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Bill C-232

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2nd Session, 37th Parliament,
51 Elizabeth II, 2002

House of Commons of Canada

BILL C-232

An Act respecting the creation of sanctuaries for endangered species of wildlife

Preamble

Whereas Canada's endangered wildlife are a part of our national heritage and it is essential and for the benefit of all of Canada to take all possible steps to assist them to recover;

Whereas some of our endangered species are rare, endangered or extirpated in other parts of the world which makes their protection in Canada even more essential;

Whereas, in most cases, preservation of suitable habitat is the most important element for the recovery of an endangered species;

And Whereas it is the opinion of Parliament that in many cases suitable habitat may be secured for protection by agreement and voluntary action by the owner of the land, in appropriate cases supported by monetary compensation or the grant of land or an interest in land as compensation, but that it may be necessary to expropriate land in extreme cases and such action should be provided for;

Now, Therefore, Her Majesty, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate and House of Commons of Canada, enacts as follows:

Short title

1. This Act may be cited as the Endangered Species Sanctuaries Act.

Definitions

2. The definitions in this section apply in this Act.

``COSEWIC''
« COSEPAC »

``COSEWIC'' means the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.

``endangered
species''
« espèce en voie de disparition »

``endangered species'' means a species listed in the Schedule that has been prescribed to be an endangered species by order of the Governor in Council on the recommendation of the Minister following a report by COSEWIC, that had a stable population in the past but whose population has now dropped to a level from which it may not recover.

``habitat''
« habitat »

``habitat'' means the natural territory that has the characteristics that will enable a species to maintain its population or to recover.

``Minister''
« ministre »

``Minister'' means the Minister of the Environment.

``recover''
« rétablisseme nt »

``recover'' means return from a level of population at which the species is endangered or threatened to a level of population at which the species is neither endangered nor threatened.

``sanctuary''
« refuge »

``sanctuary'' means land that is habitat for an endangered species that is set aside, pursuant to this Act, to allow the species to recover and be protected from activity that will interfere with the recovery.

``species''
« espèce »

``species'' means any species of animals or plants.

Endangered species recommended

3. (1) Where the Minister has received a report from COSEWIC that states that, on the basis of scientific evidence and opinion, COSEWIC has concluded that a species

    (a) is natural to Canada,

    (b) in the past has had a stable or growing population in Canada,

    (c) has suffered a reduction in population that, if not reversed, may result in extirpation or extinction, and

    (d) may recover its population to a level at which the threat of extirpation or extinction will be reduced or removed if suitable habitat for the species is set aside and protected,

the Minister shall recommend to the Governor in Council that the species be designated as an endangered species.

Recommendat ion - remova l

(2) Where the Minister has received a report from COSEWIC that states that, on the basis of scientific evidence and opinion, COSEWIC has concluded that a species previously designated as an endangered species is no longer an endangered species, the Minister shall recommended to the Governor in Council that the designation be removed.

Designation by Governor in Council

4. (1) The Governor in Council may, pursuant to a recommendation by the Minister under subsection 3(1), order that a species be designated as an endangered species and included in the Schedule.

Deletion

(2) The Governor in Council may, pursuant to a recommendation by the Minister under subsection 3(2), order that a species previously designated as an endangered species have that designation removed and be deleted from the Schedule.

Habitat on federal land

5. Where COSEWIC has made a report to the Minister that a sanctuary is necessary for the protection and recovery of an endangered species and that land specified by COSEWIC would be suitable habitat for the endangered species and the land is federal land, the Minister may in consultation with the minister of the Crown who is responsible for the administration of the land, establish a sanctuary on the land for the purpose of affording the species sufficient habitat in Canada to recover.

Habitat on provincial Crown land

6. (1) Where COSEWIC has made a report to the Minister that a sanctuary is necessary for the protection and recovery of an endangered species and that land specified by COSEWIC would be suitable habitat for the endangered species and the lands is provincial Crown land, the Minister may make an agreement with the province holding title to the land, to establish a sanctuary on the land for the purpose of affording the species sufficient habitat in Canada to recover.

