Archived: Departmental Results Report 2018 to 2019, supplementary tables: Department of Environment, chapter 6

Response to parliamentary committees

There were no parliamentary committee reports requiring a response in 2018–19.

Response to the Auditor General (including to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

2018 Spring Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

Report 2: Canada’s Preparedness to Implement the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals

The objective of the audit was to determine whether the Government of Canada, as represented by the selected federal organizations, was prepared to implement the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

The audit concluded that the Government of Canada, as represented by five lead departments, was not adequately prepared to implement the United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Four recommendations were directed at lead departments. The departments agreed with all recommendations. ECCC prepared a management action plan to address them.

The report was tabled in Parliament on April 24, 2018.

The audit report and ECCC’s response can be viewed on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada’s website.

Report 3: Conserving Biodiversity

The objective of the audit was to determine whether ECCC provided national leadership and coordination and whether responsible federal departments and agencies were working to meet the specific targets selected for the audit to conserve Canada’s biodiversity for present and future generations.

The audit concluded that ECCC did not provide effective national leadership and coordination of actions required to meet the 2020 targets to conserve Canada’s biodiversity.

Four recommendations were directed at ECCC. The Department agreed with all recommendations and prepared a management action plan to address them.

The report was tabled in Parliament on April 24, 2018.

The audit report and ECCC’s response can be viewed on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada’s website.

2018 Fall Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

Report 1: Toxic Substances

The objective of the audit was to determine whether ECCC and Health Canada controlled and communicated the risks of toxic substances to reduce threats to the environment and human health.

Overall, the audit concluded that ECCC and Health Canada still have work to do in selected areas to effectively control the risks of toxic substances and to inform Canadians about those risks.

Seven recommendations were directed at ECCC. The Department agreed with all recommendations and prepared a management action plan to address them.

The report was tabled in Parliament on October 2, 2018.

The audit report and ECCC’s response can be viewed on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada’s website.

Report 2: Protecting Marine Mammals

The objective of the audit was to determine whether Fisheries and Oceans, Transport Canada, Parks Canada and ECCC had adequately protected marine mammals from the threats posed by marine traffic and commercial fishing.

The audit concluded that Fisheries and Oceans Canada, in collaboration with Parks Canada, Transport Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, had not adequately protected marine mammals from threats posed by marine vessels and commercial fishing.

Two recommendations were directed at ECCC. The Department agreed with all recommendations and prepared a management action plan to address them.

The report was tabled in Parliament on October 2, 2018.

The audit report and ECCC’s response can be viewed on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada’s website.

Report 3: Departmental Progress in Implementing Sustainable Development Strategies

The objective of this audit was to determine whether the federal departments and agencies examined

• had adequately applied the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals and its related guidelines to policy, plan and program proposals submitted for approval to Cabinet, including the Treasury Board; and
• had adequately met their commitments to strengthen their strategic environmental assessment practices as outlined in their departmental sustainable development strategies, the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and departmental responses to recommendations from past audits by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development.

The audit concluded that the federal departments and agencies examined applied the directive to 93% of proposals, which represents a significant improvement in comparison with observations made in previous CESD reports on the same topic over the past five years. These organizations had also made satisfactory progress towards meeting their commitments of strengthening their strategic environmental assessment practices.

There were no recommendations in the report.

The report was tabled in Parliament on October 2, 2018.

The audit report can be viewed on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada’s website

Response to external audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

There were no audits in 2018-19 requiring a response.