Working with the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

Under the Federal Sustainable Development Act, the Minister of the Environment and Climate Change is required to prepare a federal sustainable development strategy at least once every three-year period.

Under the Act, the Minister shall submit the draft strategy to the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development for review and comment, including as to whether targets are measurable and include a time frame.

Draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy

The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development provided his comments on the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy to the Minister via letters dated April 29, 2022 and July 8, 2022, during the 120-day public consultation period. A summary of these letters is on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada's website.

In response to preliminary comments received on April 29, 2022

Dear Mr. DeMarco:

Thank you for your letter of April 29, 2022, in which you provided preliminary comments on the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

I appreciate receiving your letter well in advance of the end of the public consultation period.

Environment and Climate Change Canada officials and I will carefully consider your preliminary comments as we work with organizations across the federal government to develop the final version of the Strategy.

I look forward to receiving your final review of the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy by July 9, 2022.

Please accept my best regards.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P. (il/lui/he/him)

In response to comments received on July 8, 2022

Dear Mr. DeMarco:

Thank you for your correspondence of July 8, 2022, in which you provided comments on the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS).

Your comments, in addition to those provided by other stakeholders and individual Canadians throughout the public consultation period, are important to Environment and Climate Change Canada as it works with other federal departments and agencies to develop the final 2022 to 2026 FSDS.

Your review, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act, identifies ways the Government of Canada can further strengthen this draft strategy and serve current and future generations through our shared commitment to sustainable development. Environment and Climate Change Canada has carefully considered each recommendation. It agrees that this strategy needs to be measurable, ambitious and timely. The Department will consider your comments as it finalizes the 2022 to 2026 FSDS by

• working with other departments and agencies to strengthen federal targets, as well as clarify goals, targets, milestones, and implementation strategies so that they are clear, measurable, and time-bound; and
• working with Employment and Social Development Canada to ensure that the 2022 to 2026 FSDS better aligns with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and is integrated within the Government of Canada's approach to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, while reflecting the sustainable development issues important to Canadians.

Again, thank you for your input on this important issue. Please accept my best regards.

Sincerely,

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P. (il/lui/he/him)

More about public consultation

To learn more about feedback received during the mandatory 120-day public consultation on the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, check out our report on what we heard. This report provides a summary of the feedback Canadians, including all levels of government, Indigenous organizations, and non-governmental organizations, provided during consultation.