Thank you, Mr. Chair and committee members.
As mentioned, my name is Lisa Young. I'm the director of the conservation strategy branch within the protected areas establishment and conservation directorate.
Thank you for the opportunity to be here today and to share some details concerning Parks Canada's responsibilities related to the Species at Risk Act, also known as SARA.
The minister responsible for Parks Canada is a competent authority under the Species at Risk Act and is competent for over 260 terrestrial and aquatic species at risk that frequent Parks Canada administered places. Parks Canada works in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada for a number of these species, as their range extends beyond Parks Canada administered places. We have a strong species at risk program, and we are in a unique position to support species at risk through taking on-the-ground action in the places the agency administers. Parks Canada works in collaboration with indigenous partners and stakeholders, other government departments and provinces and territories on many elements of this work.
Parks Canada works within the species at risk cycle of assessment, protection, recovery planning, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation to support species and conducts outreach and education activities for visitors and Canadians. The committee may wish to look at Parks Canada's website or YouTube channel for some examples of our work.
While Parks Canada implements and enforces the Species at Risk Act, many of Parks Canada administered places also offer additional protection, such as through the Canada National Parks Act and associated regulations. We develop recovery strategies or management plans for species that occur primarily on the lands and waters that Parks Canada administers, and there is not a backlog for these documents.
Parks Canada is working collaboratively with Environment and Climate Change Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada on recovery documents for species at risk that occur inside and outside Parks Canada administered places and on a variety of guidance and policy documents.
Parks Canada has developed 23 site-based, multispecies action plans that address over 200 SARA-listed species across 55 places administered by Parks Canada. These action plans set population and distribution objectives and identify concrete measures that are required to achieve those objectives.
Since 2018, Parks Canada has invested more than $20 million in implementing SARA recovery actions. These investments address 85 species in 38 places. For instance, Parks Canada has invested in re-establishing genetically pure populations of westslope cutthroat trout in Hidden Lake in Banff National Park. This species is important as it is a native species with specific habitat needs, such as a cold, clean freshwater environment, and for this reason they are considered an indicator species. Their presence shows that habitats and ecosystems are healthy. A four-step approach has occurred and included identifying habitat refuges, removing non-native fish, reintroducing native trout and monitoring for success. As a result of this work, we are seeing westslope cutthroat trout swimming in Hidden Creek for the first time in 50 years.
Following the species at risk requirements, Parks Canada has developed and posted 19 implementation reports describing progress made against delivering its multispecies action plans. As of spring 2023, 76% of the actions called for in Parks Canada's 23 action plans have been implemented, and the work is ongoing.
Parks Canada thanks the commissioner for his reports and is acting on the findings from the report “Follow-up on Recovery of Species at Risk” and the report “Discretionary Powers to Protect Species at Risk”. Parks Canada is on track to address the recommendations, working in collaboration with Environment and Climate Change Canada and with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, as appropriate.
I'd like to thank you again for the opportunity to be here today and to share this information. I am happy to answer any questions.
Thank you.