CITES CoP19 Species List Update

Summary#

The final rule, the Regulations Amending the Wild Animal and Plant Trade Regulations, updates Canada’s list of protected species to match changes adopted at the CITES meeting (CoP19). It changes which plants and animals need CITES permits for international trade and came into force on registration (registered March 6, 2025; published in the Canada Gazette on March 26, 2025).

What it does#

• Replaces Schedule I of the Wild Animal and Plant Trade Regulations so the Canadian list matches the amendments made at CITES CoP19.
• Affects a large number of species: in total about 558 species are changed across the CITES appendices (new listings, uplistings, downlistings and annotation changes).
• Major kinds of changes:
  • Adds many species to Appendix II (new export controls) — roughly 534 species listed in the regulatory impact statement.
  • Adds many species to Appendix III (new export controls requested by individual countries) — about 303 species.
  • Some species were moved into Appendix I or from Appendix II up to Appendix I (stronger import/export controls) and a few were downlisted (reduced controls).
  • Updates and clarifies annotations that say which parts or products of a species are covered.
• Implements CoP19 decisions and related Appendix III additions that Parties had adopted at the international level.
• The regulations require exporters and importers to have the appropriate CITES paperwork for the newly listed species.

Who's affected#

• People and businesses that import or export wild animals, plants, or products made from them. This includes:
  • Pet trade businesses (for example, sellers of lizards and geckos).
  • Timber, furniture and musical instrument sectors dealing in woods named in the changes (examples noted in the source include ipe and cumaru, and several African mahoganies and padauk).
  • Growers and processors of natural health products (the listing includes Rhodiola rosea, and related species).
  • Zoos, aquariums and conservation organizations handling live animals that now need different paperwork.
• Government and enforcement bodies that process and check permits, especially Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canada Border Services Agency.
• Indigenous governments and communities where affected species occur; the document notes consultation with the Nunatsiavut Government over rhodiola because it occurs in their territory.
• Small businesses in affected sectors — the regulatory analysis flags measurable, but modest, administrative costs.

If it is unclear who will notice a specific change, the rule and the CITES appendices provide the full species list for reference.

Why it matters#

• Practical effect: more species now need CITES permits to cross international borders. That means paperwork and checks for exporters and importers who trade those species or their parts.
• Time and administrative impact:
  • The analysis assumed each permit application takes about 30 minutes to prepare.
  • Government review time was estimated at 1 hour 30 minutes for Appendix I applications and 45 minutes for Appendix II/III applications.
• Cost estimates from the government analysis:
  • Total estimated cost to businesses over the analysis period is about $239,000 (discounted at 3%).
  • Total estimated cost to government over the analysis period is about $752,500 (discounted at 3%).
  • The analysis also reports a present-value estimate of impact on small businesses of about $180,879 (discounted at 3%).
• Conservation and trade reasons:
  • These changes implement Canada’s international obligations under CITES and are intended to help prevent over-exploitation of species harmed by trade.
  • They also align Canadian controls with other trading partners, which can simplify legal trade but restrict trade where species are now more strictly protected.
• Real-world examples you might notice:
  • New permit rules for certain woods used in instruments, flooring or furniture could affect availability or the paperwork needed to buy or sell those items across borders.
  • Herb harvesters or producers who export Rhodiola rosea will likely need export permits.
  • Pet owners, breeders or shops dealing in newly listed reptiles may face more paperwork and checks for international shipments.

If you want to check whether a particular species is affected, the full updated Schedule I in the regulations lists the species and any special annotations.