Species Conservation Act

More than 160 species are protected under the Species Conservation Act (SCA).

The SCA provides:

  • science-based assessment — species are assessed and classified by an independent body based on the best available science, community knowledge and Indigenous traditional knowledge
  • species protection — species classified as extirpated, endangered or threatened that are added to the Protected Species in Ontario List receive legal protection
  • habitat protection — when a species is listed as extirpated, endangered or threatened, its habitat is also protected

Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario

An independent committee of experts considers which species should be listed as at risk. The Committee on the Status of Species at Risk in Ontario (COSSARO) consists of up to 12 members with expertise in scientific disciplines, community knowledge or Indigenous traditional knowledge.

Categories of at-risk status

COSSARO may classify at-risk species into 1 of 5 categories:

  • extinct: no longer lives anywhere in the world
  • extirpated: lives somewhere in the world, and at one time lived in the wild in Ontario, but no longer lives in the wild in Ontario
  • endangered: lives in the wild in Ontario but is facing imminent extinction or extirpation
  • threatened: lives in the wild in Ontario, is not endangered, but is likely to become endangered if steps are not taken to address factors threatening it
  • special concern: lives in the wild in Ontario, is not endangered or threatened, but may become threatened or endangered due to a combination of biological characteristics and identified threats

Visit COSSARO’s website for information on membership, meetings, species assessment reports and how to get involved.

Reports to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

COSSARO communicates its species classification decisions through a report to the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks. Once a report has been received by the minister, it is posted on this page.

Reports include the outcomes of assessment meetings, including the classification of each species assessed and a summary of classification decision rationales.

Protected Species in Ontario List

Once COSSARO submits a report to the minister, the government has discretion on which species classified as extirpated, endangered or threatened are included on the Protected Species in Ontario List.

If the government chooses to add the species to the list, its classification must match the classification assigned to it by COSSARO.

Projects that support the conservation of any species classified in a report by COSSARO are eligible for funding under the Species Conservation Program. This includes both species that are on the Protected Species in Ontario List and those that are not.

Ineligible species

Species classified as special concern are not eligible for inclusion on the list. Additionally, aquatic species and migratory birds that are protected under the federal Species at Risk Act are not eligible for inclusion on the list.

Committee Reports

View past reports to the minister for:

For access to reports not available on Ontario.ca, please contact the COSSARO Secretariat.  

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