Archived: Departmental Results Report 2018 to 2019: Department of Environment, chapter 3

Results: what we achieved

Core Responsibilities

Taking Action on Clean Growth and Climate Change

Description

Through engagement with other federal departments and agencies, provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples, and other stakeholders, and external experts, the Department will support and coordinate the implementation of the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF); work to reduce Canadian greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions; drive clean growth; develop regulatory instruments; support businesses and Canadians to adapt and become more resilient to climate change; and contribute to international climate change actions to increase global benefits.

Results

Carbon pollution pricing across Canada

Regulations to reduce GHGs and support climate action

ECCC supported clean electricity by finalizing regulations to phase out traditional coal-fired electricity generation by 2030 and regulations to limit GHG emissions from new natural gas-fired electricity generation (both published in December 2018). The updated coal regulations are expected to have benefits for Canadians totaling $4.7 billion, including $3.4 billion in avoided climate change damage, $1.2 billion in health benefits for Canadians, and $40 million in environmental benefits.

In addition, proposed equivalency agreements with the provinces of Nova Scotia and Saskatchewan on the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide Emissions from Coal-fired Generation of Electricity Regulations were published. Both agreements are available on the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) Registry and, when finalized, will cover the period of January 1, 2020, to December 31, 2024. A proposed Order-in-Council for the Saskatchewan agreement and a Notice of Availability for the Nova Scotia agreement (which was a renewal of an existing agreement that already has an Order in place) were published in the Canada Gazette, Part I.

ECCC published final regulations to reduce methane from the oil and gas sector. The new regulations will reduce emissions from this source by 40% to 45% below 2012 levels, by 2025. The regulations provide flexibility for industry to choose cost-effective ways to comply. For example, some companies are exploring the use of drones to detect methane leaks instead of using more traditional leak-detection methods.

In addition, a draft equivalency agreement with the province of British Columbia on these regulations was published for public consultation in the Canada Gazette, Part I.

Sources of GHG emissions in Canada

Regulations amending the Ozone-depleting Substances and Halocarbons Alternatives Regulations, which entered into force on April 16, 2018, introduced controls on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) to help Canada meet its Montreal Protocol commitments and reduce a significant source of GHGs.

Canada hosted the Global Methane Forum (April 2018), an important global event with close to 400 delegates from 51 countries, to discuss how to advance methane mitigation, science, policy and technology innovation.

Developing a Clean Fuel Standard remained a priority for ECCC, with the goal of reducing GHG emissions from liquid, gaseous and solid fossil fuels by 30 megatonnes a year, by 2030, making it an important contribution to Canada’s national emissions reductions targets. In 2018–19, the Department outlined key elements of the proposed new regulations in a regulatory design paper.

ECCC developed new GHG emissions regulations for heavy-duty vehicles that set new standards for school buses, transport trucks, garbage trucks and other large vehicles that together account for 9% of Canada’s GHG emissions. The regulations were introduced in 2018 and will gradually include more stringent standards, starting in model year 2021 for heavy-duty vehicles and engines, and in 2020 for trailers pulled by transport tractors. Stringency will increase each year until 2027 in order to give manufacturers and importers time to adapt. The regulations also offer industry the flexibility to choose the most cost-effective compliance options. On May 27, 2019, an interim order was made to delay the GHG emission standards for trailers in Canada by one year after the interim order is made (from January 1, 2020, to May 27, 2020). This will allow the Department time to assess concerns from Canada’s trailer industry on potential adverse economic impacts if Canada were to proceed to implement the trailer standards without the corresponding standards of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) being in force.

ECCC also published a variety of discussion papers and reports in 2018–19 on various GHG reduction opportunities, including:  

• A discussion paper to launch consultations on the mid-term evaluation of Canada’s light-duty vehicle GHG regulations for the 2022 to 2025 model years, with the goal of determining whether Canada’s emission standards for these model years remain appropriate. ECCC also published a summary of the comments received in response to the discussion paper.
• A technical paper on drag reduction technologies for light-duty vehicles, which investigated measures to complement aerodynamic drag measurements that may be used to reduce vehicle fuel consumption and GHG emissions.
• The Greenhouse Gas Emissions Performance Model Year 2011 to 2016 Light-duty Vehicle Fleet (PDF) report, which summarizes company-specific regulatory compliance results for on-road passenger automobiles and light trucks.
• A report on Notices of Defect, which provides summaries of notices of defects and other company notifications submitted to ECCC. The intent is to disseminate information on emission-related issues for vehicles, vessels and engines.

Reducing short-lived climate pollutants

ECCC continued to implement Canada’s Strategy on Short-lived Climate Pollutants (PDF) (SLCPs). These potent GHGs and air pollutants, including black carbon, methane and ground-level ozone, play an important role in climate warming. A range of actions on SLCPs (and on other GHGs), including science and mitigation, have been taken to meet the temperature goals of the Paris Agreement. Black carbon is of particular significance in the Arctic due to its additional warming effect when deposited onto snow or ice.

Partnerships with Indigenous peoples on the PCF

ECCC continued its partnership and constructive dialogue with each of the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami and the Métis National Council. Each partnership is vital to the successful implementation of the PCF and each of the three Indigenous tables informs the design of policies and programs to reflect and advance Indigenous peoples’ clean growth and climate change priorities. The First Nations-Canada Joint Committee on Climate Action submitted its annual report to the National Chief and Prime Minister in 2018.

Engagement with External Experts

Following an open call for proposals under the Expert Engagement Initiative on Clean Growth and Climate Change, ECCC is providing up to $20 million over 5 years, from Budget 2018, to the successful applicant: the Pan-Canadian Expert Collaboration. Representing more than 15 diverse and reputable organizations across Canada, it will form a new and independent not-for-profit “institute” focused on clean growth and climate change. The institute will generate, communicate and mobilize trusted information, research, advice, and best practices to Canadians, governments, and stakeholders. The institute will be supported by highly credible and inclusive research, analysis, and engagement with leaders, experts, and practitioners from across Canada. The institute is expected to launch publicly in early 2020 and will help fulfil the PCF’s commitment to engage external experts to assess the effectiveness of its measures and identify best practices.

