Country Update: Canada 15 th Annual Meeting of the Trilateral Committee for Wildlife and Ecosystem Conservation and Management Halifax, Nova Scotia May 10-14, 2010 Virginia Poter Director General Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada Lesley-Anne Howes 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 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 Fisheries Act –Assigns Fisheries and Oceans Canada the responsibility to conserve and protect fish and fish habitat –Applies to all Canadian fisheries waters 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 –Establishes national parks and provides for their management 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 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 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

EC Program Achievements I Species at Risk Act (SARA) Completed Polar Bear consultations Increased Aboriginal engagement in recovery planning and implementation Streamlined recovery plan development process Completed SARA Policies Supported the 5 year parliamentary review of SARA Ongoing delivery of stewardship funding programs, totaling approximately $20 million At present, have listed 470 species under the Species at Risk Act and posted recovery strategies for 119 species* Migratory Birds Continued the review of monitoring programs (Avian Monitoring Review) Commenced work on the revision to the Migratory Bird Regulations Continued efforts to develop Incidental Take Regulations for migratory birds Continued investment in North American Waterfowl Management Plan (NAWMP), Joint Ventures and Flyways *Shared Achievements

EC Program Achievements II Wildlife Habitat Conservation Implemented recommendations from the operational review of Environment Canada Protected Areas (National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries) Continued implementation of the Inuit Impacts and Benefits Agreement (IIBA) Continued implementation of the Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy Implemented conservation partnership funding programs Under the Ecogifts Program in 09-10, a total of 90 gifts were given with a total area of 8541 hectares worth $43M Expansion of Nahanni National Park by 6 fold - a World Heritage Site Biodiversity Progress on Ecosystem Status and Trends Report Preparations for 2010 International Year of Biodiversity, including engaging Canadians (youth, business, cities) Canada’s 4th National Report to the Convention on Biological Diversity

EC Program Achievements III Other Issued thousands of CITES permits and continued CITES permit policy development Contributed to over 2000 Environmental Assessments Led Canadian preparation and delegation for CITES Signed MOU among Canada, Nunavut, Greenland for the Conservation and Management of Polar Bear

EC Priorities I Species at Risk Act (SARA) Respond to 5 year parliamentary review of SARA Advance the number of completed recovery strategies under SARA with critical habitat identified where possible Continued development of regulatory packages that recommend the listing of new Species at Risk including high profile species such as the Polar Bear (not yet listed) Complete consultations on caribou, wood bison Respond/implement decisions from CITES CoP15 related to species at risk Migratory Birds Continue development of Incidental Take Regulation with focus on consultation and preparation for implementation Complete development of Bird Conservation Region plans in 22 units across Canada Implementation of Avian Monitoring Review recommendations Ongoing work to complete the NAWMP revision Work with North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI)-Canada to prepare the State of the Birds in Canada report

EC Priorities II Wildlife Habitat Conservation Protected Areas Strategy Implementation including approval of permitting standards Continue to implement the Northwest Territories Protected Areas Strategy Establishment of three new protected areas in northern Canada under the IIBA Research and monitoring on ecological forecasting for protected areas and habitat, in relation to climate change and other threats Biodiversity Lead Canadian preparation and delegation for the10th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP 10) – international and domestic negotiations –including Access and Benefit Sharing (ABS), post-2010 targets, Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) International Year of Biodiversity – Ongoing Canadian engagement Release first ever Ecosystem Status and Trends Report Support release of the Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna’s (CAFF’s) - Arctic Biodiversity Trends Provide leadership in the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program

EC Priorities III Other Respond/implement decisions from CITES CoP for non-SAR species including Polar Bear Continue development of polar bear conservation strategy Support to Polar Bear research Issue CITES permits 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.

– CWDC Achievements Provided options to strengthen the oversight and management of the Ministers’ councils for species at risk and wildlife Reviewed the COSEWIC annual report for submission to Ministers Supported implementation of the Invasive Alien Species Partnership Program and program funding renewal Completed the jurisdictional gap analysis to strengthen National Wildlife Disease Strategy implementation Developed a proposed new governance model for the Canadian Cooperative Wildlife Health Centre Prepared a Canadian position report for the Joint Management Committee (JMC) meeting of Agreement on International Humane Trapping Standards

– Key CWDC Priorities I Species at Risk (SAR) Streamline federal and provincial/territorial species at risk consultative processes Guide preparation for General Status of Wildlife Report Oversee streamlining of recovery planning Continue consultations on national recovery strategy and science-based refinement of range definition for boreal caribou Population Management Collaborate on management of migratory birds, with attention to incidental take, population/habitat assessment and monitoring and urban/agricultural damage Complete Bird Conservation Plans Provide leadership to the National Wildlife Disease Strategy and seek approval/guidance from Deputy Ministers

– CWDC Priorities II Habitat Management Share best practices among agencies, industries and conservation non- governmental organizations Overarching Policies and Outcomes Increase provincial and territorial engagement in key fora including Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (AFWA) and the Trilateral Committee  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) In , federal and provincial/territorial governments, with support from many partners, made great strides in wildlife management but there is still a lot to do New threats are arising, creating new priorities, and we need to be able to adapt and respond will see us focusing on on-going operations and new strategic initiatives to support wildlife conservation in Canada and beyond