Supplementary Information Tables: 2013–14 Report on Plans and Priorities

Greening Government Operations

The Greening Government Operations (GGO) table has been created for departments to report against progress on Goal 8 of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (PDF document) (i.e., minimize the environmental footprint of government operations). In any given fiscal year departments are required only to complete the applicable portions of the table based on the provisions of the Federal Sustainable Development Act.

• Green Building Targets
• Greenhouse Gas Emissions Target
• Surplus Electronic and Electrical Equipment Target
• Printing Unit Reduction Target
• Paper Consumption Target
• Green Meetings Target
• Green Procurement Targets
• Reporting on the Purchase of Offset Credits
• Voluntary Reporting on the Agency's Departmental Sustainable Developmental Strategy

Green Building Targets

Strategies / Comments

1. The Agency established a Green Building Strategic Framework (GBSF) to outline the conditions for buildings being assessed against this target as of April 1, 2012. The Agency will assess existing new construction and build-to-lease projects against the framework commencing in 2012–13.
2. In addition to achieving the minimum certification of 3 Green Globes for project dollar value between $1M and $10M and Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Silver (Core and Shell Development or New Construction) for project dollar value over $10M, the Agency has committed to voluntarily participate in Labs21^{Footnote 1} for its laboratories.
3. All mobile laboratories, hospitals and airport quarantine services are excluded from certification.
4. Where applicable, the Agency will adhere to its Green Move methodologies and will "reduce, reuse and recycle" laboratory and office materials and infrastructure.

Strategies / Comments

1. The Agency footprint includes three Crown laboratory buildings: the Laboratory for Foodborne Zoonoses (LFZ), the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health (CSCHAH), and the JC Wilt Infectious Diseases Research Centre.
2. The Agency established a Green Building Strategic Framework (GBSF) to outline the conditions for buildings being assessed against this target as of April 1, 2012. The Agency will assess existing Crown buildings over 1,000m² against the framework commencing in 2012–13.
3. All mobile laboratories, hospitals and airport quarantine services are excluded from certification.

4. In addition to achieving the minimum certification of BOMA BESt Level 1 certification for laboratories and BOMA BESt Level 2 certification for office facilities, the Agency has committed to voluntarily participate in Labs21 for its laboratories.

   Where applicable, the Agency is adhering to its Green Move methodologies and is "reducing, reusing and recycling" laboratory and office materials and infrastructure.

Strategies / Comments

1. This target is not applicable as Public Works and Government Services Canada and Health Canada negotiates all leases on behalf of the Agency. The current leased space portfolio was acquired by Public Works and Government Services Canada, which negotiates 19 of the 20 leases on behalf of the Agency; Health Canada negotiates the remainder.
2. As the client, the Agency can only request inclusion of this target in its lease requirements.

Strategies / Comments

1. The Agency established a Green Building Strategic Framework (GBSF) to outline the conditions for buildings being assessed against this target as of April 1, 2012. The Agency will assess fit-up and refit projects against the framework commencing in 2012–13.
2. In addition to achieving the minimum certification of 3 Green Globes for project dollar value between $1M and $10M and LEED Silver for project dollar value over $10M, the Agency has committed to voluntarily participate in Labs21 for its laboratories.
3. All mobile laboratories, hospitals and airport quarantine services are excluded from certification.
4. Where applicable, the Agency will adhere to its Green Move methodologies and will "reduce, reuse and recycle" laboratory and office materials and infrastructure.
5. The Agency does not have any fit-up or refit projects schedule for this fiscal year that meet the criteria established in the GBSF.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions Target

This table is not applicable as the Agency is not included in Annex 4 of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy Guideline for Target 8.5.

