The Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario’s 2023 Annual Report

The Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario

The Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) provides protections for species at risk under the Endangered Species Act, 2007 (ESA). COSSARO is an independent committee of experts, including members with expertise in scientific disciplines, community knowledge or Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge, responsible for assessing species at risk in Ontario and provides classifications to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks.

In accordance with sections 6 and 7 of the ESA:

• COSSARO is required to submit an annual report to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks in January of each year listing species that have been assessed and classified since its previous annual report was submitted
• if the report submitted to the minister classifies any species as extirpated, endangered, threatened or of special concern, O. Reg. 230/08 – Species at Risk in Ontario (SARO) List must be amended within one year of receiving the report from COSSARO

On January 31, 2024, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks received COSSARO’s 2023 Annual Report, which includes species assessments and resulting classifications from 2023. The Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks will make and file any corresponding amendments to O. Reg. 230/08 by January 31, 2025.

The report to the Minister has been posted publicly, as required by Section 51 of the ESA.

Highlights of COSSARO’s annual report

COSSARO’s 2023 annual report includes:

• COSSARO’s species assessments (brief description of species biology, threats, etc.) and classifications of 15 species/populations
• a draft plan for species assessments for 2024

Species classifications resulting from the species assessments conducted by COSSARO in 2023 include:

New listings (species not currently on the SARO List)

• 3 new Endangered species:
  • Eastern Red Bat
  • Hoary Bat
  • Silver-haired Bat

Down-listings of species currently on the SARO List

• 1 species down listed from Threatened to Special Concern:
  • Eastern Whip-poor-will

Species with no change in status

• American Burying Beetle (Extirpated)
• Eastern Tiger Salamander (Extirpated)
• Horned Grebe (Special Concern)
• Northern Bobwhite (Endangered)
• Rusty-patched Bumble Bee (Endangered)
• Spring Blue-eyed Mary (Extirpated)
• Timber Rattlesnake (Extirpated)

Species assessed as Data Deficient

• Provancher’s Fleabane

Species assessment deferred to a future meeting

• American White Pelican (Threatened)
• Black Tern (Special Concern)
• Riverine Clubtail (Endangered)