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2023-2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (Updated January 2025)

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Organization: Health Canada

Date published: 2025-01-30 2017

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Section 1: Introduction to the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

The 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada's sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. This is the first FSDS to be framed using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and provides a balanced view of the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development.

In keeping with the purpose of the Act, to make decision-making related to sustainable development more transparent and accountable to Parliament, Health Canada supports the goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in this Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS).

The Federal Sustainable Development Act also sets out 7 principles that must be considered in the development of the FSDS as well as DSDSs. These basic principles have been considered and incorporated in Health Canada's DSDS.

In order to promote coordinated action on sustainable development across the Government of Canada, this departmental strategy integrates efforts to advance Canada's implementation of the 2030 Agenda National Strategy, supported by the Global Indicator Framework (GIF) and Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) targets and indicators. The strategy also now captures SDG initiatives that fall outside the scope of the FSDS to inform the development of Canada's Annual Report on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

Section 2: Health Canada's Sustainable Development Vision

Health Canada has the responsibility to help Canadians maintain and improve their health. The Department recognizes that a healthy sustainable environment is integral for human well-being. It is with this goal in mind that the Department commits to making Canada's population among the healthiest in the world.

Health Canada's main responsibilities are as a regulator, a catalyst for innovation, a funder, and an information provider. Health Canada provides national leadership to foster sustainable health care systems that ensure access for Canadians to appropriate and effective health care. This is mainly achieved through partnerships with provincial/territorial governments and support through targeted funding agreements to organizations and key pan-Canadian health partners that are contributing to health system improvements. Health Canada works with domestic and international partners to assess, manage, and communicate the health and safety risks and benefits associated with health and consumer products, food, chemicals, pesticides, environmental factors, tobacco and vaping products, cannabis, and controlled substances. These risks are managed through rigorous regulatory frameworks and by communicating risks and benefits to Canadians so that they can make informed decisions.

Supporting FSDS Goals and Targets

Health Canada advances work on multiple fronts where environmental health, social and economic sustainability and human health intersect. The Minister of Health is responsible for three FSDS targets related to mental health, cigarette smoking and air quality. In addition, the Minister of Health along with all Ministers, is responsible for five FSDS targets that are part of a whole of government approach related to federal leadership on responsible consumption, greenhouse gas emissions and climate resilience. The Minister of Health also supports the whole of government approach to climate change mitigation and adaption and the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

Health Canada contributes to seven of the seventeen goals identified in the FSDS:

Goal 2: Support a healthier and more sustainable food system

Food systems, including the way food is produced, processed, distributed, consumed, and disposed of, have direct impacts on the lives of Canadians and are integral to the well-being of communities. Health Canada is committed to supporting a sustainable food system by providing access to healthy and safe foods.

Goal 3: Support mental health and adopt healthy behaviours

Establishing good health and promoting well-being at every stage in life is central for creating a sustainable and prosperous environment to thrive in. Health Canada helps Canadians maintain and improve their health by improving access to mental health services, promoting healthier lifestyles such as healthier eating, taking action on reducing tobacco use and vaping, and support to address substance use harms.

Goal 6: Ensure clean and safe water for all Canadians

Clean drinking water is a fundamental human need, and ensuring all people in Canada have clean drinking water is a priority of the federal government. Health Canada works with provincial and territorial governments to establish maximum acceptable concentrations of contaminants in drinking water and action values for recreational water, which are used to determine the need for swimming advisories.

Goal 10: Advance reconciliation with indigenous peoples and take action on inequality

Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples is essential to addressing social, economic and environmental inequalities. Health Canada supports the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act to promote diversity, equity and inclusion.

Goal 11: Improve access to affordable housing, clean air, transportation, parks and green spaces as well cultural heritage in Canada

Air pollution has an impact on human health and worsens health issues, such as asthma, for millions of people living in Canada. Health Canada's science and outreach activities support improvements to air quality and provide people in Canada with information to protect their health.

Goal 12: Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles

Health Canada supports efforts to transition to a more circular economy through programs such as the Chemicals Management Plan and actions to reduce plastic waste and pollution. The Department also takes steps in support of operations that are net-zero, resilient and green, in alignment with the Government of Canada's Greening Government Strategy.

Goal 13: Take actions on climate change and its impacts

While all people in Canada are at risk from the health impacts of climate change, it is likely to exacerbate and create new inequities that impact health and well-being. Health Canada provides information, new science findings and tools to decision-makers, such as health regions and practitioners, to help protect human health and health systems from climate impacts. The Department also takes steps to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and fleet in alignment with the Government of Canada's Greening Government Strategy.

Supporting the UN 2030 Agenda National Strategy and the SDGs

The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, adopted by Canada and all 193 United Nations member states in 2015, is a global framework centered around an ambitious set of 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), covering the interconnected economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainable development. It aims to eradicate poverty, protect the planet, and ensure prosperity by the year 2030. The UN Global Indicator Framework (GIF) sets targets to guide efforts in achieving the SDGs.

Moving forward Together: Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy was published in February 2021 and defines Canada's commitment to advancing progress on the SDGs through engagement and action. A Federal Implementation Plan has also been developed to articulate how the Government of Canada will contribute to the advancement of the National Strategy at the federal level and how it will report on progress to Canadians. Progress is measured through the Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) established in 2021.

Health Canada contributes to the domestic implementation of the 2030 Agenda through ongoing policies, programs and initiatives under the following SDGs:

Health Canada supports these SDGs by fostering sustainable health care; access to community-based substance use and mental health services; promoting healthier living; developing drinking water and recreational water guidelines and standards for air pollution; supporting the safe management of chemicals; and initiatives to build climate change resilience. Additional information about how the Department contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy, is included in Section 4.

Section 3: Listening to Canadians

As required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act, Health Canada has taken into account comments on the draft 2022-2026 FSDS that were provided during the public consultation held from March 11 to July 9, 2022. During the public consultation, more than 700 comments were received from a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations, academics, businesses, and individual Canadians. The draft FSDS was also shared with the appropriate committee of each House of Parliament, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, and the Sustainable Development Advisory Council for their review and comment.

What We Heard

Across the submissions received, Health Canada identified the key sustainable development priorities and issues. Suggestions for improvement focussed on the opportunity to expand the social dimension of sustainable development in the FSDS, for example the inclusion of mental health and healthy behaviours such as measures to address substance use related harms.

What We Did

The above-mentioned issues were considered in the development of Health Canada's 2023-2027 DSDS and the relevant programs and performance indicators reflecting these priorities are profiled under the goals to which Health Canada contributes. Feedback and comments received as part of the public consultations, particularly the need to strike a better balance between all three dimensions of sustainable development, helped to shape the final 2022-2026 FSDS and were addressed by significantly restructuring the themes in Goal 3. The restructured focus of Goal 3 now encompasses actions related to mental health and healthy behaviours, which are further expanded upon in Health Canada's 2023-27 DSDS with specific performance measures.

Please find more information on the FSDS public consultation and its results in the FSDS Consultation Report.

Section 4: Health Canada's Commitments

Goal 2: Support a healthier and more sustainable food system

FSDS Context:

Under the Food and Drugs Act and Food and Drug Regulations, Health Canada contributes to this goal by ensuring Canadians have access to safe and healthy foods through implementing food safety and nutritional quality policies, regulations and standards for foods sold in Canada, including conducting pre-market safety assessments of products as a measure to protect the health and safety of Canadians. An example of providing safe access to food is the Total Diet Study that Health Canada leads, which is a surveillance program that monitors and helps identify contaminants in food sold in Canada, allowing informed risk management actions.

Health Canada continues to take steps to re-design food regulations to reduce barriers that prevent industry from bringing innovative products to market, while protecting the health and safety of Canadians and ensuring that Canadians have access to safe and healthy foods.

Implementation strategies supporting the goal

This section is for implementation strategies that support the goal "Support a healthier and more sustainable food system" but not a specific FSDS target.

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Ensure the safety of Canada's food system

Departmental Action 1

Re-design food regulations to reduce barriers that prevent industry from bringing innovative products to market (e.g., foods that use new processes and technologies).

Program: Food and Nutrition

Performance indicator: Percentage of current and emerging high-risk food safety and nutrition issues which generate the development of a regulatory or non-regulatory response

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 2 - Support a Healthier and More Sustainable Food System by implementing food safety and nutritional quality regulations and standards for all foods sold in Canada under the authority of the Food and Drugs Act and Food and Drug Regulations. Health Canada conducts pre-market safety assessments to ensure that decisions taken by the Department protect the health and safety of Canadians. The re-design of food regulations provides greater flexibility and agility to respond to advances in science and technology, and allow new paths to market (e.g., supplemented foods).

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Continue to monitor concentrations of chemical contaminants in foods.

