Section 1: Context for the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
The 2016–19 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada's sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. In keeping with the objectives of the Act to integrate environmental, social and economic considerations into decision-making, and make such decisions more transparent and accountable to Parliament, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) supports reaching goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in this 2017–2020 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS).
Section 2: Sustainable Development at ISED
The Government recognizes that a clean environment and a strong economy go hand in hand. Canada has always been strengthened by its rich natural resources, and is also set apart by its smart, diverse, and creative population. In Budget 2017, the Government announced the Innovation and Skills Plan, an ambitious effort to make Canada a global centre for innovation and to create a world-leading clean economy. This Plan fundamentally starts with people – it focuses on creating the most skilled, talented, creative and diverse workforce in the world to help to create more good, well-paying jobs, and strengthen and grow the middle class.
The Innovation and Skills Plan is the centre piece of the Government's economic growth strategy, recognizing that a successful, innovative, and clean Canadian economy will have a skilled and diverse workforce that leads the world, strong and globally-competitive businesses, leading-edge research and commercialization, and a thriving investment community that supports innovative Canadian businesses. This is a plan to invest and grow targeted sectors, such as clean technology, and provides significant supports for clean technology research, development, demonstration, and adoption to accelerate the growth of clean technology companies. It recognizes that Canada has an opportunity to be a true global leader in clean technology – creating good jobs for Canadians while helping to meet our climate change goals – and sets clear and ambitious targets to increase the clean technology sector's contribution to Canada's gross domestic product, and increasing the number of clean technology companies in Canada.
Many of the actions announced in Budget 2017 included a strong focus on clean technologies, proposing more than $2.3 billion for clean technology research, development, demonstration, adoption, and commercialization. This includes:
- $1.4 billion in new financing to accelerate the growth of clean technology producers through the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada, with $380 million in equity financing, $570 million in working capital, and approximately $450 million in additional project finance for clean technology producers;
- $400 million over five years to re-capitalize Sustainable Development Technology Canada's SD Tech Fund™ to support projects across Canada to develop and demonstrate new clean technologies that promote clean growth;
- $200 million to support clean technology research, development, demonstration and adoption of clean technology in Canada's natural resource sectors;
- $75 million for the Clean Technology Stream of the Impact Canada Fund to help focus and accelerate efforts toward solving Canada's big challenges such as helping rural and remote communities reduce their reliance on diesel as a power source;
- $229 million to continue research and development activities through core clean energy and clean transportation innovation programming;
- $15 million for an international business development strategy to help Canadian clean technology firms become world leaders and capitalize on growing global market opportunities; and
- $26.5 million to create the Clean Growth Hub and to develop a clean technology data strategy to streamline client services, improve federal program coordination, enable tracking and reporting on clean technology results across government, and connect stakeholders to international markets. The data strategy will also improve knowledge in the private sector and stakeholder communities, and help inform future government decision making.
These initiatives will foster clean growth and clean technologies to ensure economic growth and job creation while facilitating improvements to the environment and reducing the harmful environmental outcomes from the current use of natural resources.
Through the Innovation and Skills Plan, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is taking action to promote sustainability and clean growth in support of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. ISED's support of clean technologies will help position Canada to achieve clean, sustainable and more inclusive growth, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions and generating good, well-paying jobs for Canadians.
ISED's DSDS aligns with and supports progress on seven of the 13 long term goals identified in the FSDS:
- Clean Growth
- Effective Action on Climate Change
- Low Carbon Government
- Clean Energy
- Sustainable Managed Lands and Forests
- Sustainable Food
- Safe and Healthy Communities
FSDS Goal: Clean Growth: The 2016–2019 FSDS is the first time that the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is responsible for an FSDS goal and target. In co-operation with the Minister of Natural Resources Canada, he is responsible for making progress on the FSDS Clean Growth goal and target.
- Long-term goal: A growing clean technology industry in Canada contributes to clean growth and the transition to a low-carbon economy.
- Medium-term target: Implement our Mission Innovation commitment to double federal government investments in clean energy research, development and demonstration, by 2020, from 2015 levels.
Clean technology is any process, good, or service that reduces environmental impacts through: environmental protection activities that prevent, reduce, or eliminate pollution or any other degradation of the environment; resource management activities that result in the more efficient use of natural resources, thus safeguarding against their depletion; or through the use of goods that have been modified or adapted to be significantly less energy or resource intensive than the industry standard.
The current pace of technology development and adoption means that a change in global technology advancement is required to transform the way in which the world produces and consumes energy, as well as other resources. It is understood that a portfolio of technologies is needed, including proven technologies available today and new technologies not yet developed. Canada has the potential to play a key global role in this area, leading the way with companies that innovate, commercialize and successfully perform in domestic and global markets and to spur clean growth, generate new products for export, and create well-paying jobs. In 2012, the global market size for clean technology, broadly defined and produced by all industry sectors, was estimated to be approximately $5.8 trillion, and growing at a rate of over 3% per year. This means there are significant opportunities to create wealth and jobs in Canada by expanding Canadian clean technology exports to meet this increasing international market demand. Doubling Canada's clean technology exports will translate into more jobs and a greater contribution to GDP – a key target recently outlined in the Innovation and Skills Plan.
Canada's support to clean technology development will have an important positive impact on the environment and support progress on achieving a sustainable economy. For Canada to meet its Paris Climate Change Agreement greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction target, as well as realize the economic opportunities of more efficient industrial processes, the awareness and adoption of clean technology by businesses in Canada is also key. Government focus on clean technologies, green infrastructure, and research and development, as described in this FSDS goal and the related targets, will be critical supports for the development and adoption of clean technology, and there is strong recognition that Canada must focus its efforts on technology breakthroughs and strengths in science in order to support sustainable and inclusive economic development.
