Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
Symbol of the Government of Canada

ARCHIVED - RPP 2007-2008
Environment Canada


Warning This page has been archived.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived on the Web is for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It has not been altered or updated after the date of archiving. Web pages that are archived on the Web are not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards. As per the Communications Policy of the Government of Canada, you can request alternate formats on the "Contact Us" page.


Table 8: Details on Project Spending


($ millions) Current Estimated Total Cost Forecast Spending to March 31, 2007 Planned Spending 2007–2008 Planned Spending 2008–2009 Planned Spending 2009–2010 Future Years' Spending Requirements
Improved knowledge and information on weather and environmental conditions influences decision-making
Weather station construction, Eureka, Northwest Territories (EPA*)
(project implementation)
14.8 13.0 1.8 -- --  
Hydrometric Program
(project close-out)
10.0 10.0 -- -- --  
Canadian Meteorological Centre – Facility Extension (EPA)
(project implementation)
8.3 8.3 -- -- -- --
Supercomputer Facility Upgrade to Electrical and Cooling Capacity (EPA)
(project implementation)
5.7 0.7 5.0      
Modernization of the Climate Observing Program (EPA) (project implementation) 8.6 8.0 0.6 -- -- --
Uninterruptible power system – Replacement Dorval Facility (project implementation) 9.9 0.2 1.4 6.9 1.4  

*Effective Project Approval (EPA) implies Treasury Board's approval of, and expenditure authorization for, the objectives of the project implementation phase. Sponsoring departments and agencies are to submit for EPA only when the scope of the overall project has been defined and when the estimates have been refined to the substantive level.

Environment Canada's delegated authority is $2.5 million for general projects, $2 million for new technology (with a $5-million replacement limit) and $2.5 million for real property projects.

Table 9: Details on Transfer Payment Programs


1) Name of Transfer Payment Program: Contributions to support environmental and sustainable development initiatives
2) Start Date: August 1999 3) End Date: March 31, 2009
4) Description: The objective of this class contribution is to enable Canadian groups, associations and organizations to become actively involved in environmental and sustainable development initiatives while accommodating regional ecosystem and socio-economic considerations. Contributions enable recipients to plan, manage and complete environmental and sustainable development initiatives at the regional or ecosystem level. This funding also serves to increase awareness and understanding of environmental and sustainable development issues and to encourage environmentally responsible action.
5) Strategic Outcomes and Expected Results:
  • Reduced adverse human impact on the atmosphere and on air quality;
  • Understanding, and prevention or reduction of the environmental and human health threats posed by toxic substances of concern;
  • Conservation of biological diversity;
  • Understanding and reduction of human impacts on the health of ecosystems;
  • Conservation and restoration of priority ecosystems;
  • Reduced impact of weather and related hazards on health, safety and the economy;
  • Adaptation to day-to-day and longer-term changes in atmospheric, hydrological and ice conditions;
  Forecast Spending 2006-2007 Planned Spending 2007-2008 Planned Spending 2008-2009 Planned Spending 2009-2010
Biodiversity is conserved and protected 10.2 11.2 11.4 11.5
Water is clean, safe and secure 0.4 1.4 0.5 0.0
Canadians adopt approaches that ensure the sustainable use and management of natural capital and working landscapes 5.3 2.0 3.4 3.4
Improved knowledge and information on weather and environmental conditions influences decision-making 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1
Canadians are informed of, and respond appropriately to, current and predicted environmental conditions 0.4 2.3 2.2 2.2
Risks to Canadians, their health and their environment posed by toxic and other harmful substances are reduced 2.4 4.2 2.3 2.3
Canadians adopt sustainable consumption and production approaches 0.0 2.7 0.0 0.0
Risks to Canadians, their health and their environment from air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced 0.2 1.1 1.7 2.0
Total Transfer Payment Program 19.2 24.9 21.7 21.7
 
1) Name of Transfer Payment Program: Habitat Stewardship Contribution Program
2) Start Date: August 20, 2000 3) End Date: March 31, 2008
4) Description:
  • Contribute to the recovery of endangered, threatened, and other species of concern, and to prevent other species from becoming a conservation concern, by engaging Canadians in conservation actions to benefit wildlife; and
  • Enable non-government organizations, landowners, the private sector, Aboriginal organizations, educational institutions, community groups, and other levels of government to plan, manage and complete projects that will achieve the program goal.
5) Strategic Outcomes and Expected Results:
  • Supporting habitat projects that benefit species at risk;
  • Enabling Canadians to become actively and concretely involved in stewardship projects for species at risk that will result in tangible, measurable environmental benefits;
  • Improving scientific, sociological, and economic understanding of the role stewardship has as a conservation tool;
  • Securing or protecting important habitat to protect species at risk and support their recovery;
  • Mitigating threats to species at risk caused by human activities; and
  • Achieving measurable results that contribute to Environment Canada's program activities.
  Forecast Spending 2006-2007 Planned Spending 2007-2008 Planned Spending 2008-2009 Planned Spending 2009-2010
Biodiversity is conserved and protected 9.5 9.0 9.0 9.0
Total Transfer Payment Program 9.5 9.0 9.0 9.0
 
1) Name of Transfer Payment Program: Contributions to EcoAction Community Funding Initiative
2) Start Date: 1998 3) End Date: March 31, 2009
4) Description: Provide financial support to non-profit organizations to undertake environmental projects that yield positive, measurable results and increase public capacity and awareness at the community level.
5) Strategic Outcomes and Expected Results:
  • To support and promote environmental improvements by funding community groups undertaking action, outreach and/or capacity building activities that address the following Government of Canada and EC priorities: climate change, nature, water quality and air quality;
  • To lever monetary and voluntary in-kind support for environmental activities which have measurable environmental benefits;
  • To provide Canadians with the tools they need to act on their knowledge and values as individuals and members of communities in support of sustainable development.
  • The successful completion of community-based projects that support action, capacity building and outreach on priority environmental issues at the local and regional levels;
  • Measurable results that are supportive of the Government of Canada's climate change objectives, as detailed in the Climate Change Plan for Canada and the One-Tonne Challenge; and
  • Supporting the implementation of other priority activities in recovery strategies or action plans, where these are in place or under development.
  Forecast Spending 2006-2007 Planned Spending 2007-2008 Planned Spending 2008-2009 Planned Spending 2009-2010
Canadians are informed of, and respond appropriately to, current and predicted environmental conditions 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0
Total Transfer Payment Program 5.0 5.0 5.0 5.0
 
