Sustainable development strategy 2020 to 2023

Message from the Commissioner

On December 5, 2019, the Speech from the Throne to open the First Session of the Forty-Third Parliament of Canada stated the following key messages related to fighting climate change:

• The Government of Canada recognizes that the science on climate change is clear and understands that Canadians are already feeling its impacts.
• The Government is committed to protecting the environment by setting a target to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050, putting a price on pollution everywhere, protecting and conserving nature, and reducing plastic pollution.

Furthermore, amendments to the Federal Sustainable Development Act (FSDA) will be promulgated in December 2020. These will precisely define expectations and set specific targets for all federal departments. Hence, CSC will be subject to the FSDA as of 2021, and therefore to the next Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) cycle by 2023. As CSC is currently the third largest GHG emitter amongst all federal departments and agencies (from the real property perspective), our organization has a very important role to assume on this matter. Accordingly, it will be expected that for our next SDS, in addition to the environmental aspect, further commitments will be made in the areas of social and economical sustainability.

Notwithstanding the difficult times and corporate challenges that the reality of the COVID-19 pandemic brought upon us, we need to reinforce our involvements in support of environmental sustainability. Our corporate leadership in the area of greening government operations is nothing less than considerable, essential and imperative to all Canadians.

Anne Kelly
Commissioner

Technical Services and Facilities Branch has been preparing and publishing a departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) every three years since its first edition in 1997. For this SDS, the Correctional Service of Canada’s eighth edition, we have again placed the priority on energy saving initiatives, energy performance contracts, clean energy technologies, waste reduction and modernizing the vehicle fleet. These initiatives are in an effort to lower greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce consumption costs, which are in line with the three components of sustainable development, i.e. social, economical and environmental aspects. CSC has chosen to voluntarily adopt its next SDS to cover the period of 2020-2023 since there are amendments to include CSC as a department requiring to fully comply with the revised Federal Sustainable Development Act (FSDA, scheduled for December 2020) and in order to align with the next Federal Sustainable Development Strategy cycle.

CSC is considered from a real property perspective, the third largest GHG emitter of all federal departments, after DND and PSPC. Accordingly, the contribution of CSC to the fight against climate change is not negligible. It is the right thing to do and it fully aligns with the government priority of GHG reduction.

Finally, for the current SDS, CSC has initiated a realignment of the focus from exclusively environmental aspects to sustainable development decision-making that includes social and economical elements for the benefits of present and future generations.

Introduction

Since CSC’s first corporate Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) voluntarily developed and published in 1997, a significant effort towards sustainable development and environmental performance has been achieved. Each strategy had its successes and lessons learned which were used and adapted in subsequent editions. Over the years, the strategies adopted various approaches and shifted in priorities, however, the emphasis has continued to remain on the overarching goal of reducing CSC’s adverse impacts on the physical environment.

The first SDS focused primarily on increasing human resources in the regions and developing environmental management tools to help bring forward the environmental agenda. For the next editions, the number of targets became more modest and had better defined scopes and dedicated resources which led to more achievable and successful strategies.

“Reduce GHG from federal buildings and fleets by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030 (with an aspiration goal to reach by 2025)”.

According to TBS, CSC is considered a significant GHG emitter from a real property standpoint, i.e. the third amongst all federal departments. It will be expected that CSC will considerably contribute to the overall government goal by implementing specific initiatives to lower emissions such as replacing older assets with more efficient ones, engaging new energy performance contracts, adopting clean energy technologies, modernizing vehicle fleet, improving green procurement policies and so forth.

Risk Analysis

CSC environmental protection and sustainable development programs are fundamentally composed of two main portfolios: environmental compliance and environmental performance. Both environmental mandates fall under the strategic corporate priority “Efficient and effective management practices that reflect values-based leadership in a changing environment”.

Environmental Compliance

The environmental compliance portfolio relates to aspects that are federally legislated and therefore has the most significant risk. The level of risk is evaluated based on the likelihood of non-compliance events and the potential environmental impacts associated with such events. In order to assess the risk level from an environmental compliance perspective, the following environmental acts/regulations that impact CSC’s operations were considered:

It should be noted that the potential environmental repercussions (and potential violations of the CEPA and/or the Fisheries Act) associated with the presence of contaminated sites, potentially contaminated areas or areas of environmental concerns on CSC’s sites, are risk-managed separately, case by case, as per the 10-steps approach established by the Federal Contaminated Site Action Plan (FCSAP).