Surplus Electronic and Electrical Equipment Target

Strategies / Comments

1. Definition of Location: Any building that is occupied by at least one Agency employee and one EEE asset. It excludes facilities such as warehouses and mobile laboratories. The Agency has 65 locations.
2. EEE Implementation Plan: While an implementation plan was drafted for the disposal of the Agency's surplus EEE, changes in the internal service delivery model have led to opportunities, through an administrative and accountability arrangement known as the Shared Services Partnership, to partner with Health Canada on this initiative, resulting in the Agency's implementation being adjusted accordingly. The Agency remains committed to achieving the overarching target within established timelines, as per the mandatory implementation strategies listed in Theme IV of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and the plan will be hosted on the Agency's internal Web site.
3. Roles and Responsibilities: The Shared Services Partnership is the Office of Primary Interest in collaboration with the Agency's Sustainable Development Office (SDO) and other organizations that support both Health Canada and the Agency.
4. Key Activities of the EEE Disposal Process: The Agency, in collaboration with Health Canada, will enhance its system to track and report on EEE disposal based on key equipment types disposed of through all designated streams at all locations that have an EEE implementation plan fully implemented.
5. Reporting Requirements: Changes in the internal service delivery model have led to opportunities, through an administrative and accountability arrangement known as the Shared Services Partnership, to partner with Health Canada on this initiative, resulting in Health Canada assuming responsibility for all reporting requirements for this target on the Agency's behalf. Health Canada will report on the total weights of e-waste disposed of, per disposal method.
6. Mechanisms to Evaluate Progress: The Agency will produce an annual, national EEE disposal report for senior management, which will be led by the Shared Services Partnership.
7. Relationship between Agency Asset Management System and EEE Implementation Plan: The Agency's asset management systems will be modified to enable tracking and reporting on compliance with implementation plans.

Printing Unit Reduction Target

Strategies / Comments

1. Printing Unit Definition: A printing unit is defined as all desktop printers, networked printers, facsimile machines, photocopiers and multi-functional devices (MFDs).
2. Ratio Scope: Based on industry best practices and recommendations from the Agency's 2009 Print Optimization Strategy Report, the Agency will exceed the Federal target of 8:1 to obtain an overall minimum average of 12:1 throughout the organization, allocated as follows:
   • 12 workstations for a black and white printing device (12:1); and
   • 50 workstations for a colour printing device (50:1).
3. Target exclusions and exemptions:
   • Specialty devices such as label makers, plotters, scanners, etc.;
   • Select employees as a result of approved duty to accommodate and teleworking agreements;
   • Floors/buildings with fewer than 12 and/or 50 workstations;
   • Floors/buildings where space configuration does not allow for an 12:1 or 50:1 ratio to be achieved; and
   • Security considerations under specific conditions (emergencies and business continuity planning).
4. Method Used for Determining Number of Organizational Printing Units: Printing unit allocations were determined on a floor-by-floor basis by using the total number of workstations on each floor, divided by a ratio of 12. In order to account for regional buildings that have less than 12 or 50 workstations and remain within the minimum ratio, only whole numbers were used in the allocation of printing units. Where feasible, a floor requires a minimum of 12 workstations for a black and white printer and 50 workstations for a colour printer. Floors that have fewer than 12 workstations are granted an exemption for one colour unit only and floors that have fewer than 50 workstations are allocated a colour printer from the black and white allocation. For example, if there are 57 workstations on a floor, that floor will be entitled to four printers; three black and white and one colour. However, if there are four workstations on a floor, that floor will be entitled to one colour printer only.
5. Method for Determining Number of Office Employees: Agency floor plans were used to assess the total number of workstations by floor. Using the number of workstations instead of employees is a stronger method as it is a more static and consistent variable.
6. Number of office employees subject to the target: 100% of employees that have not been granted a formal exemption.
7. Opportunities for continuous improvement: The Agency will be addressing its Green Printer Initiative through a phased approach: Phase I – National Capital Region; Phase II – the National Microbiology Laboratory; and Phase III – Regions. Through a phased approach, the Agency will address the lessons learned in Phase I and apply it to the remaining Phases to demonstrate continuous improvement. Additionally, as Crown asset printers reach the end of their lifecycle, the Agency will obtain new devices through a minimum of a three-year leasing agreement, unless a specific exemption is granted to purchase as an asset. This will not only demonstrate immediate financial savings, but will also allow the Agency to operate a more efficient printing environment for the management, repair and disposal of its fleet.
8. Reporting requirements to track the indicator: The Agency's SDO will utilize pre-existing internal services processes and documents to track the indicator for reporting purposes.
9. Roles and responsibilities: Through the Shared Services Partnership, the Agency will report against this commitment concerning printing device procurement, installation, maintenance and/or disposal have agreed upon the roles and responsibilities for Materiel and Asset Management, Communications, Finance, IT Desktop Support, IT Security and Sustainable Development through internal documents.
10. Plans/strategies for departmental engagement and communication to ensure target is met: An informal working group was created with representatives from all internal services organizations implicated in printing device procurement, installation, maintenance and/or disposal. A detailed Communications Plan with a suite of communications products was released to all Agency employees to communicate policies which are housed on the Sustainable Development Intranet Web site.