1) Name of Transfer Payment Program: Contributions to Support Canada's International Commitments
2) Start Date: June 1999 3) End Date: March 31, 2009
Description: This class contribution has the following objectives: to ensure that Canadian interests are represented in international forums relating to environmental issues; to sustain and enhance Canada's participation in international multilateral and bilateral environmental organizations, agreements and protocols; to facilitate the participation of developing countries in global environmental and sustainable development issues; and to build, strengthen and maintain Canada's linkages with the international community on global environmental and sustainable development issues.
5) Strategic Outcomes and Expected Results:
  • Reduced adverse human impact on the atmosphere and on air quality;
  • Understanding, and prevention or reduction of the environmental and human health threats posed by toxic substances of concern;
  • Conservation of biological diversity;
  • Understanding and reduction of human impacts on the health of ecosystems;
  • Conservation and restoration of priority ecosystems;
  • Reduced impact of weather and related hazards on health, safety and the economy;
  • Adaptation to day-to-day and longer-term changes in atmospheric, hydrological and ice conditions;
  Forecast Spending 2006-2007 Planned Spending 2007-2008 Planned Spending 2008-2009 Planned Spending 2009-2010
Biodiversity is conserved and protected 0.8 0.3 0.3 0.3
Canadians are informed of, and respond appropriately to, current and predicted environmental conditions 2.1 2.0 2.0 2.0
Risks to Canadians, their health and their environment posed by toxic and other harmful substances are reduced 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Risks to Canadians, their health and their environment from air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced 0.3 6.0 0.5 0.5
Total Contributions 3.3 8.5 3.0 3.0

Table 10: Foundations (Conditional Grants)


1) Name of Foundation: Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences (CFCAS)
2) Start Date: February 2000 3) End Date: 2010 4) Total Funding : $110M
5) Description: To invest strategically in excellent university-based research to: provide relevant science to policy makers; generate better knowledge of climate change and its impacts on the natural environment; provide results to help Canada respond to its international environmental commitments; and ensure a supply of skilled human resources to meet future environmental challenges.
6) Strategic Outcomes:
  • Weather and environmental predictions and services reduce risks and contribute to the well-being of Canadians;
7) Summary of Annual Plans of Recipient

CFCAS supports efforts to:

  • Understand our climate system, high-impact weather, air quality and ocean-atmosphere interactions;
  • Improve weather predictions;
  • Generate skilled human resources;
  • Provide scientific information to support federal policymaking and service delivery.

CFCAS is currently preparing a report to Canadians on the science of climate change. It continues to support projects as well as major group and networked initiatives, stimulate research in priority areas, foster work on the impacts of our changing climate and encourage multidisciplinary research.

CFCAS-funded research is increasing Canada's intellectual resources in climate and atmospheric sciences through training and retention of researchers, helping generate and disseminate relevant new knowledge, increasing the transfer of scientific findings to stakeholders and raising Canada's scientific profile internationally. Benefits include better information to support policy development, improved operational forecasting, better adaptation to climate changes and more effective management of climate-related risks.

8) Planned Audits and Evaluations
9) URL to Recipient Site: http://www.cfcas.org/index-eng.html
 
1) Name of Foundation: Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC)
2) Start Date: March 26, 2001 3) End Date: June 30, 2015 4) Total Funding : $550M*
5) Description: To stimulate the development and demonstration of Canadian technologies aimed at climate change, clean air, clean water and clean soil.
6) Strategic Outcomes:
  • Canadians and their environment are protected from the effects of pollution and waste;
7) Summary of Annual Plans of Recipient

As of July 2006 (last funding announcement), SDTC had completed eight funding rounds and allocated a total of $217 million to 97 projects. That amount will be leveraged with an additional $560 million in contribution from private and public project partners, for a total project value of $777 million. Of those contributions, some 60 percent will come from private sources. According to SDTC, the projects it has funded sicne 2002 have an estimated potential to reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 12.5 megatonnes by the end of 2010.

SDTC holds two rounds of funding each year (January and August), initially requesting Statements of Interest (SOI) from applicants. Contract announcements are made about nine months after the acceptance of SOIs. In 2006 and 2007, funding allocations are targeted at $100M and $106M respectively with annual project disbursement payments projected to be $49M and $79M.

SDTC publishes a corporate plan in November of each year which describes plans for the current year and provides a forecast for the following year. It includes a disbursement plan, planned administration expenditures, objectives and proposed actions, an investment update, operating strategy, and performance expectations. The SDTC Annual Report and a summary of the corporate plan are tabled in the House of Commons by the Minister of Natural Resources Canada (NRCan), usually in July-August. http://www.sdtc.ca/en/news/Executive_Summary-2007.pdf

8) Planned Audits and Evaluations: Planned Audits and Evaluations:

SDTC has completed its first interim evaluation for operations ending December 31, 2005, the results of which are posted on SDTC's web site (http://www.sdtc.ca/en/news/Interim_Evaluation_Report.pdf). A second interim evaluation will be due in 2009 or after two-thirds of the funds have been committed, whichever comes first.

9) URL to Recipient Site: http://www.sdtc.ca/en/
* EC's share is $275M
 
1) Name of Foundation: Federation of Canadian Municipalities' (FCM) Green Municipal Fund (GMF) formerly known as the Green Municipal Enabling Fund (GMEF) and the Green Municipal Investment Fund (GMIF)
2) Start Date: February 2000 3) End Date: In perpetuity 4) Total Funding : $550M*
5) Description:

The intent of the GMF is to encourage investment in environmental municipal infrastructure. Specifically, the priorities of the fund are to have a positive impact on the health and the quality of life of Canadians by reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improving local air, water and soil quality and promoting renewable energy by supporting environmental studies and projects within the municipal sector.

The GMF is equally co-funded by NRCan and Environment Canada (EC) who manage the fund at arms' length creating a strong partnership between the FCM and the Government of Canada. The FCM Board of Directors, formally designated as the decision-making body for the funds, is advised by a 15-member council with five federal appointees. The Council plays a key role, supported by the FCM secretariat and the GMF Peer Review Committee.

Created in Budget 2000 with an endowment of $125M, the Green Municipal Funds were doubled in Budget 2002 with an additional $125M, consisting of the GMEF and the GMIF.

The $50M GMEF has provided grants to support feasibility studies to increase municipal expertise and knowledge of leading-edge environmental technologies and practices. The $200M GMIF has provided loans and loan guarantees to leverage municipal investment in innovative environmental infrastructure projects.

Budget 2005 announced $300M of additional funding to the GMF in fiscal year 2004-2005.

With Budget 2005, the GMEF and GMIF were merged into one fund known as the Green Municipal Fund (GMF), combining the $250M from the old GMF with the new $300M into a revolving fund. This fund supports grants, loans and loan guarantees and is consistent with the purpose and intent of the original agreements. $150 million dollars of this fund is to be used exclusively to provide loans for the clean-up and redevelopment of brownfields.

The amount of GMF financing available to municipalities is directly related to the environmental benefits and/or innovation of the projects undertaken, with grant/loan combinations of up to 80% of eligible costs available for projects with exceptional environmental benefits.

