Species at Risk Act Annual Report to Parliament for 2024

Species at Risk Act annual report 2024 (PDF, 5.5 MB)

1. Introduction

The Species at Risk Act (SARA or the Act) enacted in 2002, is part of Canada’s strategy to protect wildlife species from becoming extinct, and to help in their recovery. The Act, among other things, establishes a process for conducting scientific assessments of the status of individual wildlife species, and a mechanism for listing those assessed as Extirpated, Endangered, Threatened and Special Concern species. SARA requires the protection of individuals, residences and critical habitats of the wildlife species listed on Schedule 1 as Extirpated, Endangered or Threatened. The Act also requires the preparation of recovery documents for all listed wildlife species.

Every year, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change^{Footnote 1}   (the Minister) must prepare a report^{Footnote 2} , on the administration of the Act during the preceding calendar year, and table it in Parliament. This SARA Annual Report summarizes activities carried out in 2024^{Footnote 3} .

The Minister is responsible for the overall administration of SARA, except insofar as the Act gives responsibility to another “competent” minister. Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Parks Canada (PC), and Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard (DFO) often referred to as the “competent” departments, share responsibility for the implementation of SARA.

Competent ministers

Minister of Environment and Climate Change

• Responsible with respect to species at risk other than aquatic species and individuals of species in or on federal lands and waters administered by PC

Minister responsible for Parks Canada (i.e. Minister of Environment and Climate Change)

• Responsible with respect to individuals of species in or on federal lands and waters administered by PC

Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard

• Responsible for aquatic species at risk other than individuals in or on federal lands administered by PC

Highlights

• In 2024, the Wild Species program launched a new search tool that allows users to track, in its database, the status of over 50,000 wild species in Canada, including species at risk, and see how they have changed over time. The program produces a report and database every five years on the status and distribution of all wild species in Canada as required under section 128 of SARA
• In May 2024, ECCC published the Report on the Progress of the Recovery Strategy Implementation (Period 2017 to 2022) and the Action Plan Implementation (Period 2018 to 2023) for Caribou (Rangifer tarandus), Boreal Population, in Canada [PDF, 5.98 MB]. Overall, the report shows that some progress has been made in key areas of the implementation of the federal Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for Boreal Caribou, but more work needs to be done to achieve recovery goals
• In October 2024, the Government of Canada posted the final Policy on Assessing Imminent Threats under Sections 29 and 80 of the Species at Risk Act – terrestrial species, as well as the Operational guide: requesting an imminent threat assessment for terrestrial species under the Species at Risk Act on the Species at Risk Public Registry in October 2024. These documents improve the transparency of the imminent threat assessment process
• In October 2024, a new State of Canada’s Birds web platform was launched through a partnership between ECCC and Birds Canada. It combines the best available monitoring information on the populations of all regularly occurring species of birds in Canada, including details for all 79 bird species listed under SARA. 
• PC provided legal protection for three species in three Parks Canada-administered areas by publishing a critical habitat description for Redside Dace; and, jointly with DFO, a critical habitat description for Spotted Gar and a critical habitat order for White Sturgeon, Nechako River Population. PC also published reports on the progress of recovery document implementation for Pink Sand-verbena and Bolander’s Quillwort
• DFO renewed a five-year conservation agreement with Transport Canada, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, and six marine transportation industry associations to mitigate the impacts of acoustic and physical disturbance from large commercial vessels on endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales.
• ECCC, DFO, and PC continued to deliver on commitments aligned with recommendations made by the Commissioner of Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD) to address gaps in SARA implementation

1.1 Status of SARA-listed species

As of December 31, 2024, Schedule 1 of SARA had a total of 671 species listed at-risk. Of these, ECCC is responsible for 520, PC 11, and DFO 140. Where multiple federal authorities exist for either a terrestrial or aquatic species in or on federal lands administered by PC, PC collaborates with ECCC and DFO, respectively.

2. Assessment of species at risk

There are about 80,000 species in Canada. In order to protect them, we first have to know where they are, identify them, gather knowledge about their state, and understand what is key to their survival. We also need to understand the challenges and threats they face.

2.1 Wild Species Report

Under section 128 of the SARA, the Minister must prepare a general report on the status of all wildlife species in Canada every five years. The 2020 Wild Species report included information on over 50,000 species. These reports help the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) determine which species warrant more in-depth assessment. ECCC is currently leading efforts, in collaboration with NatureServe Canada and provincial and territorial counterparts, to prepare the 2025 report, which will include data on over 65,000 species.

A new search tool released on wildspecies.ca in 2024 allows users to search the database for each species, including species at risk, to determine its status nationally and by province and territory, and to see how its status has changed over time. The site also features photos of many of these species from the citizen science platform, iNaturalist.

2.2 COSEWIC assessments

COSEWIC is an independent advisory panel to the Minister that meets twice a year to assess the status of wildlife species. Their mandate is to assess the status of wildlife species in Canada that it considers to be at risk and identify existing and potential threats to the species. COSEWIC uses the best available information on the biological status of a species, including scientific knowledge, community knowledge and Indigenous traditional knowledge. COSEWIC provides species’ assessments and supporting evidence annually to the Minister.

The Act requires COSEWIC to review the classification of each species at risk at least once every 10 years, or at any time if it has reason to believe that the status of the species has changed significantly or when sufficient data becomes available to determine whether there was a change in status.

Species reassessed by COSEWIC

Most wildlife species remain in the same category when they are reassessed. In December 2023 and May 2024, 28 wildlife species were reassessed, of which 17 had no change in their status. Of the 11 species that had a change in status, six were classified to a higher risk category and five were classified to a lower-risk category.

Higher-risk category

Endangered to Extinct
Two species of Enos Lake Threespine Stickleback (both benthic and limnetic species)
Reason: The introduction of an invasive species which changed the quality of habitat available.

Endangered to Extirpated
Blanchard’s Cricket Frog  
Reason: There is sufficient information to conclude that no individuals of this wildlife species remain in Canada.

Threatened to Endangered
Salish Sucker
Reason: Climate change and changes in the quality and quantity of habitat available.

Special Concern to Endangered
Unarmoured Threespine Stickleback
Reason: The introduction of an invasive species and changes in the quality of habitat available.

Special Concern to Threatened
Long-billed Curlew
Reason: Climate change and declining quality of habitat available.

Lower-risk category

Special Concern to not at risk
Narwhal
Reason: The overall population is large (>161,100 total) and there is no evidence for a decreasing trend in abundance. 

Threatened to Special Concern
Macoun’s Meadowfoam
Reason: Recent surveys have found additional subpopulation, with over 100,000 known mature plants in Canada.

White Wood Aster
Reason: The known population of this plant has increased considerably since the last assessment due to more search effort, resulting in the discovery of new sites.

Willowleaf Aster
Reason: Recent surveys have found additional subpopulations, with over 200,000 known flowering shoots in Canada, mostly within transplanted subpopulations.

Endangered to Threatened
Rigid Apple Moss
Reason: improved monitoring 

3. Listing of species at risk

3.1 Minister’s response to COSEWIC’s assessments

Only when a species is assessed by COSEWIC as at risk (Extirpated, Endangered, Threatened, or Special Concern) does it become eligible to be included on Schedule 1 of SARA. COSEWIC sends its assessment and supporting evidence (that is, rationale and status reports) for species classified as at risk, to the Minister. The COSEWIC assessment and the reasons for it are also posted on the SAR Public Registry.

