Ten Species Added to Species at Risk List

Summary#

This Order amends the list of species protected under the Species at Risk Act by adding nine species and changing the status of one already listed. It was registered on June 10, 2024, and takes effect on the day it was registered.

What it does#

• Adds five species as endangered:
  • Shagreen (Inflectarius inflectus)
  • Toothed Globe (Mesodon zaletus)
  • Reversed Haploa Moth (Haploa reversa)
  • Gillman’s Goldenrod (Solidago gillmanii)
  • Slender Yoke-moss (Zygodon gracilis)
• Adds one species as threatened:
  • Carolina Mantleslug (Philomycus carolinianus)
• Adds three species as special concern:
  • Plains Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon nasicus)
  • Manitoba Oakworm Moth (Anisota manitobensis)
  • Puvirnituq Mountain Draba (Draba puvirnituqii)
• Reclassifies (uplists) the Chestnut-collared Longspur (Calcarius ornatus) from threatened to endangered and updates its French common name on the list.
• The Order comes into force on the registration date (June 10, 2024).

Who's affected#

• Federal departments that manage lands where these species occur, including Parks Canada and the Department of National Defence.
• Indigenous communities and reserve lands where some species have been recorded, including Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Munsee‑Delaware Nation, Oneida Nation of the Thames, and Chippewas of Kettle and Stony Point First Nation.
• Researchers and conservation groups who may need permits to study or work with the species on federal lands.
• Landowners, industries, and provincial or municipal governments if future actions identify and protect critical habitat on non-federal lands.
• Environment and Climate Change Canada, which will lead recovery planning and enforcement.
• The general public and anyone with an interest in prairie, woodland, coastal, or tundra ecosystems where these species live.

If it’s unclear whether a particular property or activity is affected, the Species at Risk Registry has maps and species reports.

Why it matters#

• Listing triggers the measures in the Species at Risk Act that aim to help species survive and recover. For endangered and threatened species, the federal government must prepare recovery strategies and action plans. For special concern species, a management plan is required.
  • Recovery strategies for endangered species must be posted within 1 year of listing.
  • Recovery strategies for threatened species must be posted within 2 years.
  • Management plans for special concern species must be posted within 3 years.
• The Order itself does not lay out specific habitat protections. But it starts the process that can lead to identifying and protecting critical habitat. That later step could affect land use and projects in places where critical habitat is found.
• The government estimates the federal cost of producing the required recovery and management documents, plus permit and enforcement work, at about $1.8 million over 10 years. Incremental applicant costs (permits, administrative work) are estimated at about $14,000 in total. Overall, officials expect the direct costs to be low.
• On federal lands, general prohibitions already make it an offence to kill, harm or take individuals of listed endangered or threatened species. For listed migratory birds, protections apply across Canada.
• For everyday readers: this Order is the formal step that gives these species federal recognition and starts planning for their protection. If you live, work, or develop land where any of these species occur, or you run conservation or research projects there, the listing may change what permits or actions are needed.