ISED is taking action to support progress on clean growth and a low carbon economy. ISED is advancing Budget 2017 measures to support clean growth and the development of clean technologies across all sectors of the Canadian economy, such as: the Strategic Innovation Fund to attract and support new high-quality business investments in industries such as clean technology; business-led innovation "superclusters", which will focus on highly innovative producers in industries including clean technology and natural resources; a Clean Growth Hub to streamline client services, improve federal program coordination, enable tracking and reporting on clean technology results across government, and connect industry to international markets; $1.4 billion in new financing to accelerate the growth of clean technology producers through the Business Development Bank of Canada and Export Development Canada; and, $400 million over five years to re-capitalize Sustainable Development Technology Canada's SD Tech Fund™ to support projects across Canada to develop and demonstrate new clean technologies that promote clean growth. ISED's support for clean technology also includes a focus on the scale-up of clean technology small and medium enterprises, as well as the establishment of two new Canada Excellence Research Chairs in sustainable technologies, with government funding of $20 million over eight years, to support research into clean and sustainable technologies.
To help Canadian companies become more innovative and competitive, ISED will also launch six Economic Strategy Tables to identify innovation opportunities and unlock global growth for Canadian companies in areas such as: advanced manufacturing; agri-food; clean technology; digital industries; health/bio-sciences; and clean resources. These tables will set ambitious growth targets for Canadian innovators, identify sector-specific challenges and "bottlenecks" to innovation, and lay out specific strategies to help innovators achieve their targets. The tables will provide a sustained and a "one-stop" dialogue with government and industry partners throughout the economy in order to turn Canadian economic strengths into global advantages.
These initiatives will help Canada be a true global leader – creating good jobs for Canadians while helping to meet our climate change goals, and ensuring a clean and sustainable economy.
Part 3 of ISED's DSDS provides more detail about what the department is doing to make progress on clean growth, which is driven by the department's implementation of its commitments under the Innovation and Skills Plan.
FSDS Goal: Effective action on Climate Change: ISED supported the development, and is active in the implementation, of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. Minister Bains was responsible for the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Working Group on Clean Technology, Innovation and Jobs under the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change, adopted by First Ministers on December 9, 2016. Actions outlined in the Framework include:
- Building early-stage innovation: building the capacity of the clean technology research, development, and demonstration ecosystem to bring technologies to market-readiness;
- Accelerating commercialization and growth: ensuring that entrepreneurs, start-ups and firms have the tools and capital to successfully bring new clean technologies to market and to scale, and to compete globally;
- Fostering greater adoption: developing and implementing measures that encourage the adoption of clean technologies by governments, consumers and industry since positive impacts on the economy and the environment can only be realised if technologies are actually used; and
- Strengthening collaboration and metrics for success: promoting strong and sustained intra- and intergovernmental collaboration to better support clean technology and clean growth, and creating and collecting better data and metrics that demonstrate the effectiveness and success of private- and public-sector initiatives supporting clean technology innovation, commercialization and adoption.
Ongoing implementation of these actions is expected to reduce Canada's GHG emissions and thus support effective action on climate change. As well, many of the clean technology supports being developed and implemented by ISED could also be utilized to adapt to climate change.
FSDS Goal: Low Carbon Government: ISED is committed to reducing the environmental impacts of its key federal government operations, and the department's internal services program activities. ISED manages a fleet of 280 vehicles, and procures goods and services in order to serve Canadians. Over the next three years, ISED will take action to support the transition to a low carbon government and contribute to a more sustainable work place operation. Specifically, ISED will take steps to improve the energy efficiency of its operations, support the reduction of energy use in the department's motor vehicles, integrate environmental considerations into the departmental procurement process, expand the department's reuse program, and develop departmental electronic training products. Through the use of the GCConnex internal website Public Servants Promoting a Greener Environment, ISED will continue to share ideas and collaborate on a wide range of sustainable practices.
Across the portfolio, ISED is looking at opportunities to reduce its footprint. For example, the Department's advanced telecommunications research laboratory, the Communications Research Centre (CRC), is undertaking a portfolio of Health & Safety building retrofit and modernization projects, and incorporating sustainable development best practices. These projects have been designed to meet the Government's sustainability goals. Specifically, energy usage will be reduced with the installation of energy efficient LED lighting and motion sensors in the corridors and offices to ensure lights are only on when an area is occupied. Additionally, CRC is in the process of migrating from a central heating plant to energy efficient stand-alone units for each building, which will improve the efficiency of its energy use. They also have procured an advanced software suite that monitors and manages energy usage (ION System), which will allow CRC to analyse its annual usage and potentially identify efficiencies from year-to-year, as well as eliminated non-essential equipment and replaced aging infrastructure. Finally, CRC is reducing its building footprint by 37%, transferring unneeded buildings to other departments or otherwise disposing of them.
ISED portfolio
The ISED portfolio consists of seventeen federal departments, agencies and crown corporations that, together, are well-positioned to further the Government of Canada's goal of building a knowledge-based, low-carbon economy. The diversity of the ISED portfolio allows it to address the FSDS's goals across many sectors and stages of innovative clean technology development, with regional development agencies, scientific and research organizations, granting councils, and economic regulatory bodies all represented in the portfolio. All of these agencies have extensive contact with Canadian stakeholders and firms. They play important roles in growing the clean technology industry in Canada and securing stakeholder engagement in taking effective action on climate change. Additionally, their operations across Canada afford them the opportunity to lead by example in greening their operations and reducing their carbon footprints.
The industry portfolio is taking important actions to make progress on the clean growth goal and target as well as other FSDS goals and targets. ISED announced a new approach to economic development through innovation aligning the country's six regional development agencies (RDA) including FedNor. Over the next five years, the RDAs will: Invest a total of $1.5 billion to grow and nurture inclusive regional innovation ecosystems; nominate 50 firms across the country to participate in a federal program that will help them grow nationally and internationally; invest $100 million annually across the country in clean technology; and support a total of 250 Indigenous projects as they develop and diversify their economies. The Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency is also working along with the other RDAs to advance clean technology development and adoption in the North. Statistics Canada (StatCan) works on the development of clean technology data which will also improve knowledge in the private sector and stakeholder communities, and help inform future government decision making and ensure that we measure progress in meeting the clean growth goal and target in the FSDS.
