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Section 1: Departmental Overview

1.1 Minister's Message

	As Minister of the Environment, I am pleased to present the 2006-2007 Departmental Performance Report for the period ending March 31st, 2007. This document summarizes the achievements of the Strategic Outcomes set out in Environment Canada's 2006-2007 Report on Plans and Priorities. This reporting year was an important one for Environment Canada. The environment remains an important and top-of-mind concern for Canadians and our Government. The good news is that our Government is taking concrete action to deliver on new environmental programs and initiatives such as:
Our Turning the Corner Action Plan to fight climate change and reduce air pollution; $225 million to support sensitive ecosystems and promote land conservation; $110 million to protect Species at Risk; $30 million to conserve and protect the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia; and Canada's Chemicals Management Plan. In order to support the Government's environmental agenda, the department continued to carry out the important scientific research that enables federal programs and policy development within its mandate and jurisdiction. This research is fundamental to providing credible information services to help Canadians make informed decisions about the environment. The data also enabled Environment Canada to make significant progress on strategic outcomes, such as: Addressing climate change; Protecting Canada's natural treasures such as water, wildlife, land and landscapes; and Improving air quality. In fiscal year 2007-2008, we will continue our aggressive efforts to tackle environmental issues of concern to Canadians, both domestically and internationally.  As we move forward to provide a safer, cleaner environment, I would like to take this opportunity to recognize the efforts of the employees of Environment Canada, and thank them for their continued support, dedication, and hard work.

_________________________________

The Honourable John Baird, P.C., M.P.
Minister of the Environment

 

Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2006-2007 Departmental Performance Report (DPR) for Environment Canada.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide for the Preparation of Part III of the 2006-2007 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

• It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat guidance;
• It is based on the department's strategic outcomes and Program Activity Architecture that were approved by the Treasury Board in 2006-2007;
• It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information;
• It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it; and
• It reports finances based on approved numbers from the Estimates and the Public Accounts of Canada.

_____________________________

Michael Horgan
Deputy Minister of the Environment

 

2005–2006 to 2006–2007 Program Activity Architecture (PAA) Crosswalk

Environment Canada received Treasury Board approval to modify its Program Activity Architecture (PAA) for 2006–2007. The table below provides a crosswalk between Environment Canada's 2005–2006 and 2006–2007 Program Activity Architectures.

Environment Canada's 2006–2007 Program Activities ($ millions)	Environment Canada's 2005–2006 Program Activities ($ millions)
	Program Activities	Reduced greenhouse gas emissions	Improved air quality	Reduced risk from toxics and other substances of concern	Biological diversity is conserved	Clean, safe and secure water for people and ecosystems	Priority ecosystems are conserved and restored	Reduced impact of weather and related hazards	Adaptation to environmental changes	Totals
	Biodiversity is conserved and protected	--	--	--	121.9	0.2	3.2	--	--	125.3
	Water is clean, safe and secure	--	--	--	--	54.7	--	--	0.2	54.9
	Canadians adopt approaches that ensure the sustainable use and management of natural capital and working landscapes	--	--	15.9	--	15.6	40.2	--	0.2	71.8
	Improved knowledge and information on weather and environmental conditions influences decision-making	-- --	--	--	--	--		71.3	46.3	117.6
	Canadians are informed of, and respond appropriately to, current and predicted environmental conditions	--	12.2	0.7	--	--	13.5	81.6	43.5	151.6
	Risks posed by pollutants or other harmful or dangerous substances in the environment are reduced	--	68.0	168.3	--	--	--	--	--	236.3
	Canadians adopt sustainable consumption and production approaches	--	10.9	15.7	--	--	--	--	--	26.6
	Net emissions of greenhouse gases are reduced	18.5	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	18.5
	Canadians understand the impacts of climate change and adapt to its effects	--	--	--	--	--	--	--	1.3	1.3
	Subtotal	18.5	91.1	200.7	121.9	70.4	56.8	152.9	91.5	803.9
	Adjustments									34.5
	Total Planned Spending									838.4

*Totals may differ within and between tables due to the rounding of figures.

