Federal assets and services at risk as climate resilience actions lag
Climate Resilience of Federal Assets and Services
Report metadata
- Tabling date:
- Audited entities:
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada
- National Defence
- Public Services and Procurement Canada
- Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat
- Topics:
- Climate change
- Environment
- Report type
- Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development reports
At a glance
Overall, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s oversight of the Greening Government Strategy to enhance the climate resilience of federal assets and services had significant gaps, and the 3 selected departments examined had been slow to take action to advance this priority. Climate resilience is the ability to prepare for, adapt to, and recover from climate change and extreme weather. The lack of progress in this area undermines the protection of federal assets, such as bridges, roads, buildings, harbours, and other assets and services under federal control, jeopardizing the nation’s ability to safeguard essential services in the face of accelerating climate change.
Early versions of the strategy included commitments and objectives for all departments and agencies to take actions to assess and reduce climate change risks by 2022. In 2024, after government organizations failed to meet these original commitments and objectives, they were replaced by long-term commitments to enhance climate resilience by 2035 and beyond, without any interim targets to guide implementation and corrective action.
At the organizational level, National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which jointly managed 67% of the value of the federal government’s physical assets, made limited progress in translating climate risk assessments into meaningful action. Furthermore, although the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat provided some guidance and tools to support departments and agencies, its framework for measuring and monitoring was weak, and it had not publicly reported on the strategy’s climate-resilience commitments and objectives during the first 8 years. These gaps hindered informed policy decision making and diminished accountability.
By strengthening the resilience of its own assets and services, the federal government can help protect communities, reduce long-term costs, maintain essential services, and reduce impacts on populations at risk across Canada. Immediate and ongoing action is imperative to increase the resilience of federal assets and services.
Key facts and findings
- The federal government manages the largest portfolio of non‑financial assets in Canada with more than 30,000 buildings, 20,000 engineering assets, and 40,000 fleet assets. The Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat estimated that the replacement value of these assets would be in the order of $100 billion.
- Extreme weather poses growing risks to federal assets, such as small craft harbours, which play a vital role in supporting the safety, economic vitality, and social fabric of fisheries-based communities.
- As of 2024–25, 3% of the federal government’s critical assets that were identified as being subject to significant risk had climate-resilience plans in place.
Why we did this audit
- The federal government can lead by example in delivering on its climate-resilience objectives under the Greening Government Strategy. Robust measuring, monitoring, and reporting of progress help to meet the strategy’s commitments, support accountability and transparency, and enable more informed decision making.
- Meeting the climate resilience–related objectives and commitments outlined in the Greening Government Strategy required that federal departments and agencies take timely action. Identifying and assessing climate risks, prioritizing and implementing actions to enhance climate resilience, and achieving results take time.
Highlights of our recommendations
- To strengthen the oversight of the climate‑resilience aspects of the Greening Government Strategy, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat should critically analyze and consider incentives and barriers to increase departmental capacity to facilitate the timely achievement of the long‑term objectives and commitments.
- To improve transparency and to equip decision makers with relevant information regarding the climate resilience of federal assets, services, and activities, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat should ensure timely and public annual reporting on all of the climate resilience–related commitments in the Greening Government Strategy.
Please see the full report to read our complete findings, analysis, recommendations and the audited organizations’ responses.
We found that the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat worked with Environment and Climate Change Canada to integrate the climate-resilience commitments of the strategy into the 2022–2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. We also found that the secretariat aligned the Greening Government Strategy’s resilience commitments with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 13 (Climate Action), which commits to taking action to combat climate change, and with several of the goal’s targets. However, it did not align the strategy with other Sustainable Development Goals, such as Goal 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), to demonstrate the contribution of climate resilience actions beyond climate.
Visit our Sustainable Development page to learn more about sustainable development and the OAG.
Exhibit Highlights
Exhibit 1—Federal assets, services, and activities were subject to various climate risks
Text version
Exhibit 1—Federal assets, services, and activities were subject to various climate risks
The following 6 climate risks could affect federal assets, services, and activities:
•Permafrost degradation
•Increased temperatures
•More frequent extreme weather events
•Increase in forest fires and pests
•Sea-level rise and coastal erosion
•Loss of biodiversity and changes in animal distribution
The federal assets, services, and activities of National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and other departments and agencies could be affected by climate risks.
National Defence’s federal assets included military equipment (for example, ships, airplanes, and vehicles) and buildings and infrastructure (for example, storage facilities and roads). Examples of National Defence’s services included domestic security and counterterrorism.
Public Services and Procurement Canada’s federal assets included buildings and infrastructure (for example, office space, bridges, highways, and heritage sites). Examples of Public Services and Procurement Canada’s services included procurement, pension administration, and management and maintenance of property.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s federal assets included buildings and infrastructure (for example, wharves and lighthouses). Examples of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s services included scientific research and search and rescue.
