Ten Terrestrial Species Listed under SARA

Summary#

This is a proposed Order to change Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act so that ten terrestrial species would be added or given a different status. If made, the change would trigger federal protections and the requirement to make recovery or management plans for those species. The proposal was published on December 9, 2023 and the government invited comments for 30 days.

What it does#

• Adds five species as endangered:
  • Shagreen (Inflectarius inflectus) — a small land snail in Ontario.
  • Toothed Globe (Mesodon zaletus) — a land snail in Ontario.
  • Reversed Haploa Moth (Haploa reversa) — a moth in southwestern Ontario.
  • Gillman’s Goldenrod (Solidago gillmanii) — a plant found on a small island near Manitoulin Island.
  • Slender Yoke-moss (Zygodon gracilis) — a moss known from Haida Gwaii, BC.
• Adds one species as threatened:
  • Carolina Mantleslug (Philomycus carolinianus) — a slug in Ontario.
• Adds three species as special concern:
  • Plains Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon nasicus) — a prairie snake in AB, SK, MB.
  • Manitoba Oakworm Moth (Anisota manitobensis) — a moth in southern Manitoba.
  • Puvirnituq Mountain Draba (Draba puvirnituqii) — a tiny tundra plant in Nunavik, QC.
• Reclassifies one species already listed from threatened to endangered:
  • Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus) — a grassland songbird; the proposal also updates its French common name.
• Explains the practical effects that follow a listing:
  • For species listed as endangered or threatened, federal lands get automatic legal protections (for example, against killing or destroying a residence such as a nest).
  • Listing triggers the creation or update of recovery strategies and action plans (or management plans for species of special concern).
  • On non‑federal lands, some prohibitions and protections depend on further orders or provincial rules.

Who's affected#

• Department of the Environment (the federal department handling this) would lead recovery planning and enforcement.
• People and groups most likely to notice:
  • Parks Canada (national park lands) and the Department of National Defence (Camp Ipperwash), where some of these species occur.
  • Indigenous communities whose reserves or traditional territories overlap species ranges, including Chippewas of the Thames, Munsee-Delaware, and Oneida Nation of the Thames (these reserves were identified as places that might contain the Toothed Globe).
  • Researchers, conservation groups and land managers working on federal lands.
  • A small number of businesses or land users who might need a federal permit to carry out activities affecting a listed species on federal land.
• Expected costs and administrative impacts (government estimate):
  • Federal spending to develop and update recovery/management plans and to support enforcement is estimated at $360,000 to $440,000 over 10 years.
  • The estimated incremental cost to permit applicants and affected departments for administrative work is about $14,000 (one‑time, first year).

Why it matters#

• Listing is the first formal federal step to help these species survive and recover. It leads to recovery strategies, action plans or management plans and can lead to habitat protection on federal lands.
• That matters for ecosystems (pollination, pest control, nutrient cycling) and for Indigenous cultural values tied to some species.
• For most people this is not a direct change to everyday life; effects are concentrated where the species occur — especially on federal lands and in Indigenous communities. The government expects overall costs to stakeholders to be small, while increasing conservation actions for the species named.