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Part IIOrderVolume 159, Number 5Published: March 11, 2026

Receipt of COSEWIC Assessments for Seven Species

Order Acknowledging Receipt of the Assessments Done Under Subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act (American Marten, Newfoundland Population and Six Other Wildlife Species): SI/2026-3

The Governor in Council has formally acknowledged receipt of seven species assessments from the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC), triggering the nine-month decision period under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). During that period the government must decide whether to accept COSEWIC’s recommendations (and amend the List of Wildlife Species at Risk), refuse to list, or refer the assessments back to COSEWIC; if no decision is made the Minister must amend the List to match COSEWIC’s recommendations.

Published
March 11, 2026
Department
Unavailable
Section
Order Acknowledging Receipt of the Assessments Done Under Subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act (American Marten, Newfoundland Population and Six Other Wildlife Species)
Comment deadline
Unavailable
Effective date
Unavailable
Publication part
Part II

Summary

Summary#

This Order records that the federal government has received new species assessments from the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). That acknowledgement starts a nine-month decision period (registered March 11, 2026) for the government to decide what to do next about seven species, including the American Marten (Newfoundland population).

What it does#

  • Officially acknowledges receipt of COSEWIC’s assessments for seven terrestrial species.
  • Starts the nine-month timeline in SARA for the Governor in Council to act. During that time the federal government may:
    • accept COSEWIC’s assessments and amend the List of Wildlife Species at Risk;
    • decide not to amend the List; or
    • send the assessments back to COSEWIC for more information.
  • If no decision is made within nine months, the Minister must amend the List to match COSEWIC’s recommendations.
  • The seven species named are:
    • Marten, American (Martes americana atrata) — Newfoundland population (COSEWIC recommends Special concern; current SARA status: Threatened)
    • Rue‑anemone, Eastern False (Enemion biternatum) (COSEWIC: Special concern; current SARA status: Threatened)
    • Gentian, Victorin’s (Gentianopsis virgata ssp. victorinii) (COSEWIC: Special concern; current SARA status: Threatened)
    • Clubtail, Skillet (Gomphurus ventricosus) (COSEWIC: Special concern; current SARA status: Endangered)
    • Moth, Dusky Dune (Copablepharon longipenne) (COSEWIC: Threatened; current SARA status: Endangered)
    • Foxsnake, Eastern (Pantherophis vulpinus) — Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population (COSEWIC: Threatened; current SARA status: Endangered)
    • Foxsnake, Eastern (Pantherophis vulpinus) — Carolinian population (COSEWIC: Threatened; current SARA status: Endangered)

Who's affected#

  • Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Canadian Wildlife Service, which coordinate listing and recovery work.
  • COSEWIC, which provided the scientific assessments.
  • The Governor in Council and the Minister of the Environment, who must make the formal decision.
  • People and groups working in or near the species’ habitats, such as landowners, developers, conservation groups, and researchers.
  • Indigenous communities with an interest in lands or species in the listed areas.
  • The public, where future listing changes could affect local projects or conservation actions.

If it is unclear who will be affected in a specific place, that depends on where each species lives and the eventual listing decision.

Why it matters#

  • This Order does not itself change legal protections. It simply starts the clock for a federal decision.
  • A decision to change a species’ listing can trigger recovery planning, habitat protections, and federal reviews of activities that might harm the species. That can affect land use, permits, and conservation funding.
  • The results could shift conservation priorities for the seven named species and influence local land-use decisions where they live.
  • The public can watch for the government’s decision or any Listing Order and Regulatory Impact Assessment Statement that may follow.

Key topics

Species at Risk ActSARACommittee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in CanadaCOSEWICList of Wildlife Species at RiskMarten, American (Martes americana atrata) Newfoundland populationRue‑anemone, Eastern False (Enemion biternatum)Gentian, Victorin’s (Gentianopsis virgata ssp. victorinii)Clubtail, Skillet (Gomphurus ventricosus)Moth, Dusky Dune (Copablepharon longipenne)Foxsnake, Eastern (Pantherophis vulpinus) Great Lakes / St. Lawrence populationFoxsnake, Eastern (Pantherophis vulpinus) Carolinian populationEnvironment and Climate Change CanadaCanadian Wildlife Service

Source: Canada Gazette

Official source