As Canada transitions to cleaner sources of power, the federal government remains committed to supporting the workers and communities that depend on the coal industry. To help do so, ECCC launched the Task Force on Just Transition for Canadian Coal Power Workers and Communities in 2018. Their final report provides advice on how to make this transition fair, reflecting what they heard during their engagement in every affected province. In response to the Task Force recommendations, the Government of Canada has committed to investing $35 million to support skills development and economic diversification activities, including through transition centers, and to creating a dedicated $150 million infrastructure fund, starting in 2020–21, to support priority projects and economic diversification in impacted communities; and, through Employment and Social Development Canada, will work with those affected to explore new ways to protect workers, wages and pensions, including through the Canada Training Benefit, recognizing the uncertainty that this transition represents for workers in the sector.

An Advisory Council on Climate Action was established to identify further ways to reduce carbon pollution, while encouraging economic growth, from the transportation and buildings sectors. The Council’s interim report (March 2019) makes a number of recommendations, including providing incentives to Canadians to purchase zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) and further investing in electronic vehicle (EV) infrastructure, such as charging stations. The Council delivered its final recommendations report in May 2019, providing advice to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change in the spring of 2019 on developing a broader market for building retrofits and on opportunities for the electrification of transport. Budget 2019 proposed to implement programming for electric vehicles consistent with the Council’s advice.

The Government of Canada set up an Expert Panel on Sustainable Finance in 2018 (led by Finance Canada) to identify key challenges and opportunities, and make recommendations on the way forward in this area. ECCC contributed socio-economic analyses to shape the Panel’s work. In its 2018 interim report (PDF) , the Panel points to promising approaches for business and governments to provide strategic leadership towards a more sustainable economic future. The Panel’s final report was issued in June 2019.

Investing in energy efficiency and reducing carbon emissions

In addition, ECCC’s Climate Action Fund supports innovation in climate action in Canada by providing up to $3 million for projects delivered by students, youth, Indigenous peoples and organizations, not-for-profit organizations and small and medium-sized businesses to raise awareness of climate change and to build capacity for increased actions that contribute to the PCF. Under the Fund, for example, over $115,000 was awarded in 2018–19 to a Nova Scotia project that teaches students both science-based and Mi’kmaq knowledge about climate change. That same year, the Canada Green Building Council received close to $500,000 to raise awareness and increase knowledge of zero-carbon buildings.

Addressing climate change adaptation and resilience

ECCC launched the Canadian Centre for Climate Services (CCCS) in 2018. The online portal provides all Canadians—from homeowners to businesses to municipal planners—access to the information and support they need to plan for climate impacts. The CCCS brings together a dedicated multidisciplinary team to help Canadians understand and become more resilient to climate change. (See a brief video clip about the CCCS.)

To support science information sharing to help Canadians understand and plan for climate-related risks, ECCC initiated agreements in 2018–19 with various partners, including Ouranos (a climate-science consortium based in Québec) and the University of Victoria’s Pacific Climate Impacts Consortium. CCCS invested in the new interactive Climate Atlas of Canada, developed by the University of Winnipeg’s Prairie Climate Centre, to show how climate change could affect communities across the country.

Canada’s Expert Panel on Climate Change Adaptation and Resilience Results completed its report and recommendations (PDF) (June 2018) in support of the PCF, including a proposed suite of 54 indicators to measure progress on adaptation and climate resilience in Canada. The indicators cover human health and well-being, vulnerable regions, hazards and disaster risks, infrastructure, and science and Indigenous traditional knowledge.

ECCC provided advice and guidance to federal departments to increase their institutional climate resilience. Inititiaves included preparation of updated guidance on climate change risk assessment and adaptation planning, a detailed needs assessment of 24 departments, and training to departments. ECCC also assessed climate change risks to its programs, assets and own operations and is developing an Adaptation Plan to address priority risks. These activities deliver on commitments in the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy, the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s (TBS) Greening Government Strategy (2017), and respond to the recommendations of the Commissioner of Environment and Sustainable Development’s (CESD) Audit of Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change, published as part of the Fall 2017 CESD reports. Furthermore, ECCC worked with TBS’s Centre for Greening Government to develop more robust adaptation commitments in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (2019–2022) and Greening Government Strategy update (2019), with the goal of making federal departments and organizations more resilient.

ECCC also engaged with provincial and territorial counterparts under the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) to develop Lights on the Path, a compendium of best practices for reducing GHG emissions and building resilience in government operations (May 2018). CCME also released a report on Best Practices and Resources on Climate Resilient Natural Infrastructure (June 2018), which details how natural infrastructure can address climate change impacts and provide co-benefits, such as biodiversity conservation and GHG mitigation.

The Department’s international work on adaptation included support to the Global Commission on Adaptation. Launched in October of 2018, the Commission aims to catalyze a global movement to bring scale and speed to adaptation solutions. The Commission is led by Ban Ki-Moon (8th Secretary General of the UN), Bill Gates (the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation), and Kristalina Georgieva (International Monetary Fund). Canada is one of 19 countries convening the Commission and has contributed $7 million to support its work, which takes place from October 2018 to December 2020. The focus of the first year included the publication of a flagship report, unveiled in September 2019 at the United Nations Secrecretary General’s Climate Action Summit. Canada will contribute to all aspects of the Commission’s work and has prioritized work on three action tracks: finance, infrastructure and nature-based solutions.

Strategic assessment of climate change

ECCC engaged stakeholders on how climate change considerations can best be integrated in project impact assessments. The Discussion Paper: Developing a Strategic Assessment of Climate Change provided an opportunity for Indigenous peoples, provinces and territories, industry and others to give their views on the objectives and scope of the strategic assessment of climate change. ECCC also published Terms of Reference for conducting a Strategic Assessment of Climate Change.

