Departmental Performance Report 2011-2012

Minister's Message

As Canada's Environment Minister, I am pleased to present the 2011–2012 Departmental Performance Report. This report outlines Environment Canada's progress in addressing the priorities and commitments set out in the 2011–2012 Report on Plans and Priorities.

Our Government remains committed to ensuring that our natural resources are developed in an environmentally sustainable manner while maximizing economic growth, competitiveness and the creation of good, long-term jobs for Canadians.

In 2011, Environment Canada marked its 40th anniversary with a commitment to strengthening its role as a world-class regulator. We are streamlining our regulatory processes to make them more transparent, efficient and effectivebuilding on our proven track record of regulatory excellence. The Government of Canada also celebrated the 140th anniversary of the Meteorological Service of Canada by announcing investments of $78.7 million to strengthen weather monitoring infrastructure, ensuring Canadians continued access to weather, water and climate monitoring information.

We've taken major steps to form strong partnerships with the provinces and territories to develop, implement, monitor and enforce national, science-based environmental regulations and standards. As part of our comprehensive approach to clean water, we have invested $6.5 million for the clean-up of Lake Simcoe and provided funding for nine new community projects to clean up Lake Winnipeg. We took action to protect and conserve Canada's rich and abundant biodiversity by investing $50 million over the next two years to support continued efforts under the Species at Risk Act. We signed the St Lawrence Action Plan 2011-2026 with the Province of Qu�bec to ensure water quality, sustain the use of the river and conserve its biodiversity.

In collaboration with Alberta, we put in place the Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring for a world-class, comprehensive environmental monitoring program in the oil sands that will be among the most transparent and accountable systems of its kind in the world. The joint plan strengthens environmental monitoring programs for air, water, land and biodiversity in the oil sands region. This plan will deliver rigorous scientific data to help ensure that the oil sands are developed in an environmentally sustainable manner.

Domestically, we continued to take significant action on reducing greenhouse gas emissions with initiatives such as coal-fired electricity regulations and the proposed heavy-duty vehicle regulations. In fact Canada is half way towards meeting its 2020 target for greenhouse gas emissions. On the international stage, Canada provided nearly $400 million in 2011-2012 as part of the $1.2 billion “fast-start” financing. Canada continues to play a significant role in advancing the Durban Platform for Enhanced Action to be implemented by 2020. We are also working with international partners to reduce short-lived climate pollutants like black carbon and methane.

Environment Canada remains committed to serving and restoring Canada's natural environment, helping Canadians to make informed decisions on weather, water and climate conditions, as well as minimizing threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution. My Department will continue to provide Canadians with a clean, safe and sustainable environment supported by science and regulatory excellence.