6) Strategic Outcomes:
  • Canadians and their environment are protected from the effects of pollution and waste;
7) Summary of Annual Plans of Recipient

In accordance with the agreement, the FCM submits their annual statement of plans and objectives to the Minister at the end of each fiscal year.

8) Planned Audits and Evaluations:
9) URL to Recipient Site: http://www.fcm.ca/english/gmf/gmf.html
* EC's share is $275M
 
1) Name of Foundation: Clayoquot Biosphere Trust
2) Start Date: February 2000 3) End Date: In perpetuity 4) Total Funding: $12M
5) Description: To create an endowment fund for the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust (CBT) – the cornerstone of the Clayoquot Sound UNESCO Biosphere Reserve. The CBT will use the income from the endowment fund to support local research, education and training in the Biosphere Reserve region.
6) Strategic Outcomes:
  • Canada's natural capital is restored, conserved and enhanced;
7) Summary of Annual Plans of Recipient
  • Establish and implement technical committees in marine/aquatic, terrestrial, education and community development to provide support and recommendations for approval of community-based initiatives.
  • Improve outreach to communities to facilitate better understanding and participation in the work of the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust.
  • Maintain current funding initiatives and explore other funding sources to maximize community benefit through educational scholarships, project funding, and collaborative partnerships.
  • Pursue targeted initiatives and partnerships to provide significant community benefit and provide opportunity to develop collaborative ventures
8) Planned Audits and Evaluations:
9) URL to Recipient Site: http://www.clayoquotbiosphere.org/

Table 11: Horizontal Initiatives

Over the next three years, Environment Canada will be involved in the following horizontal initiatives either as the lead or as a partner:

2007–2008

  1. Canadian Biotechnology Strategy
  2. Canadian Group on Earth Observation
  3. Canadian Rural Partnership
  4. Clean Air and Climate Change
  5. Ecosystem Initiatives
  6. Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan
  7. Implementation of the Species at Risk Act
  8. Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative
  9. Toxic Substances
  10. Youth Employment Strategy

Horizontal Initiative: Canadian Group on Earth Observation
Core Department(s): Agriculture and Agri-food Canada, Canadian Space Agency, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Natural Resources Canada, Public Safety Canada
Start Date: 2003
Description: The Group on Earth Observations (GEO) was established following the Earth Observation Summit on July 31, 2003. This initiative was led by the United States to promote the development of a comprehensive, coordinated and sustainable Earth Observation System(s) among governments and the international community to improve our ability to understand and address global environmental and economic challenges. The Canadian Group Earth Observations (CGEO) is part of Canada's contribution to this initiative.
Shared Outcome(s):
  • Reducing loss of life and property from natural and technological disasters
  • Understanding environmental factors affecting human health and well being
  • Improving management of energy resources
  • Understanding, assessing, predicting, mitigating and adapting to climate variability and change
  • Improving water resource management through better understanding of the water cycle
  • Improving weather information, forecasting and warning
  • Improving the management and protection of terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems
  • Supporting sustainable agriculture and combating desertification
  • Understanding, monitoring and conserving biodiversity
Governance Structure(s): A Canadian interdepartmental committee has been struck that mirrors the GEO structure with five Canadian Technical Groups with representatives from combinations of five core departments (AAFC, CSA, DFO, EC, NRCan). Industry Canada, Health Canada and Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada have also made significant contributions to the efforts. The full complement of participants is evolving and we have seen numbers grow and the diversity of membership expand since the summit. established five subgroups to address Architecture, Capacity Building, Data Utilization, International Cooperation, and User Requirements and Outreach. 
Federal Partners:
  • Agriculture and Agri-food Canada
  • Canadian Space Agency
  • Environment Canada
  • Fisheries and Oceans
  • Foreign Affairs and International Trade
  • Natural Resources Canada
  • , Public Safety Canada
For further information: http://www.cgeo-gcot.gc.ca/main-eng.htm


Horizontal Initiative: An Accelerated Action Plan for Federal Contaminated Sites – FCSAAP.  (succeeded by the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP), approved March 2005)
Lead Department(s): Environment Canada, Treasury Board Secretariat
Start Date: April 1, 2003 (FCSAP in effect since April 2005)
End Date: FCSAAP funding to March 31, 2008.  Replaced by FCSAP in April 2005 which is expected to be 12-15-years.  Currently funding has been approved until March 31, 2010
Total Funding: Total Funding Allocated: for both FCSAAP and FCSAP $1,629.1M
Description: The Federal Contaminated Sites Accelerated Action Plan (FCSAAP) and its successor program, the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP) provide a long-term mechanism to address federal contaminated sites having the highest human health and ecological risks.  At the end of March 2004, federal contaminated sites represented a financial liability of about $3.5 billion.  Although responsibility for the actual management and remediation of federal contaminated sites rests with responsible custodial departments, the overall program is administered jointly by Environment Canada and Treasury Board Secretariat.
Shared Outcome(s): Reduce federal financial liability and risks to human health and the environment, including fish habitat. Increase public confidence in the overall management of federal real property through the effective risk management/remediation of individual federal contaminated sites.
Governance Structure(s) for FCSAAP and its successor program, FCSAP: FCS ADM Steering Committee is supported by the Contaminated Sites Management Working Group and the FCSAP Secretariat (EC), which provides overall program coordination. 
Federal Partners:
Federal Partners Total Approved (2003-2010) Planned Spending for 2006-2007 Expected Results for 2006-2007
Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada 2,022,249 446,000 Remediation/risk management at one project. Assessment of approximately 40 sites.*
Canada Border Services Agency 1,013,544 214,320 Remediation/risk management at one project.
Canadian Food Inspection Agency 183,783 0  
Correctional Service of Canada 2,165,850 247,670 Remediation/risk management at two projects.  Assessment of 5 sites.*
Environment Canada 88,937,799 (includes secretariat, expert support, and Environment Canada project funds) 11,955,095

Provision of scientific and technical advice to custodial departments, with respect to the ecological risk evaluation of federal contaminated sites.

Provision of ecological risk assessment training and guidance.

Clerical and administration of ADM Steering committee and CSMWG, administers non-financial aspects of the program including management of project selection process, and development and maintenance of secure website and reporting.

Remediation/risk management at 6 projects. Assessment of approximately 120 sites.*

Department of Fisheries and Oceans 46,325,069 (includes expert support and Fisheries and Oceans project funds) 12,882,103

Provision of scientific and technical advice to custodial departments, with respect to the risk management of federal contaminated sites.

Participation in the project submission process including review of information provided by departments and provision of fish habitat portion of ecological risk evaluation score.