Program: Food and Nutrition

Performance Indicator: Percentage of Total Diet Study (TDS) Surveillance Data for priority chemicals uploaded to the publicly accessible Canadian Laboratory Information Network (CANLINE) database

Starting point: 100% in 2023-24Footnote 1

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 2 - Support a Healthier and More Sustainable Food System by identifying contaminants in foods that are typically consumed by Canadians. The Canadian Total Diet Study (TDS) is a food surveillance program that enables Health Canada to monitor the concentrations of contaminants in foods sold in Canada in order to determine the key dietary sources, assess trends, support the development of food safety policies and regulations. When food surveillance data sets are finalized they are posted to CANLINE which is a searchable database for chemical, nutritional, and microbiological laboratory surveillance data. Posting the source data on CANLINE ensures that Health Canada's decision making about food safety is done in a transparent way and that all Canadians have access to the data that is used to support the decision making helping to ensure trust in the food supply, and ultimately supporting a sustainable and sufficient food supply.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 3

Respond to food safety incidents, including foodborne illness outbreaks in a timely manner.

Program: Food and Nutrition

Performance Indicator: Percentage of health risk assessments provided to Health Canada partners within service standards

Starting Point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: at least 90% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 2 - Support a Healthier and More Sustainable Food System by conducting food-related health risk assessments. The health risk assessments determine the presence of a certain substance or microorganism in food that poses a risk to consumers. If it is found that a substance or microorganism in food poses a human health risk, risk management actions are taken to reduce, and if possible, eliminate any risk that is posed to people that consume the food in question.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 4

Strengthen food chemical safety oversight of food packaging materials.

Program: Food and Nutrition

Performance Indicator: Percentage of industry applicants who indicate that the updated Health Canada Guidelines for recycled plastics in food packaging was used to prepare a submission requesting a food safety opinion about the use of these materials in food packaging applications

Starting Point: 100% in 2023-24 Footnote 2

Target: at least 90% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 2 - Support a Healthier and More Sustainable Food System through pre-market assessments of applications related to food packaging using recycled materials that are voluntarily submitted by industry. The use of recycled plastics was an area where a higher risk to food safety was identified. These assessments examine the chemical safety and the potential transfer of harmful chemicals from recycled food packaging to food. Pre-market evaluations of the safety of the use of recycled plastics in food packaging applications supports the use of these applications which can contribute to food sustainability via increased shelf-life while ensuring the safety of the food. Feedback from industry about the guidance provided is collected and analysed on an ongoing basis to facilitate its use.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Goal 3: Support mental health and adopt healthy behaviours

FSDS Context:

In support of mental health, Health Canada provides funding to provinces, territories, and other stakeholders and monitors the impact of these federal investments on improving access to evidence-supported mental health, addictions, and substance use health services and supports for Canadians. Health Ministers have agreed to work collectively and with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) to develop a focused set of common indicators to measure pan-Canadian progress on the agreed priorities of mental health and addictions, to be reported on annually to Canadians. These indicators will allow for tracking of trends over time. To monitor and measure progress in supporting access to mental health and substance use supports, the Department works with national research focused organizations such as CIHI and Statistics Canada.

Additionally, the Department also works with provinces, territories and regional stakeholders on a wide range of issues, including improving access to community based mental health and substance use health supports for populations with the greatest need, such as Integrated Youth Services (IYS), the development of national standards for mental health and substance use services, and evidence-based knowledge products that can be used by health care providers and organizations, decision makers and community-based organizations to address mental health and addictions. As part of the Working Together to Improve Health Care for Canadians plan, in 2023-24, the government signed three-year agreements with all provinces and territories. Under these agreements, jurisdictions will receive $3.1 billion annually for four shared health priorities, which will include at least $600 million annually to increase access to mental health and substance use services. The Department also administers the Youth Mental Health Fund, which will enhance the capacity of community health organizations to deliver more care for young people living in Canada and better equip these organizations to refer youth to other mental health services within their networks and partnerships.Footnote 3

Substance use-related harms continue to cause devastating health and social effects on Canadians from every walk of life. Through the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy (CDSS) and the Substance Use and Addictions Program (SUAP), Health Canada supports harm reduction, treatment, and prevention by providing funding for community-based projects. This work also includes the newly established Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF), which provides time-limited contribution funding to municipalities and Indigenous communities across Canada in order to help provide rapid responses to emergent, critical needs related to the substance use and overdose crisis.Footnote 38 The Department works with all levels of government, partners, stakeholders and people with lived and living experience to take a comprehensive approach in addressing substance use and the overdose crisis, including monitoring national trends in the use of alcohol, psychoactive pharmaceuticals and illegal drugs. Similarly, Canada's Tobacco Strategy aims to help people in Canada quit using tobacco and to protect the health of young people and people who do not smoke. The Department also addresses the health risks associated with the use of vaping products and works to prevent their use among youth. The Program supports scientific research, surveillance, policy and regulatory development, public education and outreach, and compliance and enforcement activities for tobacco and vaping products; and supports work done around the world as a part of the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

The Department promotes healthy behaviours and healthy eating through resources to help people increase their knowledge and use of Canada's food guide in their everyday lives. Health Canada also continues to advance the Healthy Eating Strategy, which aims to improve healthy eating information; strengthen labelling claims; improve the nutrition quality of foods; and protect vulnerable populations.

FSDS Target theme: Mental health

FSDS Target: By March 2027, reduce the percentage of Canadians (aged 15+) with a mental disorder who have expressed that they have an unmet care need to 22% at most (Minister of Health)

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Collect data and information to inform evidence-based decisions

Departmental Action

Monitor the impact of federal investments that support improving access to evidence-supported mental health, addictions, and substance use health services and supports for Canadians.

Program: Responsive Health Care Systems (Mental Health – Shared Health Priorities)

Performance Indicator 1: Proportion of individuals aged 15 and older who said that they had always or usually had the supportFootnote a necessary to move within and between formal mental health and substance use (MHSU) services in the past year once they accessed services

Starting point: 41% in 2022

Note: Annual reporting against the indicator.

Performance Indicator 2: Rate of youth aged 12 to 25 who accessed integrated youth services for mental health, substance use and well-being support.

Starting Point: 895 per 100,000 in 2022-23 (CIHI)Footnote 4

Note: Annual reporting against the indicator

Performance Indicator 3: Median number of calendar days that clients waited for ongoing counselling services from the date that the initial referral was received to the date of the first scheduled counselling session

Starting point: 22 days in 2020-21

Note: Annual reporting against the indicator.

Performance Indicator 4: Number of individuals that are admitted to hospital or die due to self-harm

Starting point: 70 per 100,000 in 2020-21

Note: Annual reporting against the indicator.

Performance Indicator 5: Percentage of frequentFootnote b emergency room visits for help with mental health and substance use

Starting point: 9.5% in 2021-22

Note: Annual reporting against the indicator.

Performance Indicator 6: Proportion of children and youth aged 12 to 24 with early mental health and substance use (MHSU) needs who accessed community-based MHSU services in the last 6 months

Starting point: 61% in 2022

Note: Annual reporting against the indicator.

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 3- Support Mental Health and Adopt Healthy Behaviours and the mental health target by collecting data and information on a range of indicators that can help to identify gaps in access to mental health and substance use services. Health Ministers have agreed to work collectively and with the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) to develop a focused set of common indicators to measure pan-Canadian progress on the agreed priorities of mental health and addictions, to be reported on annually to Canadians. This will allow for the monitoring of trends over time to assess progress in supporting access to mental health and substance use supports. Access to supports and care is critical to allow for early intervention, which is vital to effective treatment and recovery.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 2

Work with partners and stakeholders to expand access to mental health services

Departmental Action

Provide funding for knowledge products that support inclusive, people-centred health care services.

Program: Healthy People and Communities (Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) Contribution Program)

Performance Indicator 1: Number of significant knowledge productsFootnote c produced

Starting point: 92 in 2022-23

Target: 36Footnote d by March 31, 2025Footnote 5

Note: this indicator is reported on annually, but targets set vary from year to year depending on the scope of the year's planned initiatives. Targets are not cumulative and are specific to each fiscal year.

Performance Indicator 2: Percentage of health care providers and organizations who report they are better equipped with the knowledge they need to address mental health and wellness issues as a result of knowledge products received

Starting point: 80% in 2022-23

Target: 80% by March 31, 2025Footnote 6

Note: this indicator is reported on annually, but targets set vary from year to year depending on the scope of the year's planned initiatives. Targets are not cumulative and are specific to each fiscal year.

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 3 - Support Mental Health and Adopt Healthy Behaviours and the mental health target by supporting the activities of the Mental Health Commission of Canada (MHCC) to create evidence-based knowledge products and mobilize knowledge among health care providers and organizations, decision-makers, and community-based organizations. This helps to target under-addressed needs of the people they serve and can also test innovative approaches to improve services.

Healthcare providers that have acquired appropriate resources (including knowledge, skills, and tools), will adapt their health practices to better address the needs of their patients; decision-makers in communities and health organizations that have acquired knowledge apply inclusive people-centred improvements to policies and programs; and service providers may implement initiatives that better address the needs of their patients with MHSU needs. Further, healthcare providers having appropriate knowledge, skills, and tools that increase their capacity to support the population they serve allows an expanded number of Canadians to have access to evidence-based MHSU supports and services.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Target theme: Adopting healthy behaviours

FSDS Target: By March 2035, at most 5% of Canadians (aged 15+) are current cigarette smokers (Minister of Health)

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Promote healthy behaviours

Note: This implementation strategy includes departmental actions that support both the goal and the target.