Paper Consumption Target

Strategies / Comments

1. Scope of this target: 100% of employees that are not required by law to maintain paper records.
2. Method used for determining paper consumption: In 2011–12, the Agency established a baseline through a detailed statistical analysis of data collected from 238 network printers via IP addresses which provided an average annual consumption of paper based on data from 2005–2011. Following the implementation of the Shared Services Partnership, the Agency will determine paper consumption based on the number of sheets of paper purchased commencing in 2013-14.
3. Method used for determining number of office employees: As employee numbers change on a daily basis, the Agency is using the total number of workstations available.
4. Number of office employees subject to the target: 100% of employees that are not required by law to maintain paper files.
5. Processes/reporting requirements to track the reduction of paper consumption: Following the implementation of the Shared Services Partnership, Health Canada will prepare reports on behalf of the Agency to track the reduction of paper consumption.
6. Roles and responsibilities: Through the Shard Services Partnership, Health Canada will be responsible for data collection, tracking, and monitoring. This function will be supported by the Agency's SDO for reporting purposes.
7. Opportunities for continuous improvement: Changes in the internal service delivery model have led to opportunities to partner with Health Canada through the Shared Services Partnership on this initiative, which will continue to demonstrate continuous improvements from past performance.
8. Estimated environmental benefits incurred from reducing paper consumption: By reducing paper consumption, the environmental benefits will be witnessed throughout the lifecycle process of paper. For example, decreased paper usage will result in reduced transportation needs in addition to less recycling and disposition of paper products.
9. Additional information: The Agency is piloting different electronic platforms in order to support an electronic working environment, which will immediately impact paper consumption. For example, enabling black and white, double-sided computer setting defaults and enabling secure print on all multi-functional devices will proactively control the release of print jobs to minimize unnecessary/unused printing.

Green Meetings Target

Strategies / Comments

1. Definition of "adoption": The Agency adopted a Green Meeting Guide (GMG) through senior executive endorsement and approval of the guide, along with it being posted to the Agency's Sustainable Development intranet Web site for employee use.
2. Evidence that the green meeting guide has been adopted: Green Meeting Guide 2011.
3. Scope of the green meeting guide: The Agency's GMG can be applied to all Agency meetings where participants are located outside of the host building from small half-day meetings to large international conferences.
4. Reporting requirements to track the use of the green meeting guide: Starting in 2012–13, the Agency will use Google Analytics to report on the employee usage of the GMG.
5. Roles and responsibilities: The Agency's GMG assists all employees in considering environmental impacts with economic considerations at every stage of organizing a meeting, including: planning, communications, selecting event venues, accommodations, hospitality, procurement, and travel. By doing so, Agency staff can minimize their meeting's waste, water, energy consumption, and air emissions.
6. Plans/strategies for departmental engagement/communication of the guide: Through Agency-wide consultation in the drafting of the document, feedback was obtained from employees across the Agency, in varying roles and classifications to validate the Agency's GMG was dynamic in nature to meet varying and unique requirements. The GMG is posted to the Agency's Sustainable Development intranet Web site and an article was released in the Agency's internal corporate newsletter.
7. Estimated environmental benefits incurred from the use of the green meeting guide: Decreasing the amount of travel and associated greenhouse gas emissions for face-to-face meeting by encouraging electronic platforms such as: teleconferences; videoconferences; webinars; and SameTime Instant Meetings. Estimated environmental benefits incurred from the use of the Green Meeting Guide: Decreasing the amount of travel and associated greenhouse gas emissions for face-to-face meeting by encouraging electronic platforms such as: teleconferences; videoconferences; webinars; and SameTime Instant Meetings.

Green Procurement Targets

8.10 As of April 1, 2011, each department will establish at least 3 SMART green procurement targets to reduce environmental impacts.