Remediation/risk management at 88 projects. Assessment of up to 734 sites.*

Health Canada 43,869,533 (includes expert support and Heath Canada project funds) 6,723,032

Provision of scientific and technical advice to custodial departments, with respect to the human health risk management of federal contaminated sites.

Provision of human health risk assessment training and guidance.

Participation in the project submission process including review of human health related information provided by departments and provision of human health risk score.

Remediation/risk management at 5 projects. Assessment of 12 sites.

Department of Indian and Northern Affairs 372,103,356 102,023,357

Northern Affairs – Care and maintenance of 9 abandoned mines and 1 staging area. Remediation/risk management at 14 projects. Assessment of approximately 40 sites.*

Indian and Inuit Affairs – Remediation/risk management at 27 projects. Assessment of approximately 30 sites.*

Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. 202,000 130,000 Assessment of two sites.
Department of National Defence 298,843,843 46,048,078 Remediation/risk management at 29 projects. Assessment of approximately 140 sites.*
Natural Resources Canada 1,129,000 306,000 Assessment of 6 sites.*
National Capital Commission 225,000 225,000 Assessment of 15 sites.*
Parks Canada Agency 6,848,240 2,087,796 Remediation/risk management at 6 projects. Assessment of approximately 40 sites.*
Public Works and Government Services 11,926,834 (includes expert support and PWGSC project funds) 3,974,296

Remediation/risk management at 7 projects. Assessment of approximately 20 sites.*

Development of project management tools, the dissemination of information on innovative technologies and technologies used at individual projects.

Royal Canadian Mounted Police 4,148,980 2,150,041 Remediation/risk management at 3 projects. Assessment of approximately 125 sites.*
Transport Canada 47,942,218 16,270,313 Remediation/risk management at 11 projects. Assessment of approximately 15 sites.*
Treasury Board Secretariat 2,266,971 482,083 Ensures consistency with Treasury Board policies on management of federal contaminated sites, reviews financial aspects of proposals, administers fund and advises EC on monitoring of government-wide progress.
Unallocated Program Management Resources 1,000,000 ($500,000 in each of 2008-2009 and 2009-2010) 0  
Accommodation Charges 7,117,071 1,304,029  
TOTAL 1,121,671 128 207,509,213  
*The assessment process includes the first five steps of the 10-step process for addressing a contaminated site as described in A Federal Approach to Contaminated Sites (2000), i.e. identification, historical review, initial testing, classification, and detailed testing.


Horizontal Initiative: Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem Initiative
Lead Department(s): Environment Canada
Start Date: April 1, 2005
End Date: March 31, 2010
Total Funding: $40 million over five years
Description of the Horizontal Initiative (including funding agreement): The Federal Great Lakes Program is a model of horizontal integration.  Its purpose is to ensure Canada's commitments under the Canada–United States Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement (GLWQA) are met, and to ensure a healthy Great Lakes environment.  The program was first launched in 1989 as the Great Lakes Action Plan Phase I, which has been renewed twice (in 1994 and 2000) and extended in March 2005 (as the 2005-2010 Great Lakes Action Plan for Areas of Concern).  The Federal Great Lakes Program is led by Environment Canada and currently engages seven other federal departments or agencies and provides the federal focal point for cooperation with both Ontario and the United States at the federal and state levels.  The Canada–Ontario Agreement Respecting the Great Lakes Basin Ecosystem (COA) is the mechanism used to harmonize objectives and coordinate actions between federal and provincial departments, while the Binational Executive Committee brings together federal, state and provincial departments from Canada and the United States to plan and manage initiatives developed pursuant to the GLWQA which require binational coordination.  The ecosystem approach employed to restore and maintain environmental quality in the Great Lakes Basin and the binational and multi-jurisdictional nature of the resource require a high degree of horizontal integration of science, policy and program implementation, provided for through the Federal Great Lakes Program.
Shared Outcome(s): Through the leadership and horizontal coordination provided by Great Lakes Program, federal departments, provincial ministries and U.S. federal and state agencies are united around a shared, results-based agenda and a vision for a healthy and prosperous Great Lakes Basin ecosystem.  Shared outcomes include a healthy environment, healthy citizens and sustainable communities.

Governance Structure(s): The current Great Lakes Program is a partnership of seven Government of Canada departments and one agency: Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Health Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Parks Canada Agency, Public Works and Government Services Canada, and Transport Canada.

Together with other stakeholders, they have established a shared vision of a healthy, prosperous and sustainable Great Lakes Basin ecosystem.  The Government of Canada's role in achieving this vision is one of leadership, stewardship and working cooperatively with partners to ensure past and present environmental problems are addressed and future problems prevented.

Funding for the Government of Canada's Great Lakes Program was renewed in 2005 as the 2005-2010 Great Lakes Action Plan for Areas of Concern.  The initiative consists of $40 million over five years ($8 million per year) targeted at continuing the environmental restoration of key aquatic Areas of Concern (AOC) identified under the Canada–U.S. Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement.  In addition, it is estimated that the department will contribute an additional $40-50 million over five years ($8-10 million per year) in support of Great Lakes work.

Ontario is a key partner in conserving and protecting human health and environmental quality in the Great Lakes Basin.  It is an essential partner in ensuring that Canada's commitments under the GLWQA are met.  The provincial Ministries of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs; the Environment; and Natural Resources along with the eight federal departments or agencies are signatories to the COA, which provides the framework for coordinated, cooperative and integrated efforts in the Basin.  First signed in 1971, the Agreement has undergone a series of renewals, the most recent being in the spring of 2002.  The current COA expires in March 2007.  Canada and Ontario launched a formal review of the current COA in fall 2005 to assess how the current Agreement has worked and how well it has been implemented.  Both governments are working toward formalizing another renewed COA in 2007.

The Great Lakes Executive Committee (GLEC) is the senior federal management body within the Canadian Federal Great Lakes Program. It is responsible for ensuring that Canada's commitments under the GLWQA are met through the effective and efficient delivery of the Great Lakes Program.  The role of GLEC is to: approve strategic directions and priorities for the Great Lakes Program; coordinate federal positions, strategies and initiatives in support of binational activities and discussions, and establish direction for and review of annual spending of the Great Lakes Sustainability Fund.

