Management Response and Action Plan - Horizontal Evaluation of the Clean Air Agenda Adaptation Theme

Recommendation 1:
Review current adaptation program delivery to identify opportunities to expand engagement among new and existing stakeholder groups and increase awareness of information, products or activities.

PHAC agrees with the recommendation.

PHAC has addressed this recommendation.

Actions Taken:
To inform its new adaptation program, PHAC reviewed its past programs, analysed options, and explored opportunities. The Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CFEZID) officials also engaged PHAC executive governance tables at both the Branch and Agency-wide levels and engaged with partners and stakeholders to inform the establishment of the new program.

As federal policy lead for climate change, including adaptation, ECCC co-chaired the F/P/T Working Group on Adaptation and Climate Resilience under the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF) in 2016. PHAC informed the working group, and provided input to the F/P/T report on adaptation and climate resilience (led by the ECCC Secretariat) submitted to the F/P/T Ministers of the Environment in September 2016. PHAC actively participated in the extensive external stakeholder engagement and consultation within the federal government, and with other jurisdictions and public health stakeholders.

In the context of expanded adaptation programs, appropriate communications are also planned, aligned with the PCF Communications Strategy, including announcements as well as improved online communications, and greater use of social media.

Collaboration mechanisms, outlined in more detail below in the management response to Recommendation 2, will also be used to raise awareness and share information about federal adaptation initiatives.

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COMPLETED

Director General, Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CFEZID)

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Recommendation 2:
Review mechanisms for collaboration and information sharing between the Adaptation program elements, as well as with other federal and non-federal program partners, in order to leverage best practices and resources and avoid duplication of effort.

PHAC agrees with the recommendation.

PHAC has addressed this recommendation.

Actions Taken:
To support the implementation of the PCF, the governance on climate change, including adaptation collaborative mechanisms, was reviewed and opportunities for enhancements assessed. In order to deliver on PCF commitments, new structures have been established, including the establishment of the DM and ADM PCF oversight committees and a refresh of the DG and Director/manager tables.

As the federal policy lead for adaptation, ECCC chairs a Director General Adaptation Policy Steering Committee (DGAPSC) to coordinate adaptation activities and policy development across the federal government. The DGAPSC was repurposed in May 2017 and renamed the Director General Adaptation and Resilience Committee (DGARC). PHAC is represented on DGARC through the DG of CFEZID within the Infectious Disease Prevention and Control Branch.

PHAC will also continue to participate as a plenary member in the Adaptation Platform. The Platform is a national collaboration mechanism for adaptation and includes members from federal, provincial, and territorial governments, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, and National Indigenous Organizations. The Plenary meets in person twice annually and also shares a web platform to share information and collaborate.

Continue to participate on Interdepartmental Committees and Adaptation Platform Plenary

COMPLETED

Director General, Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CFEZID)

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Recommendation 3:
Review the current performance measurement framework and data to improve tracking and reporting on progress toward Adaptation-theme level intended results.

PHAC agrees with the recommendation.

PHAC has addressed this recommendation.

Actions Taken:
To inform its new adaptation program, PHAC reviewed its past program performance metrics, analysed options, and explored opportunities to enhance tracking and reporting approaches. This was undertaken in close collaboration with other government departments.

A number of new reporting requirements have been established to track progress and results. This includes reporting on Adaptation/Climate Resilience progress under the Results and Delivery Charter for Effective Action on Climate Change, the Horizontal Management Framework for Clean Growth and Climate Change, the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, and the Departmental Results Framework.

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COMPLETED

Director General, Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CFEZID)

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Recommendation 4:
In collaboration with the departments’ respective Chief Financial Officers, review current processes for opportunities to improve program tracking and reporting of financial information for Adaptation program elements.

PHAC agrees with the recommendation.

PHAC has addressed this recommendation.

Actions Taken:
Program officials have met with the Office of the Chief Financial Officer to review how the tracking of financial information could be improved to present a more comprehensive reporting of program budgets and expenditures that would include the program activities, including existing funding.

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COMPLETED

Director General, Centre for Food-borne, Environmental and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (CFEZID)

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