2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (PDF)
Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada
Cat. No.: J85-6E-PDF
ISSN: 2817-6871
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Justice
Section 1: Introduction to the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
The 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. This is the first FSDS to be framed using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations’ Transforming our world: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It provides a balanced view of the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable development.
To make decision-making about sustainable development more transparent and accountable to Parliament, the Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada (ATSSC) supports the goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in this Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS).
The Federal Sustainable Development Act also sets out 7 principles that must be considered in the development of the FSDS as well as each DSDS. These basic principles have been considered and added to the ATSSC’s Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.
To promote coordinated action on sustainable development across the Government of Canada, this departmental strategy integrates efforts to advance Canada’s implementation of its 2030 Agenda National Strategy. This is supported by the Global Indicator Framework (GIF) and Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) targets and indicators. The strategy also now captures SDG initiatives that fall outside the scope of the FSDS to inform the development of Canada’s Annual Report on the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals.
Section 2: Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada’s Sustainable Development Vision
The ATSSC is responsible for providing support services and facilities to 12 federal administrative tribunals by way of a single, integrated organization. These services include the specialized services required to support the mandate of each tribunal (for example, registry services and legal services), as well as internal services (for example, human resources, financial services, information management and technology, accommodations, security, planning, and communications). Through these specialized services, the ATSSC helps improve access to justice for Canadians.
The ATSSC does not report directly on the United Nations’ SDGs; however, the organization will continue to put into place relevant parts of the FSDS to help to build and maintain effective, accountable, and inclusive Canadian institutions.
Section 3: Listening to Canadians
As required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act, the ATSSC has considered comments on the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. These comments were made during the public consultation held from March 11 to July 9, 2022.
During the public consultation, more than 700 comments were received from a broad range of stakeholders. These included: Governments, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations, academics, businesses, and individual Canadians in different age groups and of various backgrounds. The draft FSDS was also shared with the appropriate committee of each House of Parliament, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, and the Sustainable Development Advisory Council for their review and comment.
What We Heard
From the submissions received, the ATSSC identified sustainable development priorities and issues that affect the organization. The ATSSC took these priorities and issues into consideration in the development of its first departmental sustainable development strategy. These priorities and issues include reconciliation and respect for Indigenous rights and self-governance, and perspectives from equity seeking groups.
What We Did
While the ATSSC is not identified as a lead, key-contributing department, or horizontal lead, in the Federal Implementation Plan for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development or the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the organization takes into account the Government of Canada’s commitment to achieving these goals in its strategic initiatives and activities.
The ATSSC will continue to support the Government of Canada’s commitment to advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis communities by promoting Indigenous procurement training to its procurement specialists. The ATSSC will ensure these specialists understand the importance of early engagement for procurement initiatives and contracting with registered Indigenous businesses.
In addition, the ATSSC supports specialized training for tribunal members and ATSSC employees, including offering First Nations University learning programs. It will also be holding information sessions for ATSSC employees that focus on equality, diversity, inclusion and allyship with 2SLGBTQI+ and Indigenous communities in fiscal year (FY) 2023-2024.
Through the continued implementation of its 2022-2025 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Action Plan and Accessibility Plan, the ATSSC will offer more tools to build and promote equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion within the organization. It will ensure these values are embedded and reflected in the services offered to tribunals and Canadians. The action plan also identifies ways to support parties who access justice through the tribunals to easily obtain information on accommodation measures available to them.
Please find more information on the FSDS public consultation and its results in the FSDS Listening to Canadians report.
Section 4: Administrative Tribunals Support Service of Canada's Commitments
Goal 10: Advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and take action on inequality
FSDS Context: The ATSSC does not report directly on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals; however, the organization will continue to put into place relevant parts of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy to help build and maintain effective, accountable, and inclusive Canadian institutions.
Target theme: Advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis communities
Target: Between 2023 and 2026, and every year on an ongoing basis, develop and table annual progress reports on implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)
Implementation strategy |
Departmental action |
Performance indicator, starting point, target |
How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act | Advance support for the economic commitments expressed in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Articles 20 and 21, by adhering to the Government of Canada’s Mandatory Procedures for Contracts Awarded to Indigenous Businesses. Program: Internal Services |
Performance indicator:
Starting point:
Target:
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The ATSSC will continue to support the Government of Canada’s commitment to advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis communities by providing Indigenous procurement training to procurement specialists. The ATSSC will ensure these specialists understand the importance of early engagement for procurement initiatives and contracting with registered Indigenous businesses. |
Initiatives advancing Canada’s implementation of SDG 10 – Reduced Inequalities
The following initiatives demonstrate how the ATSSC supports the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, supplementing the information outlined above.
