13 Species Added and Reclassified under SARA

Summary#

This is a proposed Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act published in the Canada Gazette on May 28, 2022. It would change the federal list of at‑risk wildlife by amending Schedule 1: adding 9 species, reclassifying 3, and changing the scientific name of 1 (a total of 13 species affected). Comments were invited for 30 days after publication. The government estimates the net cost to itself over ten years at about $290,000 to $380,000.

What it does#

• Adds these species to Schedule 1 (new federal listings):

  • Carey’s Small Limestone Moss (Seligeria careyana) — Endangered
  • Dalton’s Moss (Daltonia splachnoides) — Endangered
  • Drooping‑leaved Beard‑moss (Oxystegus recurvifolius) — Endangered
  • Columbia Quillwort (Isoetes minima) — Endangered
  • Dwarf Hesperochiron (Hesperochiron pumilus) — Endangered
  • Hairy Valerian (Valeriana edulis ssp. ciliata) — Endangered
  • Hairy Paintbrush (Castilleja tenuis) — Endangered
  • American Bumble Bee (Bombus pensylvanicus) — Special concern
  • Yellow Scarab Hunter Wasp (Dielis pilipes) — Special concern

• Reclassifies (changes status):

  • Peary Caribou (Rangifer tarandus pearyi) — from Endangered to Threatened
  • Greater Short‑horned Lizard (Phrynosoma hernandesi) — from Endangered to Special concern
  • Goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis) — from Threatened to Special concern

• Changes the scientific name for one listed butterfly:

  • Karner Blue — name updated from Lycaeides melissa samuelis to Plebejus samuelis

• Practical effects if listed or reclassified:

  • For species listed as Endangered or Threatened, certain SARA protections (such as bans on killing or harming individuals and damage to their “residences”) apply on federal lands and trigger recovery planning.
  • Species listed as Special concern do not get those prohibitions, but the government must prepare a management plan.
  • Where activities affecting a listed species are prohibited, people can apply for permits for research or other allowed activities.

Who's affected#

• Environment and Climate Change Canada (the Department) and the federal agencies that manage recovery planning.
• Parks Canada Agency — one moss occurs in a national park and federal park rules already apply there.
• Researchers and conservation groups that study or work with these species (permit applicants may be affected).
• Indigenous Peoples and communities with cultural or subsistence ties to species such as the Peary Caribou, Hairy Valerian, American Bumble Bee, and Goldenseal.
• Provincial governments, landowners and local stakeholders in places where these species occur (mostly British Columbia and Ontario).
• Overall, the government says most changes are expected to have low or no incremental costs for stakeholders and Indigenous groups.

Why it matters#

• Listing or reclassifying species on Schedule 1 brings federal attention and planning for recovery or management. That can lead to on‑the‑ground actions to help fragile populations survive or recover.
• For species newly listed as Endangered or Threatened, federal protections apply on federal lands and recovery strategies and action plans are required. Those documents identify threats and, where possible, critical habitat.
• For species listed as Special concern, the requirement for management plans supports early, proactive conservation without triggering the stricter prohibitions.
• The changes mostly target species with small, local populations (many in British Columbia and Ontario) and aim to address threats like habitat loss, invasive species, climate change and overharvesting.
• The government expects modest administrative costs (estimated $290,000 to $380,000 over ten years) and only small permit‑related costs to applicants (an estimated $1,100 in the first year for Gwaii Haanas-related permits).