In October 2024, COSEWIC submitted 41 wildlife species assessments. The Minister has 90 days to issue a response statement indicating how they intend to respond to each COSEWIC assessment, and to provide timelines for action, to the extent possible. The Minister’s response statements indicate the type of consultation that will be undertaken for the species. Certain species may require extended consultation.

The Minister’s consultation process engages Indigenous peoples, stakeholders and the public to examine the potential social, economic, and ecological impacts of adding, not adding, removing, or changing the status of a species on Schedule 1 of SARA.

Public consultations

In 2024, ECCC carried out consultations for a total of 19 species for which status assessments had been received from COSEWIC as part of the Consultation on Amending the List of Species under the Species at Risk Act: Terrestrial Species.

• Blanchard's Cricket Frog
• Cleland’s Evening-primrose
• Domed Disc
• Finlayson’s Oakworm Moth
• Forked Bluecurls
• Grey-cheeked Thrush minimus subspecies
• Grey-headed Chickadee
• Hibberson’s Trillium
• Horned Grebe
• Long-billed Curlew
• Macoun's Meadowfoam
• Mudpuppy, Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population
• Mudpuppy, Manitoba population
• Pacific Sandpirate
• Pine Broomrape
• Prairie-dock
• Rough-leaved Aster
• White Wood Aster
• Willowleaf Aster

In 2024, DFO conducted consultations for 14 aquatic species that were assessed as at risk by COSEWIC and eligible for addition to Schedule 1:

• Brassy Minnow (Western Arctic population)
• Brassy Minnow (Missouri population)
• Brassy Minnow (Pacific population)
• Eastern Sand Darter (Quebec populations)
• Atlantic Walrus (Nova Scotia-Newfoundland-Gulf of St. Lawrence (NS-NL-GSL) (formerly Northwest Atlantic) population)
• Sei Whale (Atlantic population)
• Northern Brook Lamprey (Saskatchewan – Nelson River population)
• Sockeye Salmon (Francois-Fraser-S population)
• Sockeye Salmon (Nahatlatch-ES population)
• Sockeye Salmon (Alouette-ES population (original))
• Sockeye Salmon (Coquitlam-ES population (original))
• Chinook Salmon (Lower Fraser, Stream, Spring [Birkenhead] population)
• Chinook Salmon (East Vancouver Island, Ocean, Fall population)
• American Eel (consultation check-in)

The Minister forwards COSEWIC assessments and consultation results to the Governor in Council (GIC). The GIC, on the recommendation of the Minister, decides whether or not to add, remove, or reclassify a species, or refer the matter back for further information or consideration. If the GIC does not take a course of action within nine months of receiving the assessment, the Act requires the Minister to amend the List in accordance with COSEWIC's assessment.

In 2024, one order that acknowledges the receipt by the GIC of species at risk assessments was published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.
Order Acknowledging Receipt of the Assessments Done Under Subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act (Certain Wildlife Species of Red Knot and Four Other Wildlife Species): SI/2024-65: (December 21, 2024)

3.2 Amendments to Schedule 1 in 2024

In 2024, two listing orders amending Schedule 1 were published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.

Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act: SOR/2024-135 for Eastern Wolf (June 17, 2024)

This Order reclassified the Eastern Wolf from a status of Special Concern to Threatened to ensure that the species is afforded a level of protection commensurate with risks to the species’ survival.

Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act: SOR/2024-123 for the Chestnut-collared Longspur and Nine Other Wildlife Species (June 10, 2024)

This Order amends Schedule 1 to SARA by adding nine new species to the List. One species already listed is reclassified from a threatened to an endangered status (the Chestnut-collared Longspur).

Endangered species (6)

• Chestnut-collared Longspur
• Reversed Haploa Moth
• Shagreen
• Slender Yoke-moss
• Toothed Globe
• Gillman’s Goldenrod

Threatened species (1)

• Carolina Mantleslug

Species of Special Concern (3)

• Manitoba Oakworm Moth
• Plains Hog-nosed Snake
• Puvimituq Mountain Draba

4. Planning and activities for species at risk recovery and conservation

4.1 Planning documents

Once listed, measures to protect and recover the at-risk wildlife species are required. 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. Implementation reports are required under SARA to provide information on the progress made toward achieving objectives set out in a species’ recovery strategy or management plan or the progress made toward implementing the measures proposed in an action plan.

Recovery strategies

Preparation of recovery strategies for species listed as Extirpated, Endangered, or Threatened have the following steps:

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

a) PC contributed to the development of the recovery strategy for this species, which is found on lands/waters administered by PC.
b) Amended recovery strategy and/or action plan
c) Recovery strategies in which critical habitat was identified

Competent departments continue to work on producing documents within the timelines provided for in the Act and are working to publish overdue recovery strategies and their implementation reports. ECCC has 28 species with an overdue recovery strategy and 226 overdue implementation reports on active recovery strategies. PC has no species with an overdue recovery strategy, nor any overdue implementation reports on recovery strategies. DFO has 4 species with an overdue recovery strategy and 12 species with overdue implementation reports on recovery strategies.

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 identification of the species’ critical habitat, to the extent possible, based on the best available information, and consistent with the recovery strategy.

a) PC is also a competent department for this species, as it occurs in PC-administered lands/waters, and contributed to the development of the action plan.
b) PC develops site-specific population and distribution objectives for the portion of the species that occurs within the National Park. These objectives align with the national population and distribution objectives for the species, as defined in a recovery strategy.
c) Amended recovery strategy and/or action plan.

Competent departments continue to work on producing documents on time and are working to publish overdue action plans and their implementation reports. ECCC has 217 species with an overdue action plan and 21 overdue implementation reports on active action plans. PC has no species with an overdue action plan or associated implementation reports. DFO has 17 species with an overdue action plan and 13 overdue implementation reports on action plans.

The Minister of Environment and Climate Change released the Report on the Progress of the Recovery Strategy Implementation (Period 2017–2022) and the report on Action Plan Implementation (Period 2018 to 2023) for Caribou (Rangifer tarandus), Boreal Population, in Canada on May 10, 2024. The Report highlights federal, provincial, and territorial progress over the last five years in implementing the federal Recovery Strategy and Action Plan for the Boreal Caribou. It includes assessments of population and habitat conditions, and summarizes key recovery measures taken nationally, as well as in each province and territory. Overall, the report shows that some progress has been made in key areas, but much remains to be done to achieve the goals set out in the Boreal Caribou National Recovery Strategy. 

Management plans

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 it does not identify critical habitat. Where appropriate, these management plans may be prepared for multiple species on an ecosystem or landscape level.

a) PC is also a competent department for this species, as it occurs in PC-administered lands/waters and contributed to the development of the management plan.

Competent departments continue to work on producing documents within the timelines outlined in the Act and are working to publish overdue management plans and their implementation reports. ECCC has 21 species with an overdue management plan and 64 overdue implementation reports on active management plans. PC has no species with an overdue management plan or associated implementation reports. DFO has seven species with an overdue management plan and 15 species with an overdue implementation reports on the management plan.

Critical habitat

Critical habitat is identified in the recovery strategy or in an action plan for the species, as necessary to support the population and distribution objectives laid out in those planning documents.

In 2024, ECCC published the Progress report on steps taken for protection of critical habitat for species at risk in Canada (October 2023 to March 2024) and the Progress report on steps taken for protection of critical habitat for species at risk in Canada (April 2024 to September 2024).

