.

In addition, the proposed Amended Recovery Strategy for the Woodland Caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou), Boreal population, in Canada in 2019, was released for public consultation on June 28, 2019. The Strategy identifies critical habitat in northern Saskatchewan’s Boreal Shield range (SK1), and updates population and habitat condition information for all ranges across the country.

In 2019, Parks Canada implemented recovery activities in and around the lands and waters it administers, including research, restoration activities, and public outreach and education. As part of the work under the Nature Legacy for Canada Initiative, Parks Canada allocated approximately $2.5M in 2019-2020 to projects across the country that initiated more than 60 actions identified in SARA action plans. Parks Canada conducted several projects in partnership with non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, private citizens and Indigenous communities. Conservation and restoration projects are recovering, restoring and enhancing ecosystems and species at risk across Canada, such as:

• evaluating and adapting proven methods in endangered salmon restoration for broad-scale benefits in Fundy National Park
• restoring rare species and ecosystems at Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and Fort Rodd Hill National Historic Site
• implementing eco-passages in Bruce Peninsula National Park
• enhancing the protection of Beluga Whale in Saguenay St. Lawrence Marine Park
• helping species at risk by controlling invasive plants to recreate open water habitats in Point Pelee National Park

In 2019, DFO helped advance recovery activities for a wide variety of aquatic species at risk, including finfish, shellfish and marine mammals. Collaboration with other federal departments, experts outside government and others was a key element of success.

For example, DFO’s Marine Mammal Response Program implemented a range of new marine mammal response tools and continued to build relationships to improve response: research, strategic regulatory sign placement to inform the public about marine mammal conservation measures, partnering with provincial wildlife conservation staff to share knowledge and build relationships in support of protecting species.

Program officials and external partner organizations carried out 399 responses nationally for species at risk including:

• disentangling whales from fishing gear
• refloating live stranded animals
• reuniting stranded animals with their pods
• warming cold, stunned sea turtles
• performing necropsies on dead animals to determine cause of death

The information collected during these response activities helps DFO monitor and evaluate the threat level from these forms of harm, and find ways to reduce entanglements and vessel collisions. Outreach activities help to educate the public on ways to help protect and avoid harming marine animals.

A further example of efforts to advance recovery, is the expansion of measures for Southern Resident killer whales recovery. In May 2019, DFO, in collaboration with Transport Canada, signed a SARA Section 11 Conservation Agreement to Support the Recovery of the Southern Resident Killer Whale, with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (VFPA) and six other member organizations (collectively the “Parties”) that are part of the VFPA’s Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program. There are nine signatories to the Agreement: the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, the Shipping Federation of Canada, Cruise Lines International Association, the Council of Marine Carriers, the International Ship Owners Alliance of Canada, the Pacific Pilotage Authority, Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. This five-year agreement will help support recovery of the Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) by formalizing 1) the participation of the Parties in the ECHO Program, through which the Parties will work collaboratively on voluntary measures to reduce the contribution of Large Commercial Vessels (LCVs) to threats to SRKW;and 2) the role of the ECHO Program in advancing research and educational outreach to better understand how LCVs contribute to threats to SRKW and their critical habitat.

4.6.2. Habitat Stewardship Program

The Government of Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) for Species at Risk was established in 2000 as part of the National Strategy for the Protection of Species at Risk. The overall goals of the HSP are to contribute to the recovery of endangered, threatened and other species at risk, and to prevent other species from becoming a conservation concern, by involving Canadians from all walks of life in conservation actions to benefit wildlife.

The most complete data available for the HSP at the end of 2019 is for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. ECCC administers HSP funds that support terrestrial stewardship projects while DFO is responsible for administering aquatic stewardship projects, both on a regional basis. Regional implementation boards include representatives from federal, provincial and territorial governments, and various stakeholders. These boards provide advice on priorities and project selection for their regions.

Funding under HSP in 2018-2019 was separated into two distinct streams:

1. HSP species at risk stream
2. HSP prevention stream

Results under both streams are focused on the following:

• important habitat for species at risk recovery is secured or otherwise protected
• important habitat for species at risk recovery is improved (restored/enhanced) and/or managed to meet species’ recovery needs
• threats to species at risk and/or their habitat that are caused by human activities are stopped, removed and/or mitigated, and
• project benefits are sustained over time, by engaging Canadians (landowners, resource users, volunteers) to participate directly in activities that support the recovery of species at risk

The HSP Species at Risk Stream focuses on projects addressing the recovery of species at risk listed on Schedule 1 of SARA.

During the 2018-2019 fiscal year, 45 new projects and 105 previously approved multi-year projects involving 137 unique funding recipients contributed to the recovery efforts of over 170 unique SARA-listed species across Canada. A  total of $9 million in HSP SAR Stream funding was awarded to these projects, and an additional $25 million (cash and in-kind) was leveraged from partners, for a total investment of $34 million.