On the International Front: Canada’s Climate Change Leadership

Building on Canada’s leadership in securing Article 6 of the Paris Agreement in December 2015 (concerning international carbon markets), Canada continued to be a key player for advancing ongoing negotiations on the guidance (rules) for the Agreement’s implementation. The Minister and senior ECCC officials also played leadership roles in several other key international initiatives for enhancing international cooperation on developing credible carbon markets (including the Carbon Pricing Leadership Forum and the Carbon Markets Platform).

Climate finance

ECCC, in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada, is delivering $2.65 billion over five years to support developing countries, the poorest and most vulnerable in particular, in their transition to clean and climate-resilient economies. Canada’s climate finance also supports the collective climate finance goal to mobilize US$100 billion per year by 2020 from a variety of public and private financial sources in donor countries to help achieve the shared goals of the Paris Agreement.

Canada’s support is delivered through a variety of channels, including through the Green Climate Fund (the financial mechanism of the Paris Agreement), as well as through a number of multilateral and bilateral initiatives.

As part of this commitment, ECCC is implementing climate finance initiatives aimed at helping countries tackle the challenges of climate change, including by reducing short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs). Contributions to initiatives in 2018–19 include, for example:  

• $10 million to the Climate and Clean Air Coalition Trust Fund;
• $10 million to the World Meteorological Organization to develop climate risk-related early warning systems in some of the most vulnerable countries (CREWS);
• $7 million to support Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) implementation in Chile’s waste management sector through the deployment of technologies to reduce SLCP emissions that could be coupled with clean energy generation;
• $5 million to the Capacity-building Initiative for Transparency (CBIT) to help build institutional and technical capacity for climate data transparency;
• $1 million to support NDC implementation in the waste management sector in Vietnam through the development of policy frameworks and capacity building for local governments in order to adopt climate-friendly municipal solid waste practices that will ultimately lead to significant methane emission reductions; and
• $1.6 million to provide assistance to enhance measurement, reporting and verification (MRV) mechanisms in the Pacific Alliance countries (Mexico, Colombia, Peru and Chile).

ECCC is also exploring opportunities to pilot exchanges of Internationally Transferred Mitigation Outcomes (ITMOs) with partner countries in order to build capacity on new crediting mechanisms under Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. A 2018–19 contribution of $3 million to the Transformative Carbon Asset Facility (TCAF) led by ECCC will help to evaluate future opportunities for ITMOs for Canada and expand knowledge on how it could lever private sector investments to increase mitigation.

Canada’s climate finance commitment will generate important results, both in terms of climate change mitigation and adaptation in developing countries. It will also reduce GHG emissions, increase resilience of beneficiaries and help to mobilize private investments for climate action.

In addition to Canada’s $2.65 billion pledge, innovative climate resources and investments are being deployed by ECCC partners and stakeholders, such as Export Development Canada, FinDev—Canada’s newly established development finance institution—and non-traditional donors, such as sub-national governments.

ECCC continued work to fulfill Canada’s ongoing international reporting obligations under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). In April 2018, Canada hosted a team of UNFCCC experts for an in-country review of the Seventh National Communication and Third Biennial Report that Canada had submitted to the UNFCCC in December 2017. ECCC officials also started to lay the groundwork for the 4th Biennial Report, due to the UNFCCC on January 1, 2020. The National Communication and Biennial Reports provide international audiences with a status update on Canada’s climate change activities.

International climate partnership

Among Canada’s international partnerships are those aimed at assisting developing countries, including the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, of which Canada is a founding member. Canada has worked with the United Kingdom since 2017 to co-champion the Powering Past Coal Alliance. In 2018–19, a leap in international interest increased membership to some 80 countries, regions, cities, international organizations and businesses—all committed to advancing the transition from coal power generation to clean energy.

Canada is the current co-chair of the Global Methane Initiative, a global public-private partnership focused on methane emission mitigation, as well as the recovery and use of methane as a clean energy source. Canada paved the way on methane action for other nations, including by publishing the world’s first comprehensive methane regulations. Canada also hosted close to 400 participants from 51 countries at the 2018 Global Methane Forum in Toronto (April 2018) to advance methane mitigation, science, policy, technology, innovation and funding.

Leadership in linking global trade and climate change

In 2018–19, ECCC remained a strong advocate for advancing a range of environmental issues and climate change references in Canada’s free trade agreements to ensure they enable Canada to meet environmental commitments, such as those under the Paris Agreement and UNFCCC. The Department geared up for its role in the May 2019 Mission Innovation, including to advance public and private sector investments in clean energy research and development.

Canada continued to act on its commitment to pursue and enhance a progressive trade agenda with its trade partners, through the negotiation and implementation of ambitious environment provisions in free trade agreements. Examples include the conclusion of the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA) negotiations and its parallel Environmental Cooperation Agreement, the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), and the Canada-Israel Free Trade Agreement (CIFTA).

Canada and the European Union completed the first year of their collaboration under the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA). In January 2019, signatories to the agreement from both sides of the Atlantic met to explore how CETA can be used to advance the objectives of the Paris Agreement and promote trade in environmental goods and services that support climate action.

In addition, Canada pursued constructive relations with countries and organizations to advance action on global environmental issues, such as climate change, oceans, and clean energy. This includes activities, as part of environmental cooperation agreements and partnerships, with several countries, including the United States, China, France, and the United Kingdom.

¹ This result was amended to reflect revised calculations, and differs from past publications.

² The federal backstop was applied in Nunavut and Yukon beginning July 1, 2019. The Northwest Territories’ carbon pollution pricing system took effect on September 1, 2019.

³ This is an interim target, established by Treasury Board Secretariat (TBS) in its Greening Government Strategy, towards a full 80% reduction below 2005 levels by 2050.

