In accordance with the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals, a detailed strategic environmental assessment (SEA) was completed for the Technology Demonstration Program (TDP).
The TDP program provides non‐repayable contributions to support large-scale technology demonstration projects in the aerospace, defense, space and security sectors. Although the environment and sustainable development are not explicit objectives of TDP, a long term outcome of the program is to contribute to the achievement of broader environmental and other benefits (technological, economic, social) for Canadians. As TDP supports R&D toward the development of new technologies and innovations, it is likely that these technologies will have positive, direct and indirect, environmental benefits over the longer term such as decreasing greenhouse gas emissions, reducing toxic dispersion and reducing material requirements.
Thus, the TDP is likely to positively advance the following goals and targets of the FSDS:
- Goal 1: Addressing Climate Change; Target 1.1: Climate Change Mitigation: Relative to 2005 emission levels, reduce Canada's total GHG emissions 17% by 2020.
- Goal 5: Biological Resources: Efficient economic and ecological use of resources – Production and consumption of biological resources are sustainable.