Amendments to SARA Schedule 1

Summary#

This is a proposed Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act published in the Canada Gazette, Part I on May 28, 2022. If adopted, it would add 12 species, reclassify 4 species (some up‑listed, some down‑listed), and remove 1 species from Schedule 1. The change would trigger recovery plans or management plans and some legal protections on federal lands for the species involved.

What it does#

• Adds these 12 species to Schedule 1 (common names):
  • Harris’s Sparrow; Smoker’s Lung Lichen; Mottled Duskywing (Boreal population); Mottled Duskywing (Great Lakes Plains population); Nine‑spotted Lady Beetle; Oregon Branded Skipper; Nuttall’s Sheep Moth; Striped Whitelip (land snail); Downy Yellow False Foxglove; Fern‑leaved Yellow False Foxglove; Smooth Yellow False Foxglove; Silky Beach Pea.
• Reclassifies these 4 species:
  • Common Nighthawk — from Threatened to Special Concern.
  • Olive‑sided Flycatcher — from Threatened to Special Concern.
  • Blue Ash — from Special Concern to Threatened.
  • Western Yellow‑bellied Racer (snake) — from Special Concern to Threatened.
• Removes one species from Schedule 1:
  • Peregrine Falcon (anatum/tundrius) — proposed delisting to Not at Risk.
• Explains the practical effects tied to listing:
  • Threatened and endangered listings trigger recovery strategies and action plans and SARA’s general prohibitions on federal lands (for killing, harming, destroying residences, etc.).
  • Special concern listings trigger a management plan but do not immediately invoke SARA’s general prohibitions.
  • Down‑listing or delisting can remove SARA prohibitions; some birds would still be protected under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994.
• Notes this is a proposed order based on COSEWIC assessments and follows public and Indigenous consultations. The Gazette notice invited representations within 30 days of publication.

Who's affected#

• People and communities where the species live:
  • Landowners, farmers, developers and resource companies working in areas where the species occur.
  • Residents and Indigenous communities on reserves where some species are present (several species have known occurrences on First Nations reserves).
• Governments and managers:
  • Department of the Environment (Environment and Climate Change Canada) and federal partners, including the Parks Canada Agency, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and land managers such as Department of National Defence on particular properties.
• Researchers, conservation groups and parks staff who run surveys, recovery work or restoration projects.
• Industries that operate in affected habitats in certain regions (examples in the analysis include forestry, agriculture and activities using insecticides), since some activities could need permits or changes to avoid harming listed species.
• The geographic spread: species on the list occur across Canada, with many entries concentrated in Ontario, British Columbia, and parts of the Prairie provinces.

Why it matters#

• Legal protections and planning: listing under SARA leads to recovery strategies, action plans or management plans. Those plans guide conservation work and can change how land is used on federal lands and in federally regulated projects.
• Practical effects for local projects: some activities on federal lands (including some reserve lands and national parks) may need permits or different practices to avoid harming listed species or their habitat.
• Costs and workload: the federal government estimated the implementation costs at about $904,500 to $1,055,000 over 10 years (discounted at 3%) for developing recovery/management plans, permit processing and some enforcement. Incremental costs to applicants were estimated to be small (about $16,000 total in the analysis).
• Species and ecosystem value: the species cover a range of roles — pollinators, predators of pests, cultural uses, and indicators of ecosystem health — so protecting them supports biodiversity and services people rely on.
• Some species are being down‑listed or delisted because COSEWIC judged their risk has changed. That can reduce SARA‑level protections even while other laws (for example the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994) may still apply.
• This item is a proposal (Canada Gazette, Part I). It is not final law until the order is made and registered.