From regional to national general status assessments

A Canada General Status Rank (Canada rank) was assigned for each species in order to provide a coarse-scale picture of national general status. Canada ranks were assigned by the NGSWG through a review of ranks and associated information from provinces, territories, and ocean regions. In general, where ranks vary across the country, the regional rank that represents the lowest level of risk (excluding ranks of Undetermined, Not Assessed, Exotic or Accidental) was used as the Canada rank. For example, Smooth Greensnake (Opheodrys vernalis) is ranked Undetermined in Prince Edward Island; Sensitive in Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Quebec; and Secure in Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Therefore, Smooth Greensnake received a Canada rank of Secure. However, the geographic distribution of the species was also taken into account so that a region harbouring the majority of a species' range carried more influence in determining the Canada rank, than did a region in which the species was only marginally represented. For example the Barrenground Shrew (Sorex ugyunak) is ranked Sensitive in the Yukon and Undetermined in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut. If the usual guideline was followed, the Canada rank for this species would be Sensitive. However, since only a small portion of this shrew's range is in the Yukon, the Barrenground Shrew was given a Canada rank of Undetermined.

Finally, for species with restricted breeding range (especially shorebirds), status within the breeding range was particularly important in determining the Canada rank. For example, within Canada, the Ruddy Turnstone (Arenaria interpres) breeds primarily on the tundra in northern Nunavut. Here it is ranked Sensitive due to population declines. However, the Ruddy Turnstone is a common migrant in suitable habitat throughout much of southern Canada, and is ranked Secure in every province except Quebec, where it is ranked Sensitive. If the normal procedure of assigning the rank with the lowest level of risk as the Canada rank was followed, the Canada rank would be Secure. However, Ruddy Turnstone received a Canada rank of Sensitive, due to concerns within its breeding range. For more information on this type of exception, please see the taxonomic groups in the results section.