In addition, ECCC published the second update to the Critical Habitat for Species at Risk National Dataset, which displays the geographic areas within which critical habitat for terrestrial species at risk occurs in Canada. The dataset was published as open data on the Open Science and Data Portal, enabling public access to interactive maps for critical habitat for 284 species at risk. The interpretation of this geospatial information is available in recovery documents found on the Species at Risk Public Registry.

DFO’s aquatic species at risk map is available online to assist in project planning to protect critical habitat and other locations where species at risk are present.

4.2 Recovery activities

Action plans and management plans propose various actions that can contribute to recovering, restoring, and enhancing ecosystems and species at risk across Canada. Many of these actions are taken or funded by ECCC, PC, and DFO.

In 2024 to 2025, PC implemented recovery measures on lands and waters it administers, including research, restoration, and public outreach and education activities; and is on track to complete 85% of recovery measures identified in current multi-species action plans. PC supported the delivery of over 18 initiatives in partnership with non-governmental organizations, academic institutions, private citizens and Indigenous communities, including the following:

• Recovery of Peary Caribou at Qausuittuq National Park by:
  • embracing Inuit Qaujimajatuqangit, the experiential knowledge of Inuit, and advancing Indigenous stewardship
  • continuing cleanup of fuel barrels and other non-hazardous debris from multiple sites to restore habitat for Peary Caribou
  • examining Peary Caribou connections to the environment as a whole, through the land, water, other wildlife, and with people
  • sharing progress of the work on social media and in Parks Canada’s Report on Conservation from 2018 to 2023

• Recovery of species at risk at Point Pelee National Park by:
  • removing invasive Blue (Hybrid) Cattails (Typha x glauca) from wetland habitat that supports over 19 species at risk, including Least Bittern and multiple species of fish and turtles at risk
  • creating over 1,413 m2 of open water habitat, and 339 m of edge habitat to support species at risk
  • working with academic partners to study the response of native species to various restoration techniques
  • sharing knowledge and lessons learned with First Nations partners and a regional Community of Practice

Habitat Stewardship Program

The Government of Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program for Species at Risk (HSP) was established in 2000. This application-based funding program is administered by ECCC (for terrestrial species) and DFO (for aquatic species) and is implemented on a regional basis. Projects funded by HSP are submitted by Canadians and contribute directly to the recovery objectives and population goals of species at risk and prevent others from becoming a conservation concern. The most complete information currently available for the HSP covers the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year.

The HSP for terrestrial species at risk

In 2023 to 2024, ECCC invested over $5.5 million in 100 HSP projects led by 93 different recipients who brought in over $11.1 million in cash and in-kind support. Forty-eight new projects were launched, and six of the other 52 ongoing multi-year projects with existing funding commitments from previous years received additional funding to expand their scope. In addition, the maximum duration for HSP funding agreements was extended from 3 to 5 years. In total, over $13.8 million in ECCC funding was committed in 2023 to 2024 for projects running through 2027 to 2028.

The 2023 to 2024 projects targeted a total of 162 terrestrial species at risk. On-the-ground results included over 51.3 thousand hectares of habitat secured and 8 thousand hectares of habitat newly protected through landowner or landholder agreements, while habitat protection agreements covering another 95 thousand hectares were renewed. Species at risk habitat was also improved by over 21.6 thousand hectares and along over 16 kilometres of shoreline.

The HSP for aquatic species at risk

DFO’s Habitat Stewardship Program for Aquatic Species at Risk invested approximately $4 million in new and previously approved multi-year projects to support stewardship activities undertaken by external partners in Canada’s freshwater and marine aquatic ecosystems.

Since its inception, DFO’s Habitat Stewardship Program has successfully supported over 240 projects involving over 790 partners from Indigenous communities, provinces and territories, environmental organizations, industry, and academia that have directly contributed to the recovery of over 120 aquatic species at risk. In 2024, DFO’s HSP approved and administered 25 new projects along with other multi-year projects approved in previous years.

HSP projects in 2024 supported stewardship efforts across Canada, resulting in outreach events, surveys, inventories, and habitat improvements, such as the removal of barriers and habitat restoration. Other important activities included support for the reduction of vessel strike risk and noise impacts to at-risk whale species, among many others important endeavours in support of aquatic species at risk.

Indigenous Partnerships for Species at Risk / Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk

In fall 2024, ECCC renamed the Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk (AFSAR) program to the Indigenous Partnerships for Species at Risk (IPSAR) program; however, DFO continues to use the original name. All aspects of the funding program remain the same. Established in 2004, the application-based program is delivered by ECCC (for terrestrial species) and DFO (for aquatic species). The program focuses on strengthening capacity in Indigenous communities to lead the stewardship of species at risk and culturally significant species in support of broader SARA implementation.

IPSAR (terrestrial projects)

IPSAR terrestrial projects support Indigenous peoples’ capacity to lead on the recovery of species at risk and culturally significant species, such as caribou, Black Ash, and turtles by enabling a broad range of conservation actions that leverage Indigenous knowledge, engage communities, and facilitate the exercise of rights and responsibilities tied to stewardship. During the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year, the IPSAR terrestrial stream:

• provided $2.49 million to 27 new and 31 previously approved multi-year Indigenous-led projects (58 in total)
• leveraged additional funds exceeding $3.2 million (cash and in-kind)
• involved 58 Indigenous governments, communities, and organizations as recipients

Aboriginal Fund for Species at Risk (AFSAR) (aquatic projects)

During the 2023 to 2024 fiscal year, the AFSAR aquatic stream:

• provided over $3 million towards 21 new projects and 26 previously approved multi-year projects (47 total)
• leveraged additional funds exceeding $1 million (cash and in-kind)
• involved 41 Indigenous organizations and communities as recipients

AFSAR project: Monitoring and stewardship of species at risk with Mi’kmaw communities of mainland Nova Scotia

The Confederacy of Mainland Mi’kmaq (CMM) conducted a project that focused on the inner Bay of Fundy (iBoF) Atlantic Salmon, Brook Floater and American Eel. Project objectives were accomplished by surveying the target SAR populations, collecting data and samples, developing new recovery activities, and expanding outreach and education activities. The key project outcomes were integration of Mi’kmaw knowledge into conservation and recovery activities, and continued support for existing SAR recovery and management programs through data and sample collection. CMM was an integral part in improving information sharing between collaborators to support ongoing SAR stock assessment and conservation programs. The freshwater mussel and salmon outreach workshops increased community stewardship and implementation of SARA while promoting recovery strategies for target species and reinforcing the active role Mi’kmaw communities have in protecting SAR for future generations.

Critical Habitat Interdepartmental Program

Established in 2020, the Critical Habitat Interdepartmental Program (CHIP) is a directed funding program administered by ECCC. The CHIP encourages federal government departments, agencies, and Crown corporations (other than ECCC, PC, and DFO) to lead projects aimed at the recovery of species at risk through the conservation and restoration of their habitat on federally-administered or -owned lands. The CHIP operates at a fiscal year level, from April 1 to March 31, due to the financial nature of the funding program.

During the 2024 to 2025 fiscal year, the CHIP:

• provided $355,078 towards eight projects (seven multi-year, one new)
• leveraged additional funds of $390,414 (cash and in-kind)
• involved six federal departments and one Crown corporation and their numerous partners (e.g. Indigenous communities, environmental organizations, academics, provincial government, and private landowners)
• supported recovery and conservation efforts for 58 SARA-listed species

Overall, funded projects delivered on objectives that include critical habitat restoration through the removal of invasive species, the maintenance of a SAR field seed bank, SAR population surveys to support Other Effective area-based Conservation Measures (OECM), and monitoring and reintroduction of native species.

Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk

The Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk (CNFASAR) supports the recovery and protection of aquatic species at risk. Since its inception in 2018, CNAFSAR has supported 94 projects, with an additional 57 ongoing.

To date the Government has invested over $120 million in funding to address priority places and threats to aquatic species risk. This funding has supported projects that benefit over 150 populations of aquatic species at risk associated with nine priority places, and two marine threats (fishing interactions [includes entanglement and bycatch of aquatic species at risk] or physical and acoustic disturbance [includes vessel collisions and marine noise]).

CNFASAR projects

Okanagan River mainstream and off-channel habitat restoration in Okanagan Falls, BC

In 2024, under a three-year agreement, the Okanagan Nation Alliance completed work to restore two sites of the Okanagan Mainstream River. This restoration work will benefit aquatic species at risk such as the Rocky Mountain Ridged Mussel and COSEWIC-assessed species like Chinook Salmon. Restoration work included the construction of two riffles with boulders, the removal of a dam structure and revegetation of the riverside. 

Scaling real-time marine mammal observation with integrated AI and drone technology for marine megafauna species at risk

The goal of this three-year project is to augment the capabilities of Marine Mammal Observers (MMO’s) through the use of innovative drone technology and artificial intelligence (AI). In 2024, the department collaborated with Edgewise Environmental to gather expertise and integrate their advice in the training of MMOs, using the first version of their AI system called “Möbius”. Whale Seeker and Edgewise conducted beta tests of the AI system and have compiled feedback for their updated version of “Möbius”. This new version will be tested in the field and refined in 2025. The objective of this project is to place Canada in the forefront of real-time marine mammal detection.

Turning the tide for Atlantic Whitefish and Inner Bay of Fundy Atlantic Salmon in Nova Scotia, Dalhousie University

In 2024, Dalhousie University continued their CNFASAR project (2023 to 2026) using acoustic telemetry tracking tools to observe two SARA-listed endangered species in Nova Scotia: Atlantic Whitefish in the Petite Rivière watershed and iBoF Atlantic Salmon in their marine habitat. Project activities include implanting acoustic transmitters in Atlantic Whitefish being maintained for conservation purposes in the Dalhousie University Aquatron, and Atlantic Salmon from the DFO Coldbrook Biodiversity Facility. As part of the work in 2024, tagged Atlantic Whitefish were released into their native watershed and tracked. The movement data is contributing to the understanding of habitat use and will help inform the selection of translocation sites in non-native watersheds, which is a key recovery measure for the species. IBoF Salmon kelts were also acoustically tagged, released and tracked in 2024, to leverage the unique and extensive system of acoustic telemetry arrays currently present in the Bay of Fundy. The salmon tracking work is helping to fill key knowledge gaps related to marine threats and movements in that environment. As part of the project, a series of videos highlighting project activities were produced and shared in 2024 to garner further interest and support for their conservation.

Reducing threats to aquatic species at risk in waters of the South Coast of Newfoundland

Quebec-Labrador Foundation (QLF) is conducting a four-year (2023 to 2026) project in waters of the South Coast of Newfoundland and Labrador with a goal to reduce mortality to aquatic species at risk resulting from fishing interactions and to contribute to the recovery of species at risk, including the North Atlantic Right Whale and South Newfoundland Atlantic Salmon. This builds upon the success of a previous CNFASAR project, where the project team conducts “dockside dialogues” with harvesters to encourage compliance with recovery measures and voluntary stewardship actions, such as reporting incidents of entanglement or strandings, live release of Wolffish, and reduction and diversion of plastic marine debris. Through collaborative work with towns, harvesters, and harbour authorities, procedures for the collection and removal of fishing-related waste – such as bait box liners – are being implemented. QLF also works in partnership with local towns and stewardship groups to encourage reporting of salmon poaching, adoption of best practices for recreational fishing, and reduction of river pollution and waste through the posting of salmon stewardship signage. Education and outreach are essential components to the success of the project, delivering information, motivating positive actions, and encouraging sustained stewardship of South Coast marine waters and in-stream habitats for aquatic species at risk. The project has earned praise from fish harvesters and each year a rising number of harvesters adopt the practice of returning plastic waste. To date, 123,062 bait box liners have been prevented from entering the ocean.

Enhanced Nature Legacy

Through the Enhanced Nature Legacy (ENL) initiative, the Government of Canada has advanced conservation efforts that directly contribute to the protection and recovery of species at risk.

A core focus of this work is the implementation of the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada (Pan-Canadian Approach), which advances SARA recovery efforts by investing in actions in areas where they can have the greatest impact through targeted work in Priority Places, for Priority Species, and across Priority Sectors where cumulative threats can be addressed.

Priority Places

Priority Places and Community Nominated Priority Places (CNPP) have significant biodiversity, high concentrations of species at risk, and opportunities to advance conservation efforts. In 2024 to 2025, the federal government invested $37.8 million in 159 projects in Priority Places and CNPP, with additional funding leveraged through matching funds from partners. The projects are being carried out in 12 Priority Places identified collaboratively by federal, provincial and territorial governments and in 17 CNPPs that were identified through open calls for applications. CNPPs must have multiple species at risk residing within them.

Examples of projects supporting the Priority Places objectives in 2024 to 2025 include:

• conducting habitat management activities by installing infrastructure (e.g., fencing and signage) to mitigate road mortality of species at risk amphibians and reptiles and undertaking a coordinated approach to outreach and communications between partners and the general public in the Long Point Walsingham Forest Priority Place in Ontario
• the securement and permanent protection of private land containing habitat, and in particular critical habitat, for multiple species at risk within the Kespukwitk/Southwest Nova Scotia Priority Place. The project also supports targeted outreach and education for private landowners with habitat for species at risk on their properties
• native prairie habitat enhancement and securement through beneficial management practices implementation, continued delivery of species at risk habitat securement and continued species at risk baseline and monitoring surveys to guide range management plan development and beneficial management practices implementation in the Southwest Manitoba Priority Place

PC is responsible for protecting and managing the ecosystems found in national parks. National parks overlap with 6 Priority Places allowing for collaboration with partners to maximize landscape-scale conservation benefits for multiple species at risk. PC is also a key partner in at least five CNPP initiatives across the country.