⁴ In 2015, the TBS Centre for Greening Government issued updated emissions factors for all federal organizations reporting GHG emissions from electricity consumption. Therefore, the 2016–17 and 2017-18 results are not comparable to earlier years’ results. 

¹ Significant progress has been achieved to date, however more time is needed for this co-development process. In partnership with Indigenous partners, the senior bilateral PCF tables are co-led. To date, there have been PCF table meetings with Inuit, Métis and First Nation, to define any indicators to ensure meaningful engagement of Indigenous peoples in implementation of the PCF.

¹ The results reported relate to the number of individuals, businesses, and governments accessing climate services. Usage is measured through a survey conducted every 5 years.

* All figures, throughout the document, are net of respendable revenues.

** The variance is due to unspent funds of $235M related to the Low Carbon Economy Fund as there has been delays in submitting proposals to access the funding.

ECCC has sought to reprofile these funds to ensure they remain available for use in future years.

* Totals may differ within and between tables due to the rounding of figures. The FTE numbers, throughout the document, include students.

Preventing and Managing Pollution

Description

Collaborate with provinces, territories, Indigenous peoples and others to develop and administer environmental standards, guidelines, regulations and risk management instruments to reduce releases and monitor levels of contaminants in air, water and soil, and promote and enforce compliance with environmental laws and regulations.

Results

Moving to zero plastic waste—in Canada and globally

Addressing plastic pollution is a high priority for the Government of Canada and for countries around the world. With over $100 billion worth of plastic packaging thrown away each year globally, reducing plastic pollution and investing in Canadian innovation are part of the Government of Canada’s overall plan to protect the environment and fight climate change to build a stronger economy and healthier communities.

In Canada, ECCC collaborated with provinces and territories (through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) to create a Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste, approved in principle by federal, provincial, and territorial environment ministers in November 2018. The comprehensive Strategy takes a life-cycle approach in plastic waste, and proposes a framework to keep plastics in the economy and out of our environment.

Protecting Canada’s freshwater resources

Canada’s freshwater resources—including those in the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence Basin, Lake Winnipeg, and Atlantic Canada—are vital to the health and well-being of Canadians. Responsibility for protecting and managing freshwater spans all levels of government.

Highlights of ECCC’s 2018–19 achievements include:

• Protecting perch habitat, water quality, shoreline erosion, and wildlife habitat in the St. Lawrence River Basin by investing $592,000 in five new multi-year projects under the St. Lawrence Action Plan 2011–2026. These projects engage local communities as part of the Community Interaction Program and further ECCC’s long-term commitment to water quality in this major historic resource.
• Launching an investment of $8.95 million over four years to engage local groups to protect and improve the Great Lakes Basin, which provides drinking water to one in four Canadians. This investment is funding 36 on-the-ground partner-led projects across the Basin to restore areas of concern, prevent toxic and nuisance algae, reduce the release of harmful chemicals, engage local populations through citizen science, and engage Indigenous peoples in addressing Great Lakes issues.

• Investing $1.19 million in Atlantic Canada to fund eight multi-year projects that support the health, productivity and long-term sustainability of two priority ecosystems: the Saint John River watershed and the Southern Gulf of St. Lawrence watershed. Funded projects aim to improve the assessment, monitoring or mitigation of water quality stressors, such as nutrients and microplastics, and to encourage strong relationships among all watershed partners.
• Amended Canada’s Metal Mining Effluent Regulations (Fisheries Act) to include diamond mines (Metal and Diamond Mining Effluent Regulations) and to lower limits for some substances to reduce the risks posed by mining to fish and their habitats.
• Initiated consultations for proposed regulations under the Fisheries Act for effluent from coal mines and for oil sands.

Home to over two million people, including Indigenous peoples who have lived there for countless generations, the Ottawa River is subject to a range of stressors. Private Member’s Motion M-104, adopted in May 2017, called on the Government of Canada to conduct an Ottawa River Watershed Study, looking at the watershed’s governance, health, and economic, cultural, heritage, and natural values. ECCC posted a draft report for comment (PDF) in September 2018, with the final report (PDF) was published in 2019.

Reducing air pollution and improving air quality

In 2018–19, ECCC published regulatory and non-regulatory instruments under CEPA to address air pollutant emissions. For example, ECCC published proposed regulations to replace and repeal the existing Off-Road Compression-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations. In addition to maintaining the current standards for compression-ignition engines, the new regulations are designed to reduce air pollutant emissions and short-lived climate pollutants from large spark-ignition engines and stationary compression-ignition engines (generally diesel-fuelled) by establishing emission standards and test procedures that are aligned with those of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. ECCC also published a Code of Practice for the Management of Air Emissions from Pulp and Paper Facilities and:

• Published fleet average NOx emission performance reports of light-duty vehicles, light-duty trucks and medium-duty passenger vehicles as part of the On-Road Vehicle and Engine Emissions Regulations Requirements.
• Proposed regulations to replace and repeal the existing Off-Road Compression-Ignition Engine Emission Regulations.

Promoting compliance with regulations and enforcing them are vital to ECCC’s strong regulatory agenda. In 2018–19, the Department performed over 380 emissions tests on selected vehicles and engines as part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to ensure the regulatory compliance of vehicles sold in Canada. The Department also collaborated with regulators in other jurisdictions to share ways to identify non-compliance, including the illegal use of devices that interfere with emissions controls.

To further support improved air quality, ECCC developed and published Canada’s Black Carbon Inventory for 2018—Canada’s fourth annual inventory of this particle that is linked to climate warming and adverse health effects, and which has particular impacts in the Arctic. The inventory provides valuable information that ECCC uses to develop air quality management strategies to achieve the Arctic Council goal of reducing black carbon emissions by 25–33% below 2013 levels by 2025.

