Archived: Key Risks

All of ECCC’s core responsibilities are influenced by a number of factors that have the potential to affect the achievement of departmental results. In particular, delivering world-class weather and environmental services and programs is underpinned by investments in infrastructure, IM/IT and data capacity, our workforce, and relationships with partners.

ECCC's capital infrastructure – including accommodations, weather stations and other key facilities – requires maintenance and ongoing investment to prevent rust-out and to maintain its integrity. The Department is exploring approaches to enhance multi-year capital planning to identify capital infrastructure investment gaps, determine critical infrastructure priorities and funding needs, establish robust principles to guide risk-based allocation decisions, and complete an enterprise-wide assessment of capital needs in support of ECCC’s core missions and program integrity.

ECCC uses and produces significant amounts of data. To continue meeting the expectations of Canadians for reliable and timely environmental information, the Department will identify strategies to collect, process and disseminate ever-growing volumes of data, as well as to adapt to an increasingly data-driven world. ECCC will also continue to enhance its information technology environment in order to better support its skilled professionals in leveraging information and data for the effective delivery of its programs and services. These efforts will be supported by the vigorous implementation of ECCC’s Data and Digital Strategies, which lay out strategic investments in service modernization, workforce and workplace transformation, and data and analytics infrastructure and tools.

To fulfill its mandate, the Department relies on highly qualified, specialized personnel with expertise in meteorological science, data science, regulatory areas, policy development and transfer payment programs. Faced with a highly competitive labour market, the evolution of ECCC’s business requirements are driving a need for new skills and competencies to address the complex policy, program, scientific and regulatory issues facing the Department. To ensure it has the capacity to respond quickly and effectively to emerging priorities, ECCC will continue to maintain the flexibility to realign resources to priority files, and support managers in human resources and succession planning in order to attract and retain highly qualified and experienced personnel in a timely manner.

ECCC will also focus on building strategic relationships with new and existing partners, both in Canada and on the global stage, to support the rapid integration of new research, science, technology and IM/IT into Departmental operations.