Summary Information

Reason for Existence: A number of acts and regulations provide the department with its mandate and allow it to carry out its programs. Under the Department of the Environment Act, the powers, duties, and functions of the Minister of the Environment extend to and include matters relating to:

• The preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment, including water, air and soil quality;
• Renewable resources, including migratory birds and other non-domestic flora and fauna;
• Water;
• Meteorology;
• The enforcement of any rules or regulations made by the International Joint Commission relating to boundary waters; and
• Coordination of the policies and programs of the Government of Canada respecting the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment.

Additional authorities are provided in the other acts and regulations administered by the department, including the Species at Risk Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. For details on departmental legislation and regulations, see the Environmental Acts and Regulations website (1).

Resources

($ millions)	Planned Spending	Total Authorities	Actual Spending
Financial Resources	838.4	888.3	868.4

Full Time Equivalents	Planned	Actual	Difference
Human Resources	6,363	6,646	283

Departmental Priorities*

Strategic Outcome: Canada's natural capital is restored, conserved and enhanced.
Priority: Develop and implement innovative strategies, programs and partnerships to ensure that Canada's natural capital is sustained for present and future generations. (Ongoing)
Expected Results	Performance Status	Planned Spending	Actual Spending
Biodiversity is conserved and protected	Long-term / On Track	125.6	143.5
Water is clean, safe and secure	Long-term / On Track	59.7	95.7
Canadians adopt approaches that ensure the sustainable use and management of natural capital and working landscapes	Long-term / On Track	80.9	59.6
Totals		266.2	298.8
Strategic Outcome: Weather and environmental predictions and services reduce risks and contribute to the well-being of Canadians.
Priority: Provide Canadians with world-class meteorological and environmental information, predictions and services to ensure safety and support economic activity. (Ongoing)
Expected Results	Performance Status	Planned Spending	Actual Spending
Improved knowledge and information on weather and environmental conditions influences decision-making	Long-term / On Track	121.8	138.9
Canadians are informed of, and respond appropriately to, current and predicted environmental conditions	Long-term / On Track	151.0	142.1
Totals		272.8	281.0
Strategic Outcome: Canadians and their environment are protected from the effects of pollution and waste.
Priority: Develop and implement innovative strategies, programs and partnerships to protect Canadians and their environment from the effects of harmful substances. (Ongoing)
Expected Results	Performance Status	Planned Spending	Actual Spending
Risks posed by pollutants or other harmful or dangerous substances in the environment are reduced	Long-term / On Track	238.5	229.8
Canadians adopt sustainable consumption and production approaches	Long-term / On Track	26.5	29.7
Totals		265.0	259.5
Strategic Outcome: The impacts of climate change on Canada are reduced.
Priority: Address the long-term challenge of climate change and help Canada adapt to a changing climate. (Ongoing)
Expected Results	Performance Status	Planned Spending	Actual Spending
Net emissions of greenhouse gases are reduced	Long-term / On Track	32.6	24.4
Canadians understand the impacts of climate change and adapt to its effects	Long-term / On Track	1.9	4.8
Totals		34.5	29.2

*All of Environment Canada's departmental priorities contribute to the government-wide economic outcome of a clean and healthy environment.

 

Overall Departmental Performance

Government Context

During fiscal year 2006-2007, the Government of Canada delivered significant new direction on environmental policy and programs.

Advantage Canada(2), released on November 23, 2006 with the Government's Economic and Fiscal Update 2006, stated that "…protecting Canada's environment is central to the Advantage Canada plan and an important source of long-term economic strength for Canada." In particular:

• "A healthier and cleaner environment enriches the quality of life in Canada, and attracts and retains the highly skilled and mobile people we need to succeed in the global economy.
• Responsible development of our natural resources ensures future jobs and wealth creation across the country.
• Energy efficiency and environmentally sustainable business practices are increasingly important competitive advantages for our businesses.
• Canada has the potential to be a leader in the rapidly emerging business of environmental technology."

Budget 2007 invested significant new resources to: clean air and water; reduction of greenhouse gases; and combating climate change, as well as protecting the natural environment. The Budget identified four environmental priorities under the general theme of "A Better Canada: Ensuring a Cleaner, Healthier Environment."