Departmental Action 1

Invest in public education, raising awareness of substance use harms and the importance of reducing the stigma towards people who use drugs.

Program: Controlled Substances

Performance Indicator: Percentage of program participants reporting increase in knowledge and/or skills related to prevention of substance use harms.

Starting point: New initiative

Target: To be established by March 31, 2026Footnote 7

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 3 - Support Mental Health and Adopt Healthy Behaviours and the cigarette smoking target by providing funding to community-based organizations at the regional and national levels through the Substance Use and Addictions grant and contribution Program (SUAP). SUAP provides funding for a wide range of innovative and evidence-informed projects addressing problematic substance use prevention, harm reduction and treatment initiatives across the country. Projects target a range of psychoactive substances, including opioids, stimulants, cannabis, alcohol, nicotine and tobacco, at the community, regional and national levels. The objective of these projects are varied but in general they aim to support Canadians in adopting healthy behaviours.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Provide information to Canadians and stakeholders to support them in using Health Canada's dietary guidance (e.g., Canada food guide).

Program: Food and Nutrition

Performance Indicator: Percentage increase in number of website visits that support the use of Canada's dietary guidance

Starting point: 4.5% increase between calendar year 2022 and 2023Footnote 8 

Target: 5% increase between calendar year 2023 and 2024Footnote 9

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 3 - Support Mental Health and Adopt Healthy Behaviours by communicating Health Canada's dietary guidance in relevant and accessible ways so as to support Canadians in using the guidance, and stakeholders in integrating the dietary guidance into their policies, programs and resources across Canada. This action supports adopting and maintaining healthy behaviours, specifically eating healthily, which can contribute to reducing the risk of non-communicable diseases.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Implementation strategies supporting the goal

This section is for implementation strategies that support the goal "Support a healthier and more sustainable food system" but not a specific FSDS target.

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Address substance use harms

Departmental Action

Support greater access to prevention, harm reduction and treatment initiatives in communities.

Program: Controlled Substances

Performance Indicator: Percentage of total available contribution funding allocatedFootnote e

Starting point: 84% of funding allocated in 2022-23 ($154,083,629)

Target: 95% by March 31, 2025Footnote 10

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

The departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 3 - Support Mental Health and Adopt Healthy Behaviours by providing funding for increased prevention, harm reduction and treatment capacity in communities, which contributes to healthier behaviours through the Substance Use and Addictions Program.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 2

Collect data and information to inform evidence-based decisions

Departmental Action 1

Monitor national trends in the use of alcohol.

Program: Controlled Substances

Performance Indicator: Alcohol per capita consumption (aged 15 years and older) within a calendar year in litres of pure alcoholFootnote 11

Starting point: In 2021-22, the absolute volume for total per capita sales of alcoholic beverages was 8.1Footnote 12

Target: 8.0 litres or less by March 31, 2025Footnote 13

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

The departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 3 - Support Mental Health and Adopt Healthy Behaviours by supporting ongoing monitoring of alcohol use to inform public health interventions and effective prevention strategies, that contribute to the adoption of healthier behaviours.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Monitor national trends and conduct research studies in vaping and smoking

Program: Tobacco Control

Performance Indicator: Percentage of completed projectsFootnote f that have been summarized into briefing materials and distributed to internal and external stakeholders

Starting point: 83% in 2022-23

Target: 85% by March 31, 2025Footnote 14

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

The departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 3 - Support Mental Health and Adopt Healthy Behaviours by addressing tobacco and vaping product use in Canada. The Department contributes to scientific research and surveillance to support evidence-based decision making related to tobacco and vaping (excluding Cannabis vaping). The Tobacco Control Program monitors smoking and vaping trends based on socio-demographic characteristics. This information informs future regulatory and policy initiatives for effective interventions to help adopt healthy behaviours. For example, the Program works to address concerns regarding youth vaping and aims to protect youth and non-users of tobacco products from nicotine addiction.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Initiatives advancing Canada's implementation of SDG 3 – Good Health and Well-Being

The following initiatives demonstrate how Health Canada’s programming supports the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, supplementing the information outlined aboveFootnote 15.

Planned Initiative 1

Canada’s Healthy Eating Strategy aims to improve the food environment in Canada to make it easier for Canadians to make healthier choices, including efforts to improve healthy eating information and to protect vulnerable populations.

Diet-related chronic diseases such as cancer, type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease are prevalent in Canada. Health Canada will continue to address this by promoting the use and understanding of Canada's food guide.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Planned Initiative 2

Through Bilateral Agreements for Home and Community Care and Mental Health and Addiction Services with provincial and territorial governments, Health Canada continues to support provinces and territories to advance four shared priorities;

Details can be found in HC’s Departmental Plan 2024-25.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Planned Initiative 3

The Department will continue to expand access to oral health care, through the new long-term Canadian Dental Care Plan (CDCP) which supports both children and adults with adjusted annual family net incomes under $90,000 without access to dental care coverage. Additionally, starting in 2025, the new Oral Health Access Fund will complement the CDCP by supporting projects that improve access to preventative oral health services and programming and reduce or remove non-financial barriers to accessing oral health care for targeted populations.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Planned Initiative 4

Canada’s Tobacco Strategy aims to help Canadians who smoke, to quit or reduce the harms of their addiction to nicotine and to protect the health of young people and non-smokers from the dangers of tobacco use and nicotine addiction.

Health Canada will also contribute to strengthening the global implementation of the World Health Organization (WHO) Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) through its role as Regional Coordinator for the Americas for the Conference of the Parties to the FCTC.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Planned Initiative 5

Led by Health Canada, the Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy is the federal government's comprehensive response to substance-related harms, including the overdose crisis. This all-substances, public health, and public safety-focused Strategy covers a broad range of legal and illegal substances, including tobacco, cannabis, alcohol, and opioids. It is based on four interconnected elements: prevention and education, substance use services and supports, evidence, and substance controls. The Strategy’s guiding principles are equity, compassion, comprehensiveness and collaboration.

Particular focus is placed on priority populations (e.g., children and youth, men aged 20-60 working in trades, Indigenous Peoples, Black Canadians and other racialized groups) and applying an equity lens to data and policy.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Goal 6: Ensure clean and safe water for all Canadians

FSDS Context:

Approximately 20% of the world's freshwater resources are in Canada, which amounts to 7% of the earth's renewable freshwater, making freshwater one of Canada's most valuable resources. Protecting water resources requires collaboration and partnership with provinces and territories, Indigenous Peoples, municipalities, conservation authorities, and other governments and organizations.

Health Canada supports access to clean drinking water and recreational water through its work with federal, provincial and territorial partners to develop the Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality and the Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality. These guidelines determine the maximum acceptable concentrations contaminants in drinking water and action values for recreational water, which are used by all jurisdictions to inform their own regulations and requirements.

Implementation strategies supporting the goal

This section is for implementation strategies that support the goal "Ensure clean and safe water for all Canadians" but not a specific FSDS target

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Work with partners on drinking water quality

Departmental Action

Develop and/or update health-based drinking water and recreational water quality guidelines and guidance documents in collaboration with Federal/Provincial/Territorial (FPT) partners.

Program: Water Quality

Performance Indicator: Percentage of planned final water quality guidelines/guidance documents published in Canada Gazette, Part I and online

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 6 - Ensuring Clean and Safe Water for All Canadians through work with other federal government departments and agencies and provincial and territorial governments to establish the science-based Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality. These guidelines are published in the Canada Gazette, Part I and online and are used by all jurisdictions in Canada as the basis for establishing their drinking water requirements and informing their recreational water requirements.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Initiatives advancing Canada's implementation of SDG 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation

The following initiatives demonstrate how Health Canada’s programming supports the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, supplementing the information outlined above.Footnote 16

Planned Initiative

Health Canada's Water Quality Program develops and updates health-based Guidelines for Canadian Drinking Water Quality and Guidelines for Canadian Recreational Water Quality in partnership with federal, provincial, and territorial partners for use by all jurisdictions in Canada to inform their own regulations and requirements.

Health Canada’s international efforts to support global health initiatives to improve water quality include providing scientific advice and participating in collaborative research through fora such as the WHO Collaborating Centre on Environmental Health, the Pan-American Health Organization, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Goal 10: Support mental health and adopt healthy behaviours

FSDS Context:

The United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (the Act) came into force in June 2021 and contains three legal obligations, all to be carried out in consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples. One of the three legal obligations is to take "all measures necessary" to ensure consistency of federal laws with the Declaration (section 5). For interim guidance, the Department of Justice provided a guide to support section 5 on how to conduct an analysis of initiatives on the rights and interests of Indigenous Peoples.

As part of the larger UN Declaration Implementation Strategy, Health Canada adapted the Department of Justice Guide to analyze new initiatives, including legislation and regulations. This adapted Guide allows employees to analyze initiatives for consistency with the UN Declaration and determine the depth of "consultation and cooperation" with Indigenous Peoples, and Health Canada tracks initiatives that support implementation of the Act.

