Archived: Report on Plans and Priorities 2015-16, Environment and Climate Change Canada, chapter 2

Section I: Organizational Expenditure Overview

• Organizational Profile
• Organizational Context
  • Raison d’être
  • Responsibilities
  • Strategic Outcomes and Program Alignment Architecture
  • Organizational Priorities
  • Risk Analysis
  • Risk Narrative
• Planned Expenditures
• Alignment of Spending With the Whole-of-Government Framework
• Departmental Spending Trend
• Estimates by Vote

Organizational Profile

Appropriate Minister: The Honourable Leona Aglukkaq, P.C., M.P

Institutional Head: Michael Martin

Ministerial Portfolio: Environment Canada

Enabling Instruments:

• Department of the Environment Act
• Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999
• Species at Risk Act
• International River Improvements Act
• Canada Water Act
• The Lake of the Woods Control Board Act, 1921
• Weather Modification Information Act
• Fisheries Act (administration of the Pollution Prevention Provisions)
• Antarctic Environmental Protection Act
• Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994
• Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act
• Canada Wildlife Act
• Federal Sustainable Development Act
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 2012
• Environmental Violations Administrative Monetary Penalties Act
• National Wildlife Week Act

Year of Incorporation / Commencement: 1971

Other:

Environment Canada has a long history. The Department was created in 1971, but some of its component organizations are much older. The Canadian Wildlife Service was founded in 1947, the Water Survey of Canada in 1908, and the Meteorological Service of Canada in 1871.

Environment Canada has a national workforce. About 60% of the Department’s workforce is located outside the National Capital Region. Department employees are located across Canada, from Iqaluit to Burlington and Vancouver to St. John’s, and they work in field offices, laboratories, National Wildlife Areas and weather stations.

Environment Canada is a science-based department. Science is central to Environment Canada’s capacity to achieve its mandate and meet its legislative obligations. The Department conducts a wide range of environmental monitoring, research and other scientific activities in fields such as atmospheric sciences, meteorology, physics, biology, chemistry, toxicology, hydrology, ecology, engineering and informatics. The scientific information and knowledge produced is used to inform departmental programs, policies and services, and includes the collection and dissemination of knowledge to support sound environmental decision making. In 2014-15, Environment Canada launched the Environment Canada Science Strategy 2014-2019, which tells the Department’s science story and provides the direction and guidance needed to help ensure that its science continues to be directed toward federal environmental priorities.

Environment Canada works collaboratively with many partners. Environmental issues have wide-ranging implications for social and economic decisions. Environment Canada works in collaboration with many partners, including other federal government departments, provincial and territorial governments, Aboriginal governments and organizations, the governments of other nations, academic institutions, environmental non-governmental organizations, and international organizations. This collaboration enhances the efforts of all partners in working for a clean, safe and sustainable environment and to achieve planned environmental results.

Environment Canada is committed to operating as a world-class regulator. As an important federal regulator, Environment Canada works within the broader federal performance-based regulatory system by developing, promoting compliance with, and enforcing a wide array of regulations to protect Canadians and their environment. The Department is committed to maintaining a regulatory system that is evidence-based, effective, efficient, transparent and adaptable.

Environment Canada is committed to meeting the Government of Canada’s Open Data objectives. The Department supports the federal government’s Open Data objectives in a variety of ways, including as a key contributor to the Federal Geospatial Platform. The Platform is a multi-department collaboration for the development of an online tool where the relevant geospatial information can be found easily and viewed on maps. It will play a key role in bringing together the government’s economic, social and environmental data to better support location-based decision making on a range of complex issues, such as responsible resource development, environmental management, regulatory reviews, and safety and security.

Organizational Context

Raison d’être

Environment Canada is the lead federal department for a wide range of environmental issues affecting Canadians. The Department also plays a stewardship role in achieving and maintaining a clean, safe and sustainable environment. Environment Canada addresses issues through monitoring, research, policy development, service delivery to Canadians, regulations, enforcement of environmental laws, advancement of clean technologies and strategic partnerships. The Department’s programs focus on
a clean environment by minimizing threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution; a safe environment by equipping Canadians to make informed decisions on weather, water and climate conditions; and a sustainable environment by conserving and restoring Canada’s natural environment. The Department’s program focus reflects the increasingly evident interdependence between environmental sustainability and economic well-being.

Responsibilities

A number of acts and regulations provide the Department with its mandate and allow it to carry out its programs. Under the Department of the Environment Act, the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of the Environment extend to matters such as:

• the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment, including water, air and soil quality, and the coordination of the relevant policies and programs of the Government of Canada;
• renewable resources, including migratory birds and other non-domestic flora and fauna;
• meteorology; and
• the enforcement of rules and regulations.