Strategies / Comments

1. This target complies with Environment Canada's SMART criteria.
   • Specific: This target is understandable and communicates a clear and well-defined requirement for all copy paper to contain a minimum amount of post-consumer fibre content.
   • Measurable: This target requires real property data to track the quantity and type of paper being procured.
   • Achievable: Through the Shared Services Partnership, national and centralized oversight for purchasing will be carried out by Health Canada on behalf of the Agency.
   • Relevant: Considering the potential environmental impacts of bleached virgin paper, post-consumer fibre content will decrease potential environmental impacts from day-to-day operations.
   • Timebound: This target is in force as of April 1, 2014.

8.10 As of April 1, 2011, each department will establish at least 3 SMART green procurement targets to reduce environmental impacts.

Strategies / Comments

1. This target complies with Environment Canada's SMART criteria.
   • Specific: This target is understandable and communicates a clear and well defined requirement for new purchases and leases of printers and multi-functional devices.
   • Measurable: As all requests for printing devices must go through the Agency's SDO for approval, this office will track all requests and maintain a spreadsheet to report on the compliance with this target.
   • Achievable: As all requests for printing devices must go through the Agency's SDO for approval, this office will review the makes and models being requested to validate environmental features such as Energy Star or sleep mode. Printing units will be audited on an annual basis to validate that organizations are remaining within their allocation. Through the Asset Inventory process, AMM will provide the SDO with a list of crown-owned printers currently deployed in the Agency, which will be monitored for compliance to the allocation. Through the Shared Services Partnership, Health Canada will provide the Agency's SDO with a list of crown-owned printers currently deployed in the Agency, which will be monitored for compliance to this allocation. Random internal and informal audits will be conducted by the Agency to identify printers being purchased on credit cards, with the results being reported to the SDO for action. Additionally, no purchased or leased printing units will be brought into the Agency without the written approval by the SDO or purchased printers will be removed by the SDO and leasing requests will be rejected through the Contract and Requisition Review System (CRRS).
   • Relevant: Through the Printer Reduction Initiative, the Agency will have the ability to refine its printing fleet to enable the most efficient and high-performing devices remain within the organization. Printing devices that no longer perform to quality standards will be removed.
   • Timebound: This target is in force as of April 1, 2011.

8.10 As of April 1, 2011, each department will establish at least 3 SMART green procurement targets to reduce environmental impacts.

Strategies / Comments

1. This target complies with Environment Canada's SMART criteria.
   • Specific: The target is clear, well-defined, and understandable. The context is explained and there is no ambiguity in direction to reduce the number of standalone devices by increasing the use of multi-functional devices.
   • Measurable: This target is measured through an inventory count of the number of standalone fax machines in the Agency in addition to monitoring the number of multi-functional devices being brought into the Agency with built-in facsimile machines.
   • Achievable: As the Agency's printing devices reach the end of their lifecycle or leasing arrangement, the Agency will obtain new devices through a minimum of a three-year leasing agreement, unless a specific exemption is granted to purchase as an asset. As leases expire over the next five years, the devices will only be approved to remain within the building
   • Relevant: This will not only demonstrate immediate financial savings, but will also allow the Agency to operate a more efficient printing environment for the management, repair and disposal of its fleet.
   • Timebound: This target requires a five-year implementation period to account for all current printers on lease. In order to avoid contract cancellation penalties, as devices come to the end of their lease, leases will be cancelled for machines that are not multi-functional, including facsimile capability, and the machine will be removed and replaced with an upgraded device.

8.11 As of April 1, 2011, each department will establish SMART targets for training, employee performance evaluations, and management processes and controls, as they pertain to procurement decision-making.

Strategies / Comments

1. This target complies with Environment Canada's SMART criteria.
   • Specific: An Agency recognized training course on green procurement includes: The Canada School of Public Service C215 certification and the mandatory procurement training for Agency acquisition cardholders.
   • Measurable: As the CSPS cannot release data on employees who take the C215 course, data is maintained by Finance related to Agency employees who have taken the mandatory procurement training for Agency acquisition cardholders.
   • Achievable: Acquisition cards are not issued to any employee until after they have taken the mandatory procurement course, ensuring this target is achievable.
   • Relevant: The mandatory training is applicable to a specific set of employees based on their functions and responsibilities for contracting and procurement.
   • Timebound: This target is in force as of April 1, 2011.

8.11 As of April 1, 2011, each department will establish SMART targets for training, employee performance evaluations, and management processes and controls, as they pertain to procurement decision-making.

