2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
Copyright information
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Intergovernmental Affairs, 2024
Cat. No. PS20-14E-PDF
ISSN 2818-6656
Introduction to the 2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
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,
the RCMP External Review Committee supports the goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in the RCMP External Review Committee 2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS). This Report provides a report on progress related to the RCMP External Review Committee DSDS in the fiscal year 2023 to 2024.
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 the RCMP External Review Committee DSDS and 2023 to 2024 DSDS Report.
To promote coordinated action on sustainable development across the Government of Canada, the RCMP External Review Committee’s strategy reports on Canada’s progress towards implementing the 2030 Agenda and advancing the SDGs, supported by the Global Indicator Framework (GIF) and Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) targets and indicators. The Report also now captures progress on SDG initiatives that fall outside the scope of the FSDS.
Commitments for the RCMP External Review Committee
Goal 10: Advance Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and Take Action on Inequality
The RCMP External Review Committee’s (ERC) Corporate Services plays a pivotal role in overseeing the training and professional development and growth of employees, guided and supported by management. ERC remains committed to consistently assessing training requirements, with a particular emphasis on enhancing cultural awareness, understanding Indigenous history, and advancing the reconciliation process.
Furthermore, the ERC has implemented a Diversity and Inclusion Guide to assist in its efforts related to recruitment and promotion.
Target theme: Advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis communities
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 | DEPARTMENTAL ACTION | PERFORAMNCE INDICATOR STARTING POINT TARGET |
HOW THE DEPARTMENTAL ACTION CONTRIBUTES TO THE FSDS GOAL AND TARGET AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, TO CANADA'S 2030 AGENDA NATIONAL STRATEGY AND SDGS | RESULTS ACHIEVED |
| Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act | Ensure that all employees complete training on advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples Program: Internal Services |
Performance indicator: Percentage of employees that completed Indigenous reconciliation training within six months of employment with the ERC. Starting point: 0% on April 1, 2023 Target: 100% by March 31, 2024 |
Public servants play an important role in advancing reconciliation by helping to build stronger relationships at the working level between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples and the Government of Canada. This action will allow staff to learn more about Indigenous realities and become better equipped to support departmental obligations towards reconciliation in a respectful, inclusive, meaningful and culturally sensitive manner. This action contributes to the development of necessary cultural competency knowledge and skills to implement the UN Declaration. Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: Canadians live free of discrimination and inequalities are reduced CIF Indicator: 10.2.1 Proportion of the population reporting discrimination or unfair treatment GIF Target: 10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard |
Indicator result: 88% Notes: At March 31, 2024, 88% of employees completed the training. Newly hired employees completed their training within the six (6) months of employment. Therefore, as at July 2024, the organization’s indicator result was at 96%. |
Goal 12: Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero Emission Vehicles
The ERC operates without a fleet of vehicles and operates within office premises situated in a privately-owned and leased facility. In addition to the specific action outlined for the department below, the ERC, as a tenant, actively engages in and promotes efficient waste management within the building. This entails adhering to recycling instructions and guidance presented through signage and guides to ensure proper waste disposal. Furthermore, in an effort to minimize plastic bottle waste, the ERC has implemented a water filtration system that provides employees with clean and conveniently accessible drinking water.
Over the past three years, ERC has modernized its digital work processes by implementing GCDocs as its information management system and has also significantly reduced its use of paper.
Target theme: Federal Leadership on Responsible Consumption
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)
| IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY | DEPARTMENTAL ACTION | PERFORAMNCE INDICATOR STARTING POINT TARGET |
HOW THE DEPARTMENTAL ACTION CONTRIBUTES TO THE FSDS GOAL AND TARGET AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, TO CANADA'S 2030 AGENDA NATIONAL STRATEGY AND SDGS | RESULTS ACHIEVED |
| Strengthen green procurement criteria | Ensure that all employees responsible for procurement of goods and services complete training on green procurement. Program: Internal Services |
Performance indicator: Percentage of employees responsible for procurement of goods and services that completed green procurement training within one year of being identified. Starting point: In 2022-23, 100% of employees responsible for procurement and materiel management trained in green procurement. Target: 100% of employees responsible for procurement and material management receive training within one year of being identified. |
Green procurement incorporates environmental considerations into purchasing decisions and is expected to motivate suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of the goods and services they deliver, and their supply chains. Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: Canadians consume in a sustainable manner CIF Indicator: 12.2.1 Proportion of businesses that adopted selected environmental protection activities and management practices GIF Target: 12.7 Promote public procurement practices that are sustainable, in accordance with national policies and priorities |
Indicator result: 100% Notes: |
Goal 13: Take Action on Climate Change and its Impacts
Climate change represents a worldwide problem, and the ERC is fully dedicated to contributing to its solution. In order to make progress towards this objective, the ERC will promote a workforce and corporate culture that is focused on ensuring climate resilience in its operations. This involves providing training to employees to evaluate the effects of climate change and formulate strategies for adaptation of its operations.
Furthermore, the ERC will strategically utilize technologies to transform its operations, reducing the environmental impact of its activities.
Target theme: Federal Leadership on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions and Climate Resilience
Target: The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon operations for facilities and conventional fleets by 2050 (All Ministers)
| IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY | DEPARTMENTAL ACTION | PERFORAMNCE INDICATOR STARTING POINT TARGET |
HOW THE DEPARTMENTAL ACTION CONTRIBUTES TO THE FSDS GOAL AND TARGET AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, TO CANADA'S 2030 AGENDA NATIONAL STRATEGY AND SDGS | RESULTS ACHIEVED |
| Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations | Ensure that all employees responsible for staff accommodations are trained on assessing climate change impacts, undertaking climate change risk assessments, and developing adaptation actions Program: Internal Services |
Performance indicator: Percentage of relevant employees responsible for staff accommodation that completed training on climate-resilient operations within a year of being identified. Starting point: 0% trained on April 1, 2023 Target: 100% trained by 2025 |
This action will ensure that relevant ERC staff are trained to identify risk to critical program delivery, and develop responses to increase the resilience of operations to impacts of climate change. Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: 13.3 Canadians are well-equipped and resilient to face the effects of Climate change CIF Indicator: 13.3.1 Proportion of municipal organization who factored climate change adaptation into their decision-making process GIF Target: 13.1 Strengthen resilience and adaptive capacity to climate-related hazards and natural disasters in all countries 13.3 Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change mitigation, adaptation, impact reduction and early warning |
Indicator result: 100% Notes: |
Integrating Sustainable Development
The ERC will continue to ensure that its decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets through its Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) process. An 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 the ERC’s assessments are made public when an initiative has undergone a detailed SEA (see here). 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.
As a micro-organization with one sole program, the ERC did not complete any detailed SEAs in 2023-24.