In 2022, Health Canada established a new Addressing Racism and Discrimination in Canada's Health System Program to foster health systems free from racism and discrimination. The program provides contribution funding for projects that address current and emerging priorities related to addressing systemic racism and discrimination in Canada's health system in a way that is informed by the lived experience of Indigenous, racialized and marginalized communities. This includes support for activities such as developing anti-racism and discrimination training, tools and resources for health professionals, and developing standards and guidelines for cultural safety. The program also supports capacity development for Indigenous organizations to engage on their health priorities.

Health Canada recognizes that public servants are in a unique position to help build respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Departmental employees have access to a suite of courses to increase cultural competency skills and awareness of issues related to First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada, and their knowledge of the UN Declaration. As part of Health Canada's commitment to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples, the Department is preparing to implement an Indigenous Cultural Competency policy for Health Canada employees. This policy will help develop Health Canada employees' Indigenous cultural competency knowledge and skills in order to engage with Indigenous Peoples effectively and meaningfully and create culturally safe policies and programing.

To ensure an Indigenous lens is brought to Health Canada's programs and policies, the Department is advancing Indigenous recruitment efforts. In a co-development model with Health Canada's Indigenous Employee's Network, and working in partnership with the newly appointed Indigenous Career Navigator, the Indigenous Recruitment Team aims to attract Indigenous talent to enable managers to achieve a representative workforce and beyond by providing a pool of Indigenous talent for hiring managers.

FSDS Target theme: Advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis communities

FSDS Target: Between 2023 and 2026, and every year on an ongoing basis, develop and table annual progress reports on implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)

Implementation Strategy 1

Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act

Departmental Action 1

Consult and cooperate with Indigenous Peoples on the development of new/amended legislation and regulations.

Program: Healthy People and Communities

Performance Indicator: Percentage of new/amended legislation and regulations that included consultation and cooperation with Indigenous peoples

Starting Point: 75% in 2023-24Footnote 17

Target: 90% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 10 - Advance Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and Take Action on Inequality and the UN Declaration Act target by taking the necessary measures to ensure that the laws of Canada are consistent with UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Participate in courses offered by the Canada School of Public Service to increase public servants' cultural skills and awareness of issues related to First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada, as well as the role and responsibilities of the Government of Canada towards these peoples.

Program: Internal Services

Performance indicator: Percentage of Health Canada employees who have completed the Canada School of Public Service(CSPS) courses in support of reconciliation and cultural competency

Starting point: 40% as of March 31, 2023 (based on CSPS data)

Target: Year over year annual increase

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 10 - Advance Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and Take Action on Inequality and the UN Declaration Act target by ensuring public servants within Health Canada learn about Indigenous history, heritage, cultures, and rights as well as how Indigenous perspectives can benefit policy.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Goal 11: Support mental health and adopt healthy behaviours

FSDS Context:

Improving air quality is an important part of making cities and communities sustainable. Exposure to air pollutants is particularly felt among visible minority and immigrant populations living in Canada's largest cities. The total economic cost of all health impacts attributed to air pollution is an estimated $129 billion per year from issues such as medical costs and reduced workplace productivity.

Health Canada supports continuous improvement to air quality through the Air Quality Management System, which is the cornerstone of Canada's approach to addressing air pollution. It includes the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards that set health and environment based objectives for outdoor air concentrations of four pollutants: sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, fine particulate matter, and ground-level ozone. Outreach activities and health protection tools, such as the Air Quality Health Index, are designed to help Canadians make decisions to protect their health by limiting short-term exposure to air pollution and adjusting activity levels during increased levels of air pollution. Health Canada also works with other federal departments and countries to address air pollution that originates outside Canada's borders. For example, international agreements such as the Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement and the Gothenburg Protocol assist Canada in improving air quality by addressing pollutants from outside its borders that impact Canadian air quality.

FSDS Target theme: Air Quality

FSDS Target: Increase the percentage of the population across Canada living in areas where air pollutant concentrations are less than or equal to the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards from 60% in 2005 to 85% in 2030 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change; Minister of Health)

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Work with partners to address air pollution

Departmental Action

Use scientific evidence on the health impacts of air pollution to inform actions that improve outdoor and indoor air quality.

Program: Air Quality

Performance Indicator 1: Percentage of planned federal air quality health assessments, guidance documents, guidelines and standards published or distributed externally - related to outdoor air and indoor air quality

Starting point: 80% in 2022-23

Target: 85% (annual)

Performance Indicator 2: Percentage of planned Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) reviewed and updated (i.e., for ozone and PM2.5)

Starting point: 50% in 2022-23

Updates to the CAAQS for ozone were completed in 2019

Target: 100% of planned CAAQS by December 31, 2025

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 11 - Improving Access to Affordable Housing, Ensuring Clean Air, Transportation, Parks and Green Spaces as well as Cultural Heritage in Canada and the air quality target by using Health Canada's science and outreach activities to inform actions that improve air quality. For example, the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards (CAAQS) are outdoor air quality targets based on health and environmental objectives. Their purpose is to drive actions to reduce emissions of harmful air pollutants, such as the implementation of new regulatory requirements, and ultimately improve air quality across Canada. Health Canada works with the provinces, territories, and stakeholders to review and update the CAAQS as needed. Health Canada's work also informs action to improve indoor air quality in residential homes, office buildings and public spaces.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Implementation strategies supporting the goal

This section is for implementation strategies that support the goal "Improve access to affordable housing, clean air, transportation, parks, and green spaces, as well as cultural heritage in Canada" but not a specific FSDS target.

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Inform Canadians about air quality

Departmental Action 1

Provide people in Canada with access to information that will enable them to take action to reduce impacts from air pollution.

Program: Air Quality

Performance Indicator 1 : Percentage of planned knowledge transfer activitiesFootnote g completed related to health impacts of air pollution for indoor and outdoor air

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

Performance Indicator 2 : Number of people considered sensitive,Footnote h reached by AQHI (Air Quality Health Index) risk communications

Starting point: 1,462,369 in 2022-23

Target: 4,000,000 by March 31, 2026

Performance Indicator 3: Percentage of people considered sensitive, reached by Air Quality Health Index (AQHI) risk communications who change their behaviour on high AQHI days to avoid exposure to outdoor air pollutants

Starting Point: 42% in 2020-21

Target: More than 42% by March 31, 2026

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 11- Improving Access to Affordable Housing, Ensuring Clean Air, Transportation, Parks and Green Spaces as well as Cultural Heritage in Canada by using outreach activities to increase knowledge and raise awareness about the health impacts of air pollution, and helps inform actions by provinces, territories, municipalities, and other decision-makers to improve air quality. Work under this departmental action also helps people in Canada make decisions on how to protect their health from outdoor air pollution with information from the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI), such as limiting short-term exposure to air pollution and adjusting their activity levels when there are increased levels of air pollution.

The AQHI also supports Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy through its particular focus on people who are considered sensitive to the health impacts of air pollution and provides them with advice on how to protect their health. AQHI information is made available to schools and the general public and includes health protection messages for at-risk individuals.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Inform action on indoor radon exposure.

Program: Radiation Protection

Performance Indicator 1 : Percentage of people in Canada surveyed who are knowledgeable about radon

Starting point: 69% in 2022-23 (based on the 2021 Households and the Environment Survey)

Note: Results of the 2023 Households and the Environment Survey will be made available in 2024-25 (reports every two years)

Target: 70% by March 31, 2025

Performance Indicator 2 : Percentage of households in Canada surveyed who have tested their homes for radon.

Starting point: 9% in 2022-23 (based on the 2021 Households and the Environment Survey)

Note: Results of the 2023 Households and the Environment Survey will be made available in 2024-25 (reports every two years).

Target: 10% by March 31, 2026.

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 11 - Improving Access to Affordable Housing, Ensuring Clean Air, Transportation, Parks and Green Spaces as well as Cultural Heritage in Canada by raising awareness about the health impacts of radon. Exposure to high levels of radon in indoor air results in an increased risk of developing lung cancer. Health Canada participates in Radon Action Month every November by working with partners to raise awareness and inform people in Canada about actions they can take to reduce their risk from radon exposure.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 2

Research the impacts of air pollution

Departmental Action

Monitor impact of air pollution on mortality.

Program: Air Quality

Performance Indicator: Number of deaths per year in Canada attributable to air pollution (per 100,000 population)

Starting point: 42 deaths per 100,000 population in 2020-21

Target: Less than an annual 42 deaths per 100,000 population by December 31, 2029

Note: Results available every 3 years. Next reporting periods are 2023-24, 2026-27, and 2029-30

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 11 - Improving Access to Affordable Housing, Ensuring Clean Air, Transportation, Parks and Green Spaces as well as Cultural Heritage in Canada by helping to improve the understanding of the impacts of air pollution on human health. By disaggregating the data to better understand, for example, how age and location can impact mortality and illness resulting from air pollution, Health Canada supports Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy so that informed actions can be taken to protect human health.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Initiatives advancing Canada's implementation of SDG 11 – Sustainable Cities and Communities

The following initiatives demonstrate how Health Canada’s programming supports the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, supplementing the information outlined above.Footnote 18

Planned Initiative

Health Canada’s Air Quality Program supports actions to improve air quality and health for all Canadians by conducting research on the health impacts of exposure to air pollution, assessing the health risks from air pollutants and pollutant sources, and analyzing the health benefits of actions to improve air quality. This work enables the Program to contribute to updates to the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards, which drive the continuous improvement of air quality across the country.