Beyond those authorities conferred under the Department of the Environment Act, the Minister of the Environment exercises additional authorities provided under other acts and regulations including (but not limited to) the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999), the Federal Sustainable Development Act, and several pieces of legislation relating to the protection of biodiversity and water and the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations (e.g., the Species at Risk Act).

The Department is a key partner to other federal departments (including the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and Parks Canada, which are its ministerial portfolio partners) where statutes provide Environment Canada with secondary or shared responsibility for the successful execution of other federal departments’ mandates. For example, under CEPA 1999, Environment Canada provides information and analysis to others (as a federal authority) to support robust environmental assessments. Other statutes include the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act (Transport Canada, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, and Natural Resources Canada), the Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology Act (Natural Resources Canada), and the Fisheries Act (Fisheries and Oceans Canada).

Strategic Outcomes and Program Alignment Architecture

Environment Canada fulfills its mandate by promoting three Strategic Outcomes, each contributing to the Government of Canada Outcome of a clean and healthy environment. There are 9 Programs, 30 Sub-Programs, and 5 Sub-Sub-Programs that are aligned to support the achievement of the Department’s three Strategic Outcomes. Together, the Strategic Outcomes, Programs, Sub-Programs, and Sub-Sub-Programs support progress against the Department’s stewardship mandate of providing a clean, safe and sustainable environment.

The Department’s Strategic Outcomes, Programs, Sub-Programs and Sub-Sub-Programs as well as its Internal Services for 2015-16 are shown below.

• 1. Strategic Outcome: Canada’s natural environment is conserved and restored for present and future generations
  • 1.1 Program: Biodiversity - Wildlife and Habitat
    • 1.1.1 Sub-Program: Biodiversity Policy and Priorities
    • 1.1.2 Sub-Program: Species at Risk
    • 1.1.3 Sub-Program: Migratory Birds
    • 1.1.4 Sub-Program: Habitat Conservation Partnerships
    • 1.1.5 Sub-Program: Protected Areas
  • 1.2 Program: Water Resources
    • 1.2.1 Sub-Program: Water Quality and Aquatic Ecosystems Health
    • 1.2.2 Sub-Program: Water Resource Management and Use
    • 1.2.3 Sub-Program:  Hydrometric Services
  • 1.3 Program: Sustainable Ecosystems
    • 1.3.1 Sub-Program: Sustainability Reporting and Indicators
    • 1.3.2 Sub-Program: Ecosystem and Environmental Assessments
    • 1.3.3 Sub-Program: Community Engagement
      • 1.3.3.1 Sub-Sub-Program: EcoAction Community Funding
      • 1.3.3.2 Sub-Sub-Program: Environmental Damages Fund
      • 1.3.3.3 Sub-Sub-Program: Environmental Youth Employment
    • 1.3.4 Sub-Program: Great Lakes
    • 1.3.5 Sub-Program: St. Lawrence
    • 1.3.6 Sub-Program: Lake Simcoe/South-eastern Georgian Bay
    • 1.3.7 Sub-Program: Lake Winnipeg
    • 1.3.8 Sub-Program: Ecosystems Partnerships
  • 1.4 Program: Compliance Promotion and Enforcement - Wildlife
• 2. Strategic Outcome: Canadians are equipped to make informed decisions on changing weather, water and climate conditions
  • 2.1 Program: Weather and Environmental Services for Canadians
    • 2.1.1 Sub-Program: Weather Observations, Forecasts and Warnings
    • 2.1.2 Sub-Program: Health-related Meteorological Information
    • 2.1.3 Sub-Program: Climate Information, Predictions and Tools
  • 2.2 Program: Weather and Environmental Services for Targeted Users
    • 2.2.1 Sub-Program: Meteorological Services in Support of Air Navigation
    • 2.2.2 Sub-Program: Meteorological and Ice Services in Support of Marine Navigation
    • 2.2.3 Sub-Program: Meteorological Services in Support of Military Operations
• 3.   Strategic Outcome: Threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution are minimized
• • 3.1 Program: Substances and Waste Management
    • 3.1.1 Sub-Program: Substances Management
    • 3.1.2 Sub-Program: Effluent Management
    • 3.1.3 Sub-Program: Marine Pollution
    • 3.1.4 Sub-Program: Environmental Emergencies
    • 3.1.5 Sub-Program: Contaminated Sites
  • 3.2 Program: Climate Change and Clean Air
    • 3.2.1 Sub-Program: Climate Change and Clean Air Regulatory Program
      • 3.2.1.1 Sub-Sub-Program: Industrial Sector Emissions
      • 3.2.1.2 Sub-Sub-Program: Transportation Sector Emissions
    • 3.2.2 Sub-Program: International Climate Change and Clean Air Partnerships
    • 3.2.3 Sub-Program: Environmental Technology
  • 3.3 Program: Compliance Promotion and Enforcement - Pollution