Priority Species

In 2024 to 2025, the Priority Species initiative invested $54 million in 35 projects across Canada, expected to leverage an additional $42.2 million. These investments support on-the-ground conservation actions for the six Priority Species at risk identified through the Pan-Canadian Approach: Barren-ground Caribou (including the Dolphin and Union population), Peary Caribou, Boreal Caribou, Southern Mountain Caribou, Wood Bison and Greater Sage-grouse. Delivered by 24 unique funding recipients, these projects made significant contributions to the recovery of these at-risk species, notably:

• collection of population size and trend data that show as of 2024, there are more Southern Mountain Caribou subpopulations that are stable or increasing in size than are decreasing
• implementation or development of 23 range plans for Boreal Caribou ranges
• completion or implementation of 90% of actions for Wood Bison recovery in Canada
• support to successful collaboration, leadership and knowledge sharing, such as the National Boreal Caribou Knowledge Consortium and the Ronald Lake Buffalo Herd Cooperative Management Board
• engagement of 37 Indigenous communities through activities such as sponsored workshops and community meetings, and the provision of direct funding to support recovery activities
• dismantlement or reforestation of at least 40 kilometers of roads and other linear features, restoration of over 50 ha of crucial habitat for Priority Species, and securement of a minimum of 2,000 ha of land for conservation

All six of the Priority Species occur across PC-administered places. PC continues to advance work that supports the recovery of these species:

• Wood Bison – promising testing of a recombinant vaccine (bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis) may yield a safe and effective oral vaccine for protecting Wood Bison against exotic bovine diseases. These results inform bison management to improve genetic diversity and recovery of the species
• Southern Mountain Caribou – construction of the Caribou Conservation Breeding Centre is now complete, and Jasper National Park anticipates welcoming its first caribou in 2025. An Indigenous Advisory Committee has been established, and several Indigenous Partners are supporting caribou through ceremonies and collecting lichen for the captive caribou
• Greater Sage-grouse – eight km of fence has been marked in critical habitat for Greater Sage-grouse to increase visibility of fence wires and reduce risk of mortality due to collisions of the species with fence lines
• Boreal Caribou – active investigation and work are underway to improve habitat quality and connectivity for Boreal Caribou in Pukaskwa National Park. Collaboration with partners (Government of Ontario, Indigenous nations) to support the recovery of Boreal Caribou in the Lake Superior Coast Range continues

Priority Sectors

The Priority Sectors initiative aims to advance the protection and recovery of species at risk by enhancing beneficial practices and addressing threats by mitigating, minimizing, or avoiding harmful practices. ECCC is collaborating with partners and stakeholders across the agriculture, forest and urban development sectors to develop Strategic Conservation Frameworks for species at risk in those sectors.

In 2024, significant progress was made in advancing work with all three sectors, including:

• Forest Sector Framework is progressing, with indicators of forest health being developed to support monitoring of the effects of forest operations on species at risk and their habitat.
• Urban Development Sector Framework is well underway, and a tool has been launched nationally to support municipalities in incorporating species at risk considerations in natural asset evaluation and management.

Indigenous Partnerships Initiative

The Indigenous Partnerships Initiative (IPI) amplifies the leadership of First Nation, Inuit and Métis partners in the conservation of species at risk and culturally significant species in a manner that reflects Indigenous peoples’ unique priorities, rights and knowledge in the implementation of the Pan-Canadian Approach and SARA.

In 2023 to 2024 fiscal year, IPI provided $21.5 million to 32 new and 83 previously approved multi-year projects (115 total). The initiative leveraged additional funds that exceeded $6 million (cash and in-kind) and supported 103 Indigenous governments, communities, and organizations. Projects implemented recovery actions for priority species such as Boreal Caribou and Southern Mountain Caribou, supported conservation action for priority threats such as wildlife health (e.g., chronic wasting disease), and leveraged Indigenous knowledge to direct stewardship strategies. The IPI has also been instrumental in establishing a mechanism to more effectively meet the many consultation obligations under SARA.

Framework for Aquatic Species at Risk Conservation

DFO developed the Framework for Aquatic Species at Risk Conservation to identify opportunities where use of multi-species approaches may improve the conservation and recovery of aquatic species at risk listed under SARA and provide considerations for applying these approaches.

In 2024, DFO incorporated the feedback from external engagement conducted in 2023 and aims to publish the Framework in August 2025. The Framework will serve as a policy guide for applying collaborative, evidence-based and multi-species approaches to conserve and recover aquatic species at risk at DFO.

5. Agreements and collaboration

Conservation agreements

Implementation of conservation measures continued in 2024 under nine previously signed SARA section 11 conservation agreements for Boreal Caribou and Southern Mountain Caribou in the Northwest Territories, the Yukon Territory, British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. These agreements include measures, such as habitat protection, habitat restoration, population management, monitoring, and commitments to develop and implement range plans or similar landscape-level plans.

The section 11 agreement with the Northwest Territories was amended in March 2024, to extend its term to September 15, 2026. This additional time allows the governments of Canada and the Northwest Territories to conclude the work originally set out in the agreement.

Investments from the Priority Species initiative supported SARA section 11 agreements, notably by providing $1.45 million in new commitments to the Government of the Northwest Territories for Boreal Caribou, and $1.46 million in new commitments to the province of Alberta for Wood Bison.

In 2024, DFO renewed a five-year Conservation Agreement with Transport Canada, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, and six marine transportation industry associations to mitigate the impacts of acoustic and physical disturbance from large commercial vessels on endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW). The Agreement promotes and coordinates voluntary, seasonal slowdowns and altered transit paths by ships for the benefit of SRKW, as well as collaborative research, innovation, education, and outreach relating to shipping impacts on at-risk whales.

In 2024, DFO’s Pacific region signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of British Columbia under the 2005 Canada-BC Agreement on Species at Risk to support the recovery of freshwater species at risk in British Columbia.

DFO continues to work with the Cree Nation Government (CNG) under the Conservation Agreement signed in April 2022, pursuant to section 11 of SARA for the conservation of Lake Sturgeon (southern Hudson Bay - James Bay populations), a species of Special Concern under SARA. The agreement and ongoing efforts recognize the essential role and leadership of the Cree nation for the successful conservation of this species. Since the signing of the agreement, a working group composed of members of DFO and the CNG has been working on its implementation.

In 2024, the Cree-led threat management plan for the conservation of Lake Sturgeon/ Nameu (ᓇᒣᐤ)/Nimaau (ᓂᒫᐤ)/Name (NAME) in the James Bay Northern Quebec Agreement Territory was completed. It will form an integral part of the SARA management plan scheduled for final publication in 2025. In 2024, DFO and the CNG began negotiating a new conservation agreement under Section 11 of SARA to oversee implementation of the management plan in Cree territory, under the leadership of the CNG. The entire initiative is funded under the CNAFSAR.

On March 5, 2025, Canada, BC and the First Nations Leadership Council released the first annual report on activities under the Tripartite Framework Agreement on Nature Conservation, detailing progress made up to March 2024.

6. Governance

National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk

As per section 8.1 of the Act, the National Aboriginal Council on Species at Risk (NACOSAR) advises the Minister on the administration of the Act and provides advice and recommendations to the Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council (CESCC). While CESCC is not currently formally established, the participating Ministers meet regularly.

The NACOSAR had a two-day in-person meeting and met virtually several times over the year. Key discussion topics included how to best respond to community requests in general and several in particular, the role of the Council and how to ensure knowledge, and the operating conditions necessary to enable the effective work of the NACOSAR. The Minister and officials from ECCC, DFO, and PC attended parts of an in-person May 27 to 28, 2024 meeting. At that meeting, the NACOSAR raised the importance of additional policy and research support for the Council to enable the development of impactful and effective solutions, and the Minister expressed interest in receiving a proposal. The NACOSAR also shared its view that SARA is not being used as a risk management tool as originally intended, particularly as it relates to infringements of Aboriginal and treaty rights. The NACOSAR flagged its potential role in helping ensure that the impacts on Indigenous peoples are appropriately measured and considered.

Nature Advisory Committee

At their June 2024 meeting, the multi-interest Nature Advisory Committee was asked for advice on broadening engagement on ECCC's work to develop and implement Strategic Conservation Frameworks to guide species at risk management in priority sectors in Canada, including the agriculture, forestry, and urban development sectors. Committee members advised on the importance of early and sustained engagement with partners across sectors, coordination among federal departments, and the opportunity to advance collaborative, integrative, and bottom-up approaches. Members expressed interest in remaining engaged in the further development of the Strategic Conservation Frameworks.