Environmental Performance

The Environmental Performance portfolio relates to aspects that are not legislated and consequently, the risk level is typically less significant. In CSC, environmental performance refers to SDS commitments and targets for the most part, as well as the TBS Greening Government Strategy (GGS) engagements, which namely involve initiatives on energy efficiency (greenhouse gases reduction), water conservation and solid waste reduction. Risk level is evaluated based on the likelihood of not meeting commitments and the potential adverse environmental impact associated with such results.

Furthermore, given that CSC is currently still not formally bound by the Federal Sustainable Development Act and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, all of its SDS commitments and targets should be considered as “self-imposed” under a “volunteered approach”. Consequently, the risk level for not meeting SDS commitments is evaluated as moderately significant.

Controls to Mitigate Environmental Risks and Impacts

To manage and mitigate the environmental compliance risk aspects of its operations and facilities, CSC has published and enforced Internal Services Directives (ISDs) per regulated aspect under the Commissioner’s Directive (CD) 318 on Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development, 2016. The internal policies related to environmental compliance are:

• ISD 318-4 – Environmental Management of Halocarbons
• ISD 318-6 – Management of Wastewater and Wastewater Treatment Systems
• ISD 318-8 – Environmental Management of Petroleum Storage Tank Systems
• ISD 318-11 – Federal Environmental Assessment of Project

In addition, regular inspections, capital investments (upgrade/replacement projects), monitoring, internal audits followed by a management action plan (MAP) and internal compliance review activities (such as the Compliance and Operational Risk Report, (CORR)) are regularly conducted on site in an effort to constantly control and maintain the risk at an acceptable level. These mitigation measures have been sufficient to alleviate direct negative ecological impacts associated with the environmental compliance aspects of CSC’s operations. However, there are still some challenges, namely relating to administrative compliance issues (such as record keeping and preventive maintenance practices) that require sustained attention towards the environmental compliance aspects.

To manage and mitigate the risks and impacts of the environmental performance and/or semi-regulated ^{Footnote 1} aspects of its operations and facilities, CSC has published Internal Services Directives (ISDs) for its main performance aspects under the CD 318 Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development. The internal policies that are mainly related to environmental performance are:

• ISD 318-2 – Energy and Water Conservation
• ISD 318-7 – Environmental Management of Waste ^{Footnote 2}
• ISD 318-10 – Drinking Water Quality Management (DWQM)

Finally, in order to mitigate risks associated with the SDS and the GGS commitments, CSC conducts regular internal consultations to identify needs, plans for the required funding and schedules timelines for the implementation of approved environmental initiatives and projects. Over the last two SDS cycles, this process has proven to be efficient to reduce the risk of not meeting SDS commitments while enhancing the possibilities of achieving or surpassing CSC’s environmental performance objectives.

The Correctional Service of Canada’s Profile and Priorities

The Correctional Service Canada is the federal government agency responsible for administering sentences of a term of two years or more, as imposed by the courts. CSC is responsible for managing institutions of various security levels and supervising offenders under conditional release in the community.

CSC manages approximately 2000 buildings, with a total building area of more than 1,400,000 square metres.

43 institutions (including 4 healing lodges)

• 6 maximum security;
• 9 medium security;
• 5 minimum security;
• 12 multilevel security; and
• 11 clustered institutions.

CSC also manages:

• 92 parole offices and sub-parole offices; and
• 14 community correctional centres.

In addition, CSC has partnerships with non-government organizations. These partner agencies operate approximately 200 community residential facilities across the country, providing accommodation, 24-hour supervision, counseling and programming to help offenders who have been released under supervision to successfully reintegrate into the community.

Our Priorities

In response to requirements to manage a changing offender profile and contribute to public safety, CSC focuses on six strategic priorities:

• Safe management of eligible offenders during their transition from the institution to the community, and while on supervision
• Safety and security of the public, victims, staff and offenders in institutions and the community
• Effective, culturally appropriate interventions and reintegration support for First Nations, Métis and Inuit offenders
• Effective and timely interventions in addressing mental health needs of offenders
• Efficient and effective management practices that reflect values-based leadership in a changing environment
• Productive relationships with diverse partners, stakeholders’ victims' groups, and others involved in support of public safety.