These contributions provided support to stewardship efforts across Canada that resulted in the securement and protection of over 193,500 hectares (ha) of land, including 11,900 ha through legally binding means, such as acquisition or conservation easements. Non-legally binding protection was put in place through the use of written conservation agreements with landowners, which accounts for over 181,500 ha, including more than 149,300 ha through renewed conservation agreements and more than 32,200 ha through new conservation agreements. The program also supported the improvement or restoration of more than 33,400 ha of land and 82 km of shoreline.

The HSP Prevention Stream focuses on projects addressing species not listed on Schedule 1 of SARA, to prevent them from becoming a conservation concern.

During the 2018-2019 fiscal year the HSP Prevention Stream funded 26 new projects and 29 previously approved multi-year projects, which support work to prevent species from becoming a conservation concern. A total of over $993,300 in HSP Prevention Stream funding was awarded to these projects, and an additional $2.2 million (cash and in-kind) was leveraged from partners, for a total investment of over $3 million.

These contributions provided support to stewardship efforts across Canada that resulted in the securement and protection of more than 1400 ha of land, including more than 500 ha through legally binding means, such as acquisition or conservation easements. Non-legally binding protection was put in place through the use of written conservation agreements with landowners, which accounts for more than 900 ha. The program also supported the improvement or restoration of more than 2600 ha of land and 4 kilometres of shoreline.

DFO has administrative responsibility for aquatic HSP projects to improve support for proponents and partners to protect and recover aquatic species at risk and has consolidated the Species at Risk and Prevention streams for aquatic projects into a single funding stream. The Habitat Stewardship Program for Aquatic Species at Risk provides funding for projects submitted by Canadians that contribute directly to the recovery of endangered, threatened, and other aquatic species at risk and encourages engagement of Canadians from all walks of life in conservation actions to benefit wildlife. To guide the effective use of limited resources, national and regional priorities inform the selection of proposed projects. Activities that respond to program priorities are reviewed regionally and recommended for funding in six regions: Pacific, Central & Arctic, Quebec, Gulf, Maritimes, and Newfoundland & Labrador.

The HSP for Aquatic Species at Risk is committed to supporting Canadians in their efforts to help protect and recover aquatic species at risk; it is intended to not only remove human threats to the habitats of aquatic species at risk but also to support their recovery and protect them in the future, so that the benefits of these efforts will be sustained for generations to come.

The Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) for aquatic species invested nearly $4 million dollars in new and previously approved projects in 2018-2019. These contributions provided support to stewardship efforts across Canada that resulted in outreach activities that reached 159 503 people. Groups conducted 233 habitat/species surveys/inventories and completed 1332 monitoring studies.

Additional information on the program for ECCC is available on the Government of Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program for species at risk website and for DFO, on the Government of Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program for Aquatic Species at Risk Program website.

4.6.3. Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk

The Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk (AFSAR), established in 2004, supports the development of Indigenous capacity to participate actively in the implementation of SARA. The Act recognizes the important role that Indigenous Peoples play in wildlife conservation and the need to consider Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge (ATK) in the assessment of which species may be at risk, as well as in the development and implementation of protection and recovery measures. Additionally, AFSAR supports projects that will proactively prevent species, other than species at risk, from becoming a conservation concern.

ECCC administers AFSAR funds that support terrestrial stewardship projects while DFO is responsible for administering aquatic stewardship projects. Regional management teams include representatives from federal, provincial and territorial governments, Indigenous representatives, and various stakeholders. These teams provide advice on priorities and project selection for their regions.

The most complete data available for AFSAR at the end of 2019 is for the 2018-2019 fiscal year. Funding under AFSAR in 2018-2019 was separated into two distinct streams for terrestrial projects administered by ECCC:

• AFSAR Species at Risk Stream
• AFSAR Prevention Stream

The AFSAR Species at Risk (SAR) Stream focuses on terrestrial projects addressing the recovery of terrestrial species at risk listed on Schedule 1 of SARA, targeting the following results in four main areas:

• strengthen capacity in Indigenous communities for SARA implementation
• mitigate threats to species at risk, be they individuals or populations
• protect, improve or manage critical and important habitat of species at risk, and
• document and conserve Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge and Traditional Ecological Knowledge on species at risk and, where appropriate, help with their use in the development of recovery objectives

During the 2018-2019 fiscal year the AFSAR SAR Stream:

• provided $2.3 million to 35 new projects and 14 previously approved multi-year projects
• leveraged additional funds that exceeded $2.3 million (cash and in‑kind)
• involved 33 Indigenous organizations and communities as unique recipients

These contributions provided support to stewardship efforts across Canada that resulted in the protection of just over 32,200 ha of land which includes 583 ha through legally binding means, such as acquisition or conservation easements and just over 31,600 ha of land through non-legally binding means such as conservation agreements. The program also supported the improvement or restoration of more than 81,800 ha of land and 4 kilometres of shoreline.