Federal Partners:
  • Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
  • Environment Canada
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Health Canada
  • Natural Resources Canada
  • Parks Canada Agency
  • Public Works and Government Services Canada
  • Transport Canada.
For further information: http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/greatlakes/default.asp
Contact: Alison Kennedy, A/Manager (416) 739-5913


Horizontal Initiative: Implementation of the Species at Risk Act
Lead Department(s): Environment Canada
Start Date: 2000
End Date: ongoing (a Treasury Board submission must be prepared to secure funding for 2007-2008 and beyond)
Total Funding: $438,000,000
Description: This Horizontal Initiative supports the development and implementation of the National Strategy for the Protection of Species at Risk and the Species at Risk Act (SARA) that came fully into force in June 2004. Environment Canada (EC), Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Parks Canada Agency (PCA) are the departments/agency responsible for the protection of species at risk under federal jurisdiction. The three departments received funds from Treasury Board in 2000 for the "Implementation of the National Strategy for the Protection of Species at Risk and their Critical Habitat" and in 2003 for "Implementation of the Act respecting the protection of wildlife species at risk in Canada". 
Shared Outcome(s): Implementation of SARA, species at risk protected, biodiversity protected.
Governance Structure(s): CESCC (Canadian Endangered Species Conservation Council - F/P/T Ministers responsible for wildlife); Canadian Wildlife Deputy Ministers; CWDC (Canadian Wildlife Directors Committee - F/P/T Directors responsible for wildlife); ADMs Committee (EC, DFO, PCA); Director General Operations Committee (EC, DFO, PCA and others).
Federal Partners:
  • Environment Canada
  • Fisheries and Oceans Canada
  • Parks Canada Agency
Federal Partners Names of Programs Total Allocation Planned Spending for 2006-2007 Expected Results for 2006-2007
Environment Canada Environment Canada Species at Risk Program 283,844,000 46,879,000
  • General administration of SARA;
  • Report to Parliament;
  • Minister’s Roundtable;
  • Policy development;
  •  Management of Listing process;
  • Preparation of Ministerial Response Statements;
  • Bilateral agreements;
  • Consultations on listing and recovery strategies;
  • Regulatory amendments;
  • 5 year report on wildlife
  • Preparation of recovery strategies;
  • Management response to preliminary evaluation of SARA;
  • Preparation of MC and TB submission;
  • Development of outreach material
  • SARA enforcement and compliance promotion
Fisheries and Oceans Canada Fisheries and Oceans Species at Risk Program 103,219,000 17,826,000
Parks Canada Agency Parks Canada Species at Risk Program 50,937,000 10,295,000
Contact: Yanik Perigny, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, (819) 956-5975
For further information: http://www.speciesatrisk.gc.ca/default_e.cfm

For further information on the above-mentioned horizontal initiatives, see: http://www.tbs-sct.gc.ca/rma/eppi-ibdrp/hrdb-rhbd/profil-eng.asp.

Table 12: 2007–2009 Sustainable Development Strategy

Environment Canada's Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) 2007–2009 highlights for Canadians key commitments that the Department will undertake over the next three years to strengthen the integration of sustainable development in the planning and delivery of our strategic outcomes. Commitments in the SDS focus on two key aspects of Environment Canada's approach to sustainable development: strengthening the Department's capacity to integrate social and economic considerations into our decision-making processes; and continuing to provide the environmental information, programs and services that enable Canadians to better integrate the true value of the environment into their decision-making. The SDS is aligned along four goals:

  1. Canadians and their environment are protected from the effects of pollution and waste in support of a sustainable economy.
  2. Weather and environmental predictions and services reduce risks and contribute to the well-being of Canadians.
  3. Canada's natural capital is managed to protect and enhance its capacity to provide ecological goods and services that provide enduring social and economic benefits.
  4. Strengthened integrated decision-making in the delivery of departmental strategic outcomes.

Each goal is supported by intermediate and shorter-term outcomes as outlined in the logic model that follows. In support of the SDS, Environment Canada is also developing a set of performance measures that will better enable the Department to assess how well the objectives of the SDS are being met.

The SDS 2007–2009 also highlights Environment Canada's commitment to the coordinated federal approach for the fourth round of departmental sustainable development strategies. This was a government-wide initiative, led by Environment Canada, to strengthen coherence and accountability across departmental sustainable development strategies.

This collaborative effort resulted in a document, Coordinating the Fourth Round of Departmental Sustainable Development Strategies, that included a set of six common federal sustainable development goals: clean and secure water for people, marine and freshwater ecosystems; clean air for people to breathe and ecosystems to function well; reduce greenhouse gas emissions; communities enjoy a prosperous economy, a vibrant and equitable society, and a healthy environment for current and future generations; sustainable development and use of natural resources; and strengthen federal governance and decision-making to support sustainable development.

Each commitment in Environment Canada's SDS is tagged to one or more federal sustainable development goals. Action to deliver on Environment Canada's SDS commitments over the three-year time period of the Strategy will concurrently advance departmental and federal goals. In addition, under the Department's responsibility to provide leadership, guidance and coordination of the federal SDS process, Environment Canada will explore options to promote greater government-wide coherence and effectiveness in achieving sustainable development.

Environment Canada's SDS 2007–2009 is available at http://www.ec.gc.ca/sd-dd_consult/SDS2007/index_e.cfm.

Sustainable Development Strategy Logic Model

Table 13: Internal Audits and Evaluations

The Audit and Evaluation Plan for 2007–2008 to 2009–2010 is being developed for consideration by the Departmental Audit and Evaluation Committee (DAEC) in April 2007. Once approved by DAEC, the plan will be posted on Environment Canada's website at the following address: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ae-ve/.

The following table provides a list of all evaluation projects and internal audit engagements completed in 2006–2007, those currently in progress and expected to be completed in 2007–2008 and those already planned for 2007–2008 in last year's Audit and Evaluation Plan. Note that the list of projects planned for 2007–2008 may change in the context of the audit and evaluation planning process for 2007–2008.