The Crown Corporations within ISED's portfolio are also taking important actions to advance sustainability within their operations and in support of the government's clean growth and climate change agendas. Steps have been taken to boost the growth of Canada's clean sector with the aim of fostering the growth of Canadian technologies and companies. This includes $400 million over five years to re-capitalize the Sustainable Development Technology Canada's (SDTC) SD Tech Fund. This allows SDTC to continue de-risking technology development and demonstration of new clean technology projects that promote sustainable development and address climate change, air quality, clean water, and clean soil. Investing in these activities will accelerate the innovation required to bring technologies to market, increasing the competitiveness of Canadian firms and create jobs. The Standards Council of Canada (SCC) has also aligned their activities to support effective action on climate change in the ISED strategy. In support of Government objectives to adapt infrastructure to climate change impacts, the SCC will: develop standards for climate information for use and interpretation of weather data, as well as future climate change projections by design professionals; initiate a program to support the update of a broad range of existing crucial standards to ensure infrastructure projects across Canada are climate-ready; and continue to invest in new standards to support Northern infrastructure.
The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), a Crown corporation member of the ISED portfolio and commercial bank dedicated exclusively to entrepreneurs, supports environmental and social sustainability. BDC's lending to businesses is environmentally responsible and it is guided by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012, BDC's Policy on the Environment, and leading international corporate social responsibility guidelines (i.e., the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and the United Nations Global Compact). Through the Industrial, Clean and Energy (ICE) Technology venture capital fund, BDC invests in Canadian technology-based firms that promote energy efficiencies and enhance resource productivity. The fund supports early and development stage Canadian companies across a number of technology sectors. Further, as part of the $1.4 billion Budget 2017 Cleantech Initiative, BDC will be committing $700 million over three years to support Canadian cleantech companies. BDC also provides financing for social purpose companies, consulting support for energy efficient operations, and financing for LEED buildings and large renewable energy projects. BDC is the only Canadian financial institution to achieve certification as a Beneficial Corporation (B Corp). This required meeting comprehensive standards related to purpose, transparency and accountability that benchmark its economic, social and environmental performance against that of other businesses. BDC joins more than 2200 other B Corp companies across 130 industries in more than 50 countries that aim to use the power of business to solve social and environmental problems. Finally, BDC strives to reduce its operational footprint including recycling and energy use management. In sum, BDC's energy related financing activities address reducing greenhouse gas emissions, one of the goals of the FSDS.
The Canadian Space Agency (CSA), an Industry portfolio member, together with its government and industry partners, continues to support sustainable development through the development and operations of earth observation satellites and related applications and research. By observing the Earth from space, satellite imagery provides essential information on ocean, ice, land environments, and the atmosphere. Earth observation satellites help monitor and protect the environment, manage natural resources, and ensure the safety and security of Canadians. CSA and academic researchers are also working to better understand the mechanisms governing the atmosphere and its interaction with the oceans, the ecosystem and cosmic radiation. This research recognizes that the atmosphere plays a crucial role in the global ecosystem. The work of the CSA therefore supports the following goals of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy – effective action on climate change, healthy coasts and oceans, pristine lakes and rivers, sustainably managed lands and forests, and safe and healthy communities.
Destination Canada (DC) moved to new headquarters in Vancouver, British Columbia in 2015 and since then has implemented sustainability initiatives within their operations. Their consolidated workspaces, eco-sensor LED lights in all office spaces and rooms, new eco-sensor photocopying machines and the overall digital infrastructure virtualization has reduced energy use. Their recycling program accepts organic, recyclable plastics and paper products, and the building has a battery, Styrofoam and electronics recycling program. Bike storage is provided as well as a shower to support the bike-to-work initiative, some staff have flexible working arrangements and work from home, and the Senior Leadership Team has part or all of their transit passes subsidized which helps to reduce the carbon footprint of DC. DC has also moved to paperless Board meetings using a digital solution to conduct meetings and share information. In the years ahead, they will continue searching for new efficiencies by leveraging technologies, simplifying processes and optimizing human resources to advance sustainability.
The National Research Council (NRC) is also undertaking activities under the clean growth, effective action on climate change, and safe and healthy communities for Canadians goals. It is supporting green jobs under the Youth Employment Program and the Industrial Research Assistance Program. It is helping to reduce greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions by developing technical changes to building codes that improve energy efficiency. It is also taking action to improve indoor air quality for Canadians under the Air Quality Management System, including: reducing harmful emissions from building materials; improving indoor air quality; radon control and mitigation; pursuing ventilation improvements; and organizing the Canadian Committee on Indoor Air Quality and Buildings.
The science granting councils are also taking action on sustainable development. The Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) provides funding support to scientists and engineers working in a variety of disciplines in Canadian post-secondary institutions on activities that promote sustainable development. In many cases, these researchers work with partners in industry and government to produce innovative solutions that will support a clean environment, a sustainable economy and a strong middle class, while providing important training opportunities for post-secondary students. In 2016–17, NSERC invested in research in priority areas featured in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, including over $220 million in the priority area of Environmental Sciences and Agriculture and over $150 million in the priority area of Natural Resources and Energy. Some examples of NSERC-supported research networks include the NSERC Smart Net-Zero Energy Buildings Strategic Network and a $1M investment in the development of next generation clean technologies through the Discovery Frontiers program. The Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC) advances environmental sustainability through its support for research at post-secondary institutions and their partners. Projects that they have supported that help advance the goals of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy include research on: water economics, fracking, how public policy can encourage the uptake of "greener" technologies, renewable energy policy, costs of policies to reduce Canada's GHG emissions and promote renewable sources of electricity, improving Canada's coastal economy through protecting coastal ecosystems. Additionally, SSHRC's Imagining Canada's Future initiative set out to identify future challenge areas for Canada in an evolving global context. Following a comprehensive cross-Canada and international consultation process, six future challenge areas as well as four cross-cutting themes were identified as essential for Canadians to address. Several of these areas — 'energy and natural resources', 'global peak population', and 'emerging technologies' — are linked to environmental sustainability and are integrated into SSHRC's programming.
Agenda 2030 and the Sustainable Development Goals
ISED's actions, including those across the portfolio, will help the department contribute to Canada's implementation of the United Nations' Agenda 2030, a fifteen year global framework for sustainable development centred on an ambitious set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and 169 targets. The Agenda envisions a world free of poverty and hunger, with full and productive employment, quality education, universal health coverage, gender equality, and an end to environmental degradation. The SDGs most relevant to the work of ISED are:
- SDG 8: Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
- SDG 9: Promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.
