Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s 2021-22 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
This report on progress supports the commitment in the Federal Sustainable Development Act (FSDA) to make environmental decision-making more transparent and accountable to Parliament. It also contributes to an integrated, whole-of-government view of activities supporting environmental sustainability.
The departmental information reported accounts for information previously prepared in accordance with Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada’s (IRCC) 2020 to 2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.
1. Introduction to the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
The 2019 to 2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. In keeping with the purpose of the Act, to provide the legal framework for developing and implementing a Federal Sustainable Development Strategy that will make sustainable development decision-making more transparent and accountable to Parliament, IRCC has developed this report to demonstrate progress in implementing its Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.
2. Sustainable development in IRCC
IRCC’s 2020 to 2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy describes the department’s actions in support of achieving FSDS Goal 2—Greening Government. This report presents available results for the departmental actions pertinent to this goal. Previous years’ reports are posted on IRCC’s website.
3. Departmental performance by FSDS goal
The following tables provide performance information on departmental actions in support of the FSDS goals listed in section 2.
Greening Government: The Government of Canada will transition to low-carbon, climate-resilient and green operations
| FSDS target(s) | FSDS contributing action(s) | Corresponding departmental action(s) | Starting point(s) Performance indicator(s) Target(s) | Results achieved | Contribution by each departmental action to the FSDS goal and target |
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Reduce GHG emissions from federal government facilities and fleets by 40% below 2005 levels by 2025 and 90% below 2005 levels by 2050 |
Fleet management will be optimized by applying telematics to collect and analyze vehicle usage data on vehicles scheduled to be replaced |
Developed a fleet reduction plan within IRCC inventory to reduce fleet GHG emissions. Plan included below:
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Starting point: GHG emissions from fleet in fiscal year 2005–06 (base year): = [0.094] ktCO2e Target: Reduce GHG by 40% in 2025 relative to 2005 Performance indicator: Percentage change of GHG emission change from FY 2005-2006 |
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FSDS: An annual fleet plan is developed and used to monitor vehicle usage, determine disposal and recommend replacements with newer vehicle technologies, such as plug-in hybrids or all electric powertrains that reduces GHG emissions UN-SDG: SDG13.2: Climate action. Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning |
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Train fleet managers on vehicle fleet best practices |
Starting point: In baseline year 2018–2019, the number and percentage of fleet managers who received training on vehicle fleet best practices is 5 out of 8 (63%). Target: By 2023, 100% of fleet managers will receive fleet training. Performance indicator: Number and percentage of fleet managers who receive training on vehicle fleet best practices. |
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FSDS: Fleet training and Anti-idling messages to fleet managers and drivers encouraged reduction of GHG emissions UN-SDG: SDG13.3 Climate action. Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning. |
Our administrative fleet will be comprised of at least 80% zero-emission vehicles by 2030 |
Fleet management will be optimized by applying telematics to collect and analyze vehicle usage data on vehicles scheduled to be replaced |
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Starting point: In baseline year 2018–2019, the number of vehicles in IRCC inventory was:
Target: Our light duty fleet will be comprised of at least 100% zero-emission vehicles by 2030 Performance indicator: # and % of vehicles equipped with telematics;
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By end of 2021-22
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FSDS: Fleet management adheres to Treasury Board Guidelines on Light Duty Vehicles and Executive Vehicles when acquiring new or replacing existing vehicles. PSPC standing offers are leveraged in order to obtain the most fuel efficient option for a specific application (hybrid or all electric). The acquisition reduces carbon intensity and lowers GHG emissions. IRCC was successful in reducing the inventory of its vehicles resulting in a direct reduction in its GHG emissions UN-SDG: SDG: 12 Responsible consumption and production |
By 2022, departments have developed measures to reduce climate change risks to assets, services and operations |
Increase training and support on assessing climate change impacts, undertaking climate change risk assessments and developing adaptation actions to public service employees, and facilitate sharing of best practices and lessons learned |
By 2022-23, IRCC will work on understanding and evaluating the risks of climate change impacts that might affect IRCC assets, services and operations on a national level and set measures to reduce those climate change risks where necessary. |
Starting point: Work will be on-going to complete the IRCC climate risk assessment Target: By 2022-23, complete a departmental climate risk assessment and develop measures to reduce identified risks, as required Performance Indicators: Completion of climate risk assessment for IRCC and development of measures to reduce climate change risks to assets, services and operations, as required |
Meetings were held with BCP and Research and Evaluation teams throughout the year to sensitize and emphasize on the requirement for this target and to further improve the understanding of the impacts and risks of Climate Change events to IRCC’s Operations and Services across the country. Further development on the reporting process is being planned. Subsequent to these meetings, an agreement was reached for the SD Team to develop a Climate Change Risk assessment (CCR) document, that will help inform of the process and the reporting for next fiscal 2022-2023. We are currently at the drafting phase of this document. In collaboration with the BCP team, a Climate Change tab was added to IRCC’s BCP tool and branch Coordinators were briefed on describing mitigation actions related to climate change. This tab is being updated twice a year with more improvements to be introduced to these annexes as we move forward. Briefing sessions on the Strategic Environmental Assessment process were facilitated throughout the year for new employees and internal clients. Ad-hoc briefing sessions were scheduled as needed. Lastly, we have secured funds to hire an Adaptation Consultant to assist on the development of a comprehensive framework and detailed report for FY 2022-2023. The acquisition process will be launched in 2022-2023. |
FSDS: Introducing climate variability and change into policy, programs, and operations is important to adjust to a changing climate and is consistent with the government’s risk management approach of enhancing the protection of assets and resources and strengthening planning and decision-making UN-SDG: SDG13.2: Climate action. Integrate climate change measures into national policies, strategies and planning |