On the international front, ECCC completed its ratification of the Gothenburg Protocol to the UNECE Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution by submitting Canada’s emission reduction commitments. The Department also continued its work with international partners to address key air pollutants (including those contributing to acid rain, smog and the degradation of freshwater bodies) from outside Canada that affect Canadians. This includes ongoing implementation of the Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement.

Strengthening Environmental Emergency Responses

To improve its capacity to respond to environmental emergencies in 2018–19, ECCC:

New federal sustainable development approach

The Act to Amend the Federal Sustainable Development Act received Royal Assent on February 28, 2019, and will come into force on December 1, 2020. It sets out a new approach for the federal government to grow a clean and resilient economy for Canadians. The Act, as amended, will triple the number of federal departments and agencies (from 26 to more than 90) required to take action in support of federal sustainable development objectives, and will increase transparency and accountability to Parliament and Canadians.

Protecting Canadians and the environment from harmful substances

As part of its ongoing delivery of the Chemicals Management Plan (CMP) and in collaboration with Health Canada, 728 existing substances were assessed (in draft or final assessments) in 2018–19, with action taken as required to reduce risks to human health and the environment. Assessments of all 384 new substance notifications were also completed, with 144 assessments published online.

Over the year, ECCC:

• Published the final pollution prevention planning Notice regarding the preparation and implementation of pollution prevention plans in respect of hydrazine related to the electricity sector.
• Finalized regulations that prohibit the import, export, sale and use of asbestos and products that contain asbestos, to better protect the health and safety of Canadians.
• Published a proposed pollution prevention planning notice (November 2018) to realize a 30% reduction in the amount of triclosan washed into drains in Canada. Triclosan is harmful to the environment and widely used in manufactured products, including personal care products. A final notice will be published by May 2020.
• Proposed new regulations for the cross-border movement of hazardous waste and hazardous recycled materials.
• Published a Notice of Intent to amend the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations, 2012 (October 2018), and conducted consultations on proposed amendments to the Regulations (consultation document published December 2018).

Restricting toxic substances to better protect vulnerable whales

Under the CMP, in October 2018, ECCC proposed to amend the Prohibition of Certain Toxic Substances Regulations 2012, by removing exemptions (flame retardants and oil and water repellents) for five already prohibited substances, and prohibiting two additional substances (flame retardants) that pose a danger to the environment, including to the Southern Resident Killer Whale and the St. Lawrence Estuary Beluga.

Putting “polluter pays” principle to work

Between April 1, 2018 and March 31, 2019, ECCC successfully prosecuted 30 entities (companies and individuals) under CEPA 1999 and the Fisheries Act, for a total of $8.2 million in fines and penalties. Most of these funds ($7 million) were directed to the EDF.

The Department also collaborated internationally to combat pollution-related crime. In October 2018, ECCC worked closely with Transport Canada and the United States Coast Guard and Department of Justice in a first-ever global action aimed at combatting maritime pollution crime. Operation 30 Days at Sea uncovered more than 500 offences. Led by INTERPOL, the operation involved work by environmental, maritime and border agencies, national police forces, customs and port authorities. More than 5,200 inspections resulted in 185 investigations which, in turn, are expected to lead to numerous arrests and prosecutions.

Providing expertise to environmental assessments

ECCC continued to contribute its scientific and technical expertise to over 420 environmental assessments over the course of the year. The Department actively participated in consultations with Indigenous peoples on the Trans Mountain Expansion Project, including by exploring innovative approaches to cumulative effects monitoring that co-apply Indigenous traditional knowledge and Western science.

Renewing clean-up of federal contaminated lands

In 2018–19, ECCC proposed the fourth phase of the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP), which received federal funding of $1.2 billion from 2020 to 2025. Phase IV will support the assessment and remediation of federal sites across the country, including technical and scientific support and advice from ECCC. Findings and recommendations from the 2018 Horizontal Evaluation of the FCSAP helped to inform program refinements for Phase IV, including expanded eligibility criteria to allow bundling of geographically co-located sites in order to improve program efficiency. In April 2019, Cabinet approved extending FCSAP until 2035.

ECCC assessed four sites for which it is responsible and conducted remediation activities at another 10 sites. For the overall FCSAP program, remediation of 24 sites was completed by program partners in 2018. In collaboration with the other expert support departments, ECCC also conducted a review of 97 technical documents from federal custodians, developed 10 guidance documents, and delivered 3 training sessions to support custodian departments in their management of contaminated sites. Over the year, ECCC engaged with Indigenous communities to gather feedback and learn about their concerns with respect to contaminated federal sites in order to better inform work in Phase IV of FCSAP.

Results achieved

¹ Air quality monitoring results are subject to data validation and are available 18-24 months after data collection. In the 2018–19 and 2019–20 Departmental Plans, data were reported in the year the data were collected. As of the 2018–19 Departmental Results Report, data will be reported in the year that the data is validated. This ensures that the most recent data are reported in any given fiscal year.

¹ The current indicator is not measurable annually and will be replaced by the following: Percentage of substances that are added to Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (Toxic substances list) because they pose a risk to the environment, and that have controls in place within legislated timelines. This is a more meaningful annual performance indicator that will measure the extent to which risk management actions are taken in a timely manner, so as to reduce the potential for exposure of the environment to existing harmful substances.

* The variance is mostly due to unspent funds related to the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan. These funds will be available for use in future years.

Conserving Nature

Description

Protect and recover species at risk and their critical habitat; conserve and protect healthy populations of migratory birds; engage and enable provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, stakeholders, and the public to increase protected areas and contribute to conservation and stewardship activities; expand and manage the Department’s protected areas; and collaborate with domestic and international partners to advance the conservation of biodiversity and sustainable development.

Results

In 2018–19, ECCC undertook significant work and made important progress in protecting and conserving lands, including habitat for species under threat, and in recovering species that are at risk. These efforts required collaboration with other federal departments, provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, local authorities, industry, non-government organizations, and citizens. Collaboration with international partners is also an important element of ECCC’s work given that many species (such as migratory birds) cross international borders. Many efforts are underpinned by both formal and informal international agreements. Enforcement of wildlife laws and regulations is a vital component of ECCC’s efforts to maintain a strong program of conserving species and habitat.