• Internal Services

Organizational Priorities

Environment Canada maintains four priorities for 2015-16. These priorities continue to reflect the Department’s stewardship mandate which, in turn, directly supports the Government of Canada Outcome of a clean and healthy environment. The Department will pursue a number of plans to deliver these priorities, as set out in the following tables.

Description

Why this is a priority

Harmful substances released into the environment and products that contain toxic substances threaten the health of Canadians and their environment. The application of sound science and clean technologies, as well as a strong regulatory framework, are vital to addressing these threats effectively. Domestic and international activities that affect the environment in Canada call for focused collaboration to make meaningful and lasting progress on achieving a clean environment.

Plans for meeting the Clean Environment priority

• Deliver on the Chemicals Management Plan;
• Continue to implement regulatory programs, including Disposal at Sea;
• Deliver on the Government’s sector-by-sector regulatory approach to reducing Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions;
• Deliver on federal components of the national Air Quality Management System;
• Advance Canada’s climate change and clean air goals through participation and implementation in international fora and partnerships; and
• Administer, promote compliance with and enforce pollution acts and regulations.

Description

Why this is a priority

Canadians rely on Environment Canada’s weather and environmental services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This information, including current weather forecasts and warnings and air quality information, helps Canadians make informed decisions in response to changing weather, water and climate conditions. Current and reliable science-based information supports users in taking precautions and/or avoiding hazardous areas in order to prevent or limit danger and damage. Ongoing research and development enable Environment Canada to increase the timeliness and accuracy of its weather and environmental prediction.

Plans for meeting the Safe Environment priority

• Deliver timely high-quality weather and environmental services to Canadians through an improved ability to detect severe weather and the renewal of the monitoring infrastructure;
• Leverage the foundational weather and environmental services as well as collaborative partnerships to deliver services to targeted users that support their decision making around their business operations;
• Provide weather and climate information in support of domestic and international emergency management efforts that support public safety, such as: weather and ice information; and volcanic ash, nuclear and smoke modeling, amongst others;
• Modernize the weather infrastructure to ensure the continuity of weather and climate information that is critical to the safety of Canadians; and
• Continue to leverage international partnerships to benefit from scientific and technological advancements globally.

Description

Why this is a priority

Canada’s natural environment provides significant benefits to Canadians. Sustaining these benefits depends on maintaining the diversity of species and sustainable ecosystems. Environment Canada’s monitoring plays an important role in helping to sustain these resources; this work is dependent on the Department’s robust science base, as well as on its promotion of compliance and enforcement through a strong regulatory regime.

Plans for meeting the Sustainable Environment priority

• Improve and advance implementation of the Migratory Birds Program and the Species at Risk Program;
• Pursue a collaborative approach to protect and conserve biodiversity at home and abroad, including by supporting the implementation of the National Conservation Plan, the administration of habitat stewardship programs, and the maintenance and expansion of a network of protected areas;
• Contribute to responsible resource development through the provision of science-based expert advice during environmental assessments;
• Continue collaborative work with the Government of Alberta (Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Agency) on the implementation of an oil sands monitoring program;
• Implement a comprehensive approach to ecosystem management;
• Continue to focus federal engineering and science expertise to support the protection of domestic and transboundary waters and ecosystem management;
• Continue collaborative work with the provinces and territories on water quantity monitoring through the National Hydrometric Program; and
• Administer, promote compliance with and enforce wildlife acts and regulations.

Description

Why this is a priority

The Department has been working to ensure that internal services such as human and financial resources management, information management and information technology, and communications, are aligned to provide the best support services and to enable achievement of results.

Plans for meeting the Management priority

• Continue to re-engineer departmental systems and operations to increase efficiency;
• Continue to improve business processes and common services to maintain or improve levels of service and client satisfaction; and
• Implement the Departmental People Management Strategy and initiatives to create an adaptive and mobile workforce and a modern workplace.