Name of Internal Audit/Evaluation Status Expected Completion Date
Co-location of Science Research Centres on University Campuses Completed – May 2006  
Federal Species at Risk Programs Completed – July 2006  
One-Tonne Challenge Program Completed – July 2006  
Pilot Emission Removals, Reductions and Learnings (PERRL) Initiative Completed – July 2006  
Opportunities Envelope Completed – July 2006  
Intellectual Property Management Completed – July 2006  
Bilateral Cooperation Program under the Multilateral Fund of the Montreal Protocol Completed – February 2007  
Building Public Confidence in Pesticide Regulation and Improving Access to Pest Management Products * Completed – February 2007  
Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC) In progress April 2007
Canadian Regulatory System for Biotechnology * In progress April 2007
Ecosystem Initiatives – Georgia Basin Action Plan In progress April 2007
Environmental Emergencies Program (including Public Security and Anti-Terrorism – PSAT) In progress Fall 2007
Smog-Causing Emission Regulations in the Transportation Sector In progress Fall 2007
Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program * In progress Fall 2007
Species at Risk Act Planned 2007–2008
Ocean Action Plan * Planned 2007–2008
National Agri-environmental Standards Initiative (NAESI) * Planned 2007–2008
Canadian Biodiversity Strategy Planned 2007–2008
Public SCRIBE Planned 2007–2008
Environmental Enforcement Intelligence Program (EEIP) (including PSAT) Planned 2007–2008
Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan Planned 2007–2008
Tracking of Cross-boarder Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Hazardous Recyclable Materials (including PSAT) Planned 2007–2008
Climate Change: Science Planned 2007–2008
Climate Change: National Inventory Planned 2007–2008
Ecosystem Initiatives Planned 2007–2008
Protected Areas (National Wildlife Areas, Migratory Bird Sanctuary) Planned 2007–2008
Ecological Monitoring and Assessment Network (EMAN) Planned 2007–2008
International activities Planned 2007–2008
Sector Sustainability Tables (SSTs) Planned 2007–2008
Outreach Planned 2007–2008
MSC Transition Planned 2007–2008
Ice Program Planned 2007–2008
Weather Predictions Planned 2007–2008
Internal Audits    
Eleventh Session of the Conference of the Parties (CoP11) Completed – July 2006  
Continual Auditing: Acquisition Cards Completed – July 2006  
Continual Auditing: Compensation Completed – October 2006  
Montreal Protocol Completed – February 2007  
Audit of Mandatory Disclosures In progress April 2007
Contingency Plan for Meteorological Service of Canada Weather Prediction Program In progress April 2007
Information Management / Information Technology (IM/IT) Audit Plan In progress April 2007
Travel In progress April 2007
Financial Audit Plan In progress April 2007
Hospitality In progress April 2007
Canadian Wildlife Service Control Self-Assessment Planned 2007–2008
Continual Audit: Revenues Planned 2007–2008
Decision Support Systems Planned 2007–2008
Delegation Authority Planned 2007–2008
Information Technology Security Planned 2007–2008
High Value and/or Number of Services Contracts and Grants and Contributions Planned 2007–2008
Employment Equity Planned 2007–2008
Environment Canada's Transformation Agenda Planned 2007–2008
Occupational Health and Safety Planned 2007–2008
Specified Purpose Accounts Planned 2007–2008
Vote Netted Revenue Planned 2007–2008
Management Controls – Maintenance of Monitoring Stations Planned 2007–2008
Hydrometric Monitoring Stations – Federal/Provincial Agreements Planned 2007–2008
Cash Advances Planned 2007–2008
Financial Statements Planned 2007–2008
Classification Planned 2007–2008
Staffing Planned 2007–2008
Corporate Administrative Shared Services (CASS) Planned 2007–2008
Continual Auditing: Acquisition Cards Planned 2007–2008
Continual Auditing: Compensation Planned 2007–2008
Motor Vehicle Policy Planned 2007–2008
Electronic Link to Internal Audit and/or Evaluation Plan: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ae-ve/.

* Interdepartmental Evaluation

Section IV: Other Items of Interest

Strategic Integration Activities

Description

Clear, consistent and integrated departmental policy advice, coordinated interactions with partners and stakeholders and effective communication are important tools to help Environment Canada deliver on its mandate and commitments.

Environment Canada is leading the development of federal strategies to integrate environmental sustainability into government-wide policy priorities in a concrete manner. As part of this work, the Department is advancing a policy framework that recognizes the inextricable linkages between the environment, our economic competitiveness and the health of Canadians.

Environmental Canada's work to develop a unified departmental policy approach is organized into two program areas:

  • Integrated policy advice, communications and information strategies enable effective decision-making.
  • Relations with other governments and partners are effectively managed in support of environmental priorities.

Plans and Priorities

Over the next three years, Environment Canada plans to focus on:

  • Achieving departmental coherence in delivering and communicating environmental policy and program outcomes. Work will include developing an international environment framework; developing a natural capital framework and a health framework; communicating environmental policy and program goals and outcomes to target audiences; conducting policy research and leading the development of a federal sustainable development strategy; working interdepartmentally toward better-integrated federal science and technology; and building on the fundamental direction of the competitiveness and environmental sustainability framework to articulate the environmental policy component of the Government of Canada's Advantage Canada sustainable growth framework.
  • Improving how Environment Canada engages provincial and territorial governments, stakeholders and citizens in policy development and sustainable actions. The Department plans to advance the development of a national approach through collaboration with provinces and territories to achieve results; develop a strategy and tools to systematically and consistently engage key stakeholders in policy development and environmental education; develop a sector table strategy; and effectively communicate the strategic environmental framework to Canadians.
  • Advancing a Canadian environmental sustainability indicators initiative as a first component of a broader state-of-the-environment indicator and information strategy. The Department also plans to move forward on national environmental objectives as core policy tools to guide long-term departmental priority-setting and specific policy deliverables.
  • Delivering analytical and evidentiary support to demonstrate explicit linkages between the environment and the economy, to allow for informed decision-making on environmental issues and the building of a policy-research-communications strategy to proactively communicate important environmental information to Canadians.

Planning Context

Integrated policy advice, communications and information strategies enable effective decision-making

A key priority is to improve the coordination of the existing but dispersed policy capacity of the Department in order to work more effectively and bring department-wide perspectives and scientific evidence to bear on all major policy work. Increased focus will be placed on policy research and economic analysis, and on strengthening the linkages between science and policy.

Improving the coordination and strategic direction of Environment Canada's education and engagement activities is also an important priority. Emphasis will be placed on particular target groups (such as consumers, small- and medium-sized enterprises, youth, educators and communities) where greater return can be expected by understanding their needs and challenges, and working to address them. Key partners will be identified and approached, in particular those that are better positioned than Environment Canada to deliver education and engagement activities because they have a deeper and broader reach.

Environment Canada's indicator-related work is being repositioned to provide better management of environmental and environment-related data within the Department; enhanced comparability of the available data and the mechanisms by which these data are made available; and data and information that are more relevant to departmental priorities as well as indicators that can be used to communicate environmental implications to citizens, policy makers and decision-makers. The Department will continue to develop the partnerships, principles and technologies required to integrate disparate environmental data and information in a consistent, credible and timely manner.

Over the next three years, Environment Canada will work towards the implementation of its Sustainable Development Strategy 2007–2009, as well as the refining of associated action plans and performance measures. More broadly, Environment Canada will continue to fulfill its role to provide leadership, guidance and coordination of the departmental sustainable development strategy process. Environment Canada will build on the collaboration established during the development of the fourth round of strategies resulting from an Environment Canada-led initiative to identify the six federal sustainable development goals that guided departments in selecting their strategy commitments. Environment Canada will be exploring options and learning from other jurisdictions, to promote greater government-wide coherence and effectiveness in achieving sustainable development.

Integrated Science

As one of the largest science-based departments in the federal government, Environment Canada has a critical interest in federal science and technology (S&T) policy. A new federal science and technology strategy is being developed, and there are several other interdepartmental S&T policy initiatives under way. Environment Canada is working to ensure that the new federal strategy and other S&T policy initiatives address the need for a strong and integrated environmental S&T capacity in Canada that is focused on national priorities. Environment Canada is also working to promote alignment between the federal S&T strategy and its own science and technology.