Expropriation

(2) In a case where the Minister is not able to reach an agreement for the purposes of subsection (1), the Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister, declare the establishment of a sanctuary on the land in question to be essential for the endangered species to recover and to be a work for the general benefit of Canada and order that the land or an interest in the land be expropriated or a restrictive covenant placed on the land for the purpose of establishing a sanctuary.

Habitat on private land

7. (1) Where COSEWIC has made a report to the Minister that a sanctuary is necessary for the protection and recovery of an endangered species and that land specified by COSEWIC would be suitable habitat for the endangered species and the land is private land, the Minister shall make an agreement with the owner of the land, to establish a sanctuary on the land for the purpose of affording the species sufficient habitat in Canada to recover.

Expropriation

(2) In a case where the Minister is not able to reach an agreement for the purposes of subsection (1), the Governor in Council may, on the recommendation of the Minister, declare the establishment of a sanctuary on the land in question to be essential for the recovery of the endangered species and order that the land or an interest in the land be expropriated or a restrictive covenant placed on the land for the purpose of establishing a sanctuary.

Compensation

8. Where land is expropriated or a restrictive covenant placed on land under subsection 6(2) or 7(2), the Governor in Council may, by order, authorize a payment or a transfer of federal land or an interest in federal lands to the province or the owner of the land as the Minister recommends is appropriate compensation on the basis of fair market value.

Agreement for sanctuary

9. An agreement for the establishment of a sanctuary under this Act may include the transfer of the land or of an interest in the land by gift, or the placing of a restrictive covenant on the land.

Charitable donation

10. Where an owner of land agrees to donate land or an interest in land or agrees to have a restrictive covenant placed on the land to enable a sanctuary to be established pursuant to an agreement under section 7, the Minister of Finance, on the recommendation of the Minister, may deem the transfer or arrangement to be an ecological gift for the purposes of subsection 118.1(1) of the Income Tax Act.

Minimum interest taken

11. Where it is necessary to expropriate land or an interest in land under this Act, the expropriation shall be the minimum necessary for the establishment of a sanctuary.

Continuing use of land

12. In establishing a sanctuary under section 5, 6, or 7, the Minister may provide for the continuation of previous uses of or interests in the land or the establishment of new uses of or interests in the land if such uses or interests are not likely to interfere with the recovery of the endangered species.

Recognition of owner

13. In establishing a sanctuary under this Act, the Minister may provide for the public recognition of the owner or previous owner of the land.

Sponsorship

14. In establishing a sanctuary under this Act, the Minister may make an agreement for the sponsorship of the sanctuary, by the provision of funding or granting of land, by any person.

Harming potential habitat: offence

15. (1) Every person who harms any land that is a sanctuary or anything on it, harms or destroy any species on it, or introduces any species onto it for the purpose of making the land less effective as a sanctuary, is guilty of an offence.

Penalty

(2) A person who is guilty of an offence under subsection (1) is liable

    (a) on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding five thousand dollars, or

    (b) on indictment to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to a fine not exceeding

      (i) one million dollars, or

      (ii) one thousand dollars for every hectare of land affected by the act on which the indictment is based,

    whichever is the greater sum.

R.S., c. 1 (5th Supp.)

INCOME TAX ACT

16. The portion of the definition ``total ecological gifts'' in subsection 118.1(1) of the Income Tax Act that precedes paragraph (a) is replaced by the following:

``total ecological gifts''
« total des dons de biens écosensibles »

``total ecological gifts'' of an individual for a taxation year means the total of all amounts each of which is the fair market value of a gift (other than a gift the fair market value of which is included in the total cultural gifts of the individual for the year) of land, including a servitude for the use and benefit of a dominant land, a covenant or an easement, that is certified by the Minister of the Environment, or a person designated by that Minister, to be ecologically sensitive land, the conservation and protection of which is, in the opinion of that Minister, or that person, important to the preservation of Canada's environmental heritage, or that is deemed by the Minister of Finance, pursuant to section 10 of the Endangered Species Sanctuary Act to be an ecological gift, which gift was made by the individual in the year or in any of the five immediately preceding taxation years to