Risk Analysis

Environment Canada’s Corporate Risk Profile (CRP) provides a department-wide view of the most significant risks that may impact the achievement of the Department’s mandate, strategic outcomes and priorities, as well as the actions Environment Canada (EC) is taking to mitigate these risks. The CRP focuses on external risks (government, policy and strategic direction, hazards and emergencies, engagement and partnerships, social, economic and environmental priorities, and advances in science and technology), their likelihood and potential impacts. The Department systemically monitors, reviews and responds to these and any potential emerging risks. In 2014, as part of its annual risk update, the following five corporate risks identified in the 2014-17 CRP were updated (as set out below) to reflect the current operating environment.

Key Risks

Risk Narrative

Environment Canada is the lead federal department for a wide range of environmental issues affecting Canadians and has a stewardship role in supporting a clean environment (by minimizing threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution), a safe environment (by equipping Canadians to make informed decisions on weather, water and climate conditions) and a sustainable environment (by conserving and restoring Canada’s natural environment). Delivering on its mandate while managing a range of internal and Government-wide transformation initiatives adds complexity to the Department’s operating environment.

Aligned with initiatives Workplace 2.0 and Blueprint 2020, the Department is refining the way it does business and finding ways to adapt to today's work context and realities. With increased reliance on partners and stakeholders to deliver on its mandate there are risks related to competing or conflicting priorities of stakeholders, the increasing complexity of files that often cross jurisdictional or geographical boundaries, and the requirements for engagement and consultations. The Department will continue to build and strengthen relations through planning networks and processes to better share information, strategic priorities and potential changes, and clearly define roles and responsibilities.

A science-based department, EC is the center of Canada’s meteorological expertise and a major player in environmental research. There is a risk that the Department will not be able to recruit or retain highly specialized staff (e.g., research/specialized scientists) due to competition from other employers and limited availability of such talent, to deliver expected business results. The Department’s actions to address this risk include a comprehensive people management plan to build a capable workforce, learning and recruitment strategies, and a culture of performance management.

Responsible for providing Canadians with a safe environment, EC faces significant risks associated with emergency preparedness (such as infrastructure failure) and the ability to respond to natural disasters (such as earthquakes and floods) and large-scale emergencies. The Department depends on external partners (e.g., Shared Services Canada) for mission-critical services and Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) support (e.g., supercomputer). The Department will make use of established channels, protocols and agreements to manage risks of not being able to deliver services, and will continue to test the viability of business continuity plans and provide training to emergency response stakeholders and staff.

As a federal regulator, EC works within the broader federal performance-based regulatory system to develop, promote compliance with, and enforce a wide array of regulations to protect Canadians and their environment. Risks include those driven by external factors, such as dependencies on partners and stakeholders, changing regulatory and legislative requirements, increasing Canadian and international expectations concerning the management of the environment, and the continuously increasing pace of advances in science and technology. The Department will maintain and strengthen its relationships with key partners and stakeholders domestically, continentally, and internationally to share and understand regulatory and/or legislative expectations.

The Department faces information management risks related to: the compromise of sensitive information (e.g., cyber threats); Government-wide transformational initiatives (e.g., recordkeeping repository (GCDOCS), e-mail transformation); centralization of IM/IT services; and financial and asset management systems transformation. The implementation of protocols and procedures, ongoing communication and provision of relevant training relating to information management, security and file management, are among the mitigation activities that the Department will continue to undertake or advance.

In 2015-16, the Department will assess the effectiveness of its mitigation strategies to further reduce departmental risk exposure. The Department will continue to strengthen integrated risk management, and foster a risk-smart culture to facilitate informed and intelligent risk taking and decision making.

Planned Expenditures

Environment Canada’s planned spending reflects approved funding by Treasury Board to support departmental Strategic Outcomes and Programs. The net decrease in planned spending from 2015-16 to 2016-17 is mainly due to the sunsetting of temporary initiatives, as well as a funding profile decrease over the two years for current initiatives. These decreases are partially offset by net additional funding for new initiatives, including for Sustainable Development Technology Canada and the National Conservation Plan, as well as adjustments to the Employee Benefit Plans. The net decrease in planned spending from 2016-17 to 2017-18 is mainly due to the sunsetting of temporary initiatives, as well as a funding profile decrease over the two years for current initiatives.

Sunsetting programs are subject to government decisions to extend, reduce or enhance funding. Outcomes of such decisions will be reflected in the Department’s future budget exercises and Estimates documents.

One FTE equals one person working a 37.5-hour work week full-time for the entire year, or any number of part-time employees whose combined hours of work equal one FTE. An average salary was used to calculate FTEs based on planned salary spending for the 2015-16, 2016-17 and 2017-18 fiscal years. Based on this calculation, Environment Canada plans to use 6,167 FTEs in 2015-16, with decreases of FTE utilization, linked to decreases in planned spending, in 2016-17 and 2017-18, as shown in the above table.