Planned initiatives |
Associated domestics targets or ambitions and/or global targets |
|---|---|
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The ATSSC supports the tribunals’ efforts to advance reconciliation and improve access to justice for Indigenous Peoples in meaningful ways. For example, tribunals supported by the ATSSC accommodate Indigenous cultural practices when scheduling and holding mediations and hearings involving Indigenous persons and businesses, and provides needed interpretation for parties, and offers support services to address trauma. In addition, the ATSSC supports specialized training for tribunal members and employees including offering First Nations University learning programs. It will also be holding information sessions for ATSSC employees that focus on equality, diversity, inclusion and allyship with LGBTQ2S+ and Indigenous communities in FY 2023-2024. |
UN Global Indicator Framework Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic, and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. UN Global Indicator Framework Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies, and action in this regard. |
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Building off past years’ work, the ATSSC will continue to focus efforts on creating an equitable, diverse, inclusive, accessible, and bilingual work environment through the implementation of its 2022-2025 Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Action Plan. Notable activities include: A mandatory cultural awareness competency in the statement of merit criteria for management and executive positions; developing EDI work objectives for supervisors and managers; and developing and implementing an employee exit survey with an EDI component. In support of the organization’s commitment to eliminate representation gaps for non-executives, the ATSSC will also continue to promote the use of bias-free staffing tools and diversity focused candidate inventories. |
UN Global Indicator Framework Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. UN Global Indicator Framework Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies, and action in this regard. |
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The ATSSC Accessibility Plan, which was created in consultation with ATSSC employees with and without disabilities, as well as stakeholders and subject matter experts, summarizes its strategy for identifying, eliminating, and preventing accessibility related barriers at the ATSSC for everyone, including Indigenous persons. The ATSSC Accessibility Plan outlines how the ATSSC will bring its internal and external forms and websites in line with accessibility standards, create a framework for helping managers easily equip their employees with the accommodations they need, and provide recruitment, development, and promotion opportunities to persons with disabilities at every level of the ATSSC workforce. The plan also identifies ways to support parties who access justice through the tribunals to easily obtain information on accommodation measures available to them. |
UN Global Indicator Framework Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status. UN Global Indicator Framework Target 10.3: Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies, and action in this regard. |
Goal 12: Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles
FSDS Context: The ATSSC does not report directly on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals; however, the organization will continue to put into place relevant parts of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy to help build and maintain effective, accountable, and inclusive Canadian institutions.
Target theme: Federal Leadership on Responsible Consumption
Target: By 2030, the Government of Canada will divert from landfill at least 90% by weight of all construction and demolition waste (All Ministers)
Implementation strategy |
Departmental action |
Performance indicator, starting point, target |
How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maximize diversion of waste from landfill |
Minimize landfill waste by managing furniture and electronic surplus. Program: Information Services and Solutions Team (ISST) |
Performance indicator: Percentage of functioning, end-of-life, past-warranty monitors and laptops donated to Computers for Kids. Starting point: 100% of eligible laptops and monitors. Target: 100% of functioning, end-of-life, past-warranty monitors and laptops donated to Computers for Kids. |
By diverting laptops from landfill and giving them a second life within schools, ATSSC contributes to the Government of Canada’s target of diverting 75% of non-hazardous operational waste from landfills. |
Target: The Government of Canada’s procurement of goods and services will be net-zero emissions by 2050, to aid the transition to a net-zero, circular economy (All Ministers)
Implementation strategy |
Departmental action |
Performance indicator, starting point, target |
How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strengthen green procurement criteria |
Ensure procurement and material management specialists have the necessary training and awareness to support green procurement. Program: Internal Services |
Performance indicator: Percentage of procurement and material management specialists that have completed the mandatory Canada School of Public Service course on green procurement (COR405). Starting point: 50% of procurement and material management specialist. Target: 100% of procurement specialists and material management specialists have completed training on green procurement by the end of FY 2023-2024. New procurement specialists complete training on green procurement within 6 months of their start date. |
All procurement specialists will be sufficiently informed and trained to support Canada’s commitment to strengthen green procurement. |
Goal 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts
FSDS Context: The ATSSC does not report directly on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals; however, the organization will continue to put into place relevant parts of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy to help build and maintain effective, accountable, and inclusive Canadian institutions.
Target theme: Federal Leadership on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions and Climate Resilience
Target: The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon operations for facilities and conventional fleets by 2050 (All Ministers)
Implementation strategy |
Departmental action |
Performance indicator, starting point, target |
How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations |
Program: Information Services and Solutions Team |
Performance indicator:
Starting point:
Target:
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Section 5: Integrating Sustainable Development
The ATSSC will continue to ensure that its integrated planning and decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets for all projects and initiatives. Where appropriate, this includes the implementation of strategic environmental assessments (SEAs). An SEA for a policy, plan or program proposal includes an analysis of the impacts of the given proposal on the environment, including on relevant FSDS goals and targets.
Statements on the results of ATSSC’s assessments will be made public when an initiative has undergone a detailed SEA (see proactive disclosure). The purpose of the public statement is to demonstrate that the environmental effects (including the impacts on achieving the FSDS goals and targets) of the approved policy, plan or program have been considered during proposal development and decision making.
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