Ensuring that science and technology inform the development of policy is key to maintaining public confidence in Environment Canada's work. The Department will examine ways of better understanding the policy needs for S&T and of ensuring effective dialogue between S&T experts, policy developers, regulators and decision-makers. Public interest in environmental issues is extremely high. Increasing access to Environment Canada's S&T knowledge and expertise is key to strengthening its impact on policy development, regulations and decision-making.

Environment Canada recently completed departmental S&T plans that provide new opportunities for the strategic management of the Department's S&T. Environment Canada will be working to integrate the science and technology plans, facilitate their implementation and develop a performance measurement framework for the integrated plan.

Relations with other governments and partners are effectively managed in support of environmental priorities

Environment Canada does not achieve environmental outcomes on its own. Advancing departmental priorities such as clean air, climate change and chemicals management will require close cooperation with external players in the economy and society. This program area focuses on managing partnerships and working relationships with provincial and territorial governments, protecting and promoting Canada's environmental interests internationally, and engaging stakeholders in Canada's environmental agenda.

Many planned activities are new for Environment Canada, and stem directly from the Department's vision of helping Canada to build a globally competitive and sustainable economy. Realizing this vision means integrating environmental decision-making into all aspects of our economy, which will require all players to be more engaged in sustainable development policy creation and implementation. This includes improving the Department's decision-making structures and giving stakeholders a more coherent strategy around which to engage, thus reducing conflicting policy signals and burdensome demands on stakeholders' time and resources.

Environment Canada's partnerships and consultations work advances constructive consultations and participation in departmental priorities, and strengthens our relationships with key partners and stakeholders, including industry, NGOs, Aboriginal governments and organizations, market influencers and thought leaders. A strong policy framework for consultations and Aboriginal involvement was developed over the past year to guide the Department, and this year's activities will focus on implementing these policies by providing the tools and services needed to inform Environment Canada's consultations and ensure effective engagement with Aboriginal peoples.

Environment Canada's work under federal-provincial/territorial relations is being repositioned to focus on the most important departmental priorities, and to provide a more consistent departmental approach to intergovernmental affairs. Because provinces and territories share responsibility for environmental management with the federal government, their active engagement is essential to ensure the successful implementation of policy across Canada. The oversight and coordination of federal-provincial/territorial relations is, therefore, key to supporting the implementation of Environment Canada's agenda both on a national basis and on a regional or bilateral basis within a national context.

Environment Canada's education and engagement activities focus on working with partners to contribute to ecological literacy and engaging Canadians on key issues where their actions can make a difference.

Corporate Services and Corporate Management Activities

Description

Integrated and effective corporate services help Environment Canada to carry out its mandate. The Department continues to transform its way of doing business in order to be better positioned to play the central role it was given by Parliament to coordinate the policies and programs of the Government of Canada with respect to the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment. Environment Canada's internal transformation agenda helps the Department deliver on its goal to protect the health of Canadians, preserve our natural environment and strengthen Canada's long-term competitiveness.

Environment Canada is putting significant effort into repositioning its enabling programs and services in order to better support results-based management and internal governance in a way that allows the Department to successfully address the environmental priorities of Canadians. This work is organized into two program areas:

  • High quality corporate services and advice enable the Department to meet its strategic objectives.
  • Strategic management support enables the Department to meet its objectives.

Plans and Priorities

Over the next three years, Environment Canada plans to:

  1. Establish a viable foundation for its enabling programs and services, with a focus on high-risk areas in human resources, finance, administration, and information management / information technology (IM/IT). Environment Canada continues to build management and staff capacity in human resources, finance, administration and IM/IT so that corporate functions can appropriately assist the Department in delivering results. This work is expected to include implementing strategies to address critical departmental risks—specifically, better recruitment and retention plans, training for enabling staff and departmental managers, and implementation of a one-department approach for the provision of core services.
  2. Ensure the delivery of essential financial, administrative, human resources, corporate management, and information management and information technology services to address mission critical, operational and key governance needs across Environment Canada. Work to support the greening of federal government operations and the implementation of a new Human Resources Management System (HRMS), People Soft V8.9, in the context of the government-wide Corporate Administrative Shared Services (CASS) initiative are also priorities. A performance measurement and monitoring framework will be developed and implemented to support results-based objectives for human resources management.

Planning Context

The Department is completing the transformation process that will enable it to fully plan, manage and report by results. The transformation has involved the re-definition of the results structure (Program Activity Architecture), the establishment of new management structures and processes, and the re-structuring of the organization.

These changes promote integrated management and decision-making in the context of a clearer view of results and strategic direction. Financial and human resources are clearly linked to results through a planning process that connects capacity to work. Performance information will support informed departmental decisions and transparent and balanced public reporting.

Results in this area are aimed at transforming Environment Canada's management framework in order to strengthen control and accountability, provide high-quality service, support and systems related to governance and program delivery, and support key departmental and government-wide management initiatives. The Department's corporate services activities are organized as follows:

  • Corporate management and planning support departmental progress on results.
  • Human resources are managed effectively and strategically in support of departmental objectives.
  • Financial management frameworks are established and high quality financial services are provided.
  • Administration and assets management enable effective, efficient, accountable and environmentally responsible departmental activities.
  • Information and technology are managed as critical enabling assets.

Department-wide Services

Planning

Environment Canada has significantly revised and improved its overall approach to planning. The former decentralized approach has given way to a centralized "one-department" approach that aligns planning, priority-setting and resource allocation functions to the new Program Activity Architecture. The revised approach significantly enhances the overall transparency of proposed plans and priorities, enabling senior executive direction, engagement and strategic decision-making.

The planning process integrates corporate planning and decision-making and ensures that internal decision-making on priorities is aligned to annual reporting to Parliament through the Report on Plans and Priorities. Senior managers undertake business planning through results-based committees and teams. Managers at all levels from across the Department are engaged in the process to ensure consistent application of planning and reporting requirements. National management meetings are held to provide opportunities for managers to work through significant planning tasks on a collaborative basis.

Information Management and Information Technology (IM-IT)

As part of Environment Canada's internal transformation, most of the Department's Information Management and Information Technology (IM/IT) staff have been transferred to a single branch under the direction of a Chief Information Officer (CIO). A small number of IM/IT staff with highly specialized program area knowledge and skills remains "embedded" in program areas.

The objective of consolidating IM/IT capacities is to provide more effective, efficient and equitable levels of IM/IT services to all areas of program delivery across the Department. Another objective of consolidation is to further develop the capacity to provide the coherent, authoritative and trusted information systems needed to achieve government and departmental objectives.