Indigenous Nature Tables

Three distinctions-based Indigenous Nature Tables were launched; these co-developed tables contribute to the development and provision of strategic advice and innovative solutions on shared nature priorities, including species at risk. The First Nations Nature Table discussed species at risk, including information-sharing on ECCC, DFO and PC species at risk related programming and highlighted the importance of advancing First Nations leadership through SARA. The Strawberry Moon Table on Nature emphasized the value species at risk programs have in supporting Métis nature priorities and contributing to halting biodiversity loss. The Inuit Nature Table expressed interest in having future Table conversations on species and conservation.

Species at Risk Public Registry

The online Species at Risk Public Registry fulfills the requirement under SARA for the Minister to establish a public registry to facilitate access to SARA-related documents. The Registry is an important tool for engaging and informing Canadians on species at risk issues. In addition to providing access to documents and information related to SARA, it provides a forum for Canadians to submit comments on SARA-related documents being developed by the Government of Canada.
Section 123 of SARA identifies documents that must be published on the Registry, including:

• regulations and orders made under the Act
• agreements entered into under section 10 of the Act
• COSEWIC’s criteria for the classification of wildlife species
• status reports on wildlife species that COSEWIC has prepared or has received with an application
• the List of Wildlife Species at Risk
• codes of practice, national standards or guidelines established under the Act
• agreements and reports filed under section 111 or subsection 113(2) of the Act, or notices that have been filed in court and are available to the public
• all reports made under sections 126 and 128 of the Act

Other documents prepared in response to the requirements of SARA including recovery strategies, action plans, management plans, permit explanations, and reports on the progress of recovery document implementation are also required to be published on the Public Registry.

In 2024, 550 documents were published on the Public Registry, including 399 permit explanations and 48 documents for public consultation. These documents also include SARA and COSEWIC annual reports, consultation documents, COSEWIC status reports and status appraisal summaries, ministerial response statements, and recovery documents.

7. Notices, orders and imminent threat assessments

The federal government is responsible for critical habitat protection for all species at risk on federal lands.

Species at risk critical habitat in federal protected areas is protected 90 days after a description of the critical habitat is published in the Canada Gazette. In 2024, two critical habitat descriptions were published in the Canada Gazette providing protection for two species at risk in one national park, one national urban park and two national wildlife areas.

a) PC contributed to the publication of the description of critical habitat.

Protection orders for critical habitat

Protection of critical habitat for aquatic species and all other species on federal lands other than in federal protected areas are protected either by a Ministerial protection order or, where the critical habitat is already protected, by publishing a statement in the Species at Risk Public Registry on how that critical habitat is protected.

In 2024, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard repealed and replaced a ministerial order to protect critical habitat for the aquatic species at risk, White Sturgeon, Nechako River Population in collaboration with PC.

Emergency orders and imminent threat assessments

Under section 80 of SARA, the GIC may, on the recommendation of the competent Minister, make an emergency order to provide for the protection of a listed wildlife species no matter where it occurs in Canada.

To improve the transparency of the imminent threat assessment process, in October 2024, the Government of Canada posted the final Policy on Assessing Imminent Threats under Sections 29 and 80 of the Species at Risk Act – terrestrial species as well as the Operational guide: requesting an imminent threat assessment for terrestrial species under the Species at Risk Act on the Species at Risk Public Registry.

In May 2024, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change formed the opinion that the Caribou (Rangifer tarandus), Boreal population (i.e., Boreal Caribou) is facing imminent threats to its recovery, based on an assessment of populations in Quebec, and was therefore required under SARA to recommend the making of an emergency order. The Government of Canada directed the Minister to proceed with the development of a potential emergency order to protect portions of Boreal Caribou habitat within or adjacent to the three most at risk ranges in Quebec (Val-d’Or, Charlevoix, and Pipmuacan), and to prohibit activities that may adversely affect the species and its habitat. A public comment period on the proposed order took place between June 19 and September 15, 2024.

An updated Imminent Threat Assessment for the SRKW was undertaken by DFO and PC, in consultation with ECCC and Transport Canada. On November 29, 2024, the Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard, and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, as the Minister responsible for Parks Canada, announced that they had formed the opinion that SRKW continues to face imminent threats to its survival and recovery and confirmed three key threats to the population: acoustic and physical disturbance, reduced prey availability, and environmental contaminants.

Given that opinion, the Ministers were required to recommend an emergency order. After careful consideration, the Government of Canada declined to make an Emergency Order for the protection of SRKW. Instead, the Government of Canada proposed additional actions to address threats to SRKW that build on existing measures. More information on this decision can be found on the Species at Risk Public Registry: Government of Canada’s approach to addressing the imminent threats to Killer Whale, Northeast Pacific Southern Resident population - Canada.ca.  

8. Permits under SARA

Permits are required for activities that may affect species listed on Schedule 1 of SARA as Extirpated, Endangered, or Threatened, and where the activities contravene the Act's prohibitions or protection orders, wherever these apply. The competent minister may enter into an agreement or issue a permit under section 73 of SARA for the following:

• scientific research related to the conservation of a listed species, and conducted by qualified persons
• activities that benefit a listed species or are required to enhance its chance of survival in the wild
• activities that incidentally affect a listed species

Under section 74, an agreement, permit, licence, order or other similar document authorizing a person or organization to engage in an activity affecting a species at risk authorized by the competent minister under another Act of Parliament can have the same effect as an agreement or permit under section 73 of SARA if the requirements of section 73 are met. These documents or authorizations are considered “SARA-compliant.”

a) Before issuing these licences, competent departments must ensure that the requirements of SARA section 73(2) to section 73(6.1) are met, and that section 73(7) is complied with after the licence is issued.

ECCC issued 98 permits under section 73 to allow for activities affecting over 50 species, including reptiles, amphibians, birds, vascular plants, arthropods, molluscs, and mammals.
Of the 98 permits^{Footnote 4}  issued:

• 22 allow for scientific research related to the conservation of a species
• 30 allow for activities benefiting a species or required to enhance its chance of survival in the wild
• 66 allow for activities incidentally affecting a species

Twelve of these permits were issued for activities carried out in an area affected by an emergency order. ECCC also issued 314 SARA-compliant permits affecting, or with the potential to affect, Threatened and Endangered migratory bird species under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994.

PC issued a total of 42 permits, 17 of which were SARA-compliant permits issued under the Canada National Parks Act.

