Question Period Note: CESD Audits on Species at Risk + Protecting Aquatic Species at Risk

Background and overview on OAG/CESD Audits

• The Commissioner has provided parliamentarians and Canadians with analysis and recommendations on the government's efforts to protect the environment and foster sustainable development related to species at risk.
• I agree with the recommendations provided by the Commissioner.
• I am committed to working with partners to ensure that continued improvements to our government's efforts to protect aquatic species at risk are implemented, and the Department developed an action plan that identifies timelines to do so.

• On behalf of the Auditor General, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (CESD) conducts performance audits, and is responsible for: monitoring sustainable development strategies of federal departments; overseeing the environmental petitions process; and auditing the federal government’s management of environmental and sustainable development issues.
• The audit on Protecting Aquatic Species at Risk and the audit on Departmental Progress in Implementing Sustainable Development Strategies – Species at Risk Target under the Health Wildlife Populations Goal are two of the four concurrent CESD audits related to species at risk.
• Both these audits will be tabled in Parliament on October 4, 2022, with two additional audits expected to be tabled in the spring of 2023. The latter two audits include the audit on Protecting Species at Risk through the use of Emergency Orders and Safety Net Provisions of the Species at Risk Act and the audit on the Recovery of Species at Risk.
• The audit on Protecting Aquatic Species at Risk concluded that DFO (in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and others) did not adequately protect selected aquatic species assessed as at risk. Moreover, ECCC and DFO did not adequately contribute to meeting the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals related to the protection of aquatic species at risk.
• The audit report highlighted knowledge gaps for certain species (notably for data deficient and low/non-commercial value species), issues with the timeliness and methodology related to listing processes for aquatic species, a need to further define and clarify ECCC roles and responsibilities for aquatic species listing recommendations, a need to assess the effectiveness of outreach activities, and resources and data gaps for enforcement and compliance activities.
• The Department agrees with the audit recommendations and is taking action to address them, as outlined in the Management Action Plan that identifies timelines to address the recommendations, as part of the Department’s commitment to continuous improvement and accountability to Canadians.
• However, the audit does not fully acknowledge the overall context in which DFO operates with respect to jurisdiction and legislation.
• The Department has stated that the audit report could better reflect the essential role provinces and territories play in protecting aquatic species at risk. Specifically, the management and protection of aquatic species is a joint responsibility between the federal, provincial, and territorial governments.
• The audit report could also better reflect the protections for aquatic species outside of the Species at Risk Act, notably the protections afforded under the Fisheries Act. Specifically, DFO has concerns with the lack of clear recognition of legislative requirements to protect fish stocks under the Fisheries Act, and notes that a species not being listed under the Species at Risk Act does not mean the absence of protection.
• The audit on Contribution of the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategies to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy concluded that while DFO (and other departments) contributed to meeting the federal target for species at risk, the actions and indicators set out in its Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy should be reviewed to ensure that they are clear and meaningful.
• The audit report highlighted that ECCC, DFO, and Parks Canada should better align actions and performance indicators with the key steps of the recovery process; clearly outline how departmental actions will be measured (using starting points, relevant performance indicators and targets); clearly describe the results of their actions using relevant performance indicators; ensure that recovery and management efforts are on track to meet the federal targets; and ensure that contributions towards the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals are reported on.
• The Department agrees with the audit recommendations and will take action to address them, as outlined in the Management Action Plan.

If pressed
• For the audit on protecting aquatic species at risk, the audit looks at using the Species at Risk Act which is one of several tools the Department has to protect aquatic species at risk.
• Fisheries and Oceans Canada is committed to being accountable for the protection of aquatic species at risk.
• I will continue to work with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Indigenous peoples, provinces and territories, and stakeholders to enhance protections and further recovery of Canada’s aquatic species at risk.