Summary of Results: SDS 2018 to 2020

CSC’s performance on the 37 institutionally driven targets of the SDS 2018-2020 will be evaluated in this chapter. The timeline to reach achievement for all of the commitments was set at March 31, 2020, although implementation was staggered over the two years. The following table summarizes the results of progress made towards the set of targets. As shown, 19 targets were achieved in the two-year cycle, 15 targets have been partially met and will reach full achievement over the next three years (i.e. targets that were partially met will be reintroduced in SDS 2020-2023), two targets were paced on hold and one target was cancelled.

The main goal of SDS 2018-2020 was to “Reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) and promote conservation of energy and water from CSC operations” and there were two environmental commitments CSC has set out to achieve:

Atlantic Region

Quebec Region

Leaving grassy areas as is and reforest certain grassy parcels
Laval Complex, QUE

Ontario Region

Prairie Region

Pacific Region

House for bats
Kent Institution, PAC

National Headquarters (NHQ)

SDS 2020 to 2023 Commitments

The targets for this SDS focused on the conservation of energy and the reduction of GHGs in line with the GoC commitment to reduce 40% of GHG emissions by 2030. The usual three year SDS cycle was followed in order to align with the next Federal Sustainable Development Strategy to be published for 2023. As this SDS is being written, amendments to the Federal Sustainable Development Act are scheduled to come into force in December 2020. Accordingly, CSC will be added as a mandated department for the next FSDS cycle, as such, CSC will require to develop a departmental SDS that supports the commitments established in FSDS.

The principal goal of SDS 2020-2023 is to “Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and waste as well as to promote conservation of energy and water from CSC operations”. There are two commitments CSC has set out to achieve:

Commitment 1

Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are responsible for global warming and climate change.

Commitment 2

Commitment 1

Reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that are responsible for global warming and climate change.

Atlantic Region

Complete by March 31, 2023, the implementation of clean energy for domestic hot water in row houses at Nova Institution for Women.

Complete by March 31, 2021, the implementation of clean energy for heating PFV units at Atlantic Institution.

Complete by March 31, 2021, an energy audit at NFLD and Labrador CCC.

Quebec Region

Optimize by March 31, 2023, HVAC systems at Drummond Institution.

Ontario Region

Continue by attrition, the replacement of inefficient furnaces and electric hot water heaters at Collins Bay Institution.

Complete by March 31, 2022, the replacement of lighting with LED in the Central Heating Plant at Joyceville Institution.

Complete by March 31, 2022, the replacement of high wattage perimeter lighting with LED at Beaver Creek and Warkworth Institutions.

Complete by March 31, 2022, the integration of indoor and outdoor lighting into the Energy Management System and install daylight sensors at Regional Headquarters.

Prairie Region

Design by March 31, 2023, an alternative energy source for the greenhouse at Bowden Institution.

Pacific Region

Complete by March 31, 2021, the upgrade of lighting to LED at Matsqui Institution.

Complete by March 31, 2021, the upgrade of lighting to LED at Mission Institution -Minimum.

Purchase by March 31, 2021, an electric vehicle for RHQ staff fleet and complete the installation of an EV charging station at Regional Headquarters.

Complete by March 31, 2021, the upgrade of lighting to LED at William Head Institution.

NHQ-Environment

By March 31, 2023, initiate new and/or complete ongoing Energy Performance Contracts (EPC) at the following facilities:

1. Initiate in 2020-2021: Saskatchewan Penitentiary, PRA.
2. Initiate in 2020-2021: Federal Training Centre Complex, QUE.
3. Initiate in 2020-2021: Stony Mountain Penitentiary and RPC, PRA.
4. Initiate in 2021-2022: Archambault Complex, QUE.
5. Initiate in 2021-2022: Grande Cache/Grierson/EIFW/Edmonton Max Institutions, PRA.
6. Initiate in 2021-2022: Bowden Institution, PRA.
7. Initiate in 2022-2023: Dorchester and Springhill Institutions, ATL.
8. Initiate in 2022-2023: Collins Bay/Warkworth/Beaver Creek Institutions, ONT.
9. Initiate in 2022-2023: Cowansville/Drummond/Donnacona Institutions, QUE.
10. Complete by March 31, 2023: Drumheller Institution, PRA.
11. Complete by March 31, 2023: Matsqui Complex, PAC.
12. Complete by March 31, 2023: Bath, Millhaven and Joyceville Institutions, ONT.