Actions on multiple fronts on biodiversity

The Canada Nature Fund includes two broad streams and funds a range of initiatives:

• The Spaces Stream is designed to help conserve terrestrial areas and inland water (Canada Target 1), to enhance integrity and connectivity of protected and conserved areas, and to establish new Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs) to support Indigenous engagement in conservation. In 2018-19, ECCC invested $14.4 million in 38 projects that either led to the establishment of new provincial, territorial, Indigenous, and private protected areas or supported capacity-building activities to contribute to Canada Target 1. Among these projects, the Kitaskino Nuwenëné Wildland Provincial Park in Alberta maintains ecological integrity and habitats for species at risk, including the woodland caribou and the Ronald Lake Wood Bison herd. An additional $5.2 million was invested to create the Edéhzhíe Protected Area (see section: Increasing the number and nature of protected areas for more information). ECCC also launched an open call for proposals which will provide up to $175 million in project funding to support the creation of new protected areas, including IPCAs.
• The Species Stream is intended to help protect terrestrial species at risk as part of the Government of Canada’s contribution to the Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada (see below for more information). Through this stream, ECCC supports innovative, multi-species and ecosystem-based initiatives aimed at priority species, places, sectors and threats, and at building relationships with Indigenous peoples, governments, industry and other resource users. The Community-Nominated Priority Places for Species at Risk is one component of this stream. It funds projects that bring people together to protect and recover species at risk and that complement priority places identified by federal, provincial and territorial governments under the Pan-Canadian Approach.

Collaboration with Indigenous peoples to protect land and species

With advice from a National Advisory Panel on the Pathway to Canada Target 1 and the Indigenous Circle of Experts, federal, provincial and territorial governments published One with Nature: A Renewed Approach to Land and Freshwater Conservation in Canada (PDF). This report contains pan-Canadian guidance and key policy tools. The guidance supports progress towards achieving the terrestrial and inland water components of the broader goal to protect and conserve 17% of land and freshwater and 10% of marine and coastal areas by 2020.

Conserving migratory birds in Canada

Canada is home to some 450 migratory bird species for part of the year, with the majority of species (almost 80%) spending part of the year outside of Canada. To support ECCC’s mandate under the Migratory Birds Convention Act, 1994, ECCC continued its work to maintain healthy bird populations, including by monitoring population trends, collaborating with the United States and Mexico under the North American Bird Conservation Initiative, and maintaining diverse bird conservation partnerships. The Department engaged conservation groups, citizens and others in actions to reduce human-related mortality and support healthy habitats for birds. Canada’s Migratory Bird Sanctuaries provide important habitat for diverse wildlife species including migratory birds.

Transforming species conservation in Canada

Advancing protection of species at risk

ECCC made significant progress in 2018–19 to protect priority species through a multi-pronged approach to improve conservation outcomes and return on investment. Highlights include the negotiation of conservation agreements, and the allocation of grants and contributions to support on-the-ground action.

Southern mountain caribou, with ranges in British Columbia and Alberta, is listed as a threatened species under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The department completed and published an assessment of imminent threats to this species, and negotiated draft agreements with British Columbia and two First Nations for on-the-ground recovery actions.

Boreal caribou, also a threatened species, is found throughout Canada’s boreal forest and in nine provinces and territories, and has deep social and cultural significance for many Indigenous peoples. In 2018–19, ECCC released two reports^{Footnote 2} on steps taken to protect critical habitat under Section 63 of the Species at Risk Act (SARA), and drafted an order for protection of this iconic species on federal lands. The Department announced a final conservation agreement with the Northwest Territories to protect this species, and established agreements-in-principle with Saskatchewan and Yukon. Funding ($5.5 million) was allocated to support conservation agreements to formalize commitments on boreal caribou with provinces and territories, with approximately $13.4 million in additional commitments expected over the next four years. Indigenous and other consultations were held to inform amendments to the 2012 Recovery Strategy, which are expected in 2019–20.

More broadly, ECCC is collaborating with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Parks Canada Agency to engage with stakeholders and Indigenous partners on the implementation of SARA, using three external advisory committees.

The Department continued to make progress in addressing the backlog of listing decisions for 149 species that were assessed as being at risk by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada between 2008 and 2016. Since 2017, final decisions and proposed listing decisions were made for 117 species, and ECCC projects that it will meet the timelines it established in 2017–18 for eliminating the backlog.

ECCC added new protections for 13 species at risk in Canada under SARA to better protect biodiversity. Seven new species were added, including four species of bees and the grizzly bear. Six species, including the barn owl, were reclassified to threatened or endangered. There are 597 species on Schedule 1 (the List) of SARA.

Illegal trade in wildlife threatens the conservation of species and the socio-economic benefits of legal trade. ECCC continues to combat wildlife trafficking, with an estimated global worth of $70 billion to $213 billion USD annually. In 2018, under the Wild Animal and Plant Protection and Regulation of International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRIITA), ECCC conducted 1,650 inspections, and opened 16 new investigations. A total of 323 violations under WAPPRIITA or its regulations resulted in prosecutions, seizures, tickets, AMPs or warnings.