- SDG 12: Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns.
- SDG 13: Take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.
ISED is committed to providing regular updates to its DSDS in order to incorporate new decisions and actions as we monitor our progress and develop new approaches that advance clean growth and action on climate change. The department will report on its progress through established annual departmental reporting processes. Information about the initial commitments that ISED has made to contribute to the 2016–2019 FSDS is outlined in section 3 of the DSDS.
Clean Growth: A growing clean technology industry in Canada contributes to clean growth and the transition to a low-carbon economy
Responsible Minister: Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development and Minister of Natural Resources
Clean Growth – FSDS target: Implement our Mission Innovation commitment to double federal government investments in clean energy research, development and demonstration, by 2020, from 2015 levels.
| FSDS Contributing Action(s) | Corresponding departmental action(s) | Contribution by each departmental action to the FSDS goal and target | Starting point(s) where available, and your choice of performance indicators for departmental actions | Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur |
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Invest in technologies to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Establish a Clean Growth Hub. |
The Clean Growth Hub will be established under Innovation Canada, a newly-announced single-window service, to streamline client services, improve federal program coordination, enable tracking and reporting on clean technology results across government, and connect stakeholders to international markets. In partnership with Natural Resources Canada, ISED will utilize the Clean Growth Hub to ensure an aligned whole-of-government approach to developing and adopting clean technologies. It will lead efforts to enforce consistency across measures and policies on clean growth, collect and disseminate clean technology data, and incent clean technology development through better service for clean technology stakeholders. The Clean Growth Hub will play a central role in achieving Budget 2017's goal of increasing investment in clean technology innovation by business. It will also allow for more transparent and inclusive policy-making on clean technology as the central authority on clean growth policy, working with FPT partners and public stakeholders to include many perspectives in the policy-making process. In this regard, it will also support progress on SDG 9—Promote inclusive and sustainable economic growth and foster innovation. |
Target Indicator:
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Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
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Invest in technologies to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Implement the new Strategic Innovation Fund which retools existing direct business innovation programs which have been part of the SD Strategy in the past: Strategic Aerospace and Defence Initiative, the Technology Demonstration Program, the Automotive Innovation Fund and the Automotive Supplier Innovation Program. |
The Strategic Innovation Fund's support to company-led research and development and commercialization projects, firm expansion and growth, investment attraction and collaborative technology demonstration projects will be opened up to all sectors, including clean tech. While the overall goal of the Fund is to accelerate growth and innovation, applications will be assessed on a variety of factors including environmental benefits. It is anticipated that projects supported by the Fund could contribute, to a certain extent, to the government's broader sustainability objectives through the development of more efficient technologies which enhance the performance of products, reduce reliance on fossil fuels, use additional recycled materials or lead to more efficient manufacturing processes that generate less waste. This could include product and process innovations that would support (either directly or indirectly) clean growth and the reduction of greenhouse gases and pollutants. |
Starting point:
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Industrial Research and Development Financing |
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Invest in technologies to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Support projects across Canada to develop and demonstrate new clean technologies that promote sustainable development, including those that address environmental issues such as climate change, air quality, clean water and clean soil through Sustainable Development Technology Canada's SD Tech Fund. Implement the SD Tech Fund, which invests in the pre-commercial development and demonstration of clean technology innovation that addresses climate change, air quality, clean water and clean soil. See www.sdtec.ca. |
Funding provided under Sustainable Development Technology Canada's SD Tech Fund will help address a critical funding gap in the innovation spectrum, which occurs at the pre-commercial technology development and demonstration stages of the innovation spectrum and is a consequence of market barriers, such as the low level of maturity of new technologies emerging from the research stage coupled with the risk aversion of the financial sector. Pre-commercial development is less attractive to private capital because of the technical uncertainty, long lead time to market, lack of a strong management team, and the size of the investment required to demonstrate a new technology at commercial scale. This flagship program supports the development and pre-commercial demonstration of clean technologies. Eligible projects include those that address environmental issues such as climate change, air quality, clean water and clean soil. Since its launch in 2001, SDTC has invested $928 million in 320 clean technology projects, and leveraged more than $2.45 billion from other project partners, with more than 80 per cent of investments coming from the private sector. Collectively, these investments have created more than 9,200 jobs and are responsible for reducing carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 6.3 megatonnes per year Support the development of technologies that enable GHG emissions reductions and clean air through the SD Tech Fund. Support the development of technologies that enable energy efficiency in commercial buildings, the industrial/manufacturing sector, and the transportation sector through the SD Tech Fund. |
Starting point:
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Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
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Invest in technologies to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Continue to implement the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program on Clean Technology |
NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program, via its Industrial Technology Advisors, works directly with Clean Tech and Clean Energy small and medium sized enterprises, supporting development of new innovations for: renewable energy, emissions monitoring instrumentation, carbon reduction/capture technologies and alternatives, software to reduce emissions, and leading edge innovations such as nuclear fusion reactors and multiple-memory metals. In support of CleanTech, Innovation and Jobs, and Investments in Green Infrastructure, IRAP works with over 970 CleanTech SMEs, ranging from pre-revenue firms with their first product; and supporting access to required resources to commercialize their innovations; to assisting mature firms as they develop their next innovative products. |
Performance indicator(s):
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NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program |
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Work with partners on developing and adopting new technologies to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Implement Innovation Superclusters Initiative (ISI) a new program which aims to invest in the research, development and commercialization of innovative platform technologies and business processes that will have the potential to improve productivity and competitiveness. |
The ISI's investment in superclusters may include support for clean technologies which will advance progress on clean growth. Announced under Budget 2017's Innovation and Skills Plan, the ISI will establish innovation superclusters following a two-stage application process. This initiative will support industry-led consortium which:
Foster a critical mass of growth-oriented firms, and strengthen collaborations between private, academic and public sector organizations pursuing private-sector led innovation and commercial opportunities to enhance the cluster's pool of resources, capabilities and knowledge. |
Performance indicator(s):
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Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