Other departments’ and agencies’ federal assets included national parks, research laboratories, and so on. Examples of their services included emergency management, federal policing, food safety, and oversight of transportation infrastructure)
Exhibit 3—In 2024–25, the 3 selected departments’ assets represented 67% of the value of the federal government’s physical assets
Text version
Exhibit 3—In 2024–25, the 3 selected departments’ assets represented 67% of the value of the federal government’s physical assets
This donut chart shows the value of the Government of Canada’s physical assets. Physical assets are tangible capital assets of the Government of Canada. The total value is $115 billion, and $77 billion, or 67% of that amount, is in the physical assets of the 3 departments selected for the audit: National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.
National Defence’s physical assets represent $52 billion or 45% of the total value, Public Services and Procurement Canada’s physical assets represent $15 billion, or 13% of the total value, Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s physical assets represent $10 billion, or 9% of the total value, and all other departments’ and agencies’ physical assets represent $38 billion, or 33% of the total value.
Note: In 2025, it was announced that the Canadian Coast Guard, including physical assets (such as vessels and equipment) and employees, would transfer from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to National Defence.
Source: Based on information from the Public Accounts of Canada 2025
1 Physical assets are tangible capital assets of the Government of Canada.
Note: In 2025, it was announced that the Canadian Coast Guard, including physical assets (such as vessels and equipment) and employees, would transfer from Fisheries and Oceans Canada to National Defence.
Source: Based on information from the Public Accounts of Canada 2025
Exhibit 7—As of 2024–25, some progress was made by the federal government on assessing climate risks, but limited actions were taken to reduce them
Text version
Exhibit 7—As of 2024–25, some progress was made by the federal government on assessing climate risks, but limited actions were taken to reduce them
In these 4 donut charts measuring progress made out of 100%, only 1 chart related to assessments shows progress as more than 50% completed as of 2024–25.
Two of the donut charts show progress on assessments by departments and agencies:
•For progress on assessments of departmental climate risks, 40% were completed, 10% were not initiated, and 50% were ongoing.
•For progress on assessments of climate risks to the real property portfolio, 59% were completed, and 41% were not completed.
The other 2 donut charts show actions planned or implemented by departments and agencies:
•For progress on actions to reduce departmental climate risks, 7% were completed, 20% were not initiated, and 73% were ongoing.
•For progress on developing a resilience plan for the real property portfolio, 33% of plans were completed, and 67% were not completed.
Source: Based on 2024–25 data provided by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat from 30 of the 100 departments and agencies subject to the Greening Government Strategy (30 regarding departmental results and 27 regarding real property results)
Source: Based on 2024–25 data provided by the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat from 30 of the 100 departments and agencies subject to the Greening Government Strategy (30 regarding departmental results and 27 regarding real property results)
Exhibit 9—Three selected departments had made limited progress in achieving the climate resilience commitments
Text version
Exhibit 9—Three selected departments had made limited progress in achieving the climate‑resilience commitments
This chart shows the progress made by 3 departments on 3 categories of risks, namely
•risks to all department assets, services, and activities
•risks to real property
•risks to critical assets
The 3 departments selected for the audit were National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Their progress was assessed on identifying and assessing risks, developing plans to reduce risks, and implementing the plans. Overall, 6 out of 27 actions were completed and up to date, 12 actions were in progress, and 9 actions were not started.
Regarding risks to all department assets, services, and activities, most actions were not started.
•On assessing risks, all 3 departments’ assessments were in progress.
•On developing plans to reduce risks, all 3 departments’ plans were not started.
•On implementing the plans to reduce risks, all 3 departments’ implementations were not started.
Regarding risks to real property, 5 out of 9 actions were completed and up to date, 3 actions were in progress, and 1 action was not started.
•On assessing risks, National Defence’s assessments and Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s assessments were completed and up to date, while Public Services and Procurement Canada’s assessments were in progress.
•On developing plans to reduce risks, all 3 departments’ plans were completed and up to date.
•On implementing the plans, Public Services and Procurement Canada’s implementation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s implementation were in progress, while National Defence’s implementation was not started.
Regarding risks to critical assets, most actions were in progress.
•On identifying critical assets, Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s identification of its critical assets was completed and up to date, while the other 2 departments’ identification of their critical assets was in progress.
•On assessing risks to critical assets, Public Services and Procurement Canada’s assessments and Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s assessments were in progress, while National Defence’s assessments were not started.
•On implementing plans to reduce risks, Public Services and Procurement Canada’s implementation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s implementation were in progress, while National Defence’s implementation was not started.