2023 Reports 1 to 5 of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to the Parliament of CanadaFederal government’s efforts to recover species at risk are falling short

Ottawa, 20 April 2023—A report released today by Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Jerry V. DeMarco found that Environment and Climate Change Canada’s, Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s, and Parks Canada’s efforts to plan and report on the recovery of species at risk were slow and lacking and that objectives were being met for less than half of all species for which there was sufficient data.

The audit found that while most endangered and threatened wildlife species had a recovery strategy, more than half of them lacked action plans to support their recovery. Of the 520 species at risk that have been reassessed since 1982, 416 (80%) either showed no change in status or had entered a higher risk category.

In the almost 20 years since the Species at Risk Act came into effect, pressures on wildlife and their habitats have only mounted. The number of species listed has risen and is expected to continue rising.

The audit also found large backlogs of implementation reports that would show the progress toward meeting recovery objectives, which are outlined in recovery strategies and management plans. Of the 399 progress reports that Environment and Climate Change Canada was responsible for and required to produce, it had completed only 1.

“Progress reports are intended to keep departments accountable and show whether the actions being taken are having a meaningful impact,” said Mr. DeMarco. “Without this ongoing monitoring, the government may miss opportunities to improve outcomes for species.”

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The 2023 Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Report 2—Follow-up on the Recovery of Species at Risk, is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.

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