Species at Risk Act: order acknowledging receipt of assessments (September 30, 2016)

P.C. 2016-845 September 30, 2016

His Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, acknowledges receipt, on the making of this Order, of assessments conducted under subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act (see footnote a) by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) with respect to the species set out in the annexed schedule.

SCHEDULE

Extirpated Species

Amphibians

Salamander, Spring (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) Carolinian population

Salamandre pourpre population carolinienne

Arthropods

Burying Beetle, American (Nicrophorus americanus)

Nécrophore d’Amérique

Endangered Species

Amphibians

Salamander, Jefferson (Ambystoma jeffersonianum)

Salamandre de Jefferson

Salamander, Northern Dusky (Desmognathus fuscus) Carolinian population

Salamandre sombre du Nord population carolinienne

Reptiles

Gartersnake, Butler’s (Thamnophis butleri)

Couleuvre à petite tête

Arthropods

Clubtail, Skillet (Gomphus ventricosus)

Gomphe ventru

Crawling Water Beetle, Hungerford’s (Brychius hungerfordi)

Haliplide de Hungerford

Emerald, Hine’s (Somatochlora hineana)

Cordulie de Hine

Threatened Species

Amphibians

Salamander, Spring (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) Adirondack / Appalachian population

Salamandre pourpre population des Adirondacks et des Appalaches

Plants

Baccharis, Eastern (Baccharis halimifolia)

Baccharis à feuilles d’arroche

Twayblade, Purple (Liparis liliifolia)

Liparis à feuilles de lis

Special Concern

Plants

Goldencrest (Lophiola aurea)

Lophiolie dorée

Iris, Dwarf Lake (Iris lacustris)

Iris lacustre

Thistle, Pitcher’s (Cirsium pitcheri)

Chardon de Pitcher

Lichens

Lichen, Blue Felt (Degelia plumbea)

Dégélie plombée

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order.)

Proposal

Order to acknowledge receipt of the assessments from the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) regarding the status of 15 wildlife species under paragraph 15(1)(a) and in accordance with subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

Objective

The objective of this Order is for the Governor in Council (GIC), on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, to acknowledge receipt of the assessments undertaken pursuant to subsection 23(1) of the Species at Risk Act by the COSEWIC with respect to the wildlife species set out in the annexed schedule of the Order.

Background

The purpose of SARA is to prevent wildlife species from being extirpated or becoming extinct; to provide for the recovery of wildlife species that are extirpated, endangered, or threatened as a result of human activity; and to manage species of special concern to prevent them from becoming endangered or threatened. COSEWIC was formed as an independent scientific body in 1977 with a mandate to provide a single, official, scientifically sound, national classification of wildlife species at risk in Canada. The Committee provides the Minister of the Environment with assessments of the status of Canadian wildlife species.

Of the 15 wildlife species COSEWIC assessments included in this Order, 2 are assessed as extirpated, 6 as endangered, 3 as threatened and 4 as special concern.

Implications

Under subsection 27(1.1) of SARA, the GIC may, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, within nine months after receiving COSEWIC’s assessment of the status of a species, review the COSEWIC assessment, accept the assessment and add the species to the List of species at risk, decide not to add the species to the List, or refer the matter back to COSEWIC for further information or consideration. Under subsection 27(1) of SARA, the GIC may also, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, reclassify or remove a listed species.

In addition, under subsection 27(2) of SARA, before making a recommendation in respect of a wildlife species or a species at risk, the Minister of the Environment must take into account the assessment of COSEWIC in respect of the species, consult the competent minister or ministers and, if a species is found in an area in respect of which a wildlife management board is authorized by a land claims agreement to perform functions in respect of a wildlife species, consult the wildlife management board.

Under subsection 27(3) of SARA, if the GIC has not taken a course of action under subsection 27(1.1) of SARA within nine months after receiving a COSEWIC assessment, the Minister of the Environment must, by order, amend the List in accordance with COSEWIC’s assessment. However, this nine-month timeline does not apply to the assessments recommending reclassification, as these species are already on the List.

Consultation

Initial consultations with interested stakeholders and members of the public took place from December 2011 to February 2012 for 11 species and from January 2013 to March 2013 for 4 species. These consultations will be summarized in the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement that will accompany the proposed Order to amend Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act.

Departmental contact

Mary Jane Roberts
Director
SARA Management and Regulatory Affairs
Canadian Wildlife Service
Department of the Environment
Gatineau, Quebec
K1A 0H3
Telephone: 819-938-4289

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