Finalizing the recovery strategy for one species at risk and initiating engagement on the species-specific policy (government response statement)

The recovery strategy for Yellow-breasted Chat, a species at risk in Ontario, has been finalized, and is now available for comment. This document forms the foundation of scientific advice to government on the protection and recovery of this species at risk.

Species at risk in Ontario

Ontario provides stringent protections for species at risk and their habitats under the Endangered Species Act. This commitment to conserve the province’s rich biodiversity by protecting and recovering our province’s species at risk and their habitats is part of the government’s Made-in-Ontario Environment Plan, which provides a roadmap for protecting the province’s land, air and water.

Once a species is listed as endangered or threatened, there is a process for gathering information and developing policy to support the protection and recovery of each species.

First, the province engages individuals and organizations outside of government with expertise on the species to write recovery strategies (see 019-0742). These documents form the foundation of scientific advice to government and can include knowledge from the public, stakeholders and Indigenous communities and organizations.

Once recovery strategies are finalized, the province develops a government response statement for each recovery strategy. Each government response statement is a species-specific policy that includes:

• the provincial goal for the recovery of the species
• a summary of the prioritized actions we intend to lead and support in response to the associated recovery strategy

Finalized recovery strategy

We finalized the recovery strategy for Yellow-breasted Chat, a species at risk in Ontario.

Early engagement on government response statement

The public is invited to review the advice in the final recovery strategy and provide input to inform draft government response statement through an online survey or via email until May 25, 2020.

Next steps

Your input will be used, along with the recovery strategy, to develop a draft government response statement for Yellow-breasted Chat. We anticipate posting the draft government response statement on the Environmental Registry for consultation in September 2020.