The AFSAR Prevention Stream focuses on projects addressing terrestrial species, not listed on Schedule 1 of SARA, to prevent them from becoming a conservation concern. It targets the same results as the Species at Risk Stream.

During the 2018-2019 fiscal year: the AFSAR Prevention Stream provided over $422,000 to eight new, and four previously approved multi-year projects to prevent species other than listed species at risk from becoming a conservation concern; the AFSAR Prevention Stream leveraged additional funds that exceeded $1.1 million (cash and in kind).

These projects involved 13 Indigenous organizations and communities as recipients. These contributions also supported the improvement or restoration of more than 262 ha of land and 1 km of shoreline.

Beginning in 2019, DFO consolidated the SAR and Prevention streams for aquatic projects into a single funding stream targeting species ranging from COSEWIC-assessed as a minimum eligibility to those listed on Schedule 1 of SARA. The DFO consolidated AFSAR funding stream targets the same key results as the terrestrial species at risk stream administered by ECCC.

During the 2018-2019 fiscal year the DFO-administered AFSAR Aquatic Stream:

• provided over $2.1 million to 39 new projects and 8 previously approved multi-year projects
• leveraged additional funds that exceeded $1.5 million (cash and in-kind)
• involved 37 Indigenous organizations and communities as recipients.

Additional information on the program is available on the Government of Canada’s Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk website and for DFO, on the Government of Canada’s Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk website.

4.6.4. Interdepartmental Recovery Fund

Established in 2002, the Interdepartmental Recovery Fund (IRF), administered by ECCC, supports species at risk projects undertaken by federal government departments, agencies and Crown corporations (other than ECCC, DFO, and Parks Canada). Funded projects predominantly occur on lands owned or administered by federal organizations and directly relate to the implementation of activities identified in recovery strategies or action plans, or surveys of species at risk.

Between its inception in 2002 and the end of March 2019, the IRF has invested over $23.7 million in more than 730 projects which supported recovery efforts annually, on average, for 50 species at risk. In the 2018-2019 fiscal year, the IRF supported 14 projects in five federal departments and one Crown corporation. Collectively, $587,000 in program funding and $666,583 in leveraged funds (cash and in-kind) from project leads and other partners, supported recovery efforts for 54 SARA-listed species. In 2018-2019, 75% of program funds supported recovery actions, and 22% supported surveys, and 3% supported program planning and development.

4.7 Outreach and education

In 2019, ECCC produced and delivered information in various forms to educate Canadians about the role they can play in protecting species at risk and their habitats. There was also a strong focus on engaging other government departments to provide training on SARA for employees who work directly with the Act.

ECCC continues to educate Canadians about species at risk through its long-standing partnership with the Canadian Wildlife Federation in delivering the Hinterland Who’s Who wildlife education program, and by developing and publishing species profiles on the Species at Risk Public Registry.

Parks Canada continues to promote species at risk protection through the Integrated Compliance and Law Enforcement Planning Process. The process maintains its focus on proactive communication with visitors to highlight the connection between their actions and the effect they can have on the protection and recovery of species at risk and their habitat.

Public engagement activities related to species at risk occur in national parks, national historic sites and national marine conservation areas across the country. These activities include interpretative programs, field trips, social media campaigns, special events and volunteer activities, including participation in restoration and monitoring projects (i.e., citizen science). Moreover, the Protecting Wildlife merchandise collection was launched in 2018 to raise awareness for species at risk in Canada. Annually since 2017, the National Merchandise Program has been reinvesting proceeds from the online sale of official merchandise to support species at risk and ecosystem conservation. To date, proceeds have helped multiple projects, including turtles in Point Pelee National Park, Kokanee Salmon in Kluane National Park Reserve, and Greater Sage-Grouse in Grasslands National Park.

In addition, Parks Canada has a number of outreach programs that focus on reaching youth, families and new Canadians in urban areas in order to increase awareness, understanding, and foster support for species at risk protection and recovery. In 2019, this included outreach programs at special events and festivals, and at several partner venues (e.g., zoos and aquariums) in large cities such as Toronto, Montréal, Vancouver, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Halifax and Ottawa. Information about species at risk was also shared through the Government of Canada’s PCA website, social media, traditional media and organizations that reach out to the public with various programs, articles and websites.

