Transcript Slide 1

www.ec.gc.ca
Country Update: Canada
16th Annual Meeting of the Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and
Ecosystem Conservation and Management
Oaxaca, Mexico
May 16-20, 2011
Environment Canada
Environment Canada
Lesley-Anne Howes
Virginia Poter
Director General
Canadian Wildlife Service
Environment Canada
Canadian Context for Wildlife
Management
• Canadian jurisdiction for wildlife is shared
• Federal Government of Canada:
– Environment Canada
– Fisheries and Oceans Canada
– Parks Canada Agency
• Provinces and territories have important responsibilities for wildlife management
– Landownership is 48% under provincial jurisdiction
– Jurisdiction over most wildlife other than marine mammals, fish and mig birds
– Unique legislation addressing fish and wildlife conservation, species at risk,
parks, natural areas, forests etc…
• Coordination of wildlife management between the provinces, territories and federal
government is carried out through the Canadian Wildlife Directors Committee
(CWDC)
• Co-management boards created under Land Claims Agreements guide wildlife
management in much of northern Canada
Key Federal Legislation for Wildlife
Management I
• Species at Risk Act (SARA)
– Purpose is threefold:
▪ To prevent indigenous wildlife species, sub species and distinct populations from
becoming extinct or extirpated
▪ To provide for the recovery of threatened or endangered species
▪ To encourage the management of other species to prevent them from becoming
at risk
– Act is national in scope
• Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994
– Purpose is to implement the Convention by protecting and conserving migratory birds
— as populations and individual birds — and their nests.
– Provides for the establishment of Migratory Bird Sanctuaries and their management
• Canada Wildlife Act
– Establishes National Wildlife Areas and Marine Protected Areas and provides for
their management
• WAPPRIITA
– Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial
Trade Act
– CITES is implemented in Canada through WAPPRIITA
Key Federal Legislation for Wildlife
Management II
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Fisheries Act
– Assigns Fisheries and Oceans Canada the responsibility to conserve and protect fish and
fish habitat
– Applies to all Canadian fisheries waters
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Oceans Act
– Confirms Canada’s role with respect to oceans management
– Identifies three complimentary initiatives for the conservation and protection of the oceans
▪ Marine Protected Areas program
▪ Integrated Management program
▪ Marine Ecosystem Health program
• Canada National Parks Act
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Establishes national parks and provides for their management
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Canada National Marine Conservation Areas Act
– To establish a system of marine conservation areas that are representative of the Atlantic,
Arctic and Pacific Oceans and the Great Lakes in Canada and are of sufficient extent and
such configuration as to maintain healthy marine ecosystems
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Income Tax Act
– Provides income tax incentives to encourage donations of ecologically sensitive lands and
empowers ministerial authority over the transfer and management of property donated as
ecological gifts
Key Roles of Environment Canada With
Respect to Wildlife and Biodiversity
• Conservation of migratory bird populations under the Migratory
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Birds Conservation Act, 1994
Protection of species at risk under the Species at Risk Act*
Conservation, restoration and rehabilitation of habitats
Management of National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird
Sanctuaries
National implementation of Convention on Biodiversity and CITES
Biodiversity policy and planning
*Shared responsibility
2010-11 EC Program Achievements I
Species at Risk Act (SARA)
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Consultations on the listing of polar bear and recovery strategy for boreal caribou largely
completed
Streamlined approach to posting recovery planning documents for future species
SARA Policy Suite close to completion
5 year parliamentary review of SARA is underway
Ongoing regulatory efforts related to species assessment, listing, etc.
As February 2011, there are 486 species listed under SARA and we posted recovery strategies
for 144 species*
Migratory Birds
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Completion of the Avian Monitoring Review and beginning of implementation of recommendations
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Concluded first round of Canadian consultations on North American Waterfowl Management Plan
Revision process
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Completion of nuisance species handbook
Moving from a regulatory approach for Incidental Take of Migratory Birds toward avoidance and
Best Management Practices
*Shared Achievements
2010-2011 EC Program Achievements II
Wildlife Habitat Conservation
• Implemented the Inuit Impact and Benefit Agreement under which 3 new National
Wildlife Areas (NWAs) in Nunavut were listed in the Canada Gazette in early June
2010
• 6 new NWA sites under the Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy have
been identified and designation is proceeding
• Completed a Policy Framework for Canada's Network of Marine Protected Areas *
• Candidate protected areas are identified in the Nunavut Land Use Plan and key
habitat sites have been identified to the Nunavut Planning Commission
• Developing indicators for protected areas and wetlands
• Further refinement of Conservation Areas Reporting and Tracking System
• As of January 2011, 856 ecological gifts valued at over $551 million have been
donated across Canada, protecting over 137,000 ha of wildlife habitat.