• Cleaner Energy and Better Energy Efficiency
• Promoting Cleaner Transportation
• Protecting Canada's Natural Heritage
• Canada's National Water Strategy

Budget 2007 included new investments in the environment for 20 programs that total $4.5 billion. These include the following:

• $1.5 billion in new funding for the Clean Air and Climate Change Trust Fund;
• $2 billion to support renewable fuel production;
• $385 million to preserve Canada's natural heritage and ecologically sensitive lands;
• $110 million to strengthen the implementation of the Species At Risk Act;
• $93 million for a new National Water Strategy which includes the following:
  • $11 million over two-years to clean-up eight areas of the Great Lakes Basin identified under the Canada-U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement;
  • $5 million over two-years for the International Joint Commission to carry-out a study with the U.S. on the flow of water out of Lake Superior;
  • $12 million over two-years to support the clean-up of Lake Simcoe;
  • $7 million over two-years to support the clean-up of Lake Winnipeg;
  • $19 million over-two years to help clean and protect our oceans and support water pollution prevention, surveillance and enforcement along Canada's coasts; and
  • $39 million over two-years to increase fisheries science research programs.
• $22 million to support a 50% increase in the number of environmental enforcement officers hired; and
• $169 million for rebates for fuel-efficient vehicles.

In April 2007, the Government released Turning the Corner, which takes an integrated approach to reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants. Turning the Corner includes the Regulatory Framework for Air Emissions, which establishes short, medium and long term reduction targets for industrial and other emission and pollution sources that will benefit both the health of Canadians and Canada's environment.

The real reductions in emissions that will be driven by the Government's new regulations, coupled with the impacts of both the non-regulatory actions and ambitious new initiatives being taken by provincial and territorial governments, mean that Canada's greenhouse gas emissions from all sources are expected to begin to decline as early as 2010 and no later than 2012. Thereafter, absolute emissions will continue to decline. The Government is committed to reducing Canada's total emissions of greenhouse gases by 20% by 2020 and by 60% to 70% by 2050.

In support of this ambitious agenda, Environment Canada carried out a wide range of programs and activities and delivered services to Canadians for 2006-2007, to make progress towards the four strategic outcomes within the framework of its Program Activity Architecture (PAA):

• Canada's natural capital is restored, conserved and enhanced;
• Weather and environmental predictions and services reduce risks and contribute to the well-being of Canadians;
• Canadians and their environment are protected from the effects of pollution and waste; and
• The impacts of climate change on Canada are reduced.

Progress and Performance Highlights

The department had identified the following priority areas in its 2006-2007 Report on Plans and Priorities to contribute to its strategic outcomes:

Priority: Reducing Air Pollutants

To follow through on this priority area for 2006-2007, Environment Canada planned to focus on protecting Canadians from the harmful effects of air pollution by introducing new measures to reduce air pollution and achieve tangible reductions in greenhouse gas emissions.

Performance Highlights:

• Environment Canada led the development of Turning the Corner, the regulatory plan that seeks mandatory real reductions in Canada's greenhouse gas emissions and air pollutants. The key element of Turning the Corner is the Regulatory Framework for Industrial Air Emissions;
• Environment Canada supported active Canadian participation in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, G8 discussions, and Gleneagles Dialogue;
• On April 29, 2006, a Notice was published in the Canada Gazette requiring base metal smelters to prepare and implement comprehensive Pollution Prevention Plans and to publicly report on their conformance with an Environmental Code for Practice for Base Metals Smelters and Refineries. Base smelters can release large amounts of pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, which contribute to acid rain, smog and have adverse effects on lakes, soils, forests, plants, and human respiratory systems;
• Air quality related regulations were published in 2006-2007, such as the Marine Spark-Ignition Engine and Off-Road Recreational Vehicle Emissions Regulations, Regulations amending the Ozone-Depleting Substances Regulations, Amendments to Sulphur in Gasoline Regulations, and Regulations Amending the On-Road Vehicle and Engine Emission Regulations;
• In December 2006, the Government took further action to combat climate change by announcing its intent to regulate the use of renewable fuels in Canada;
• The Government also published a variety of reports and studies on air quality, including the National Air Pollutant Surveillance Annual Data Summary for 2004 (NAPS), the Canada-United-States Air Quality Agreement Progress Report, and the Five Year Comprehensive Report on Progress Towards the Canada-Wide Standard for PM and Ozone; and
• Reported the status of greenhouse gas emissions in Canada in the 2006 Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators report and the greenhouse gas inventory prepared for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Priority: Protecting Canadians from Toxic Substances

To follow through on this priority area for 2006-2007, Environment Canada, in partnership with Health Canada, planned to focus on: ensuring that toxic substances are managed in a way that protects the health of Canadians and that of the natural environment; introduce a strategy to strengthen the sound management of chemicals; take action to address the substances that have been found to be the most hazardous; and take measures to reduce the risks that harmful substances pose to the health of Canadians and the environment.

