Species at Risk list amended

Summary#

The Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act (SOR/2021-205) changes the federal list of protected wildlife. It adds 11 designations, reclassifies 4, removes 1, and refers one assessment back to COSEWIC. The Order came into force on August 12, 2021.

What it does#

• Updates the federal list under the Species at Risk Act so some species get stronger legal attention and others are down‑listed or removed.
• Adds newly assessed wildlife (examples): Eastern Banded Tigersnail, two dependent populations of Unisexual Ambystoma (salamanders), Lake Huron Grasshopper, and the Golden‑eye Lichen (Great Lakes population).
• Reclassifies some species (examples): up‑lists Blanding’s Turtle (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population) to endangered; down‑lists Western Painted Turtle (Pacific Coast population) and Spotted Wintergreen to threatened; down‑lists Anticosti Aster to special concern.
• Removes the Sonora Skipper from the list (delisted as “not at risk”).
• Sends the Rusty Cord‑moss assessment back to COSEWIC for further review (so that species is not decided here).
• Triggers follow‑up actions under SARA:
  • For endangered or threatened species: recovery strategies and action plans, and general prohibitions apply on federal lands.
  • For species of special concern: development of a management plan (no automatic prohibitions).
• Notes that permits may be needed for activities that would otherwise be prohibited and that federal departments (for example, Parks Canada Agency) will be involved in recovery and compliance work.

Who's affected#

• The plants, animals, lichens, molluscs, reptiles, amphibians and arthropods named in the Order (examples above).
• People and groups working or living on federal lands where listed species occur, including sites managed by Parks Canada Agency. On non‑federal lands, SARA protections only apply in specific cases or by separate order.
• Researchers, conservation organizations or companies that carry out activities affecting listed species — they may need permits.
• Indigenous communities with cultural ties to some species (for example, the Caribou (Newfoundland population) and several turtles). The Order notes consultation with Indigenous groups but generally expects limited incremental regulatory costs to them.
• Governments: the federal government will fund recovery/management planning and compliance. The Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement estimates net government costs of about $355,000 to $442,000 over 10 years (2022–2031). Incremental permit applicant costs are estimated at about $1,100 in total for expected permit needs.

Why it matters#

• These changes change which species get formal federal recovery planning and where SARA’s prohibitions apply. That affects what activities may be allowed on federal lands and how conservation resources are directed.
• For affected species, listing or reclassification can lead to coordinated recovery actions, habitat identification and possible legal protections — which can help prevent extirpation or extinction.
• For communities and industries near important habitats, the main practical effects are the need to cooperate on recovery plans and, in some cases, to apply for permits for activities that could harm listed species or their residences.
• The Order is part of Canada’s broader effort to slow biodiversity loss while balancing costs; it forecasts modest federal costs and expects most impacts to be conservation‑focused rather than large new regulatory burdens.