2019 to 2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy: strategic environmental assessment

Summary of a strategic assessment of effects on the environment of the 2019 to 2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) is the federal government’s primary vehicle for sustainable development planning and reporting. It sets out federal sustainable development priorities, establishes goals and targets, and identifies actions to achieve them over the next 3 years.

The 2019 to 2022 FSDS presents 13 aspirational goals that represent Canada’s commitment to the environment-related sustainable development goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It also includes a renewed Greening Government goal, new targets, updated short-term milestones and indicators, and clear action plans.

Public consultations on the draft strategy, which ran from December 3, 2018 to April 2, 2019, were instrumental in shaping the final version. When consultations closed, more than 500 written comments had been received from a diverse range of stakeholders. Canadians expressed their interest in various environmental priorities, including:

• climate change
• clean and renewable energy
• zero-emission vehicles
• sustainable lifestyles and consumption
• sustainable food and agriculture
• ecosystem protection and land use
• water management
• sustainable urban planning
• reconciliation and the rights of Indigenous peoples

Canadians also made suggestions such as increased reporting, greater policy coherence and more ambitious goals and targets.

Progress on achieving the targets will be tracked primarily using the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) and reported through the CESI portal and FSDS progress reports. Departments and agencies will also report on progress toward their specific environmental sustainability commitments through departmental sustainable development strategies.

The 2019 to 2022 FSDS is expected to have both direct and indirect benefits for the environment. By setting specific and measurable targets and requiring both departmental and whole-of-government reporting, the FSDS encourages ambitious action on a range of environmental sustainability issues and increases the likelihood that we will meet our environmental objectives.

By setting aspirational goals that are supported by the actions of 42 departments and agencies, the FSDS promotes policy coherence, helping to direct federal action toward common objectives and increasing its effectiveness.

The FSDS also contributes to aligning our environmental sustainability priorities with those of the international community by linking our actions to the global efforts toward implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.