This includes targeted research to better understand and address the needs of individuals disproportionately affected by air pollution and strives to identify and assess the health risks through its science, research, and assessment work.

Health Canada provides scientific advice and supports global health initiatives to improve air quality through collaborative research with the WHO Collaborating Centre on Environmental Health, the Pan-American Health Organization, and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Goal 12: Support mental health and adopt healthy behaviours

FSDS Context:

By transitioning to a cleaner and more circular economy that prioritizes reducing consumption and waste, negative impacts on the environment can be reduced. For example, plastic waste and pollution is a significant issue in Canada. Over 3 million tonnes of plastic was discarded as waste in Canada in 2016. Nearly 90% is neither recycled nor recovered, representing an economic loss of $7.8 billion. The Canada-wide Strategy and Action Plans on Zero Plastic Waste aim to reduce plastic waste and pollution and recover the value of plastics, to advance a circular economy for plastics.

Health Canada supports these efforts through work with federal partners to address plastic waste and pollution, by assessing the impacts of plastic pollution on human health, and by developing risk management tools to address plastic waste and pollution at different stages of the lifecycle of plastic manufactured items (e.g., manufacture, import, sale, use and disposal). Within its own operations, Health Canada prohibits the use of single-use plastics at meetings and events, and the Department has developed an internal Policy on the Prohibition and Diversion of Single-use Plastic, which aligns with the objective of the comprehensive Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations that were released in December 2022. The Department has also implemented a recycling program for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) at one of its Public Service Occupational Health Program clinics. The used PPE is sterilized, broken down into pellets and given a second life.

Health Canada's work on the Chemicals Management Plan, the Northern Contaminants Program, the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan, and the re-evaluation of pesticides against current health and environmental standards supports the management of waste, resources, and chemicals.

In addition, Health Canada recognizes the need to incorporate the principles of the circular economy in departmental operations by considering the full life cycle of our procurement decisions, identifying opportunities to right-size the departmental fleet and support the transition to zero-emission vehicles, and the importance of tracking, monitoring and reporting publicly on waste diversion, electricity consumption, and water use in order to identify opportunities to minimize the environmental impact of our operations. These are key elements of the Government of Canada's Greening Government Strategy, which is driving the transition to government operations that are net-zero, resilient and green.

FSDS Target theme: Federal Leadership on Responsible Consumption

FSDS Target: By 2030, the Government of Canada will divert from landfill at least 75% by weight of non-hazardous operational waste (All Ministers)

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Maximize diversion of waste from landfill

Departmental Action

Assess the waste stream to inform future decisions and options to divert operational waste from landfills.

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator: Percentage of Health Canada custodial facilities with updated waste audits completed

Starting Point: As of 2021-22, waste audits had been completed for all custodial facilities but are required to be updated at least every five years.

Target: 100% (n=6) by March 31, 2026

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 12- Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles and the waste diversion targets by ensuring the Department has well established baseline information related to the composition of various waste streams. The information gained from the quantification and characterization of operational waste can then be used to identify and prioritize options to further reduce and divert waste.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Target: By 2030, the Government of Canada will divert from landfill at least 90% by weight of all construction and demolition waste (All Ministers)

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Maximize diversion of waste from landfill

Departmental Action 1

Track and disclose waste diversion rates annually.

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator 1 : Percentage of construction and demolition waste diversion rates that are reported publiclyFootnote i

Starting Point: No projects met the minimum threshold in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

Performance Indicator 2 : Percentage of non-hazardous operational waste diversion rates for Health Canada's custodial buildingsFootnote j that are reported publicly

Starting Point: Public reporting initiated in 2022-23 (52% diversion rate)

Target: 100% (annual)

Performance Indicator 3: Percentage of plastic waste divertedFootnote k from Health Canada's custodial buildingsFootnote l is reported publicly

Starting Point: 100% in 2023-24 (81% diverted)Footnote 19

Target: 100% (reporting based on completion of waste audits)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles and the waste diversion targets by ensuring the Department has well established baseline information related to the composition of various waste streams. The information can then be used to identify and prioritize options to further reduce and divert waste, which in turn reduces emissions from landfill and transport hauling emissions, as well as emissions generated from the extraction and production of virgin materials.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Implement initiatives to increase waste diversion from Health Canada’s operations.Footnote 20

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator: Number of new waste paper towel composting programs implemented in Health Canada’s custodial buildings 

Starting Point: Implemented one waste paper towel composting pilot program in 2023-24

Target: 3 by March 31, 2025Footnote 21

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles and the waste diversion targets by ensuring the Department has well established baseline information related to the composition of various waste streams. The information can then be used to identify and prioritize options to further reduce and divert waste, which in turn reduces emissions from landfill and transport hauling emissions, as well as emissions generated from the extraction and production of virgin materials.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Target: The Government of Canada's procurement of goods and services will be net-zero emissions by 2050, to aid the transition to a net-zero, circular economy (All Ministers)

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Transform the federal light-duty fleet

Departmental Action 1

Increase the percentage of departmental fleet that are zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) or hybrid, whenever operationally feasible.

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator 1: Percentage of new executive vehicle purchases that are ZEVs or hybrids. Priority is to be given to ZEV.

Starting Point: In 2022-23, no executive vehicles were purchased, and Health Canada had three executive vehicles, two of which were ZEV. Footnote 22

Target: 100% (annual)

Performance Indicator 2 : Percentage of new light-duty vehicle purchases that are ZEVs or hybrid

Starting Point: 100% (8/8) in 2022-23 and the total number of vehicles in the administrative fleet was 156.

Target: 100% (annual)Footnote 23

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles and the net-zero procurement target by using the Department's purchasing power to continue to support Canada's transition to zero-emission vehicles and further reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Assess opportunities for fleet and vehicle right-sizing.Footnote 24

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator 1: Percentage of compatible and/or applicable vehicles logged via telematics data

Starting Point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles and the net-zero procurement target by ensuring that Health Canada continues to identify opportunities to right-size the departmental fleet and invest in infrastructure to support the transition to zero-emission vehicles. For example, the analysis of telematics data helps to inform decisions and planning related to fleet purchases, which facilitates replacement of conventional vehicles over their lifetimes with ZEVs and hybrids.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 2

Strengthen green procurement criteria

Departmental Action 1

Promote environmental sustainability by integrating environmental performance considerations into departmental procurement processes, including planning, acquisition, use and disposal, and ensuring there is the necessary training and awareness to support green procurement.

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator: Percentage of procurement related documents, guides, and tools posted on Health Canada's Materiel and Assets Management intranet site reviewed and updated to reflect green procurement objectives, where applicable

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

Departmental Action 2

Ensure material management and specialists in procurement have the necessary training and awareness to support green procurement.

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator: Percentage of specialists in procurement and materiel management who have completed training on green procurement or have included it in their learning plan for completion within a year

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual

Departmental Action 3

Ensure that the process for procurements over $25 million, including taxes, induces suppliers to measure and disclose their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adopt a science-based target to reduce GHG emissions in line with the Paris Agreement as part of participating in the Net-Zero Challenge or in an equivalent initiative or standard.

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator: Percentage of procurements over $25 million that included an incentive for suppliers to disclose their GHG emissions and adopt a science-based target to reduce emissions

Starting Point: 100% in 2023-24Footnote 25

Target: 100% (annual)

Note: Public Services and Procurement Canada's contracting authority and Health Canada's technical authority play lead roles in achieving this target.

Departmental Action 4

Identify the main categories of goods and services purchased by Health Canada

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator: Complete an expanded analysis of Health Canada’s procurement spending (five fiscal years) to identify the main categories where ‘greening’ opportunities could be applied

Starting Point: Completed an assessment of Health Canada’s procurement spending in 2023-24 to identify the main categories where ‘greening’ opportunities could be applied

Target: March 31, 2025Footnote 26

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

These departmental actions contribute to FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles, and the net-zero procurement target by incorporating environmental considerations into purchasing decisions, which can motivate suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of the goods and services they deliver, and their supply chains.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Implementation strategies supporting the goal

This section is for implementation strategies that support the goal "Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles" but not a specific FSDS target.

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Assess and manage risks from chemicals and harmful substances

Departmental Action 1

Assess and manage, where appropriate, the potential health risks associated with chemical substances.

Program: Health Impacts of Chemicals

Performance Indicator 1: Percentage of existing chemicals addressed within targeted timelines

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

Performance Indicator 2 : Percentage of new substances (chemicals, polymers and animate products of biotechnology) assessed within prescribed timelines

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

Performance Indicator 3: Percentage of actions taken in a timely manner to protect the health of Canadians from substances found to be a risk to human health

Starting point: 95% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles by reducing the risks posed by chemicals to people in Canada and their environment. Through the Chemicals Management Plan, Health Canada assesses substances for potential health and environmental impacts and develops risk management actions, such as new regulatory requirements, to mitigate the risks of harmful substances.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Provide funding for research studies to monitor contaminant levels in wildlife and people in the Canadian North.

