Question Period Note: Species at Risk – Overview

Species at Risk – Overview

• We are committed to the protection of Canada’s unique habitats and the protection and recovery of species at risk based on sound science and knowledge, partnerships, and robust recovery plans.
• Budget 2021 committed $2.3 billion over five years – the largest investment in nature conservation in Canada’s history. This historic investment will strengthen protection and recovery of species at risk and their habitats.
• Our investments and engagement are enabling real, on-the ground action to achieve better outcomes for species at risk such as Caribou, Spotted Owl, and Polar Bear.
• In delivering on our commitment, we will continue to work closely with provinces and territories that share responsibility for species at risk. And, we will partner with Indigenous leadership to advance conservation actions in a manner that reflects their unique needs, priorities, rights, and knowledge.

• Budget 2018 invested more than $1.3 billion in new protected areas and species at risk conservation initiatives. Budget 2021 builds upon this historic investment through a $2.3 billion investment to protect 25% of Canada’s lands and freshwater by 2025; strengthen protection and recovery of species at risk and their habitats; and advance reconciliation through Indigenous leadership in conservation.

• The Government of Canada is committed to advancing new policy and program approaches to improve the implementation of the Species at Risk Act (SARA) and are achieving better outcomes for all species at risk, before considering amendments to the Act.

• SARA is the Government’s key legislative tool for assessment, listing, recovery planning, protection, recovery action, and reporting on recovery for species at risk. It lays the groundwork for conserving and protecting Canada’s biological diversity, and fulfills the Government of Canada’s international commitments under the Convention on Biological Diversity. It also supports federal commitments under the 1996 Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk and the 2018 Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada to prevent species in Canada from becoming extinct from human activity.

Pan-Canadian Approach to transforming Species at Risk Conservation

• Since 2018, the Government of Canada has been collaborating with provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and other conservation partners to implement the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada (Pan-Canadian Approach). Under the Pan-Canadian Approach, conservation efforts are concentrated on shared priorities across Canada, focusing on a set of priority places, species, and sectors. These concerted efforts are bringing conservation partners together to collectively plan and implement stewardship actions on the ground to achieve better outcomes for species at risk.
• 11 federal-provincial-territorial priority places have been established that are hotspots for species at risk. These priority places cover nearly 30 million hectares (including ~2 million hectares of critical habitat for species at risk) with an estimated 322 species at risk (~147 of which have > 50% of their range included within the priority places). In the priority places, federal and provincial or territorial governments are working with Indigenous peoples and stakeholders to develop conservation action plans that will identify key actions to address the greatest threats to species.
• Six priority species have been identified by federal-provincial-territorial governments: Barren-ground Caribou; Greater Sage-grouse; Peary Caribou; Wood Bison; Woodland Caribou, Boreal population (“boreal caribou”); and Woodland Caribou, Southern Mountain population (“southern mountain caribou”). Priority species have (or had) large geographic ranges, an important ecological role on the national or regional scale, and many have high cultural, traditional and spiritual meaning for Indigenous peoples. Together, the species’ distribution cover over 576 million hectares of Canada, ~58% of Canada. By delivering conservation outcomes for targeted priority species, it is expected that we can achieve significant co-benefits for other species at risk, wildlife in general, and related biodiversity values.
• Three priority sectors have been identified: agriculture, forest sector and urban development. The Priority Sectors initiative addresses each of these sectors through a three-pronged approach: supporting innovative projects to explore opportunities within the sector, creating a mechanism for collaboration and developing conservation action.

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