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The
Species at Risk Act (SARA)
March 2001
Canadians overwhelmingly support the
protection of species at risk and their habitat. Bill C-5, the proposed Species
at Risk Act (SARA), will help prevent wildlife in Canada from becoming extinct
and provide for the recovery of species at risk.
It is designed to work where it
counts the most - in the fields, forests, wetlands, and open waters of Canada.
Reflecting more than seven years of
consultation with Canadians, Bill C-5 creates a framework for the protection of
species at risk that will achieve results on the ground by using incentives as
the preferred approach, but backing it up with strong legal protections that
give the Government of Canada the ability to act alone when necessary.
The bill insures that science will
be the first consideration to determine if a specie should be listed and
targeted for recovery. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in
Canada (COSEWIC) will list species at risk independently of government.
SARA will complement – not compete
with – existing provincial and territorial legislation. However, Canadians
expect all their governments to work to protect species at risk and their
habitat. Therefore, the Government of Canada will have the authority to act
alone when necessary.
Bill C-5 recognizes that species
protection could impact on the lives of Canadians, and it guarantees that the
government will consider social and economic factors in the recovery of species
at risk.
Our preferred approach to protecting
critical habitat of species at risk will always be voluntary actions by
Canadians. In fact, Bill C-5 recognizes that species protection requires a
cooperative approach on the front lines, and that legislation must be accepted
and used by the people on the land who make decisions affecting wildlife every
day.
But this does not preclude the
inclusion of strong measures and action against those who would break the law.
Under Bill C-5, compensation may be
paid for losses suffered as a result of any extraordinary impact when it is
necessary to prohibit destruction of critical habitat. Consultation with
Canadians will continue as compensation regulations are developed.
SARA respects the intent and spirit
of the former Bill C-33, while bringing greater clarity, openness, transparency
and accountability. For example:
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A mandatory roundtable will
convene every two years to advise the Minister with a public report and
the Minister will respond in the public registry;
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The COSEWIC list will be
published in the public registry as the scientific list of species at risk
in Canada;
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Status reports, actions plans,
COSEWIC's annual reports, and the Minister's annual reports will be
published in the public registry.
The extensive use of the public
registry demonstrates our commitment to transparency. It will enable anyone to
track government action on species that have been found to be at risk following
scientific assessment.
It is now time for the Government of
Canada to act on behalf of the 364 species presently at risk nationally. We need
this legislation so we can get on with the important task of protecting and
recovering species at risk.
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