| Actions supporting the Goal: Greening Government [This section is for actions that support the Greening Government Goal but do not directly support a FSDS target] | Departments will use environmental criteria to reduce the environmental impact and ensure best value in government procurement decisions |
Purchase of copy paper, commercial printing that contains a minimum of 30% recycled content |
Starting point: In baseline year 2018-2019, 100% of IRCC paper purchases contained a minimum of 30% recycled content Target: 100% of paper purchases contained 30% recycled content or better via the National Master Standing Offer for Office Supplies Performance indicator: Percentage of copy paper; Commercial printing purchases that contain a minimum of 30% recycled content and are certified to a recognized environmental standard to reduce the environmental impact of its manufacturing |
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FSDS: Procurement activities support the transition to a low-carbon economy by procuring green items via National Master Standing Offers, which requires suppliers to offer paper that contains minimum 30% of recycled content. These practices support the reduction of IRCC’s ecological footprint and contribute to reducing GHG emissions. UN-SDG: SDG: 12.7 Responsible consumption and production. Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities |
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Promote Sustainable workplace Operations by reducing printing devices to achieve a target of 8 employees to 1 printing device |
Starting point: Ratio of employees to printing devices in fiscal year 2015-2016 (base year) = 3.86 employees to 1 printing device (3.86:1) Ratio of employees per printing device in fiscal year 2018-2019 = 8.86 employees per printing device (8.86:1) Target: 8 employees per printing device achieved as of March 2019, thus a new target of 15 employees per printing device was set last year to be achieved by 2023 Performance indicator: Ratio of employees per printing device |
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FSDS: IRCC has managed to reduce its printing devices via projects, such as Print Services Modernization and by introducing new tools (eg. Electronic signature) which help reducing IRCC’s GHG emissions UN-SDG: SDG: 12 Responsible consumption and production |
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Promote Sustainable workplace Operations by meeting or exceeding paper consumption reduction of 20% |
Starting point: Number of sheets of paper per employee in FY 2010–2011 (base year) = 5,996 sheets/ employee. Number of sheets of paper per employee in fiscal year 2018-2019 = 1,251 sheets/ employee Target: 20% reduction Performance indicator: Percentage (%) change in paper consumption from FY 2010–11; Percentage (%) change in paper consumption from fiscal year 2010-2011 to fiscal year 2018-2019 = 79% decrease from baseline year |
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FSDS: IRCC promotes Green practices and sustainable Workplace Operations via messaging and programs, which encourage employees to reduce their paper consumption, which leads to GHG reductions during manufacturing and transportation of paper UN-SDG: SDG: 12 Responsible consumption and production |
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Support for green procurement will be strengthened, including guidance, tools and training for public service employees |
Ensure all procurement officers and decision-makers have the necessary training and awareness to support green procurement |
Starting Point: In base line year 2018-2019, 100% of Procurement Specialists and 100% of Materiel Management Specialists received training on Green Procurement Target: 100% of Procurement Specialists and Materiel Management Specialists Performance indicator: Percentage of procurement specialists and materiel management specialists who have completed training on Green Procurement |
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FSDS: Green procurement and green procurement training incorporates environmental criteria into purchasing decisions, which directly lead to reduced embodied GHG emissions in acquired goods and services. Procurement officers who are trained to apply such criteria can result in the award of contracts to suppliers with a reduced GHG footprint. This is expected to motivate suppliers to reduce GHG emissions associated with their goods, services and supply chains. UN-SDG: SDG12.7: Responsible consumption and production. Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities |
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Ensure key officials include contribution to and support for the Government of Canada Policy on Green Procurement objectives in their Performance Management Agreements (PMA) |
Starting Point: In base line year 2018-2019, 100% of key officials have included contribution to and support for the Government of Canada Policy on Green Procurement objectives in their PMA - 6 out of 6 (100%). Target: 100% of Key Officials Performance indicator: Percentage of functional heads and managers of procurement and materiel management whose performance evaluation include support and contribution towards green procurement in the current fiscal year |
This includes:
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FSDS: Performance evaluations of Managers and functional heads of procurement include Green procurement objectives in order to educate and ensure procurement officers are leveraging green procurement criteria in solicitations whenever possible UN-SDG: SDG12.7: Responsible consumption and production. Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities |
4. Report on integrating sustainable development
Immigration Refugees and Citizenship will continue to ensure that its decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets through its strategic environmental assessment (SEA) process. A SEA for a policy, plan or program proposal includes an analysis of the impacts of the given proposal on the environment, including on relevant FSDS goals and targets.
Public statements on the results of IRCC’s assessments are made public when an initiative that has undergone a detailed SEA. The purpose of the public statement is to demonstrate that the environmental effects, including the impacts on achieving the FSDS goals and targets, of the approved policy, plan or program have been considered during proposal development and decision-making.
Reporting on Waste Management
Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) consistently disposes of materials as set out in the Government of Canada’s Directive on the Management of Materiel. Waste management is defined as the strategy to dispose, reduce, reuse and prevent waste. In FY2021-2022, IRCC recycled 481,982 lbs of paper and disposed of 3,000 items, such as furniture, IT equipment, and workstations. All materials were disposed of through appropriate recycling partners and various government programs, including GCSurplus, GCTransfer, GCDonate, E-waste and Computer for Schools Plus. IRCC is committed to continue reporting on waste management, while adhering to the new Federal Sustainability Development Strategy reporting guidelines for FY2022-2023.
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