Performance Highlights:

• In September 2006, Canada completed the categorization exercise of its entire inventory of 23,000 "chemicals in commerce" which had not, until now, undergone scientific review;
• On December 8, 2006, the government unveiled Canada's Chemicals Management Plan, which takes immediate action to regulate chemicals that are harmful to human health or the environment. The plan makes Canada a world leader in assessing and regulating chemicals that are used in thousands of industrial and consumer products;
• Announcement of the launch of the Challenge to Industry for the safe management of chemicals, which has already begun with the Gazetting of the first list of 15 priority substances. As part of its Chemicals Management Plan, industry is challenged to provide the government with information about how they are safely managing 200 chemical substances. These substances were identified as high priorities for government action following the world-leading work by Canada on the systematic categorization of legacy chemical substances;
• Completion of the development of a Chemical Substances website (3);
• Environment Canada issued a Pollution Prevention Notice to reduce the amount of mercury released into the environment from scrap cars. Mercury is a highly toxic substance that can cause serious human health and ecological effects; as a result, measures have been introduced to remove mercury from scrap cars before they are recycled; and
• The National Pollutant Release Inventory collected and made public its information on 8,400 industrial facilities regarding their 2005 releases, disposals and recycling of 341 pollutants.

Priority: Ensuring Water Quality and Quantity

To follow through on this priority area for 2006-2007, Environment Canada planned to focus on priority ecosystems such as the Great Lakes and work with provinces, territories and municipalities regarding municipal wastewater.

Performance Highlights:

• Budget 2007 committed $93 million to support a series of initiatives that will help ensure clean and safe water for Canadians. Initiatives include concrete plans that will improve the quality of drinking water, clean up polluted waters, help maintain water levels in the Great Lakes and protect ecosystems;
• Initiation of an Upper Great Lakes study to develop a sustainable outflow regulation plan for Lake Superior;
• Completion of the negotiation of a Canada-Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem, covering the period from 2007-2010. This agreement has renewed a 36-year commitment to Great Lakes protection that includes: cleaning up Areas of Concern, reducing harmful pollutants, improving water quality and conserving fish and wildlife habitat and improving land management practices within the Great Lakes watershed. Two new areas of special focus which will enhance cooperative work in the Great Lakes Basin are: understanding climate change impacts and protecting the Great Lakes as a source of drinking water;
• The Great Lakes Sustainability Fund supported 49 projects in ten Canadian and five Canada-U.S. Joint Areas of Concern. With a total investment of $2.4 million, the projects included: remediation of contaminated sediments; restoration of degraded habitat; and reduction of harmful pollutants in rural and urban wastewater and storm water runoff. These projects contributed to Canada's commitment to restoring environmental use impairments in the most degraded locations within the Great Lakes;
• Environment Canada committed funding over three years to the Lake Winnipeg Research Consortium. The funds will be used to facilitate and coordinate collaborative research and monitoring activities regarding processes that are critical to the health of Lake Winnipeg. In addition, the funds will support the vessel MV Namao in research and educational activities and establish an electronic archive of scientific data and information about the lake; and
• In partnership with the territories, the Water Survey of Canada, within Environment Canada, successfully added seventeen new hydrometric stream gauges in the Baffin Region of Nunavut.

Priority: Supporting Clean Land and Biodiversity

To follow through on this priority area for 2006-2007, Environment Canada planned to focus on: the clean-up of contaminated sites and brownfields; and the adoption of a comprehensive, outcomes based approach to biodiversity (by focusing on eco-systems rather than species-by-species activities).