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Work with partners on developing and adopting new technologies to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Implement Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC), a new innovation procurement program which will develop a domestic market for early-stage, pre-commercial innovations |
Under ISC, a portion of funding from federal departments and agencies will be allocated towards early-stage research and development, late-stage prototypes and other goods and services from Canadian innovators and entrepreneurs. In return, the Government will have access to the latest, most innovative products and services—a true win-win for citizens and the businesses that employ them. Budget 2017 proposed to provide up to $50 million, starting in 2017–18, to launch ISC. |
Starting Point: ISC will support the federal government to act as a first customer—to test and validate Canadian technologies, including those related to clean technology that support sustainable growth. Target(s)/performance indicator(s):
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Small Business Research, Financing and Services |
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Work with partners on developing and adopting new technologies to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Continue to Implement Fed Dev Ontario's core program, the Southern Ontario Prosperity Program (SOPP), which includes the following:
The Agency will also continue its delivery of national programs and initiatives, such as the Community Futures Program, in southern Ontario. |
FDO is the regional development agency for southern Ontario. The Agency's SOPP uses an integrated approach that considers economic, social, cultural, and environmental dimensions of development, builds upon the assets and strengths of communities to create an environment where businesses can thrive, and maximizes the sustainability potential of Ontario to succeed in the knowledge-based economy. SOPP funding can support clean technology businesses development, commercialization, research, and clusters of economic activity that drive clean growth and increase the viability and competitiveness of southern Ontario communities, and small and medium-sized enterprises. The Agency's investments have included projects with early-stage businesses and emerging ecosystems, growth oriented companies, and globally competitive anchor firms, with the aim of growing clean tech companies, greening industry and communities, and building clean tech capacity. |
Starting point: Further to the Budget 2016 announcement that RDAs will increase their collective annual support for clean technology to $100 million, FedDev Ontario invested $25 million in clean technology projects in 2016–2017. The Agency is on track to invest approximately $22 million annually in 2017–18 and 2018–19 in clean technology products, processes and services that improve environmental performance in support of sustainable development and clean economic growth Performance Indicators:
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Technological Innovation Business Development Community Economic Development |
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Work with partners on developing and adopting new technologies to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Create two additional Canada Excellence Research Chairs in fields related to clean and sustainable technology |
The Canada Excellence Research Chair program will be used to attract the highest calibre of clean technology researchers and scholars, allowing Canada to stake a position as a world leader in clean technology development. Specific objectives of the program are to:
Contribute to the branding of Canada as a location of choice for world-leading research, science and technology development along with other federal programs with similar objectives. |
Starting point: CERC starting point—0 Performance indicator(s): Number of clean technology CERCs appointed by October 2020 |
Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
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Support voluntary action to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Continue to implement the Expedited Examination of Patent Applications Related to Green Technology through the Canadian Intellectual Property Office |
This program allows technology designed to mitigate environmental damage the opportunity to be examined more quickly, thus allowing the inventors to be in a position to leverage their intellectual property rights and bring their inventions to market. These inventions may be advance clean growth, and have positive effects on the environment, including water, land and air. |
Starting point:
Target(s)/performance indicator(s):
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Marketplace Frameworks and Regulation |
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Support voluntary action to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Continue to Implement FedNor's Northern Ontario Development Program |
The Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) is an organization within ISED. The NODP program supports economic development in Northern Ontario. The objective of the NODP is to promote economic development, economic diversification and growth, job creation, and sustainable, self-reliant communities in Northern Ontario. NODP contributions support the implementation of identified community priorities needed to stimulate economic diversification, business growth and competitiveness, and enhance innovation and productivity. The direct, indirect and induced economic impacts of the NODP are expected to strengthen community capacity, improve business growth and competitiveness, and enhance innovation capacity, ultimately leading to a diverse, viable and sustainable regional economy. In Addition, through program priorities and initiatives, the NODP promotes the development of renewable resources, the development of new products/processes, productivity improvements and clean tech. All these activities align with the Innovation Agenda and support the goals of addressing climate change and advancing clean growth. The NODP is contributing to the RDA target to invest $100 million nationally each year in clean technology. |
Starting point:
Performance indicator(s):
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Community Economic Development |
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Support voluntary action to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Continue to implement the Computers for Schools Program. |
CFS is a national, partnership-based program launched in 1993 and delivered through 12 not-for-profit organizations and one provincial government (Government of Prince Edward Island), which administer the Program under contribution agreements with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. These thirteen program recipients run one or several workshops within their respective jurisdictions, where donated computer equipment is received, refurbished and redistributed. Refurbishment process doubles the useful life of technology; it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, preserves natural resources, and conserves more energy than recycling. CFS is dedicated to preserving the environment and reports annually through the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. |
Starting Point:
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Community Economic Development |
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Support voluntary action to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions |
Continue to support the creation of green jobs, the Technical Work Experience Program as part of the Youth Employment Strategy (YES) |
The Technical Work Experience Program is a companion program to Computers for Schools Program and supports internships in the CFS refurbishment workshops. It contributes to CFS program objectives to preserve the environment and reduce toxic waste. TWEP jobs are considered green because of the role played by CFS as a reuse organization. Reuse doubles the useful life of technology; it also reduces greenhouse gas emissions, preserves natural resources, and conserves more energy than recycling. |
Starting point:
Target(s): 361 in 2017–18; 200 in 2018–19 Performance Indicator: Number of new green jobs created |
Community Economic Development |
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Strengthen skills development in support of the transition to a low-carbon economy |
Implement the Youth Employment Strategy through the National Research Council's Industrial Research Assistance Program |
The NRC Industrial Research Assistance Program delivers a Youth Employment Program Green Jobs Initiative (YEP-Green) as part of the federal Youth Employment Strategy. YEP-Green provides highly qualified youth with career-related work experience, mentoring and coaching to build advanced employment skills. Youth work with SMEs in sectors linked to the green economy or SMEs whose work focuses on producing environmental benefits. |
Target(s)/performance indicator(s):