Management efforts in the IM/IT domain are directed towards re-alignment of our IM/IT resources to ensure the best outcomes from existing and evolving technological capacities. They are also focused on ensuring that Environment Canada's data and information holdings can be and are treated as critical departmental assets. This involves providing leadership in Information Management through the development of an integrated IM plan for the Department, by developing and promoting policies and best practices for the management of information, and implementing and maintaining technologies to support the function.

Another key focus will be ensuring that the informatics systems used in support of our mission-critical and other service support requirements continue to operate without interruption. This is particularly true for the systems used on a 24/7 basis in support of weather prediction and environmental emergency response, for example, given their direct link to the safety and well-being of Canadians. A prime example of such a system is the departmental supercomputer and related infrastructure used in the production of weather warnings and forecasts. This equipment was recently upgraded to allow it to process more sophisticated weather and climate forecast models.

Information management and information technology are key enablers of program delivery in all strategic outcome areas through the provision of hardware infrastructure(6) and general-use software applications (e.g. email, office application suites, corporate finance and human resource applications). Within each strategic outcome area, IM/IT is also a key enabler of specific program activities through the development and implementation of specialized application software for the collection, storage, analysis and dissemination of environmental data and products as well as the implementation and maintenance of any specialized hardware infrastructure required by these activities.

Ongoing investment will be required to support the existing infrastructure as well as to respond to new work requirements and evolving technologies being introduced in the workplace. The ongoing development of a comprehensive IM/IT architecture will help to guide these efforts by fostering the adoption and use of consistent policies, standards and technologies that comply with those in use in the Government of Canada. The architecture will be supplemented by other efforts to ensure the efficient and effective application of IM/IT in the Department. These efforts include software management boards along with new "greening" policies to promote the effective use and life cycle management of IT while reducing the potential negative environmental impacts associated with that use. Through these policies, we hope to establish Environment Canada as a leader in this area.

Environment Canada has indicated its intention to be one of the first departments to participate in the Government of Canada's Corporate and Administrative Shared Services (CASS) initiative(7). Shared services are viewed as a way of producing more effective, efficient and economical delivery of common services within and across government departments.

As part of that initiative, participating departments will migrate their human resource management systems to the PeopleSoft suite of applications.

Legal Services

The Department of Justice Canada is responsible for the legal affairs of the government as a whole and for providing legal services to individual departments and agencies. Services provided by the Department of Justice Canada include providing legal advice, preparing legal documents, drafting legislation, regulating or conducting litigation, and overseeing the legal mechanisms used to achieve the overall objectives of the government.

The Department of Justice Canada provides legal services to Environment Canada primarily through Environment Canada's Legal Services unit. The Department of Justice Canada also provides services through its Environmental Drafting Services Section, the Federal Prosecution Service and other units located at Justice headquarters and in the regions.

High-quality legal advice enables Environment Canada to take decisions that are based on a thorough understanding of its legal authorities and relevant legal risks. Legal Services is committed to deliver results by ensuring that Environment Canada has access to appropriate levels of legal expertise; by identifying primary legal risks to the Department; and by making legal training available to Environment Canada officials where needs arise.

Like Environment Canada's other corporate functions, Environment Canada Legal Services is moving towards a "one-department" model with the aim of providing effective and efficient legal support of departmental priorities and objectives.

Audit and Evaluation

Audits and evaluations are used to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of departmental policies, programs and management. The November 2004 Report of the Auditor General to the House of Commons outlined the need to improve the quality of the internal audit function across government and a new government-wide Policy on Internal Audit came into effect on April 1, 2006. The audit and evaluation functions are carried out under the authority of the Federal Accountability Act (December 2006), the Treasury Board Policy on Internal Audit (April 2006) and the Treasury Board Evaluation Policy (coming into force in April 2007). The new Federal Accountability Act underscores the importance of the audit and evaluation functions in providing the necessary support to the Deputy Minister in his role as accounting officer. The proposed Treasury Board Evaluation Policy requires departments to evaluate programs, policies and initiatives, to use a risk-based planning approach in identifying projects, to use structured and disciplined approaches in carrying out evaluations, and to ensure the four key evaluation issues are addressed (i.e. relevance, success, cost effectiveness, and design and delivery).

Audits and evaluations are particularly important in the context of the implementation of the new governance framework. To reflect a stronger commitment to the audit and evaluation functions across the federal government, the internal audit and evaluation functions have been bolstered to ensure a comprehensive audit and evaluation program based on sound risk analysis of all departmental activities. To accomplish this, the Department is renewing and strengthening the capacity of the audit and evaluation function to ensure that it is well positioned to provide assurance and advice to senior management.

To enhance results-oriented and accountable management, the Audit and Evaluation Branch provides the Deputy Minister and senior management with objective, independent and evidence-based information, assurance and advice on management practices, controls and information, and on the performance of programs, policies and initiatives.

Integrated Departmental Enforcement

Environment Canada has identified as its overarching goal the attainment of the highest level of environmental quality as a means to enhancing the well-being of Canadians, preserving our natural environment and advancing long-term competitiveness. It is the responsibility of Environment Canada's enforcement program to enforce the laws administered by the Department in a fair, predictable and consistent manner to both manage risks and support Canadian competitiveness by providing a level playing field for regulatees. Canadians have a right to expect the government to not only regulate where necessary, but also to ensure those regulations are adhered to once put in place.

Each year, Annual National Inspection Plans identifying priority areas of compliance verification for the coming year are developed in consultation with Environment Canada program areas and enforcement partners. The National Inspection Plan is the cornerstone of planning and reporting for the Enforcement Branch, feeding both internal plans and reports as well as annual reports to Parliament.

An integral component of the Enforcement Program is the assurance that its enforcement personnel are properly trained. Field work presents unique challenges and hazards that require continued review, renewal and updates of learning to ensure the safety of our officers. Several initiatives currently under way include: the development of a core learning program for Wildlife Enforcement Officers; designation and designation renewal for Enforcement Officers; implementation of the Career Progression Program; and a learning management strategy that will continue to ensure effective and efficient enforcement operations through national enforcement learning programs and products.

With respect to contributing to the government's environmental agenda, many benefits are derived from enforcement involvement in the regulatory development and amendment process. In the development of regulatory instruments for government initiatives such as the Clean Air Agenda and the Chemicals Management Plan, the Enforcement Branch will provide valuable input into the regulatory drafting process, contribute to a speedy and efficient review of regulatory text, and provide guidance to secure the enforceability of the proposed regulations and other enforceable instruments. By continuing to work with programs to develop regulatory frameworks and instruments, the Enforcement Branch will contribute to the attainment of the Department's over-arching goals.

6. Hardware infrastructure includes computer equipment, network infrastructure and any other required hardware (routers, switches etc.).

7. http://www.psmod-modfp.gc.ca/initiatives/cass-smap-eng.asp