Prairies Economic Development Canada’s 2021-22 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
2022
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Catalogue No.: Iu98-1/2E-PDF
ISSN: 2816-8828
Prairies Economic Development Canada
1500-9700 Jasper Ave.
Edmonton AB T5J 4H7
This document is available on the Prairies Economic Development Canada website at https://canada.ca/en/prairies-economic-development.html
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada,
represented by the Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, 2022
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 Western Economic Diversification Canada’s 2020 to 2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.
This report details Prairies Economic Development Canada’s departmental actions that support the targets and/or goals of the 2019 to 2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS). For information on the Government of Canada’s overall progress on the targets of the FSDS, please see the FSDS Progress Report, which, per the requirements of the strengthened Federal Sustainable Development Act, is released at least once in each three year period
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 (SDGs) 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, Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) has developed this report to demonstrate progress in implementing its Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.
2. Sustainable development in PrairiesCan
On August 5, 2021, the Government of Canada announced the separation of Western Economic Diversification Canada (WD) into two new regional development agencies for British Columbia and the Prairie provinces.
Prairies Economic Development Canada (PrairiesCan) is now the new regional economic development agency (RDA) for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba.
Pacific Economic Development Canada (PacifiCan) is now the new RDA for British Columbia.
WD’s 2020 to 2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy describes the departmental actions that support the achievement of the FSDS goals of clean growth and a greener government. PrairiesCan has adopted WD’s 2020 to 2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy and continues to advance and report on departmental activities that contribute to the Government of Canada’s priorities and commitments under the 2019 to 2022 FSDS. This report presents the available results for WD, as related to the Prairie provinces, and PrairiesCan’s departmental actions pertinent to this these goals.Endnote 1 Previous years’ reports are posted on the WD 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.
Context: Greening Government
The Greening Government goal captures commitments from the Greening Government Strategy, as well as reporting requirements under the Policy on Green Procurement.
In 2021-22, all PrairiesCan office environments were sourced and equipped through Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC). The agency has followed PSPC’s leadership on sustainability by using office equipment, suppliers, contractors, and services that they have vetted and deemed to contribute to the Greening Government objectives. The commitments under the Greening Government goal outline the areas where PrairiesCan has reduced environmental effects associated with the agency’s procurement decisions.
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 result to the FSDS goal and target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actions supporting Greening Government | Departments will use environmental criteria to reduce the environmental impact and ensure best value in government procurement decisions. | PrairiesCan will include criteria that address carbon reduction, sustainable plastics, and broader environmental benefits into procurements for goods and services that have a high environmental impact. PrariesCan will incorporate environmental considerations into the development of any common-use procurement instruments. |
Starting Point: |
Result: In 2021-22, WD and PrairiesCan procurement expenditures resulting from SOSAs that include environmental criteria totaled $602,552 across 6 contracts. This includes:
|
FSDS: Including environmental criteria in procurement instruments ensures PrairiesCan acquires goods and services from suppliers who meet standards for sustainability and energy efficiency to reduce the environmental impact of departmental operations. Environmental criteria in SOSAs also motivates prospective suppliers to reduce the waste and emissions associated with their goods, services and supply chains. UN SDG: SDG 12 – Target 12.7 |
| Support for green procurement will be strengthened, including guidance, tools and training for public service employees. | PrairiesCan will ensure decisions makers, material management, and specialists in procurement have the necessary training and awareness to support green procurement. | Starting Point: Identify procurement guidance needs for staff, including training and tools. Performance indicator: Percentage of specialists in procurement and materiel management who have completed training on green procurement. Target: Trained staff supporting green procurement. |
Result: In 2021-22, 100% of WD and PrairiesCan’s procurement and materiel management specialists had completed the Canada School of Public Service Green Procurement course (C215). All acquisition card holders completed the Green Procurement Course before being issued an Acquisition Card. |
FSDS: Green procurement incorporates environmental criteria into purchasing decisions. Procurement agents trained to apply environmental criteria can award contracts to suppliers who reduce the waste and GHG emissions associated with their goods, services and supply chains to reduce the overall environmental impact of departmental operations. UN SDG: SDG 12 – Target 12.7 |
Context: Clean Growth
The Clean Growth goal captures commitments from the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change. Departmental actions under Clean Growth also support FSDS targets related to climate action, clean energy, greening government, sustainable food, and building safe and healthy communities.
PrairiesCan promotes clean growth and diversification in the economy of the Prairies through strategic investments in clean technology and clean resource projects. In addition to supporting the adoption of clean technologies and advocating for cleaner resource development, PrairiesCan is helping communities to transition their economies away from coal-fired electricity generation through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative (CCTI).
Clean Growth: A growing clean technology industry in Canada contributes to clean growth and the transition to a low-carbon economy
| FSDS targets | FSDS contributing action(s) | Corresponding departmental action(s) | Starting points Performance indicators Targets |
Results achieved | Contribution by each departmental result to the FSDS goal and target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Support the Government of Canada’s Mission Innovation pledge to double federal government investments in clean energy research, development and demonstration from 2015 levels of $387 million to $775 million by 2020 | Invest in clean technologies | Continue to support, and make strategic investments in clean technology and clean resources. | Starting point: Statistics Canada Survey of Environmental Goods and Services measures the clean technology sector in Canada and regions. Performance indicator: Annual spending ($) for projects in the priority areas of clean technology and clean resources. Target: Clean technology adoption/adaptation that contributes to the diversification and economic development in the Prairies. |
Result: In 2021-22, WD and PrairiesCan invested $22.3M in 16 clean technology projects in the Prairies.
|
FSDS: PrairiesCan investments in clean technology and clean resource projects in 2021-22 extend beyond the Mission Innovation target of doubling federal government investment by 2020. PrairiesCan’s investments help companies in the clean technology and clean resource sectors to develop, demonstrate, and/or commercialize new technology to expand, modernize, grow, export, and become more productive. UN SDG: SDG 9 – Target 9.4 SDG 12 – Target 12.2 |
| Actions supporting Clean Growth | Other | Deliver funding and support through the Canada Coal Transition Initiative (CCTI) to assist communities affected by the phase out of coal-fired electricity. | Starting point: Affected communities in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Performance indicator: Community-identified initiatives assessed and funded to support economic diversification in affected communities in Alberta and Saskatchewan. Target: Project support is based on community-identified needs. |
Result: In 2021-22, WD and PrairiesCan engaged with affected communities and invested $2.52M in 10 projects in Alberta and Saskatchewan under the CCTI.
|
FSDS: PrairiesCan funding for skills development, economic diversification and infrastructure under the Canada Coal Transition Initiative helps impacted communities in Alberta and Saskatchewan transition away from coal-fired electricity generation and toward a low-carbon economy. UN SDG: SDG 12 – Target 12.2 |
4. Report on integrating sustainable development
During the 2021-22 reporting cycle, PrairiesCan had no proposals that required a strategic environmental assessment (SEA) and no public statements were produced.
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