Because of the discretionary nature of the process, in the history of the Wildlife Act only 4 species have ever been designated as threatened or endangered. Listing must be mandatory. Species should be defined broadly to cover all types of plant and animal life, including subspecies and geographically distinct populations. Identification of the habitat of all listed species should be mandatory. The new endangered species law should automatically protect the critical habitat of threatened or endangered species.
Habitat destruction is the number one cause of species decline in Canada.
Effective endangered species legislation depends on mandatory habitat protection. This protection should have priority over other land use legislation and the new law should apply to public and private lands. All projects and activities which may affect listed species or their habitat should undergo advance review, including environmental assessment. The provincial government and each of its ministries should ensure that all provincial policies, programs and actions are consistent with the protection of biodiversity, and in particular of species at risk. Activities which cannot be conducted without adversely affecting threatened or endangered species, or their critical habitat, should not proceed.