The overall Canadian population of Savannah Sparrow is best monitored by the Breeding Bird Survey (BBS), which samples a large proportion of the range (although not in the far north) and has high precision. The national trend shows an initial decline from the early 1970s to early 1980s, and a second period of decrease beginning in the late 1990s and ongoing. The cumulative population loss is nearly 70%. Trends vary somewhat by region, with very large declines of over 75% in coastal British Columbia, southern Ontario and Quebec, and the Maritimes, but only a moderate decrease in interior British Columbia and little change in the southern Prairies. 

P. s. princeps is not monitored by the BBS but has been the focus of targeted surveys on Sable Island (COSEWIC, 2009, Horn, 2013), which suggest that the population has roughly doubled since 1970.

The national goal for Savannah Sparrow is to increase the population to the level it was at in the early 1970s, based on the Breeding Bird Survey. Trend data show that Savannah Sparrow is far below its goal range and its population decline is ongoing. The trend will need to stabilize before the population can begin to rebound, and it's not realistic for the goal to be met by 2050. Based on analysis of the historical population loss and potential growth rates, the interim target is to reach 40% of the goal by that year. Achieving this target, and ultimately reaching the national goal for this species, will require ambitious and long-term conservation action.

The "Ipswich Sparrow" subspecies (P. s. princeps) has a Management Plan under the Species at Risk Act, which set a goal of maintaining the current abundance of around 6000 individuals of that subspecies (ECCC, 2006). Targeted monitoring of this subspecies indicates it is currently within its goal range.