Of the 42 permits issued:

• 15 were for scientific research related to the conservation of a species
• eight were for activities benefiting a species or required to enhance its chance of survival in the wild
• 18 were for activities incidentally affecting a species
• one was for activities that benefited one species and incidentally affected a different species

DFO issued a total of 230 permits under section 73 of SARA in 2024. Of these 230 permits:

• 58 were for scientific research related to the conservation of an aquatic species
• 29 were for other activities that benefit the species or enhance its chance of survival in the wild (for example, monitoring surveys or marine mammal rescue)
• 143 were for activities that incidentally affected the listed species (including accidental capture while undertaking research on other non-listed species, or fish or mussel relocation during construction activities)

DFO issued a total of 23,605 licences under the Fisheries Act that also acted as SARA permits under section 74. Of these licences:

• 23,529 were commercial fishing licences where incidental catches of White Shark, Basking Shark and Loggerhead Sea Turtles were recognized to be a possibility. Conditions in these fishing licences require mandatory reporting of any species interactions in logbooks, and subsequent release of species back into the water in the manner that causes the least harm. These licences fit under the purpose of SARA s. 73(2)(c)
• 39 fishing licences for experimental, scientific, and educational purposes under section 52 of the Fishery (General) Regulations. These licences fit under the purposes of SARA s. 73(2)(a) or (c)
• 12 authorizations under section 38 of the Marine Mammal Regulations for disturbances caused in the conduct of beneficial work. These licences fit under the purposes of SARA s. 73(a) or (b)
• 25 authorizations under paragraph 35(2)(b) of the Fisheries Act that have the same effect as SARA permits. These permits fit under the purpose of SARA s. 73(2)(c).

Explanations for all SARA permits issued by ECCC, PC and DFO are posted on the Species at Risk Public Registry. Details regarding delivery of ECCC permits against ECCC service standards are available online.

9. Enforcement

ECCC, PC, and DFO have federal enforcement programs to protect individual SARA-listed species, their residences and their critical habitat when subject to an order, by verifying and securing compliance with SARA’s requirements. They work jointly and in partnership with Indigenous, provincial, territorial, and international authorities.

ECCC

To verify compliance with SARA, in 2024 ECCC had 80 wildlife enforcement officers conducting inspections, investigations, and permit verifications across Canada.

ECCC wildlife enforcement officers carried out the following SARA-related enforcement activities in 2024:

• conducted 404 inspections
• issued 4 warnings
• opened 17 new investigations

In 2024, ECCC wildlife enforcement officers continued to employ a risk-based approach for enforcement planning and conducted compliance verification of prohibited activities for SARA-listed species, including, among others: American Badger, bats (Little Brown Myotis, Northern Myotis, Tri-coloured), bees (Gypsy Cuckoo Bumble, Western Bumble Bee), birds (Bank Swallow, Barn Owl, Burrowing Owl, Chimney Swift, Ferruginous Hawk, Lewis’s Woodpecker, Greater Sage-grouse, Whooping Crane, Meadowlark), Butternut trees, Eastern Wolf, Fernald’s Braya, Monarch Butterfly, snakes (various), turtles (Blanding’s Turtle, Spiny Softshell, Spotted Turtle, Western Painted Turtle, Wood Turtle), Western Chorus Frog, Western Tiger Salamander.

PC

PC has approximately 85 operational park wardens dedicated to law enforcement activities in all PC-administered places.

In 2024, a total of 93 law enforcement incidents were recorded that relate to the protection of species at risk in protected heritage areas. In 2024, park wardens did not issue any charges or warnings under the Act. Under other associated legislative powers, a total of 17 charges and 92 warnings were issued in 2024 in support of protecting species at risk.

PC continued efforts with DFO, Transport Canada, ECCC, and other partners, to protect the SRKW. At Gulf Islands National Park Reserve and Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, Transport Canada’s Interim Order is in effect along with associated measures, as well as DFO Seasonal Based Closures related to the SRKW recovery measures. Park wardens dedicated 522 hours in proactive patrols for the protection of SRKW and 78 hours in response to incidents. There were 64 reactive occurrences recorded throughout 2024 that resulted in 8 charges and 27 warnings as it relates to the protection of the SRKW.

DFO

DFO’s enforcement actions for species at risk are carried out by fishery officers who have been trained and designated as enforcement officers under SARA. They incorporate SARA enforcement activities alongside their duties under the Fisheries Act and other federal statutes and regulations. In 2024, DFO’s fishery officers:  

• dedicated over 23,398 hours to patrols, inspections, investigations, court cases, public relations and other duties related to enforcing the prohibitions of SARA  
• initiated approximately 175 investigations, devoting over 2,424 hours specifically to investigative work related to species at risk
• recorded a total of 175 SARA-related violations, resulting in a range of enforcement actions including education, warnings and charges  

9.1 Prosecutions

ECCC

In 2024, ECCCs wildlife enforcement officers initiated 5 prosecutions and concluded 4 prosecutions under SARA totaling $110,000 in penalties.

Two Quebec residents fined a total of $10,000 for violating SARA May 9, 2024 – Longueuil, Quebec

A Quebec company was fined $12,500 for destroying nests of Bank Swallows, a Threatened species — July 4, 2024 — Sainte-Anne-des-Monts, Quebec

On July 4, 2024, Les Entreprises Énia Lafontaine was ordered to pay a fine of $12,500. The company pleaded guilty to one count of violating SARA. The company used heavy machinery to excavate, and damaged or destroyed Bank Swallow nests in a sandpit.

Landscaping company 9242-6451 Québec inc. and its owner were ordered to pay a total fine of $12,500 for violating SARA — November 15, 2024 — Longueuil, Quebec

The National Capital Commission was ordered to pay a total of $75,000 for having violated SARA — December 13, 2024 — Gatineau, Quebec

On December 12, 2024, the National Capital Commission (NCC) pleaded guilty to violating SARA. The charge stems from actions that contravened a condition of a permit issued under the Act to develop a bicycle path in the Western Chorus Frog’s habitat in Leamy Lake Park, Gatineau. The contravention concerned the deposit of rock dust in the Western Chorus Frog’s habitat during the work that was carried out, which resulted in damage to critical habitat of the Western Chorus Frog. The NCC was ordered to pay a fine of $50,000 to the Receiver General for Canada and $25,000 to the Government of Canada's Environmental Damages Fund. The NCC was also ordered to carry out remedial work to repair the damage caused to the Western Chorus Frog's critical habitat.

DFO

In 2024, Pacific region fishery officers laid two charges under SARA, resulting in one conviction.

To support the recovery of SARA-listed species in Pacific Region, fishery officers continue to work closely with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada on several investigations involving SARA-listed marine mammals.

In August 2021, witnesses observed a wildlife documentary crew operating a low-flying drone hovering roughly a meter above Northern Resident Killer Whales near Robson Bight, British Columbia and reported it to DFO. Northern Resident Killer Whales are listed as Threatened under SARA. DFO Fishery Officers from the Whale Protection Unit in Pacific Region conducted an investigation that resulted in the prosecution of the film company for disturbing marine mammals prohibited under the Marine Mammal Regulations. Charges under SARA were not pursued in this case. The trial concluded in 2024 with River Roads Films and the two drone operators found guilty of disobeying the federal regulation that protects killer whales and other marine mammals. River Road Films was fined $25,000 and the two drone operators received a total of $7,500 in fines for their involvement.

10. Monitoring and reporting

10.1 Monitoring

Monitoring of wildlife species provides the scientific foundation for all aspects of the species at risk program, from assessment and recovery planning, to implementing and evaluating the effectiveness of conservation actions. Monitoring also provides information on trends for both the distribution and population size of species, which are key indicators in the COSEWIC assessment process.

Image courtesy of Birds Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, 2024. The State of Canada’s Birds Report. Accessed from NatureCounts. DOI.

Note: The lines represent the mean status with respect to the base-year (1970, except for the shorebird line, which begins in 1980) across all species in the group.