Commitment 2:

Reduce waste, monitor/conserve water, enhance wastewater treatment and promulgate internal environmental policies to contribute to the preservation of the quality of natural ecosystems.

Solid Waste

By March 31, 2021, promulgate and initiate CSC’s Waste Reduction Plan for 2020-2030.

By March 31, 2021, implement the mandatory prohibition of single-use plastics procurement for polystyrene food & drink containers for institutional food utilization and meal distribution processes.

By September 30, 2021, conduct a food loss & waste analysis at selected sites (3 studies covering the different types of central kitchens) and adjust food processing methods based on results/findings.

Wastewater

By March 31, 2023, complete wastewater treatment system upgrade projects at the following institutions:

• Atlantic, ATL
• Springhill, ATL
• Kent/Mountain, PAC.

By March 31, 2023, assess deficiencies and implement the necessary repairs and/or improvements to sustain wastewater treatment system operations at the following institutions:

• Dorchester, ATL
• La Macaza, QUE
• Cowansville, QUE
• Warkworth, ONT
• Joyceville, ONT
• Stony Mountain, PRA
• Bowden, PRA.

By March 31, 2023, initiate the installation or the upgrade of ultra-violet (UV) disinfection systems at all CSC continuous discharge wastewater treatment systems discharging to a surface water body treating more than 100 m3/d. The targeted institutions are:

• Atlantic, ATL
• Springhill, ATL
• Dorchester, ATL
• Kent-Mountain, PAC
• William Head, PAC.

Policy

By March 31, 2022, update the Commissioner’s Directive on Environmental Protection and Sustainable Development (CD 318) and all associated Internal Services Directives to align with the Greening Government Strategy commitments.

By March 31, 2021, to aid the transition to a low-carbon economy through green procurement, that is by adopting clean technologies and green products & services, Material Management will integrate sustainability and life-cycle assessment principles in procurement policies and practices.

Other Environmental Initiatives

Further to those targets established in this SDS, supplementary and complimentary environmental initiatives will be explored, where feasible, such as the completion of a carbon neutral portfolio plan and a pilot-project on organic waste sorting/reduction. CSC will also assess the possibility to enhance its capacity to monitor energy consumption using new information management technologies (namely, RETScreen developed by NRCan) which should facilitate the preparation of progress reports on various environmental initiatives, such as on the reduction of energy consumption and GHG emissions.

In addition, activities associated with the following environmental aspects will also be further explored and/or implemented.

Contaminated Sites

With the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FSCAP), CSC provides an annual status report on the contaminated sites located on its properties undergoing a remediation project or those being risk managed as per the FSDS contributing action: “Demonstrate leadership on assessing and remediating contaminated sites” under the long term goal “All Canadians live in clean, sustainable communities that contribute to their health and well-being”.

Energy Performance Contracts (EPC)

Energy Performance Contracts (EPC) is one proven method to reduce unnecessary energy wastage and cut GHG emissions from buildings. Private-sector energy saving companies (ESCo) provide a comprehensive set of energy efficient recommendations and implement those recommendations that are financed in part, with the savings created from reduced building operating costs. Above and beyond those mentioned in this SDS (refer to target 15), and subject to capital budget and human resources availability, additional CSC facilities may be targeted for EPCs, based upon their energy consumption and GHG emissions.

In Closing

CSC will continue to make strides towards operating in a sustainable manner in order to reduce its impact on the air, land and water. The Technical Services and Facilities Branch will periodically consolidate information from all of the regions/institutions. The progress made on the SDS targets and other environmental initiatives will be evaluated and the results will be reported to senior management. Finally, as the Federal Sustainable Development Act is amended to include all departments, CSC will continue to work closely with the Centre of Greening Government to contribute to the government sustainability agenda and move beyond the set commitments.

List of Acronyms

Technical Abbreviations