Archived: From the Minister

Continuing Canada’s leadership in implementing the Ocean Plastics Charter, the department will continue to collaborate through consultation with the provinces, territories and other stakeholders to ban harmful, single-use plastics, where supported by science and warranted, as well as advance other actions to tackle plastic pollution. We will also continue our work with provinces and territories to implement the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste. This includes developing national targets, standards and regulations that will make companies that manufacture plastic products or sell items with plastic packaging responsible for collecting and recycling them.

With the support of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, we will explore options for a Canada Water Agency, to work with provinces, territories, indigenous communities, local communities and others to develop and coordinate effective approaches for maintaining safe, clean, and well-managed water resources. We will continue to work with Canadian and U.S. partners to protect and improve Canada’s freshwater resources, and we will implement the Oceans Protection Plan in conjunction with Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

The Department will continue to protect Canadians and the environment from harmful substances by delivering Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan in conjunction with Health Canada. We will continue to work with provinces and territories to implement the Air Quality Management System to reduce harmful emissions and improve air quality. Working with the Government of Alberta, we will continue monitoring the oil sands development to ensure environmental and social responsibility.

Building on the momentum of our recent nature conservation efforts under Canada’s $1.3 billion Nature Legacy Initiative, we will work with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Parks Canada to conserve 25% of Canada’s land and oceans by 2025, in a manner that is grounded in science, Indigenous knowledge and local perspectives. Both targets will rise to 30% by 2030, and we will advocate that countries around the world also set this 2030 conservation goal. We will promote and support actions to protect and conserve areas of high ecological and biodiversity value, such as National Wildlife Areas and Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas. ECCC will continue to implement the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada, focussing on multi-species and ecosystem-based approaches.

The Department will continue to provide Canadians accurate and timely information on weather, water, air quality and climate conditions, as well as forecasts and warnings, to help them make decisions about their health, safety, and economic well-being. To do so, Environment and Climate Change Canada will rely on scientific expertise, a leading edge approach to data management and analysis, and innovative information techniques. The Department will continue to upgrade vital infrastructure, including seven weather radars in 2020-21. Our National Hydrologic Service will also be modernizing its water stations, as well as its engineering and technical capacity.

The Department will continue to show leadership on sustainable development with legislation that will come into force in December 2020 – the Act to Amend the Sustainable Development Act – which will guide future Federal Sustainable Development Strategies.

The challenges we face in terms of the environment and climate change matter to Canadians and to the world. This plan provides details on how our department will address these challenges as we work towards a cleaner and more prosperous future.