ECCC

ECCC manages and coordinates, together with key partners, national scale monitoring programs for all species of migratory birds in Canada, as well as regional programs for other selected wildlife species at risk. Some of these concentrate on describing critical habitat, such as quantifying occupancy, abundance, productivity, foraging, and/or breeding evidence at important sites and/or habitats. The programs include the North American Breeding Bird Survey, provincial and regional Breeding Bird Atlases, and Arctic shorebird breeding surveys. Data from many of these programs are made publicly available through the NatureCounts data platform hosted by Birds Canada.

New in 2024, data from these monitoring programs have been synthesized into the State of Canada’s Birds web platform. This new web platform is delivered in partnership by ECCC and Birds Canada, brings together the best available information on how Canada's birds are doing. The web platform also provides detailed species accounts for all 463 regularly occurring bird species in Canada, giving population status, trends, goals, and information on distribution and occurrence. This information is a key component of the COSEWIC assessment process, and a way to track the effects of recovery actions for populations of listed species.

PC

PC monitors various ecosystems indicators and species at risk in the places it administers. In 2024, PC continued to monitor progress towards completing actions and achieving site-based population and distribution objectives that are described in PC multi-species action plans. For example, in 2024, in collaboration with academic and government partners, drones were used to systematically photograph cliff habitat in Forillon National Park, home to about 45 rare and endangered plant species in an under-surveyed remote alpine habitat. AI-assisted technology was then used to aid in species identification.

DFO

In 2024, DFO advanced ongoing research and monitoring projects for SARA-listed and COSEWIC-assessed species. Species at risk monitoring continues, where feasible, on a priority basis.

For the last seven years, including 2024, DFO Science has carried out a multi-species systematic aerial survey of eastern Canadian waters annually, with a focus on the North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW). The survey includes 20 areas (strata) in eastern Canadian waters, and areas around the Scotian Shelf and Newfoundland are flown on alternate years. The systematic survey supports our understanding of NARW distribution and abundance while also supporting the implementation of dynamic fisheries management measures which protect NARW from entanglement and vessel strikes. In 2024, DFO had a total of 100 sighting events of NARW (121 whales observed including duplicates). 

DFO also led research and monitoring activities directed at better understanding the threats to recovery of SRKW and the St. Lawrence Beluga.

In 2024, DFO published a research document on the Recovery Potential Assessment for the St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas) Population. The results suggested that recovery is theoretically feasible, and the probability of achieving it would be greater if some of the current threats to the population, such as factors leading to increased pregnancy-related and calf mortality, can be mitigated. In addition, there were sufficient data to identify important summer (June to October) and winter (January to March) habitat for the population, but not for spring and fall.

In 2024, DFO continued to undertake species at risk monitoring activities, often in collaboration with Indigenous and other non-government partners. Examples in the Maritimes Region include the annual iBoF Atlantic Salmon monitoring in index rivers, the presence and abundance monitoring of larval and juvenile Atlantic Whitefish at established monitoring locations in the Petite Rivière Lakes in Nova Scotia, and the monitoring of Rainbow Smelt springtime spawning streams in Lake Utopia, New Brunswick. In the marine environment, DFO Science from the Maritimes Region continued to undertake acoustic monitoring of White Sharks to gather information on their presence, movements and seasonal occupancy in Atlantic Canadian waters, as well as tagging and monitoring of Leatherback Turtles to better understand their habitat use and migration patterns in Atlantic Canadian waters.

10.2 Reporting

Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators for species at risk population trends

Progress towards objectives

An environmental indicator is a measure that provides information on the state of a particular environmental issue. Tracked over time, indicators can show trends that reflect what is happening in the environment. The Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) program presents indicators that provide a preliminary assessment of whether the trends for population (how many) and distribution (how they are spread out) of a listed species at risk are, consistent with the recovery or management objectives set out for them in planning documents including recovery strategies, action plans and management plans. Results should not be interpreted as a measure of success regarding the recovery or maintenance of species until sufficient time has passed for species to respond to actions taken, and enough information has been collected for re-assessment.

The graphic below shows the progress towards population and distribution objectives for the 167 species at risk that include population and distribution recovery objectives, and for which trends could be determined.

Notes: In addition to the 167 species considered in the figure, there are 98 species with population and distribution objectives that had reassessments that did not contain enough information to determine trends. Information on these species can be found in the detailed data table. "Mixed evidence" means that some information suggests improving trends, but there is also some evidence of decline.

Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada, and the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada Secretariat (2024).

The graphic below shows the progress towards population and distribution recovery objectives for the 128 Extirpated, Endangered and Threatened species for which these objectives were set, and trends could be determined.

Notes: In addition to the 128 species considered in the Figure, there are also 61 Extirpated, Endangered or Threatened species with population and distribution recovery objectives for which the reassessments did not contain enough information to determine trends. Information on these species can be found in the detailed data table. "Mixed evidence" means that some information suggests improving trends, but there is also some evidence of decline.

Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada, and the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada Secretariat (2024).

The graphic below shows the progress towards population and distribution management objectives for the 35 species of Special Concern that have these objectives and for which trends could be determined.

Notes: In addition to the 35 species considered in the Figure, there are also 37 species of Special Concern with population and distribution management objectives for which the reassessments did not contain enough information to determine trends. Information on these species can be found in the detailed data table. "Mixed evidence" means that some information suggests improving trends, but there is also some evidence of decline.

Source: Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada, and the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada Secretariat (2024).

Throughout the summer months, DFO collaborated with external organizations to educate Indigenous communities, the public, and the fishing industry about SARA-listed and COSEWIC-assessed aquatic species. DFO presented on SARA and the species at risk logbook to Gulf of St Lawrence fish harvesters and association representatives during Whale Safe gear engagement sessions in New Brunswick. DFO also collaborated with compliance and promotion officers at the Aboiteau wharf (New Brunswick), to educate professional fish harvesters and the public about the importance of filling out and returning information via species at risk logbooks. DFO further engaged with a youth summer camp at the Lennox Island First Nation (an Indigenous community located on Prince Edward Island) and with the public at the “Fête des amis de l’environnement” in Shippagan, New Brunswick, in collaboration with Aquarium NB. 

12. Additional information

To obtain further information or publications and to submit questions or comments concerning species at risk programs and activities, please contact any of the following:

Environment and Climate Change Canada
Public Inquiries Centre
Place Vincent Massey Building
351 Saint-Joseph Boulevard
Gatineau QC  K1A 0H3
Toll-free: 1-800-668-6767
Email: enviroinfo@ec.gc.ca

Parks Canada
National Office
30 Victoria Street
Gatineau QC J8X 0B3
Canada
Tel.: 888-773-8888
TTY: 866-787-6221
Email: information@pc.gc.ca

Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Communications Branch
200 Kent Street
3rd Floor, Station 13228
Ottawa ON K1A OE6
Canada
Tel.: 613-993-0999
Fax: 613-990-1866
Email: info@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

For more information on the Species at Risk Public Registry, and to submit questions or comments on the Public Registry, please contact:
SAR Public Registry Office
351 St. Joseph Boulevard, 10th Floor
Gatineau QC  K1A 0H3
Canada
Email: SARAregistry@ec.gc.ca

13. Annex

13.1 Response with timelines to the species at risk assessments received from COSEWIC

13.2 Species not yet forwarded to GIC

The 2017 SARA policy on the Timeline for amendments to Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act includes a commitment to include a section in the SARA annual report describing the status of all species status assessments that the Minister has not yet submitted to the GIC and the next step(s) for each species. The list of species that are due but have not yet been submitted to the GIC appears in the table below, along with the next steps for each of the species.