Performance Highlights:

• In 2006-2007, Environment Canada and the Treasury Board Secretariat approved $75 million under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan Program for the assessment and remediation of more than 2,500 sites across the country;
• As of April 2006, under the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan, 1,371 sites have been assessed and 45 sites have been cleaned up;
• On August 24, 2006, Environment Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans announced the addition of 32 land-based species and ten aquatic species to Schedule 1, the list of Species protected under the Species at Risk Act;
• In October 2006, the Canadian Councils of Resource Ministers approved a Biodiversity Outcomes Framework for Canada. It provides implementation and reporting frameworks for the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy;
• An Ecosystem Approach for Environmental Management was developed in 2006; its objective is to maintain a natural capital system that ensures a perpetual supply of the ecological goods and services, provided by ecosystems, to sustain Canadians' health, economic prosperity and competitiveness;
• The federal government, provinces and territories have developed a National Framework for Species at Risk Conservation to provide a set of common principles, objectives and overarching rules for dealing with species at risk;
• Environment Canada published the Canadian Protected Areas Status Report 2000-2005, which compiled information related to "protected areas network" under the responsibility of federal, provincial and territorial administrations in Canada;
• Under the Ecological Gifts Program, 69 donations of ecologically sensitive land were completed in 2006-2007. This is an addition of 4,575 hectares to privately held land valued at $35 million;
• The Habitat Stewardship Program supported 167 projects totalling $8.9 million to protect and recover priority species at risk, as recommended in the Recovery Strategies;
• On January 18, 2007, Environment Canada and Natural Resources Canada announced a contribution of $2 million towards the restoration of Vancouver's Stanley Park National Historic Site (NHS) of Canada;
• On January 21, 2007, the Government of Canada announced the contribution of $30 million to preserve the Great Bear Rainforest in B.C. for future generations;
• On March 14, 2007, the Government of Canada announced $225 million to conserve and protect ecologically sensitive lands; and
• On March 15, 2007, the Government of Canada announced a contribution of $1 million toward the reforestation of Point Pleasant Park in Halifax. This contribution will ensure the regeneration of the forest's ecosystem and biodiversity for the benefit of current and future generations.

Other Priorities

Science Plan – Science and Technology Strategy

Science provides a foundation for sound policy decisions and actions, as well as improved services to Canadians. Environment Canada has completed its first-ever Science Plan. The Science Plan sets out a clear mission for Environment Canada's science over the next ten years. It enables the Department to deliver the high-quality knowledge, information and data that Canadians need in their daily personal and business decisions and that decision-makers need to ensure the highest quality of environment for Canadians. Significant progress has also been made on a Departmental Technology Plan. The two plans will ultimately be merged into a single comprehensive Science and Technology Plan.

Services to Canadians

During 2006-2007, Environment Canada maintained and improved its essential services to Canadians. For instance, significant improvements were made to the following:

• Departmental Weatheroffice website, the Government of Canada's most popular site;
• Development of the Air Quality Health Index was completed; and
• The accuracy and the scope of traditional weather forecast services were enhanced.

Indicators of Environmental Sustainability

Environment Canada, Statistics Canada and Health Canada are working together to further develop and communicate national environmental indicators of air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and freshwater quality—measuring sticks that can track progress by governments, industries and individuals in protecting and improving the environment. These indicators were first reported in Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) 2005 (4) and have been updated and further developed in the 2006 report. The following includes relevant extracts from the report:

"The air quality indicators reflect the potential for long term exposure of Canadians to ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), key components of smog and two of the most common and harmful air pollutants to which people are exposed. Both the ozone and PM_2.5 indicators are population-weighted estimates of average warm-season concentrations of these pollutants observed at monitoring stations across Canada.

• At the national level, from 1990 to 2004, the ozone indicator showed year-to-year variability, with an average increase of 0.9% per year. Stations in southern Ontario reported the highest levels in the country in 2004 and the most rapid increase since 1990. From 2000 to 2004, the highest levels of PM_2.5 were also reported in southern Ontario, with areas in southern Québec/eastern Ontario also showing high levels. There was no discernible upward or downward trend in PM_2.5 levels at the national level for the 2000 to 2004 period.
• Human activities contributing to air pollution include the use of motor vehicles, fossil fuel combustion for residential and industrial purposes, thermal-electric power generation and wood burning for residential home heating. Air quality is also influenced by the atmospheric transport of pollutants from other regions and by weather conditions.
• Health Canada is researching the feasibility of developing and reporting an integrated environment and health indicator (Air Health Indicator) that would be based on the combined health risks of exposure to several air pollutants, including particulate matter and ozone.