Program: Health Impacts of Chemicals

Performance Indicator: Provide funding for research studies under the Northern Contaminants Program (NCP)

Starting Point: 100% in 2022-23 (six research studies)

Target: 100% of funding allocated by the end of the fiscal year (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action supports FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles through the Northern Contaminant Program (NCP), which provides funding for research and biomonitoring studies to address contaminants of concern in Canada's North and inform national and international chemicals risk management.

The research findings provide data to inform risk assessment and risk management of substances and are also used to influence the development and implementation of international agreements to reduce and/or eliminate the production, use and release of contaminating substances into the environment. This funding is provided through a competitive process to individual researchers. Ultimately the program objective is to reduce and, where possible, eliminate contaminants from the Arctic environment.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 3

Conduct research, monitoring and surveillance (including biomonitoring) in order to better understand and manage the health risks of harmful substances.

Program: Health Impacts of Chemicals

Performance Indicator 1: Percentage of planned knowledge transfer activitiesFootnote m completed related to research on chemicals of concern

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

Performance Indicator 2: Percentage of planned knowledge transfer activitiesFootnote n completed related to monitoring and surveillance on chemicals of concern

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles by informing decision making on chemicals of concern. Health Canada's research, monitoring, and surveillance related to harmful substances helps inform decisions by providing information to stakeholders (e.g., policy analysts, regulators, decision makers, international partners, and the public). For example, it provides new data for scientists and health and environment officials to use in assessing exposure to environmental chemicals and in developing and assessing policies aimed at reducing exposure to toxic chemicals.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 2

Continue review of pesticides

Departmental Action

Manage potential health risks associated with pesticides and assess the extent to which regulatory decisions and actions are keeping the risks posed by pesticides within acceptable limits.

Program: Pesticides

Performance Indicator 1: Percentage of pesticide re-evaluations that are completed within specified timelines.

Starting Point: 76% in 2022-23

Target: 80% (annual)

Performance Indicator 2: Percentage of pesticide special reviews that are completed within specified timelines

Starting Point: 0% in 2022-23

Target: 80% (annual)

Performance Indicator 3: Percentage of post-market decisions implemented within specified timelines to protect the health of Canadians from pesticides found to be a risk to human health and the environment

Starting Point: 83% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles by helping to ensure that pesticides continue to be re-evaluated against current health and environmental standards and assessed in a timely manner.

Once a pesticide has been registered, it becomes subject to a system of post-market risk management controls under the Pest Control Products Act. This includes re-evaluations and special reviews, compliance and enforcement activities, and reporting of health and environmental incidents.

Post-market re-evaluations are a key legislative tool in protecting Canadians and the environment from risks associated with pesticides. Under the re-evaluation program, new methodologies, data, and scientific approaches are incorporated into the assessments to ensure that registered pesticides continue to meet modern standards for health and environmental protection and have value.

When certain legislated criteria are met, a special review may be conducted to determine continued acceptability of implicated pesticides. When a pesticide is found to have unacceptable risk, Health Canada is responsible for taking action to protect human health and the environment through post-market regulatory decisions (e.g., cancellation of products, label changes, and voluntary withdrawals). Post-market review decisions are then published on the Health Canada website.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 3

Remediate high-priority contaminated sites

Departmental Action

Provide human health advice to other federal departments that are responsible for assessing and remediating contaminated sites.

Program: Health Impacts of Chemicals

Performance Indicator: Percentage of times the review of site classification and the review of site-specific scientific and technical documents are completed within established service standardsFootnote 27

Starting point: 97% in 2022-23Footnote 28

Target: 90% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 12 -Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles through the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan (FCSAP), which carries out activities to reduce the amount of waste generated during the clean up of contaminated sites. Health Canada serves as an Expert Support Department by providing guidance, guideline development, training, and advice related to human health risks from exposure to various contaminants on federal contaminated sites, in the air, water, soil, sediment, dust and country foods. This includes the review of site classifications, which are used to prioritize risk management and remediation activities, and other site-specific scientific and technical reports as they relate to human health. By providing guidance and advice, Health Canada supports the remediation of contaminated sites.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 4

Research innovative solutions for plastics

Departmental Action 1

Conduct and fund research on potential impacts of microplastics on human health.

Program: Health Impacts of Chemicals

Performance Indicator 1: Percentage of implicated federal decision-makers who indicate that they have more information available for consideration in evidence-based decision making related to impacts to human health or the environment from plastic pollution including microplastics (intramural research)

Starting point: New initiative

Target: 70% by March 31, 2027

Performance Indicator 2: Percentage of implicated federal decision-makers who indicate that they have more information available for consideration in evidence-based decision making related to impacts to human health or the environment from plastic pollution including microplastics (contribution program research)

Starting point: New initiative

Target: 70% by March 31, 2028Footnote 29

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action supports the FSDS Goal of Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles by helping to inform decisions and by providing information to stakeholders (e.g., policy analysts, regulators, decision makers, international partners, and the public) about the potential harms and impacts of microplastics on the health of people living in Canada. For example, it provides new data for scientists and health officials to use in assessing potential impacts of microplastics on human health.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Identify priorities for existing chemicals additives in plastics to inform risk management measures as needed.

Program: Health Impacts of Chemicals

Performance Indicator: Percentage of identified priorities for which a plan of action has been approved.

Starting point: New initiative

Target: 100% by March 31, 2025

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 12 - Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles by identifying chemical additives in plastics that could be harmful to human health, and prioritizing action on those substances that are found to be harmful. When chemicals additives in plastics are prioritised and addressed in a timely way, the results can be used by the Government and stakeholders to inform risk management measures as needed.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Initiatives advancing Canada's implementation of SDG 12 – Responsible Consumption and Production

The following initiatives demonstrate how Health Canada’s programming supports the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, supplementing the information outlined above.Footnote 30

Planned Initiative 1

The Government of Canada’s Chemicals Management Plan (CMP) aims to protect human health and the environment by reducing risks related to chemical substances in air, water, soil, and consumer and industrial products and processes.

Key activities include risk assessment, risk management, compliance promotion and enforcement, research, monitoring and surveillance, and collaboration, outreach, and engagement. Consideration is given, as appropriate, to populations that may be disproportionately impacted by exposures or are more susceptible to risks from chemicals, supporting the shift towards safer chemicals, locations disproportionately impacted by pollution and incorporating Indigenous knowledge.

Health Canada continues to advance international engagement on the sound management of chemicals through participation in the Global Framework on Chemicals (formerly SAICM), collaborating with the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development on chemicals safety and biosafety programs and initiatives, and hosting a WHO Collaborating Centre on Environmental Health.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Planned Initiative 2

Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) will continue to collect and analyze water samples for pesticides across Canada through its National Water Monitoring Program. Water monitoring data will provide additional insights on the usage and presence of pesticides in Canada and will inform pesticide reviews and operations moving forward.

PMRA will also strengthen the pesticide regulatory framework through targeted regulatory amendments that will enhance protection of human health, the environment and wildlife from risks posed by pesticides and improve transparency.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Goal 13: Take Action on Climate Change and its Impacts

FSDS Context:

The World Health Organization identified climate change as the greatest threat to global health in the 21st century. Older adults, Indigenous populations, those living with pre-existing physical and mental health conditions, people facing financial hardship and members of equity seeking groups are among those most at-risk. Climate change impacts the health of individuals, and also threatens the capacity of the health systems they rely on to provide care when it is needed, due to extreme events, such as extreme heat, floods, and wildfires.

The development of Canada's first National Adaptation Strategy (NAS) provides a vision to lead Canada into a more climate resilient future by working with provinces, territories, municipalities, business, Indigenous partners, and all residents of Canada to implement adaptation measures in the coming years. Health Canada commits its efforts through the NAS to contribute to this goal by increasing knowledge, capacity and tools, which helps decision-makers, such as health regions, develop and implement evidence-based adaptation measures to protect human health and health systems from climate impacts such as extreme heat.

Health Canada also has a role in translating and disseminating new science findings about climate change impacts on health, the most vulnerable in society and needed health interventions so that health sector decision-makers and practitioners can take actions to prepare for future impacts and move towards low-carbon health systems. For example, the Global Consortium for Climate and Health Education, Health Canada, the Pan American Health Organization and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research co-organized a Pan American Climate Resilient Health Systems course which was offered in 2023. The Department is also working with partners in British Columbia to develop a pilot intensive short course, providing information about climate change impacts on health, and building climate-resilient health systems.

Within its own operations, Health Canada is committed to minimizing disruptions and damage to its assets, services, and operations related to the impacts of climate change. The Department has completed a comprehensive assessment to identify risks and is taking action to reduce these risks through the development of an Adaptation Plan. Health Canada is also taking steps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and fleet by measuring, tracking and reporting on emissions, and improving the environmental performance of custodial buildings. These are key elements of the Government of Canada's Greening Government Strategy, which is driving the transition to government operations that are net-zero, resilient and green.