Increasing the number and nature of protected areas

In addition to funding initiatives under the Canada Nature Fund (see section: Actions on multiple fronts on biodiversity), ECCC established significant new protected areas and adopted innovative and collaborative approaches to securing lands with its partners in 2018–19:

• The 14,200 km² Edéhzhíe Protected Area in the Northwest Territories was established as the first new Indigenous Protected Area under the Canada’s Nature Legacy, and marks an important step in reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Together, Dehcho First Nations and the federal government will protect the ecological integrity of the area and ensure that the Dehcho Dene way of life is maintained for current and future generations. The area is important habitat for woodland caribou and wood bison, both of which are threatened species under SARA.
• The Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area  (British Columbia) was designated as the first protected marine area established under the Canada Wildlife Act. This initiative conserves a vital marine area for millions of seabirds on the Pacific Coast. See a short video and a detailed map of this five-island area, which is of cultural significance to local Indigenous peoples and home to unique and delicate ecosystems.
• ECCC collaborated with the Government of British Columbia to secure land in the Darkwoods Conservation Area. The Next Creek watershed property will add 14% to Darkwoods, one of Canada’s natural treasures and the world’s only inland temperate rainforest. It will help complete a connected network of over 1,100 km2 of conservation-managed lands, to both protect nature and wildlife, including large mammals that depend on it, such as the grizzly bear and southern mountain caribou. Darkwoods was acquired by the Nature Conservancy of Canada in 2008 and remains the largest private land acquisition for conservation in Canadian history (at 550 km²).
• A land exchange with the Province of Saskatchewan was initiated. It will result in the creation of a new conservation area from the former federal pastures of Govenlock, Nashlyn and Battle Creek in the South of the Divide region of Saskatchewan. These lands are now under the administration of the Minister of the Environment. ECCC is managing these lands in consultation with Indigenous partners and ranchers to protect the rich biodiversity in native prairie grasslands. Formerly used as pasture and managed by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the lands are critical habitat to the Greater Sage-grouse (a species at risk) and provide important nesting sites for many other species. Through this initiative, Canada is proposing to transfer lands valued at $64 million to Saskatchewan to ensure the effective operation of 57 former federal pastures in the Province, in exchange for lands of equal value at Govenlock, Nashlyn, and Battle Creek.

• Recognition of Canadian Forces Base Shilo for its contributions to nature conservation. ECCC and the Government of Manitoba recognized that the Department of National Defense and Canadian Armed Forces manage the base in ways that conserve nature, such as by making training areas and ranges more sustainable, maintaining species at risk work plans, and collaborating with partners to, for example, maintain duck habitats. This recognition is an “Other Effective area-based Conservation Measure”: an area that is not a Protected Area, but is governed and managed in ways that achieve positive and sustained long-term outcomes for the conservation of biodiversity.

Leadership in global action on biodiversity and protecting species

The Department continued to demonstrate its leadership in the international conservation arena. ECCC took a leadership role at the 14th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity  (CBD) held in Egypt in November of 2018, and prepared for Canada to host the Nature Champions Summit (April 2019), aimed at encouraging major philanthropists, business leaders, non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies, Indigenous leaders and environment ministers from around the world to ramp up global action to protect nature. ECCC also led the development of Canada’s national report to the CBD (submitted in November 2018), which assessed progress towards Canada’s 2020 biodiversity targets and contributions towards the global targets.

ECCC continued to collaborate with Global Affairs Canada on initiatives to battle wildlife crime undertaken by the G7 and worked to ensure that commitments to fight wildlife crime are reflected in key trade agreements. Canada was successful in its push for specific recognition in a declaration adopted by the London Conference on the Illegal Wildlife Trade. Specifically, wording was included to highlight the dangers of wildlife crime, the importance of sustainable trade, and the important role of Indigenous peoples in wildlife conservation.

The Department continued to work with INTERPOL and the North American Commission for Environmental Cooperation to further work on the sustainable harvest and trade in Indigenous species (native to a country) under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Result achieved

¹ This result is reported biennially.

* The 2018–19 planned spending does not reflect new funding announced in Budget 2018, whereas the 2018–19 actual spending (authorities used) includes Budget 2018 funding. The increase for 2018–19 actual spending mostly relates to new funding for Protecting Canada’s Nature announced in Budget 2018.

Predicting Weather and Environmental Conditions

Description

Monitor weather, water, air quality and climate conditions; provide forecasts, information and warnings to the Canadian public and targeted sectors through a range of service delivery options; conduct research; develop and maintain computer-based models for predicting weather and other environmental conditions; and collaborate and exchange data with other national meteorological services and with international organizations.

Results

Extreme weather events are on the rise in Canada and globally, and have led to significant flooding, drought, wildfires and significant impacts on permafrost and Arctic ice. It is estimated that extreme weather caused $1.9 billion in property damage in Canada in 2018.

Major infusions of capital and operating funds ($79 million between 2012–13 and 2017–18) allowed ECCC to overhaul its weather monitoring infrastructure in ways that benefit Canadians. Similarly, 2018 Investments in hydrological equipment, hydrometric stations, and technology have strengthened ECCC’s capacity to measure, monitor and predict water levels and flow (see below for more information).

The following key investments have resulted in faster, more accurate weather and water data to support the safety and health of Canadians: 

• Weather program transformation initiative: weather radars allow ECCC to collect a wide range of data to support its weather programs. ECCC is on track to replace outdated radars with 32 state-of-the-art radars across the country by 2023. Five new radars were installed by the end of 2018–19, and seven more will be in place by the end of 2019–20. This year included the installation of a new radar in Blainville, Québec (2018–19), which will provide people in the Montreal area with better and more timely information. The new radars, for example, enable the observation and collection of higher-resolution precipitation data for more accurate day-to-day predictions of the type of precipitation (freezing rain, snow, rain). In turn, this helps individuals, businesses and municipalities make safety and business decisions based on accurate, current data.
• Delivering on investment in high-performance computing infrastructure: 2018–19 is the first year that the new high-performance computer has been fully operational. The new computer brings the predictive capacity of the Meteorological Service of Canada in line with leading counterparts around the world.
• Recalibration of forecasting systems: key foundational work to recalibrate forecasting systems was completed in 2018–19. This major behind-the-scenes initiative required ECCC forecasters to translate complex technical and scientific information into a format and language that decision makers can use. This groundwork supports current and future improvements in the accuracy and timeliness of data for the wide range of users who rely on ECCC weather data for planning and response.
• Investments in hydrological equipment, hydrometric science and technology: Budget 2018 investments allowed ECCC to increase its capacity to monitor and predict water levels and flows. New infrastructure and updated technology have significantly increased the speed, accuracy and other capacities of ECCC’s hydrological services, including in ways that have direct impacts on Canadians (see below for additional information).