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National Research Council's Youth Employment Program Youth Employment Program – Green Jobs Initiative. |
Additional departmental sustainable development activities and initiatives
| Activities and initiatives | Starting point(s) where available, and applicable performance indicators for each departmental action | Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur | ||
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Establish a Clean Technology Data Strategy in order to foster innovation, improve knowledge in the private sector and stakeholder communities, and help inform future government decision-making. |
Performance Indicators:
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Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
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Continue to implement the Post-Secondary Institutions Strategic Investment Fund (PSI-SIF) which aims at improving environmental sustainability (SDG 13) of research and innovation related infrastructure at post-secondary institutions and college training infrastructure (SDG 4). PSI-SIF provides up to $2 billion for infrastructure projects at post-secondary institutions to enhance and modernize research and commercialization facilities, as well as industry-relevant training facilities at colleges and polytechnic institutions in Canada. The entire program budget has been allocated at this time. PSI-SIF is working collaboratively with the provincial and territorial jurisdictions to have the approved projects substantially completed by April 30, 2018. To date, 267 projects have been announced. |
Performance indicator(s):
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Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
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Continue to support and promote the integration of corporate social responsibility (CSR) policies and practices into the operations, core business strategies, and global supply chains of Canadian businesses; corporate accountability and transparency practices; and, CSR standards in the Canadian marketplace. The integration of CSR practices can make a positive contribution to the realization of sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12), innovation (SDG 9) and competitiveness. |
Number of firms in Canada that have a green/sustainability strategy in place. Number of Canadian firms producing CSR reports using the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) Standard. |
Internal Services |
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Continue to implement the Prime Minister Awards for Teaching which advances the SD Goal #4 on ensuring a quality education for all. The Prime Minister's Awards for Teaching program honours Canada's pre-eminent ICT teachers and early childhood educators every year through a national competition. The nomination criteria honours educators who encourage youth to become conscious global citizens and to critically consider real world issues. To date, over 1,700 award recipients have been celebrated in their communities and their schools. The program promotes and shares the PMA recipient's exemplary teaching practices in order to replicate excellence in education across the country and help students develop skills needed to excel in a 21st century society and economy. |
Number of PMA recipients that teach in areas related to the environment, climate change and clean growth. |
Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
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Effective Action on Climate Change: A low-carbon economy contributes to limiting global average temperature rise to well below two degrees Celsius and supports efforts to limit the increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius
Responsible Minister: Minister of Environment and Climate Change; supported by a whole-of-government approach to implementation
Effective Action on Climate Change – FSDS target(s): By 2030, reduce Canada's total GHG emissions by 30%, relative to 2005 emission levels
| FSDS Contributing Action(s) | Corresponding departmental action(s) | Contribution by each departmental action to the FSDS goal and target | Starting point(s) where available, and your choice of performance indicators for departmental actions | Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur |
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Work with partners on climate change |
The Standards Council of Canada, a crown corporation member of the Industry portfolio, will continue to work with partners to develop standards for infrastructure to adapt to the effects of climate change. |
Under the Northern Infrastructure Standardization Initiative (NISI), SCC supported the development of five National Standards of Canada to adapt Northern Infrastructure to the effects of climate change. The standards cover permafrost management under new and existing buildings, snow load management, community drainage plans and soil characterization. The NISI program was completed in FY 2016–2017. Going forward and in support of the Government of Canada's objective to adapt infrastructure to climate change impacts and with $11 Million over five years in funding support announced in Budget 2016, SCC is pioneering a new program to help develop standardization guidance on weather data, climate information and climate change projections. SCC will also initiate a program to support the update of a broad range of existing standards to ensure infrastructure across Canada is climate-ready, and will continue to invest in new standards that support Northern infrastructure. These initiatives will help mitigate the need for expensive retrofits and prolong the usability of critical infrastructure, significantly benefiting life quality and safety for Canadians. |
Starting point:
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Standards Council of Canada |
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Support voluntary action to reduce GHG emissions and adapt to climate change |
Support development of Building Codes for effective action on climate change adaptation and resilience. |
The Committees responsible for the National Energy Code for Buildings continue to develop technical changes to improve energy efficiency for buildings. Next Code edition will be published in 2020. While the objective is not GHG reduction, the reduction in energy consumption will contribute to GHG reduction. |
Performance targets for the Energy Code will be a tiered reduction in 2020 to a Net Zero energy consumption by 2025 for new buildings and homes in provinces that adopt the new Codes. |
National Research Council Canadian businesses prosper from innovative technologies Technology Development and Advancement (TD&A) Construction |
Additional departmental sustainable development activities and initiatives
| Activities and initiatives | Starting point(s) where available, and applicable performance indicators for each departmental action | Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur |
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Canada's co-operative sector has a track record of success in providing social, economic and environmental benefits to Canadians. While government programming does not target co-operatives directly, it aims to ensure that co-operatives have equitable access to business supports, and are well-positioned to contribute to economic, social and environmental needs in Canadian communities. As such, the ISED portfolio provides a range of programs and services that support co-ops through start-up, growth and expansion. ISED will continue to advance environmental sustainability through support to co-operatives including those with socio-economic and environmental benefits. This will include identifying and addressing opportunities related to co-operatives and more broadly social innovation. The growth of the co-operative sector across Canada has the potential to have a positive impact on all of the environmental goals of the FSDS, including effective action on climate change and advancing clean growth. Additionally, support to co-operatives will support Canada's progress on Sustainable Development Goal 8 (inclusive and sustainable economic growth and decent work for all), and SD Goal 13 on effective action on climate change. |
Starting point: In 2016, there were a total of 7,791 non-financial co-operatives in Canada. Of that, there are an estimated 89 active Renewable Energy Co-operatives across Canada. |
Community Economic Development. |
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Promote sustainable consumption practices by continuing to work with key partners to ensure that consumers have the information and tools needed to protect their interests. This relates to Goal 12 of the SDGs on sustainable consumption and production. |
Starting point: Data is available starting in 2014–15 on a yearly basis. Performance indicator: Number of visitors accessing consumer information on sustainable consumption on Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada's website and other websites ISED maintains. |
Market Place Frameworks |
Low-Carbon Government: The Government of Canada leads by example by making its operations low-carbon