DFO’s outreach and education efforts ranged from school visits to information booths at important gatherings, participation at trade shows, workshops and community meetings, promotion of awareness, and species at risk identification and disentanglement training, production of information materials and static displays in DFO offices. Highlights of these activities included:

• DFO hosted a booth in the Government of Canada pavilion at the Congrès mondial Acadien (World Acadian Congress) in Moncton, New Brunswick in August 2019, where staff from Science and Species at Risk shared information about species at risk including North Atlantic Right Whales.  The Government of Canada pavilion was visited by over 2000 visitors over eight days.
• DFO Program staff in the Maritimes Region participated in a relationship building workshop between DFO and the community of Glooscap First Nation. Highlights included an interactive display to showcase local freshwater and marine species at risk, which included a touch tank, as well as informational material. The event was organized by interns through the DFO- Kwilmu'kw Maw-klusuaqn Negotiation Office (KMKNO) Nova Scotia Mi'kmaq Internship Program and was designed to facilitate shared learning and relationship building.
• In June 2019, DFO collaborated with other federal agencies, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, environmental non-government organizations, Indigenous groups, academia and other groups to organize and host World Oceans Day events around Newfoundland and Labrador. These events were held to raise public awareness and education of issues related to our oceans including Species at Risk and plastic pollution, highlighting the global “better bag challenge”.
• Developed by a student from the University of Waterloo, the Spotted Gar ‘I don’t want to be a dinosaur’ logo with QR code (matrix barcode) was used to raise the profile of aquatic species at risk at Ontario’s Latornell Conservation Symposium in November 2019, and will continue to be used during Spotted Gar critical habitat outreach. This provocative design attracts attention, opening the door for broader conversations about aquatic species at risk and the positive actions people can take to reduce threats and promote conservation and recovery.
• Updates to DFO’s “Ontario’s Freshwater Mussels” poster to promote awareness of Ontario’s high mussel diversity as well as identifying some 42 species in all. The poster was a teaching tool and reference for attendees of the Ontario Freshwater Mussel Identification Course held at the Canadian Center for Inland Waters in Burlington, and a public education tool distributed widely at the 2019 Latornel Conservation Symposium. The mussel poster has been so successful, that work is underway to expand coverage to include all Canadian species.

4.8. CESI species at risk indicators

For many wildlife species at risk, population objectives are set out in a recovery strategy or management plan and are periodically reassessed. By looking at population trends and changes in the status category of at risk species, it can provide a preliminary assessment of whether recovery efforts are working, recognizing that recovery may take many years. The following summary is taken from the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) program and current results are available on the Environmental indicators website.

Species at risk population trends indicator

The Species at risk population trends indicator shows whether population and distribution trends of species at risk are consistent with the objectives in final recovery strategies or management plans.

As of May 2019, final recovery strategies were published for 329 extirpated, endangered or threatened species and management plans were published for 109 species of special concern. Of those 438 species, 186 species with population and distribution objectives were reassessed since their recovery strategy or management plan was finalized, with 55 that did not contain enough information to determine population and distribution trends. Of the 131 species for which trends could be determined: 56 species (41%) show progress towards their population and distribution objectives, 60 species (47%) do not show progress and 15 species (12%) show mixed evidence, meaning that some information suggests improving trends, but that there is also some evidence of decline.

In 2019, four animal species and one plant species were added to the indicator. Of the four animal species added, three showed trends consistent with their recovery or management objective and one did not show a trend consistent with their objective. The one plant species added did not show a trend consistent with its recovery or management objective.

Figure 4: Are population and distribution trends of species at risk consistent with objectives? Canada, May 2019

Recovery of species is affected by many factors, including life span, reproductive cycle, and the state of their habitat. It can also be affected by threats such as habitat loss and pollution. In addition, recovery of rare species can be difficult to detect, particularly if the species is hard to find and identify. It takes time for a species' response to recovery management actions to become apparent. Indicator results should not be interpreted as a measure of success in recovering or maintaining species until sufficient time has passed to allow species to respond and to collect enough information for assessment.

4.8.2. Changes in the status of wildlife species at risk indicator

Identifying wildlife species at risk is the first step towards protecting them. Wildlife species previously designated as being at risk are reassessed, usually after 10 years, to determine if there is a change in status. The Changes in the status of wildlife species at risk indicator reports on changes in wildlife species designations for wildlife species assessed by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).

As of May 2019, of the 488 wildlife species reassessed and for which sufficient data are available to determine if there has been a change in status:

• 315 (65%) show no change in status
• 90 (18%) are in a lower risk category
• 83 (17%) are in a higher risk category

Of the six wildlife species ranked as endangered in the previous assessment, that were recently reassessed (November 2018 and May 2019), the majority (4 wildlife species or 67%) remained in the endangered status category and the remaining two wildlife species changed to a lower risk category and were no longer categorized as endangered. In addition, three wildlife species that were from a lower-risk category in the previous assessment were designated endangered in the reassessment.

Figure 5: Changes in status of wildlife species at risk from Canada, May 2019