FSDS Target theme: Federal Leadership on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions and Climate Resilience

FSDS Target: The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon operations for facilities and conventional fleets by 2050 (All Ministers)

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Modernize through net-zero carbon buildings

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator: Percentage of majorFootnote o construction projects for which the amount of embodied carbon in the structural materials was disclosed

Starting Point: No projects met the minimum threshold in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 13 - Take Action on Climate Change and Its Impacts and the net-zero carbon operations target by taking steps to disclose and reduce the embodied carbon for major construction projects. This means the CO2 or GHG emissions associated with extraction, manufacturing, transporting, installing, maintaining, and disposing of construction materials and products, which helps to expand the market for alternative/greener methods and encourages industry to adopt low carbon extraction, production and disposal practices.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 2

Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government's overall operations

Departmental Action

Manage departmental operations to minimize GHG emissions and improve environmental performance of custodial facilities.Footnote 31

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator 1: Percentage change in GHG emissions from facilities from fiscal year 2005-06

Starting Point: GHG emissions from facilities in fiscal year 2005-06 = 20.8ktCO2e (8.01 ktCO2e in 2022-23)

Target: 40% below 2005 levels by 2025 (includes fleet and facilities)

Performance Indicator 2: Percentage change in GHG emissions from fleet from fiscal year 2005-06

Starting Point: GHG emissions from fleet in fiscal year 2005–06 = 1.6 ktCO2e (255 tCO2e in 2022-23)

Target: 40% below 2005 levels by 2025 (includes fleet and facilities)

Performance Indicator 3: Percentage of potable water consumption at custodial buildings that is tracked and disclosed

Starting Point: 100% in 2022-23 (66,682 m3 in 2022-23)

Target: 100% (annual)

Performance Indicator 4: Percentage of custodial buildings where energy use is metered

Starting Point: 100% in 2022-23 (62,073,663 kwh in 2022-23)

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes FSDS Goal 13 - Take Action on Climate Change and the net-zero carbon operations target by reducing the demand for energy or supporting the switch to lower carbon sources of energy to reduce GHG emissions. These contributions are made by establishing processes to track and publicly report on GHG emissions from Health Canada-owned facilities; facilitating planning to ensure that environmental performance can be reported; and increasing awareness about opportunities to improve the energy efficiency and environmental performance of custodial buildings.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 3

Apply a greenhouse gas reduction life-cycle cost analysis for major building retrofits

Departmental Action

Identify opportunities to improve the environmental performance, including energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions, of Health Canada's custodial buildings.

Program: Internal Services

Performance Indicator: Percentage of major building retrofitsFootnote p that use RETScreen energy performance improvement technology and greenhouse gas reduction technology to inform decisions about opportunities to improve environmental performance

Starting Point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 13 - Take Action on Climate Change and Its Impacts and the net-zero carbon operations target by taking steps to measure, track and report on energy efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions. These efforts help Health Canada reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve the environmental performance of custodial buildings.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Target: The Government of Canada will transition to climate resilient operations by 2050 (All Ministers)

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Reduce risks posed by climate change to federal assets, services and operations

Departmental Action

Take steps to understand, assess, communicate and adapt to risks from climate change to the department's assets, services and operations.

Program: Internal Services

Performance indicator: Percentage of implementation plans that have been developed for prioritized adaptation actions (in support of HC’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan)

Starting Point: New initiative

Target: 100% by March 31, 2025Footnote 32

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 13 - Take Action on Climate Change and the climate resilient operations target by supporting the department's ability to adapt to change climate and factoring climate variability and change into policies, programs, plans and operations. This departmental action also recognizes the importance of communicating risks and adaptation measures to departmental employees and reporting on progress to senior management to support effective implementation of actions to improve the climate resiliency of departmental assets, operations and services.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Implementation strategies supporting the goal

This section is for implementation strategies that support the goal "Take action on climate change and its impacts" but not a specific FSDS target.

FSDS Implementation Strategy 1

Collaborate on emergency management and disaster risk reduction

Departmental Action

Collaborate with other federal partners and provincial authorities to strengthen nuclear emergency preparedness and response.

Program: Radiation Protection

Performance Indicator: Percentage of planned nuclear emergency preparedness drills and exercises completed

Starting point: 100% in 2022-23

Target: 100% (annual)

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 13 - Take Action on Climate Change and its Impacts by helping federal authorities to be prepared to manage the federal response to a nuclear emergency and provide coordinated support to provinces and territories to minimize the impact on public health, safety, property, and the environment. This preparation is done through a series of drills and exercises to test the response to various nuclear emergency scenarios to identify gaps so issues can be resolved prior to a real emergency situation.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

FSDS Implementation Strategy 2

Support climate change adaptation across Canada

Departmental Action 1

Provide support to governments, public health professionals and Canadians in preparing for, and adapting to, the impacts of climate change.

Program: Climate Change

Performance Indicator: Percentage of funded health system actors that have taken evidence-based adaptation measures to reduce the health effects of climate change

Starting point: 80% in 2021-22 (first funding cycle)

Target: 100% by March 31, 2028 (second funding cycle)Footnote 33

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contribute to FSDS Goal 13 - Take Action on Climate Change and its Impacts by working with regional, municipal, and provincial and territorial health authorities across the country to build capacity and share best practices to address the impacts of climate change on the health of Canadians. This work is part of the National Adaptation Strategy.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Departmental Action 2

Increase knowledge, capacity, and tools to support evidence-based adaptation measures to protect health from extreme heat as a result of climate change.

Program: Climate Change

Performance Indicator: Percentage of health regions implementing evidence-based adaptation measures to protect health from extreme heat

Starting point: 79% in 2022-23Footnote 34

Target: 80% by March 31, 2026Footnote 35

How the departmental action contributes to the FSDS goal and target and, where applicable, to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGs

This departmental action contributes to FSDS Goal 13 - Take Action on Climate Change and its Impacts by helping decision-makers, such as health regions, develop and implement evidence-based adaptation measures to protect health from extreme heat resulting from climate change. For example, Health Canada's efforts support the creation and maintenance of heat alert and response systems, the dissemination of heat health information, and the development of training for health professionals and pharmacists. These efforts are important in protecting health since the frequency of extreme heat events in many Canadian locations is modelled to at least double by 2050.

Information about how this work contributes to Canada's 2030 Agenda National Strategy is outlined below.

Relevant targets or ambitions:

Initiatives advancing Canada's implementation of SDG 13 – Climate Action

The following initiatives demonstrate how Health Canada’s programming supports the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs, supplementing the information outlined above.Footnote 36

Planned Initiative

Health Canada’s Climate Change Program aims to increase knowledge, capacity, and tools on the human health impacts and adaptation approaches to climate change available to healthcare and public health professionals, emergency preparedness officials, and provincial and local decision-makers across Canada.

The Program also aims to increase the level of awareness among Canadians, including disproportionately impacted populations, of climate change and health risks (e.g., from extreme heat), and ways to protect themselves and reduce health risks.

Health Canada’s international efforts in support of global climate change and health initiatives include collaboration with the WHO and other partners. This includes for example, Steering Group membership of the WHO Alliance for Transformative Action on Climate and Health and engagement in the Global Heat Health Information Network, to exchange knowledge and increase capacity to manage and mitigate climate-related health hazards.

Associated domestic targets or ambitions and/or global targets

This work contributes to advancing:

Section 5: Integrating Sustainable DevelopmentFootnote 37

Health Canada incorporates sustainability in multiple facets of its operations, programs, and activities.

Health Canada's Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) Champion of Sustainable Development and Climate Change plays an important oversight and communication role regarding the Department's sustainable development commitments, application of Health Canada's Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment (SEEA) Policy, and oversight for the implementation of the Department’s Climate Change Adaptation Plan. These roles help to facilitate dialogue within the Department and identify additional opportunities to integrate sustainability considerations into decision-making.

Health Canada continues to incorporate commitments from the Government of Canada’s Greening Government Strategy (GGS) in policies, standards, operations, and procedures. Health Canada completed a comprehensive Climate Change Risk Assessment that helped to better understand the risks posed by the impacts of climate change on assets, services, and operations. Following this, the Department developed a Climate Change Adaptation Plan to address key cross-cutting risks. Health Canada also updated its internal Policy on the Reduction and Diversion of Single-Use Plastics and a supporting Directive for meetings and events to align with the Single-use Plastics Prohibitions Regulations. Consistent with the GGS commitment to electrify federal conventional light-duty fleet vehicles by 2030, a Strategic Fleet Greening Plan (SFGP) has been developed. Implementation of the SFGP is monitored on an ongoing basis and includes annual updates.

Health Canada has a comprehensive intranet site dedicated to sustainable development that is available to all employees. It includes examples of employee-led sustainability initiatives as well as policies and guidance related to Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment, single-use plastics, and information about the Department’s work on biodiversity and climate change.