In 2018–19, ECCC:

• issued 480,000 weather forecasts, watches and warnings
• made available 2.5 terabytes of weather and environmental data daily (volume has doubled in four years)
• responded to 11,589 media calls related to weather forecasts and warnings
• engaged 190,000 Twitter followers, with accounts in over 830 communities
• provided over 28.2 million Canadians in 10 provinces and three territories at 122 locations with information about local air quality through its Air Quality Health Index (AQHI)

The Department also recorded:

• 585 million visits at weather.gc.ca (averaging 1.6 million visits a day)
• more than 30 million requests (640,000 users a day) through ECCC’s Datamart^{Footnote 3} for radar images, precipitation and temperature observations, weather forecasts, special bulletins, warnings and alerts
• over 2 million weather maps and data requests a day through GeoMet^{Footnote 4}

Strengthening capacity to respond to disasters

Managing water levels in the Great Lakes

In 2018–19, ECCC also launched transformation initiatives that focus on infrastructure, prediction, innovation and capacity building in the Great Lakes Basin. These efforts build on a successful pilot study—a collaboration between ECCC’s National Hydrological Services and the International Joint Commission in Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River Basin. A modern water monitoring system will improve the understanding of Canada’s water resources which, in turn, will help Canadians make water-related decisions and prepare for the future, including taking measures to adapt to climate change. Over the next four years, the water initiative will be implemented in five of Canada’s major water basins: Great Lakes-St. Lawrence, Saskatchewan-Nelson, Mackenzie, Columbia, and Churchill.

Reliable, ongoing water data

In addition to providing critical disaster information, ECCC continued to provide hydrometric information and water resource advice to users across Canada and beyond (for example, to meet Canada’s transboundary treaty obligations with the United States). Data on water levels and flows and water modelling support all sectors of the economy, including agriculture, tourism and transportation.

Planning for hurricane season

The Canadian Hurricane Centre (CHC) delivered a pre-season Hurricane Season Briefing in May 2018 to address the upcoming seasonal forecast with media and emergency management. This briefing was posted on the department’s Facebook page for the first time. The CHC also engaged the Emergency Management Organization through targeted visits throughout the Atlantic region to discuss risks and operational procedures for the hurricane season. The CHC tracked two tropical cyclones that threatened Canadian territory during the 2018 season. The CHC also participated in the U.S. National Hurricane Center’s Attachment Program (fall 2018) to improve operational coordination between the two countries.

Access to international data supports Canadians

Canada continued to play a lead role in the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and in collaborating with other countries to access and use international space data critical to ECCC’s weather prediction efforts. Improved access to better data supports the Department in delivering more timely, precise and extensive weather data for Canadians to use in health, safety, and business decisions.

Results achieved

¹ This result was amended to reflect revised calculations, and differs from past publications.

² Budget 2018 investments into the Hydrological Services program are expected to improve these results.

* The 2018–19 planned spending does not reflect new funding announced in Budget 2018, whereas the 2018–19 actual spending (authorities used) includes Budget 2018 funding. The increase for 2018–19 actual spending mostly relates to new funding for Adapting Canada’s Weather and Water Services to Climate Change and Revitalization of Canada’s Weather Services announced in Budget 2018.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Program Inventory is available in the GC’s InfoBase.

Internal Services

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support Program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are:

• Acquisition Management Services
• Communications Services
• Financial Management Services
• Human Resources Management Services
• Information Management Services
• Information Technology Services
• Legal Services
• Materiel Management Services
• Management and Oversight Services
• Real Property Management Services

Results

ECCC’s Internal Services focused on delivering results in support of departmental priorities and government-wide initiatives.

Grants and contributions are an important means by which ECCC leverages the experience and expertise of external partners and stakeholders to achieve departmental objectives. The Department implemented a new online portal that allows stakeholders to submit applications to all of its application-based grant and contribution programs, including proposals for funding under the Low Carbon Economy Fund (LCEF).

As part of the implementation of the federal carbon pollution pricing system, the output-based pricing component to price industrial GHG emissions, ECCC has implemented the off-road first phase—an online Registration portal, in November 2018 — of an emissions reporting and carbon credit tracking system, allowing industries to register in the system.

ECCC has strengthened efforts to reduce plastic waste through the development of the Policy on reducing and diverting plastic waste from departmental operations, meetings and events, which came into effect on June 1, 2019. In addition to ECCC led events, this policy also addresses food service facilities in ECCC occupied buildings, as well as the procurement of equipment and supplies for ECCC operations and programs.

ECCC’s Internal Services also strengthened the Department’s capacity for “anytime, anywhere” work, by optimizing and enhancing physical workspaces and enabling increased use of Wi-Fi and videoconferencing.

ECCC continued to play a leadership role in supporting employees affected by the government-wide pay transformation initiative. For example, the Department was an early adopter of the Pay Pod approach established by Public Services and Procurement Canada’s Pay Centre, through which Pay Centre staff work with departmental staff to process incoming transactions and to address the backlog of pay issues. ECCC continued to actively contribute to HR-to-Pay stabilization efforts, including to the Next Generation HR and Pay initiatives. The Department is considered to be a model for best practices with respect to supporting pay stabilization efforts.

* The variance between actual and planned full-time equivalents (FTE) for 2018-19 is mainly due to an increase in salary authorities during the fiscal year related to major Initiatives announced in Budget 2018 such as Protecting Canada’s Nature, Parks & Wild Spaces, Adapting Canada Weather & Water to Climate Change, funding to transition to new impact assessment and regulatory processes and Protecting Marine Life. The planned spending presented in the DP 2018-19 did not include the planned FTEs for these initiatives.