Book 2, Tab B7 - Species at risk decision-making

On this page

• Species at Risk: A shared responsibility
• Purpose of SARA
• SARA Cycle – Key Obligations
• DFO’s SARA activities
• Departmental support is informed by
• Annex: SARA – Program priorities

Species at Risk: A shared responsibility

• The Species at Risk Act (SARA, 2004) is administered by three core federal departments:
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)
    • Manages aquatic species other than for those individuals found in Parks Canada-managed waters
  • Parks Canada Agency (PCA)
    • Manages individuals of species found in or on the federal lands it administers
  • Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC)
    • Manages all other species, including migratory birds
• The Ministers of these three departments are referred to as “competent ministers” for species at risk.
• The Minister of Environment and Climate Change has overall responsibility for administration of the Act and is currently the competent Minister for PC.
• The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard shares responsibilities with the Minister of Environment and Climate Change for listing decisions and associated consultations with Wildlife Management Boards for aquatic species.
• The Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard is the competent minister for all aquatic species at risk, including fish, whales and mussels, no matter where they are found (e.g. freshwater, ocean, aquarium), other than those found in PC waters.

Purpose of SARA

The purpose of SARA is to:

• Prevent wildlife species from becoming endangered (facing imminent extirpation or nearing extinction), extirpated (no longer existing in the wild in Canada), or extinct (a species that no longer exists)
• Provide for the recovery of wildlife species that are extirpated, endangered, or threatened as a result of human activity
• Manage species of special concern to prevent them from becoming endangered or threatened

SARA Cycle – Key Obligations

Assessment

Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC – arms- length scientific assessment body) assesses species risk level and population structures.

At risk assessments trigger the government to respond with a listing decision.

Listing

Three possible listing options:

• List
• Do not list
• Refer back to COSEWIC

The Minister of Environment and Climate Change makes all listing recommendations to the GIC. 

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans provides advice for aquatics to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change.

Protection

When a species is listed as threatened, endangered or extirpated, it automatically  becomes illegal to kill or harm it (among other things).

Critical habitat is later identified and protected. 

Recovery planning

Recovery strategies, action plans, and management plans are required for listed species.

The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans is responsible for approving these recovery documents. 

Reporting

SARA requires monitoring and reporting on the implementation of recovery documents every five years.

DFO’s SARA Activities

• Provides scientific information to inform species risk-level assessments by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC).
• Provides advice on listing to the competent Ministers in response to at risk assessments by COSEWIC. 
• Enforces prohibitions related to harming protected species and their habitat and issues permits or exemptions for some activities.
• Prepares recovery documents, identifies critical habitat, and publishes maps of species distribution and critical habitat through mapping tools and Open Data.
• Implements recovery measures through science, collaboration with Indigenous groups and external stakeholders (i.e., Grants and Contribution programs), and management efforts.  
• Monitors and reports on progress of recovery/management activities.  

Departmental support is informed by

SARA Implementation for Aquatic Species

Science advice

Peer reviewed scientific information outlining status, and what is necessary to recover / conserve species. 

Consultations

A broad set of outreach and engagement processes to  determine Indigenous and public views on conservation and management efforts to inform decision making. 

Legal advice

On the operation of the Act and court interpretations.

Socio-economic considerations

Analysis of socio-economic impacts of species listing and some protection measures. 

Tri-departmental policy

A suite of tools (some under development) for consistent approaches to the implementation of the Act for terrestrial and aquatic species, where applicable.

DFO policy

A suite of tools to guide on-the-ground implementation of the Act for aquatic species. 

Annex: Program priorities

Listing priorities

Performance Audit on Protecting Aquatic Species at Risk

• The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development conducted an audit in 2022 on Protecting Aquatic Species at Risk. A key recommendation from that audit is that Fisheries and Oceans Canada should reduce delays in providing advice on whether to list aquatic species at risk. This would allow the Governor in Council (GIC) to make listing decisions under the Species at Risk Act sooner and contribute to the protections and conservation of Canada’s at-risk species.

Addressing backlog of listing decisions

• There are 154 listing decisions that need to be made for aquatic species. Advice development for these species is at various stages but many (~70) are anticipated to be advanced to the ministers and the GIC for decision over the next couple of years. 
• Streamlining measures are being implemented to support efficient decisions making in response to the CESD audit and recommendations.

Recovery and Protection Priorities

Performance Audit of Critical Habitat for Species at Risk

• Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development assessment of DFO’s performance on the identification of critical habitat, monitoring and conservation efforts for critical habitat, and conservation of critical habitat when issuing permits and authorizations.

Addressing backlog of overdue recovery documents

• As of March 3, 2025, there are 33 species with overdue recovery documents and 58 species with overdue Progress Reports.
• Developed improved process and guidance on roles, responsibilities, and timelines for the Department’s sectors and regions for the development of recovery documents.
• As of January 2023, new delegation authorities of low-risk documents to the Senior Assistant Deputy Minister of Programs Sector and the Director General of Biodiversity Management.

Updating and streamlining templates and guidance for recovery documents

• Updating recovery strategy templates and guidance to reflect latest policy; streamlining progress reporting; advancing implementation guidance.

Nature Legacy Implementation and Permitting Priorities

Finalization and publication of the Framework for Aquatic Species at Risk (FASC) – Winter 2025

• The FASC is being developed to identity opportunities where multi-species approaches can be used to improve the conservation and recovery of aquatic species at risk under SARA.
• Next steps include:
  • Developing a pilot project to showcase how the FASC will benefit the program.
  • Exploring the creation of collaborative multi-stakeholder networks to facilitate making connections between partners and stakeholders.

Launch of the Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk Grant Program

• The goal of the grant program, which launched in the fall of 2024, is to increase support of meaningful Indigenous participation in activities related to listing of aquatic species at risk and associated recovery document preparation under the Species at Risk Act.
• Invitations to apply for grant funding are being sent to Indigenous groups that are impacted by listing decisions and recovery planning for listed aquatic species.

Update 2015 SARA Permitting Guidelines

• This work will help regional staff in assessing permitting applications and promote a more cohesive approach to permitting across implicated sectors.

Mapping and Data Management Priorities

Mapping and Data Stewardship

• Ongoing administration of Canada's Aquatic Species at Risk mapping tools (including Open Data)​
• Support the implementation of DFO's Data Strategy and Policy on Service and Digital
• Prepare dashboards and maps to track activities that target species’ recovery measures and recovery document status

Species at Risk Tracking and Reporting

• Digitalization of Species at Risk Program processes including 3 program databases for tracking and reporting:
  • Species at Risk Information Management System
  • Species' recovery measures database
  • Spatial database for mapping, reporting and analysis
• Post ministerial permit explanations to the SARA Public Registry
• Annual updates to the Notice to Mariners – Guidelines for Aquatic Species at Risk & Marine Mammals