The greenhouse gas emissions indicator tracks the annual releases of the six greenhouse gases that are the major contributors to climate change. The indicator comes directly from the greenhouse gas inventory report prepared by Environment Canada for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change."

The greenhouse gas emissions indicator focuses on total national emissions of greenhouse gases.  Emissions rose 25.3% from 1990 to 2005.  In 2005, emissions were 32.7% above the target to which Canada committed in December 2002 when it ratified the Kyoto Protocol to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change - 6% below the 1990 baseline by the period 2008 to 2012. Thermal-electric power generation, road vehicle use and oil and gas production were the principal sources of the increase in emissions.

"The freshwater quality indicator reports the status of surface freshwater quality at selected monitoring sites across the country, including the Great Lakes and, for the first time in this report, northern Canada. The indicator uses the Water Quality Index, endorsed by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, to summarize the extent to which water quality guidelines for the protection of aquatic life (plants, invertebrates and fish) are exceeded in Canadian rivers and lakes. The focus on protection of aquatic life provides the most broadly based indicator of water quality, best reflecting the level of ecosystem health in freshwater bodies across Canada.

• Freshwater quality: Good-quality fresh water is fundamental to ecosystems, human health and economic performance. Freshwater quality in Canada is under pressure from a range of sources, including agriculture, industrial activity and human settlements; and
• The freshwater quality indicator presented in this report covers the period from 2002 to 2004 and focuses only on the ability of Canada's surface waters to support aquatic life. For the 340 sites selected across southern Canada, water quality was rated as "good" or "excellent" at 44% of sites, "fair" at 34% and "marginal" or "poor" at 22%.

These Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators are designed to supplement traditional social and economic measures, such as employment levels and the Gross Domestic Product, so that Canadians can better understand the relationships that exist among the economy, the environment and human health and well-being. They are intended to assist those in government who are responsible for developing policy and measuring performance, as well as offering all Canadians information about environmental sustainability in Canada."

Indicators of long-term progress in the areas of a clean and healthy environment are also reported in the President of the Treasury Board's annual report to Parliament Canada's Performance: The Government of Canada's Contribution (5). The following indicators were displayed in the 2006 report.

Trend	Indicator	Performance Highlights
▼	Air Quality	At the national level, the population-weighted, warm-season average of ground-level ozone increased 16% from 1990 to 2003. Ground-level ozone is a key component of smog and one of the most harmful air pollutants to which people are exposed. Ozone is an important indicator of air quality, as there are currently no established thresholds below which it does not pose a risk to human health.*
▬	Water use	In 2001, average residential water use per person was 335.0 L per day–an increase of 8.0 L from the lowest rate in 1996, though an improvement over the previous survey results from 1999.
▼	Biodiversity	As of May 2006, the status of 163 species previously determined to be at risk had been reassessed. Of these, the status of 48 species worsened (29.4%), whereas 27 species (16.6%) were determined to be no longer at risk or placed in a lower risk category.
▼	Greenhouse gas emissions	Canadian greenhouse gas emissions increased by 0.6% between 2003 and 2004 and by 26.6% since 1990. The increase in emissions was spurred by economic growth of 47.8% between 1990 and 2004 but was mitigated by an increase in the level of energy efficiency in Canada of 13.6% during that time frame.

*The air quality indicator measures were revised in Canada's Performance 2006 to coincide with the way in which the Government of Canada has measured air quality since December 2005. These measures now reflect trends in Canadians' exposure to ground-level ozone (a key component of smog) rather than average concentrations of air pollutants. They provide a standard for tracking air quality and will serve as an annual measuring stick with which the government and the public can track progress in achieving cleaner air. As other measures of air quality become available, they will be included in future Canada's Performance reports.

Legend:

▲ Trend improving
▬ No definitive trend noted at this time (due to lack of trend data or multiple measures with opposing trends)
▼ Trend declining

 

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