Responsible Minister: All ministers
Low-Carbon Government – FSDS target(s): Reduce GHG emissions from federal government buildings and fleets by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030, with an aspiration to achieve this reduction by 2025
| FSDS Contributing Action(s) | Corresponding departmental action(s) | Contribution by each departmental action to the FSDS goal and target | Starting point(s) where available, and your choice of performance indicators for departmental actions | Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur |
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Improve the energy efficiency of our buildings/operations |
The Communications Research Centre (CRC), as the steward of the Shirley's Bay Campus, has undertaken a number of health and safety upgrades to campus infrastructure, which include efforts to "green" campus operations, such as:
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The CRC's actions will reduce the demand for energy, which will lead to reductions in GHG emissions. Additionally, the implementation of the energy-monitoring software will allow the CRC to monitor its usage and identify trends and opportunities for future energy efficiencies. |
Data from previous years are unavailable. Measures will be taken to begin tracking for reporting on FY 2017–2018. |
Spectrum, Telecommunications, and the Digital Economy |
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Modernize our fleet |
While supporting Canada's commercial automotive sector, support the reduction of carbon intensity generated from ISED's motor vehicles by continuing to enforce the department's mandatory right sizing exercise, rationalization and leveraging new technology where possible; purchasing more low-emission vehicle options, including zero-emission vehicles, where operationally appropriate; and aligning with government-wide efforts on zero-emission vehicle targets for future fleet acquisitions. |
Actions that reduce the amount of fuel consumed for fleet operation or switch to less GHG intensive sources of fuels will contribute to GHG reductions. Meet or exceed federal targets for zero-emission vehicle purchases. |
Starting point: ISED fleet emissions reported in the baseline year 2005–06 are 1.911 kt CO2e. Performance Indicator: By March 31, 2030 ISED will reduce its Greenhouse Gas Emissions (GHGs) from its motor vehicle fleet by 40% below 2005 baseline. Performance Indicator: By March 31, 2018 ISED will implement mandatory oversight of vehicle planning and acquisition prior to vehicle selection and purchase execution. Performance Indicator: By March 31, 2019 ISED will analyze its fleet operations and examine if there are opportunities to reduce the fleet size through pooling / sharing of vehicles between Sectors to determine if new requirements can be satisfied with existing fleet, (further rationalization). Performance Indicator: Starting in 2019–2020, 100% of ISED's new light-duty administrative fleet purchases will be zero-emission vehicles (where vehicles are available and where operational needs permit). Where ZEVs are not available or suitable for operational needs, new light-duty administrative fleet purchases will be the lower-emissions option. ISED will also examine if there are opportunities to broaden this approach to other ISED fleet purchases. |
Internal Services |
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Support the transition to a low-carbon economy through green procurement |
Promote environmental sustainability by launching the Procurement Process Modernization Initiative. ISED will take action to automate the department's procurement and accounts payable process. |
Green procurement incorporates environmental considerations into purchasing decisions and is expected to motivate suppliers to green their goods, services and supply chain. GHG reductions are one area of consideration in green procurement. |
Starting Point:
Starting Point
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Internal Services |
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Demonstrate innovative technologies |
Utilize the new Innovative Solutions Canada program as an avenue for Government departments to issue challenges around developing a novel technology or service that reduces greenhouse gas emissions from federal government buildings and fleets. |
Help Government departments write challenge statements, promote them to the small business community, and evaluate proposals through the Innovative Solutions Canada secretariat. |
Performance Indicators:
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Small Business Research, Financing and Services |
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Understand climate change impacts and build resilience |
Use the integrated planning and reporting process to ensure programs consider climate change impacts in their planning. Where appropriate, integrate climate change considerations into ISED's corporate risk profile and investment plan (both documents are part of the annual Corporate Plan). Ensure service disruptions are avoided by incorporating climate change considerations and adaptation measures into business continuity planning. |
Factoring climate change considerations where appropriate into planning exercises will allow ISED to identify and understand potential impacts of climate change on its programs and operations, and implement mitigation measures, if necessary. |
Where appropriate, the Corporate Plan (which includes the investment plan and corporate risk profile) incorporates consideration of climate change mitigation and adaptation measures |
Internal Services |
Additional departmental sustainable development activities and initiatives
| Activities and initiatives | Starting point(s) where available, and your choice of performance indicators for departmental actions | Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur |
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Project Re-Use Reduce Recycle: Take action to expand the Project Re-Use program across the department where feasible. |
Starting point(s): Since 2015, ISED implemented Project Re-Use Reduce Recycle in in one facility. Performance Indicator: By March 31, 2018, ISED will conduct a surplus analysis of all major centres across the department; and establish a process where Asset Management is notified of facility closures, moves, retrofits and construction projects. Performance Indicator: By March 31, 2019, ISED will implement Project Re-Use in at least one other facility. Performance Indicator: By March 31, 2020, ISED will implement Project Re-Use in one additional facility. |
Internal Services |
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eLearning: Take action to implement a modernized eLearning tool into the workplace environment in order to reduce the need for travel to training venues and therefore also reduce GHG emissions. |
Performance Indicator: By March 31, 2018, ISED will introduce and pilot the eLearning concept and develop 1 eLearning product. Performance Indicator: By March 31, 2019, ISED will develop 1 additional eLearning products Performance Indicator: By March 31, 2020, ISED will develop 1 additional eLearning products. |
Internal Services |
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ISED leads a GConnex group, Public Servants Promoting a Greener Environment, that is open to federal government employees. The GCConnex group serves as a platform for interdepartmental colleagues to share ideas, discuss and collaborate on activities, best practices and initiatives that promote a greener environment and support sustainable workplace operations. |
Internal Services |
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Video Conferencing ISED has implemented a video conference solution in 12 regional offices across Canada and 6 sites in the NCR. The service allows employees to host/participate in meetings with their peers and also collaborate on projects without having to travel from site to site. |
More NCR and regional sites (up to 9 sites) are being considered for new VC installation |
Internal Services |
Clean Energy: All Canadians have access to affordable, reliable and sustainable energy
Responsible Minister: Minister of Natural Resources
Clean Energy – FSDS target(s): By 2025, contribute to the North American goal of 50% clean power generation
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FSDS Contributing Action(s) |
Corresponding departmental action(s) |
Contribution by each departmental action to the FSDS goal and target |
Starting point(s) where available, and your choice of performance indicators for departmental actions |
Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur |
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Invest in clean energy technologies |
Support the development of technologies through SD Tech Fund that:
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Fund the development and demonstration of new cleantech related clean energy projects and innovations in order to make progress towards sustainable development, including reducing GHG emissions. |
Starting point:
Target(s)/performance indicator(s):
