Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act (American Marten, Newfoundland Population and 18 Other Wildlife Species)
Introduction
A review of the potential environmental impacts of amendments to the list of species at risk under the Species at Risk Act (SARA), as published in the Canada Gazette, Part II on March 11, 2026.
The Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of the Environment, can add, reclassify, or remove species on Schedule 1 of SARA (the List). The Order Amending Schedule 1 to the Species at Risk Act (American Marten, Newfoundland Population and 18 Other Wildlife Species) (the Order) helps support species at risk by updating their designation on the List of species at risk. The designation of a species depends on the severity of the risk of the species disappearing from the wild in Canada.
Of the nineteen species included in the Order:
- one species was reclassified to a lower risk status (downlisted) and renamed
- six species were reclassified to a lower risk status (downlisted)
- twelve species were renamed (no change in their risk statuses)
| Common species name | Range | Action | Currently protected under SARA as |
New status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Marten, Newfoundland population (Martes americana atrata) | NL | Reclassification | Threatened | Special concern |
| Dusky Dune Moth (Copablepharon longipenne) | AB, MB, SK | Reclassification | Endangered | Threatened |
| Eastern Foxsnake (Carolinian population) (Pantherophis vulpinus) | ON | Reclassification | Endangered | Threatened |
| Eastern Foxsnake (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population) (Pantherophis vulpinus) | ON | Reclassification | Endangered | Threatened |
| Eastern Hog-nosed Snake (Heterodon platirhinos) | ON | Rename / Maintain status | Threatened | n/a |
| False Rue-anemone (Enemion biternatum) | ON | Rename/ Reclassification | Threatened | Special concern |
| Five-lined Skink (Carolinian population) (Plestiodon fasciatus) | ON | Rename / Maintain status | Endangered | n/a |
| Five-lined Skink (Great Lakes / St. Lawrence population) (Plestiodon fasciatus) | ON | Rename / Maintain status | Special concern | n/a |
| Great Basin Spadefoot (Spea intermontane) | BC | Rename / Maintain status | Threatened | n/a |
| Northern Leopard Frog (Rocky Mountain population) (Lithobates pipiens) | BC | Rename / Maintain status | Endangered | n/a |
| Northern Leopard Frog (Western Boreal / Prairie populations) (Lithobates pipiens) | AB, MB, NWT, SK | Rename / Maintain status | Special concern | n/a |
| Pacific Gophersnake (Pituophis catenifer catenifer) | BC | Rename / Maintain status | Extirpated | n/a |
| Pacific Pond Turtle (Actinemys marmorata) | BC | Rename / Maintain status | Extirpated | n/a |
| Pygmy Short-horned Lizard (Phrynosoma douglasii) | BC | Rename / Maintain status | Extirpated | n/a |
| Skillet Clubtail (Gomphurus ventricosus) | ON, QC, NB, NS | Reclassification | Endangered | Special concern |
| Slender Mouse-ear-cress (Halimolobos virgata) | AB, SK | Rename / Maintain status | Threatened | n/a |
| Threaded Vertigo (Vertigo rowellii) | BC | Rename / Maintain status | Special concern | n/a |
| Victorin's Gentian (Gentianopsis virgata ssp. Victorinii) | QC | Reclassification | Threatened | Special concern |
| White-headed Woodpecker (Picoides albolarvatus) | BC | Rename / Maintain status | Endangered | n/a |
The purposes of SARA are to protect wildlife in Canada by preventing wildlife species from being extirpated or becoming extinct, helping endangered or threatened species recover and managing species of special concern to prevent them from becoming more at risk.
When a species is listed on Schedule 1 of SARA as extirpated, endangered, or threatened, the general prohibitions apply automatically on federal land where people cannot kill, harm, capture, or disturb the species, collect or trade it, or damage places it depends on, such as a nest or den. These general prohibitions do not apply to species listed as special concern.
For migratory birds protected by the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, and also listed under SARA as extirpated, endangered, or threatened, the general prohibitions apply everywhere in Canada, not just on federal lands.