Strategies / Comments

1. Through the June 2012 Order-in-Council that created the Health Portfolio Shared Services Partnership, the responsibility for this target now falls solely under Health Canada as the Agency no longer has procurement employees.

8.11 As of April 1, 2011, each department will establish SMART targets for training, employee performance evaluations, and management processes and controls, as they pertain to procurement decision-making.

Strategies / Comments

1. This target complies with Environment Canada's SMART criteria.
   • Specific: The target is clear, well-defined, and understandable. The context is explained and there is no ambiguity in direction to reduce the number of "unknown attribute" responses against the Green Procurement field.
   • Measurable: Through the Agency's financial system, reports will be generated to measure the number of "unknown attribute" responses to assess if the number has been reduced by 10% below 2009–10 baseline levels.
   • Achievable: Through training and awareness sessions, emphasis is being placed on employees conducting additional research into the products they are purchasing to avoid using the "unknown attribute" responses drop-down option.
   • Relevant: This target is applicable to all contracting requirements throughout the Agency in order to demonstrate trends for green procurement practices over time.
   • Timebound: This target is to be completed by March 31, 2014.

Reporting on the Purchases of Offset Credits

Strategies / Comments

1. The Agency does not plan to purchase greenhouse gas emissions offset credits in 2013-14.

Voluntary Reporting on the Agency's Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

Strategies / Comments

1. The Sustainable Development Advocate for the Agency is the Acting Assistant Deputy Minister of the Strategic Policy, Planning and International Affairs Branch.
2. The Advocate's leadership is vital in moving the Agency towards the integration of sustainable development principles and Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy commitments into the policies, programs and activities of the Agency.
3. Advancing initiatives that touch on the three pillars of sustainable development is an opportunity to influence holistic, long-term positive health outcomes for Canadians, specifically through undertaking Strategic Environmental Assessments. The Sustainable Development Advocate commits to ensuring all SEA requirements are accomplished in accordance with the Cabinet Directive on Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals.

Strategies / Comments

1. At the Agency, a SEA is the process of determining important environmental impacts as an outcome of policy, plan and program proposals. As a process, the Agency considers Preliminary Scans as a mandatory requirement for all policy, plan and program proposals in order to determine if a Detailed Assessment is required based on important environmental impacts. However, due to the scope of its mandate, the Agency has to date only completed Preliminary Scans as it does not develop policy, plan or program proposals that require important environmental impacts. The Preliminary Scan is the instrument that allows the Agency to identify requirements for Detailed Assessments.
2. The Agency has yet to complete a Detailed Assessment since its inception and is unlikely to be required to complete one in the future based on its mandate and business activities. Should one be required, reporting will occur. Until that point in time, baselines and progress are not applicable.

Strategies / Comments

1. Batteries including lead-acid, lithium, nickel-cadmium, silver oxide and mercury batteries pose a higher threat to human and environmental health as they contain heavy metals, many of which are toxic substances scheduled under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. Improper disposal of large numbers of batteries also pose a safety risk, since batteries are prone to react and overheat.
2. The Agency is actively participating in sustainable development activities such as the controlled disposal of dead batteries through its recycling program, which will be expanded to all major Agency buildings.

Strategies / Comments

1. Volunteers from the Agency and Health Canada conducted the Agency's 1st National Energy Reduction Initiative (NERI) in May 2008, the 2^nd NERI in November 2008, and the 3^rd NERI in June 2010.
2. In the 4th NERI, before SmartBars were installed, the Agency consumed 870,435 kWh of phantom electricity at a cost of $90,873.41. After the installation of SmartBars prior to the 5^th NERI, the Agency reduced its consumption to only 150,257.76 kWh of electricity and decreased its CO2 emissions by almost six times.
3. The Agency will complete its 7th NERI in 2013-14.

Strategies / Comments

1. The Agency procured 3,500 SmartBars or environmentally-friendly electrical power bars in 2011–12 to stop phantom energy (wasteful power consumed by appliances during off-hours) in workstations.
2. The Agency's 5th NERI demonstrated the highest successes and savings in phantom energy and CO2 reduction to date. The results of this assessment not only confirm the utility of installing SmartBars in all Agency workstations in tandem with computer automatic shutdown scripts, but demonstrate that a strategic but small front-end investment can produce big long-term results and savings.