Sunsetting programs are subject to government decisions to extend, reduce or enhance funding. Outcomes of such decisions will be reflected in the Department’s future budget exercises and Estimates documents.

Budgetary Planning Summary for Strategic Outcomes and Programs (dollars)

Strategic Outcome 1: Canada’s natural environment is conserved and restored for present and future generations.

The variance between forecast spending for 2014-15 and planned spending for 2015-16 is mainly due to the increase in funding for the Contaminated Sediment Remediation Projects and the National Conservation Plan (including Nature Conservancy Canada starting in 2015-16), offset by the sunsetting of temporary programs. The decrease from 2015-16 to 2016-17 is primarily due to the reduction in funding for the Contaminated Sediment Remediation Projects, West Coast Energy Infrastructure Initiative and the Lake Winnipeg Basin Initiative, as well as the sunsetting of temporary initiatives. The decrease in planned spending between 2016-17 and 2017-18 is mainly attributable to the reduction in the funding for the Contaminated Sediment Remediation Projects and the sunsetting of temporary initiatives.

Strategic Outcome 2: Canadians are equipped to make informed decisions on changing weather, water and climate conditions.

The variance between forecast spending for 2014-15 and planned spending for 2015-16 is mainly due to the increase in funding for the Revitalization of Canada’s Weather Services Initiative, offset by the sunsetting of temporary initiatives. The decrease in planned spending from 2015-16 to 2016-17 is primarily due to the sunsetting of temporary initiatives.

Strategic Outcome 3: Threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution are minimized.

The decrease in planned spending for 2015-16 compared to that for 2016-17 is primarily attributable to the sunsetting of temporary initiatives. Variance for 2017-18 compared to previous years is mainly due to year-over-year variability in the funding profile for the implementation of a World-Class Tanker Safety System, a smaller anticipated transfer of funds for Sustainable Development Technology Canada, as well as the completion of the temporary initiative on Single Window System. 

Internal Services

The variance between planned spending for 2015-16 compared to that for 2016-17 is mainly due to the sunsetting of temporary initiatives.

Sunsetting programs are subject to government decisions to extend, reduce or enhance funding. Outcomes of such decisions will be reflected in the Department’s future budget exercises and Estimates documents.

Alignment of Spending With the Whole-of-Government Framework

Alignment of 2015-16 Planned Spending with the Whole-of-Government Framework (dollars)

Departmental Spending Trend

Note: These figures are net of respendable revenues. Forecast Spending includes 2014-15 Main Estimates plus 2014-15 Supplementary Estimates A, B and anticipated Supplementary Estimates C; it does not include the reimbursement of collective agreements and the carry-forwards.

For fiscal years 2012-13 and 2013-14, the amounts shown represent the actual expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts.

For fiscal year 2014-15, the forecast spending represents the planned budgetary and statutory expenditures as presented in the Estimates documents (Main Estimates and Supplementary Estimates). For the period 2015-16 to 2017-18, the planned spending reflects approved funding by Treasury Board to support the departmental Strategic Outcomes and Programs.

Environment Canada’s actual spending for 2013-14 was $978.9 million, a year-over-year decrease of $10.7 million (1.1%) from 2012-13. The decrease is mainly due to a smaller payment to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, partially offset by an increase in contributions to the Employee Benefit Plan.

The decrease between 2013-14 actual spending and 2014-15 forecast spending is mainly due to:

• decreased payments in lieu of severance and retroactive payments of salaries and wages for the renewal of collective agreements;
• saving measures as announced in Budget 2012;
• lower contribution to the Employee Benefit Plan; and
• a smaller payment to the Nature Conservancy of Canada.

Partially offset by:

• year-over-year variability in the funding profile for the National Conservation Plan, the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda, the Revitalization of Canada’s Weather Services, and the program in support of the Species at Risk Act.

The increase between 2014-15 forecast spending and 2015-16 planned spending is mainly due to:

• an increase in planned spending for the Contaminated Sediment Remediation Projects and the Sustainable Development Technology Canada.

Partially offset by:

• a decrease in planned spending for the National Conservation Plan.

For an explanation of variances in planned spending between 2015-16 and 2017-18, please see the analysis included in the Planned Expenditures section.

Estimates by Vote

For information on Environment Canada’s organizational appropriations, consult the 2015-16 Main Estimates on the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat website.