The goal of the Order is to ensure that the appropriate measures under SARA are in place to protect and help species at risk recover. Specifically, this Order will downlist the status of the Dusky Dune Moth and the two Eastern Foxsnake populations to threatened, without changing protections currently in place. The Order would downlist four other species, the American Marten (Newfoundland population), False Rue-anemone, Victorin’s Gentian and the Skillet Clubtail, to special concern. As a result, the general prohibitions of SARA would no longer apply. By ensuring that listings are aligned to the risk profile of the species, the Order helps Canada meet its biodiversity goals.
Administratively, the Order also updates the names of 13 species so that they match the latest scientific and common names used by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) without altering their conservation status.
Anticipated environmental impacts
Protecting species at risk in Canada helps to maintain biodiversity. Biodiversity, in turn, can help maintain ecosystem function and services, like natural pest control, pollination, temperature regulation and carbon storage. This Order includes many different species that each play a role in maintaining biodiversity.
Ecosystem functions and services are important to the health of Canadians and play a key role in Canada’s economy. Even small changes in an ecosystem can lead to the loss of individuals and species. Such loss can lead to serious and long-lasting effects.
It is important to note that the downlisting of species like the Dusky Dune Moth and both populations of Eastern Foxsnake may signal population stability improvements, however, several of the amendments leading to downlisting are a result of an evolving interpretation of available scientific information. Downlisting allows resource re-evaluation for species needing urgent attention.
Climate change impacts on the proposal
Climate change may affect different parts of Canada in different ways and can change habitats and ecosystems, potentially impacting measures to support the recovery of the species included in this proposal. Possible impacts of climate change on species included in this proposal may be assessed as part of COSEWIC’s review of the classification of species at risk or as part of the review of recovery strategies or management plans.
Anticipated economic impacts
In accordance with guidance under the Cabinet Directive on Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment, this proposal’s strategic environmental and economic assessment did not include a strategic economic analysis due to the nature and scope of the proposal.
Follow-up and monitoring
COSEWIC reviews the classification of species at risk every 10 years. This is one way to monitor the health of the species. They are also monitored through recovery strategies or management plans, whose implementations are reviewed every 5 years.
Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and the United Nations 2030 Agenda
The Order supports the 2022-2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) Goal 15 “Protect and recover species, conserve Canadian biodiversity”. It also supports the Government of Canada’s related priority, as stated in the FSDS, of “enhancing the implementation of the Species at Risk Act.” Keeping species on the List when they still need protection and management under SARA may also contribute to the protection of habitat, which is a key part of FSDS Goal 15.
The Order also supports Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 15 “Life on Land” of the United Nation's 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This goal aims to stop biodiversity loss and protect biodiversity and natural habitats by preventing extinction. It also supports the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework and the overarching global goal of “sustainable use and management of biodiversity to ensure that nature’s contributions to people are valued, maintained, and enhanced.”
By protecting and maintaining healthy ecosystems, the Order also indirectly supports FSDS Goal 13 “Take action on climate change and its impacts” (and the associated SDG 13, “Climate Action”). Ecosystems can help reduce the effects of climate change. Coastal areas can absorb extra floodwater and protect against erosion and extreme weather. Forests, peatlands, and other habitats also store large amounts of carbon. Protecting these ecosystems can help reduce atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations.
Public perspectives
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s (the Department’s) regional staff reached out directly to over 2,500 contacts including Indigenous peoples and organizations, provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, industry, resource users, landowners, and environmental non-governmental organizations. The Department consulted with Indigenous communities whose First Nations reserves, or Indigenous traditional territories overlap with species’ ranges. Overall, respondents raised very few concerns about the Order and only three respondents opposed the Order citing concerns about the perceived lifting of protections under SARA, insufficient technical data to support the change, and socio-economic impacts.
Regarding these concerns, the Department recommends listing decisions based on the best scientific information available at the time of COSEWIC’s assessment.