*Shared Achievements
2010-2011 EC Program Achievements III
Other
• Engagement in several high profile Environmental Assessments
such as Mackenzie Gas Pipeline, Suffield, Hydro projects, etc.) as
well as hundreds of other Environmental Assessments
• Ongoing review and issuance of permits under:
– Species at Risk Act (approx. 75 yearly),
– Migratory Bird Convention Act (thousands a year),
– WAPPRIITA/CITES (several thousands a year); and
– Canada Wildlife Act.
• Development of the new SARA permit system under the ePermitting Infrastructure Project
2011-2012 - EC Priorities I
Species at Risk Act (SARA)
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Finalize SARA Policies and develop guidance documents
Implement recovery strategies
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Critical habitat protection plans
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Section 11 agreements
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Monitoring activities from recovery documents
Complete the recovery strategy for caribou
Finalize the Polar Bear Conservation Strategy
5-year review of SARA
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Section 129 SARA requires Parliament to review the Act five years after that section comes into force
(June 5, 2003 )
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Discussions with key stakeholders are ongoing
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Migratory Birds
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Implementation of the results of the monitoring review
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Governance: National Committee in place to review and approve existing and new monitoring
activities/programs
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Recommendation for changes to select monitoring programs – funding pressures to fully implement
recommendations
Overhaul of the Migratory Bird Regulations
Nuisance Species:
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Permitting Policy (underway)
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(New) Outreach capacity targeting decision makers
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2011-2012 - EC Priorities II
Wildlife Habitat Conservation
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Progress on development of management plans for NWAs
Operational review – implementation and update to review to understand priority
actions
Landscape-level planning/analysis
NWT Protected Areas strategy – moving forward with designation of new sites
Marine Conservation Areas - Scott Islands
EcoGifts and funding programs (HSP, AFSAR, IRF) – ongoing delivery of programs
including supporting objectives of SAR and MB programs
Habitat Joint Ventures - continuing on-the-ground and policy actions in support of
wetland and waterfowl objectives contained in the latest implementation plans
2011-2012 - EC Priorities III
Other
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Respond/implement decisions from CITES CoP for non-SAR species
including Polar Bear
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Continue development of polar bear conservation strategy
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Support to Polar Bear research
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Issue CITES permits
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Continue to contribute to environmental assessments
Canadian Wildlife Directors’ Committee
(CWDC)
• CWDC is comprised of federal, provincial, territorial wildlife directors
and provides:
– Leadership of national wildlife policy/program development and
coordination
– Advice to the Deputy Ministers and Ministers’ Councils
– A collegial framework for collaboration of federal, provincial and
territorial wildlife directors.
2010-2011 – CWDC Achievements
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Provided options to strengthen the oversight and management of the
Ministers’ councils for species at risk and wildlife
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Reviewed the COSEWIC annual report for submission to Ministers
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Supported implementation of the Invasive Alien Species Partnership
Program and program funding renewal
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Completed the jurisdictional gap analysis to strengthen National Wildlife
Disease Strategy implementation
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Developed a proposed new governance model for the Canadian
Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre
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Prepared a Canadian position report for the Joint Management Committee
(JMC) meeting of Agreement on International Humane Trapping
Standards
2011-2012 – Key CWDC Priorities I
Species at Risk (SAR)
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Streamline federal and provincial/territorial species at risk consultative processes
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Continue consultations on national recovery strategy and science-based refinement of range
definition for boreal caribou
Guide preparation for General Status of Wildlife Report
Coordinate implementation of an approach to recovery planning and delivery that fulfills SARA
and provincial/territorial legislation
Population Management
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Collaborate on management of migratory birds, with attention to incidental take,
population/habitat assessment and monitoring and urban/agricultural damage
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Complete Bird Conservation Plans
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Implement Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards
Provide leadership to the National Wildlife Disease Strategy and seek approval/guidance from
Deputy Ministers
Continue to liaise with Health Canada for steamlined access to veterinary drugs for wildlife
management and research
2011-2012 – CWDC Priorities II
Habitat Management
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Convene a habitat subcommittee to oversee habitat-related issues and progress
and expect to implement a work plan by November 2011
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Develop CWDC statement in support of the concept of ecological goods and
services in habitat conservation
Overarching Policies and Outcomes
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Strengthen participation in key international forums such as the Association of Fish
and Wildlife Agencies
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All of the above is in addition to work underway in all jurisdictions for the
management of wildlife and habitats
Summary
• Wildlife management is shared in Canada
• Canada’s wildlife is managed through a variety of tools (e.g.
legislation, stewardship)
• New threats are arising, creating new priorities, and we need to be
able to adapt and respond