Direct outreach to Health Canada employees occurs on an ongoing basis through various mechanisms, including messages from the Sustainable Development and Climate Change Champion; promotion of events such as Environment Week and Waste Reduction Week; and the use of a GCconnex Sustainable Workplaces Forum where employees can post questions and share ideas. Health Canada also

hosts lunch and learn events that are open to employees across the country. These sessions provide an opportunity for employees to learn more about what the Department is doing to improve its environmental performance and how efforts contribute to the Government of Canada’s broader sustainable development objectives.

Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment (SEEA)

On April 1, 2024, the Cabinet Directive on Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment (SEEA) came into force and applies to Memorandum to Cabinet, Treasury Board submissions, regulatory proposals and funding requests. Analysis is supported through completion of the mandatory Climate, Nature and Economy Lens (CNEL). Health Canada ensures that the SEEA process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets, and a departmental SEEA Policy has been established to clarify roles and responsibilities to facilitate ongoing compliance with the Directive.

Health Canada’s Office of Sustainable Development (OSD) provides guidance to proposal leads about the application of the SEEA process and requirements of the Directive. The OSD plays a challenge function to ensure that the assessment of potential environmental and economic impacts is comprehensive and robust, and that full consideration is given to potential direct and indirect environmental and economic impacts; this analysis is based on completion of the CNEL. If the Preliminary Screening in the CNEL indicates that the proposal is likely to have an important positive or negative impact on the environment, or the federal spending is above $15M/year, a detailed analysis is required. Public statements are prepared for all proposals that require a detailed analysis. The purpose of the Public Statement is to demonstrate that the environmental and/or economic impacts of the proposal have been considered.

In addition to providing advice and guidance on individual proposals, the OSD offers targeted training sessions to key groups across the Department. Health Canada tracks compliance with the departmental SEEA Policy and reports regularly to the ADM Champion of Sustainable Development and Climate Change. This helps to identify potential challenges, implement corrective measures, and encourages ongoing engagement with senior managers across the Department.

Footnotes

Footnote 1

The starting point has been updated from a new initiative to include the 2023-24 indicator results.

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Footnote 2

The starting point has been updated from a new initiative to include the 2023-24 indicator results.

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Footnote 3

This statement has been updated to include reference to the new Working Together to Improve the Health for Canadians and the Youth Mental Health Fund.

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Footnote 4

A new performance indicator, starting point and target have been added to reflect an emerging model of care for youth mental health through associated federal-provincial government bilateral agreements.

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Footnote 5

The target has been revised from 176 to 36 to reflect the number of planned initiatives in 2024-25.

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Footnote 6

The target date has been updated from March 31, 2024 to March 31, 2025 to reflect the planned initiatives in 2024-25.

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Footnote 7

A new performance indicator, starting point and target have been added to align with the renewed Canadian Drug and Substance Strategy.

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Footnote 8

The starting point has been updated from a new initiative to include the 2023-24 indicator results.

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Footnote 9

The target has been updated following the establishment of a baseline in 2023-24 to be a 5% increase between calendar year 2023 and 2024.

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Footnote 10

The target date was updated from March 31, 2024 to March 31, 2025.

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Footnote 11

The performance indicator has been updated to align with the renewed Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy and the revised Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF). Terminology is explained in the CIF metadata - https://sdgcif-data-canada-oddcic-donnee.github.io/3-4-1/.

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Footnote 12

The starting point aligns with the CIF metadata - https://sdgcif-data-canada-oddcic-donnee.github.io/3-4-1/.

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Footnote 13

The target has been established for 2024-25 to be 8.0 litre or less to align with the revised Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) - https://sdgcif-data-canada-oddcic-donnee.github.io/3-4-1/ and the renewed Canadian Drugs and Substances Strategy.

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Footnote 14

The target has been updated from 90 to 85 (annual) to more accurately reflect distribution timelines for project summaries.

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Footnote 15

The Planned Initiatives column has been updated to reflect 2024-25 priorities.

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Footnote 16

The Planned Initiatives column has been updated to reflect 2024-25 priorities.

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Footnote 17

The starting point has been updated from a new initiative to include the 2023-24 indicator results.

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Footnote 18

The Planned Initiatives column has been updated to reflect 2024-25 priorities.

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Footnote 19

The starting point has been updated from a new initiative to include the 2023-24 indicator results.

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Footnote 20

The performance indicator related to a mask recycling program has been removed because the results were achieved in 2023-24.

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Footnote 21

The performance indicator has been updated to clarify the scope. The starting point has been updated from new initiative to include the 2023-24 indicator result. The target has been updated from one to three by March 31, 2025.

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Footnote 22

The starting point was updated to correct the 2022-23 results from one executive vehicle to two executive vehicles that are hybrid.

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Footnote 23

The target has been updated from 75% to 100% to reflect updated Greening Government Strategy 2024 and the approved Health Canada Strategic Fleet Greening Plan.

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Footnote 24

The performance indicator related to the Strategic Fleet Greening Plan has been removed because the results were achieved in 2023-24.

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Footnote 25

The starting point has been updated from a new initiative to include the 2023-24 indicator results.

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Footnote 26

The performance indicator, starting point and target have been updated to reflect new guidance from the Centre for Greening Government.

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Footnote 27

The performance indicator has been updated to add the review of site classification in order to align with other public reporting.

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Footnote 28

The starting point has been updated from 94% to 97% to reflect the expanded scope of the updated performance indicator.

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Footnote 29

The target date has been revised from 2027 to 2028 as data collection will be undertaken during the 2027-28 fiscal year.

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Footnote 30

The Planned Initiatives column has been updated to reflect 2024-25 priorities.

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Footnote 31

The performance indicator related to clean electricity has been removed because reporting on results is not within Canada’s mandate. The performance indicator related to the completion of the Halocarbon Containing Equipment Inventory has been removed because the results were achieved in 2023-24.

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Footnote 32

The performance indicator related to the completion of Health Canada’s Climate Change Adaption Plan has been removed because results were achieved in 2023-24. A new performance indicator, starting point and target have been added to support the departmental action.

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Footnote 33

The performance indicator, starting point and target have been updated to align with other public reporting.

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Footnote 34

The starting point has been updated to remove “(a new baseline to be set by March 31, 2025)” to align with the updated target.

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Footnote 35

The target has been updated from “20% above the baseline by March 31, 2028” to “80% by March 31, 2026”, which will enable reporting against a target with the 2023-27 DSDS cycle.

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Footnote 36

The Planned Initiatives column has been updated to reflect 2024-25 priorities.

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Footnote 37

This section has been updated to reflect 2024-25 priorities.

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Footnote 38

This statement has been updated to include reference to the new Emergency Treatment Fund.

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Endnotes

Footnote a

Support refers to receiving the guidance, assistance or resources needed to navigate MHSU services from a professional.

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Footnote b

Frequent refers to at least four emergency room visits per year.

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Footnote c

Knowledge products (e.g., webinars, training materials, case studies, research reports) are products that are created or transform prior knowledge and experience into a tangible artifact in order to present, communicate and teach new audiences. Knowledge products are a tangible resource based on high quality evidence and created for specific target audiences with the specific result in mind, such as increased awareness, increased knowledge, or influence on a policy or a practice. MHCC produces knowledge products in four priority areas: suicide prevention, population-based initiatives, engagement with Canadians and mental health & substance use (MHSU) integration.

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Footnote d

This includes knowledge products funded through sources other than Health Canada.

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Footnote e

Available contribution funding varies every year.

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Footnote f

Research and surveillance projects for smoking and vaping.

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Footnote g

Activities where knowledge is transmitted to users to enable its application. Knowledge transfer activities can be passive such as peer-reviewed publications, poster presentations, conference presentations, and patents, or active such as face-to-face meetings, interactive workshops, and networks.

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Footnote h

"People considered sensitive" are those most at risk from the health effects of air pollution, including people with pre-existing health conditions, children, and the elderly.

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Footnote i

When projects meet the minimum threshold of $5M and in areas where diversion facilities exist.

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Footnote j

Diversion percentages will be based on industry average weight by waste stream multiplied by number of bins collected at each site. Applies to facilities over 10,000m2 within a municipality with a population of over 100,000 people.

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Footnote k

Pending clarification regarding the industry standard for co-mingled waste streams at the point of collection.

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Footnote l

Applies to facilities over 10,000m2 within a municipality with a population of over 100,000 people.

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Footnote m

Activities where knowledge is transmitted to users to enable its application. Knowledge transfer activities can be passive such as peer-reviewed publications, poster presentations, conference presentations, and patents, or active such as face-to-face meetings, interactive workshops, and networks. 

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Footnote n

Activities where knowledge is transmitted to users to enable its application. Knowledge transfer activities can be passive such as peer-reviewed publications, poster presentations, conference presentations, and patents or active such as face-to-face meetings, interactive workshops, and networks.

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Footnote o

Projects in which changes proposed to the building envelope and HVAC systems or the proposed value of work is more than 50% of the assessed value of the building.

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Footnote p

Projects in which changes proposed to the building envelope and HVAC systems or the proposed value of work is more than 50% of the assessed value of the building.

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Page details

2025-01-30