COSEWIC Assessments for 10 Species Received

Summary#

This is the Order Acknowledging Receipt of the Assessments Done Under Subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act (Chestnut-collared Longspur and Nine Other Wildlife Species). It records that the federal government received COSEWIC’s assessments for 10 species on December 6, 2023 and starts the clock for a federal decision about whether to add them to the national list of species at risk.

What it does#

• Acknowledges receipt by the Governor in Council of the species status assessments prepared by COSEWIC under the Species at Risk Act.
• Triggers a nine-month period for the federal government to either:
  • add the species to the List of Wildlife Species at Risk (Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act), or
  • decide not to add them, or
  • send the assessments back to COSEWIC for more information.
• Signals that the Minister of the Environment will publish a proposed listing order and a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement in the Canada Gazette, Part I, with a public comment period of 30 days.
• Notes that one case is a reclassification (the Chestnut-collared Longspur being moved from Threatened to Endangered). The other nine assessments are new additions being considered.

Species covered (as listed in the Order)

• Endangered: Shagreen; Toothed Globe; Reversed Haploa Moth; Gillman’s Goldenrod; Slender Yoke-moss.
• Threatened: Carolina Mantleslug.
• Special concern: Plains Hog-nosed Snake; Manitoba Oakworm Moth; Puvirnituq Mountain Draba.
• Reclassification (up-list): Chestnut-collared Longspur (from Threatened to Endangered).

Who's affected#

• Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Minister of the Environment, who will lead the listing process and publish the proposed order.
• People and groups who took part in earlier consultations and anyone who responds to the upcoming 30-day comment period.
• Landowners, developers, conservation groups, researchers, and provincial governments in the provinces where these species occur (for example Ontario, British Columbia, Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, Quebec). The Order itself does not yet change rules on the ground — it starts the formal federal decision process.

Why it matters#

• If the government adds a species to Schedule 1, that can lead to recovery planning and measures under the Species at Risk Act aimed at preventing extinction and helping populations recover.
• The nine-month timeline means the federal decision will come relatively soon, or the Minister may be required to amend the List in line with COSEWIC’s recommendations if no decision is made.
• For people living, working, or planning projects where these species exist, a future listing could affect land-use decisions and conservation priorities. For anyone interested, more details and the full assessments are available on the Species at Risk Public Registry.