Summary
Details
- Canada
Prohibitions apply automatically on federal lands and for aquatic species and migratory birds.
Criteria:
Permits are mandatory for any activity that could contravene SARA prohibitions.
Recovery strategies and action plans must be respected once finalized.
Exceptions:
Permits may be issued for activities that benefit the species, are required for public safety, or where impacts are incidental and mitigated.
Application on non-federal lands depends on provincial action or federal safety-net provisions.
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What’s Required
Regulated parties must:
Avoid killing, harming, harassing, capturing, or destroying listed species.
Prevent destruction of critical habitat identified in recovery strategies and action plans.
Comply with permitting requirements for activities that may incidentally affect listed species.
Implement mitigation and monitoring measures where permits are granted.
Important Deadlines
2003: Species at Risk Act entered into force
Ongoing: Species listings updated through Governor in Council decisions
Within statutory timelines, Recovery strategies and action plans must be prepared after a species is listed
Ongoing: Critical habitat protections apply once identified and legally described
Current Status
SARA is in force and actively enforced.
Listings, recovery strategies, and habitat designations are updated on an ongoing basis.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Significant fines and imprisonment for individuals and corporations.
Directors and officers may be held personally liable.
Enforcement includes inspections, compliance orders, and prosecutions.
Examples of Known Violations
A renewable energy project must redesign infrastructure to avoid critical habitat.
A mining project may require a SARA permit and habitat offset measures.
Resources
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