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Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
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Support voluntary action to reduce GHG and air pollutant emissions through clean energy generation and consumption |
Support the development of technologies that enable energy efficiency and decreased environmental footprint in the oil-and-gas sector through SD Tech Fund |
Fund the development and demonstration of new cleantech related to related to the oil and gas sector in order to make progress towards sustainable development. |
Starting point:
Target(s)/performance indicator(s):
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Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
Sustainable Managed Lands and Forests: Lands and forests support biodiversity and provide a variety of ecosystem services for generations to come
Responsible Minister: Minister of Environment and Climate Change; Minister of Natural Resources
Sustainably Managed Lands and Forests – FSDS target(s): Between now and 2020, maintain Canada's annual timber harvest at or below sustainable wood supply levels
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FSDS Contributing Action(s) |
Corresponding departmental action(s) |
Contribution by each departmental action to the FSDS goal and target |
Starting point(s) where available, and your choice of performance indicators for departmental actions |
Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur |
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Build capacity and provide support |
Implement the SD Tech Fund |
Support the development of technologies that enable energy efficiency and decreased environmental footprint in the forest sector |
Starting point:
Target(s)/performance indicator(s):
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Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
Sustainable Food: Innovation and ingenuity contribute to a world-leading agricultural sector and food economy for the benefit of all Canadians
Responsible Minister: Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food; Minister of Health; Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Sustainable Food – FSDS target(s): By 2030, agricultural working landscapes provide a stable or improved level of biodiversity and efficient management towards water and soil quality for food production
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FSDS Contributing Action(s) |
Corresponding departmental action(s) |
Contribution by each departmental action to the FSDS goal and target |
Starting point(s) where available, and your choice of performance indicators for departmental actions |
Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur |
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Promote innovation and sustainable practices |
Support the development of technologies through the SD Tech Fund that:
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Fund the development and demonstration of new clean technology related to agricultural lands in order to make progress towards sustainable development. |
Starting point:
Target(s)/performance indicator(s):
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Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) Science, Technology and Innovation Capacity |
Safe and Healthy Communities: All Canadians live in clean, sustainable communities that contribute to their health and well-being
Responsible Minister: Minister of Environment and Climate Change; Minister of Health
| Additional departmental sustainable development activities and initiatives | Starting point(s) where available, and your choice of performance indicators for departmental actions | Program(s) in which the departmental actions will occur |
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The National Research Council (NRC) will continue to implement the activities for which it is responsible under the Air Quality Management System with respect to indoor air quality. The NRC's work serves to reduce harmful emissions from building materials; improve indoor air quality; control and mitigate radon; and improve ventilation. The NRC also works with the Canadian Committee on Indoor Air Quality and Buildings. |
Level of improvement of indoor air quality and relation to industry standards |
National Research Council |
Section 4. Integrating sustainable development at ISED
At ISED, the successful integration of sustainable development into policies, plans and programs is supported by the use of analytical techniques and management practices that consider and incorporate environmental, social and economic objectives with the aim of advancing economic development and well-being for all Canadians, making progress towards clean growth, and advancing towards a low carbon economy. The analytical techniques most commonly used to inform socio-economic decision-making and manage risk include: discussions at senior management policy and advisory committees; cost-benefit analysis; workshops; risk assessment; and literature and case analysis. The department also uses a variety of policy development tools including gender-based analysis plus (GBA+), and to ensure the effective integration of environment considerations into decision-making, Strategic Environmental assessment (SEA) is the main tool utilized.
A strong management system at ISED also supports the effective integration of sustainable development at the department. The Assistant Deputy Minister of the Strategy and Innovation Policy Sector leads the planning and implementation of the department's contribution to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and to ISED's Sustainable Development Strategy. This role includes advancing sustainable development policies and practices at ISED by guiding, coordinating and monitoring SEA activities across ISED to supporting the strategic integration of environmental considerations into policy development and decision-making. This includes ensuring that the assessment of potential environmental effects is comprehensive and robust and that full consideration is given to potential direct and indirect environmental effects and opportunities to support progress on the FSDS goals and targets, particularly the goals on clean growth and effective action on climate change.
Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
The 2010 Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals requires all departments to align their Strategic Environmental Assessments with the goals and targets of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. ISED's Strategic Environmental Assessment policy complies with requirements of the 2010 Cabinet Directive and the related 2010 Guidelines to the Cabinet Directive. The policy requires that the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy goals and targets be taken into consideration in the ISED decision-making process. In addition, ISED has strengthened the Strategic Environmental Assessment management system to ensure that the policy is effectively implemented across the department and made this available to ISED employees.
ISED's SEA Policy defines a proposal as a Memorandum to Cabinet, a Treasury Board Submission, a regulatory proposal, a budget proposal or any other strategic document seeking Ministerial or Cabinet approval. To support the implementation of the SEA policy, ISED has developed a questionnaire to guide the analysis of environmental considerations for a proposal.
In 2017–18, ISED strengthened the implementation of SEA at the department with the establishment of an SEA Sector Advisor Network. The new SEA Network is comprised of representatives nominated across all sectors at ISED. Its purpose is to strengthen the department's ability to integrate SEA analysis into proposals, including at an early stage of development. The Network will also increase SEA awareness at the sector level and help build capacity at ISED by contributing to the development of tools and knowledge for broader use within the department.
In 2017–18, ISED will incorporate best practices when reporting information on Strategic Environmental Assessments and linking results to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy to ensure that decision-making is transparent and in keeping with the 2010 Cabinet Directive. In particular, ISED will publish in the Departmental Results Report the number of preliminary scans and detailed Strategic Environmental Assessments conducted on an annual basis.
ISED will continue to ensure that its decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets through its SEA process. An SEA for policy, plan or program proposals includes an analysis of the impacts of the given proposal on the environment, including on FSDS goals and targets. Public statements on the results of ISED's assessments are made public when an initiative that has undergone a detailed SEA is announced as required by the Cabinet Directive. The purpose of the public statement is to demonstrate that the environmental effects, including the impacts on achieving the FSDS goals and targets, of the approved policy, plan or program have been considered during proposal development and decision making.