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Departmental Performance Report 2011-2012

Section I: Organizational Overview

Raison d'être

Environment Canada is the federal lead department on a wide range of environmental issues facing Canadians. As a science-based department, Environment Canada addresses these issues through research, policy development, service delivery to Canadians, regulation and enforcement of environmental laws, and strategic partnerships. Programs are focused on conserving and restoring Canada's natural environment; equipping Canadians to make informed decisions on weather, water and climate conditions; and minimizing threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution. The Department's program focus reflects the increasingly evident interdependence between environmental sustainability and economic well-being.


Stewardship Mandate

Environment Canada works in partnership with others to provide Canadians with a clean, safe and sustainable environment. The Department fulfills its mandate through various activities, such as conducting research on water and air quality and monitoring Canada's natural environment; developing regulations to prevent pollutions and reduce greenhouse gas emissions; working with others to preserve biodiversity by expanding the network of federal protected areas within Canada; and providing advance warning for severe weather events.


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Responsibilities

A number of acts and regulations provide the Department with its mandate and allow it to carry out its programs. Under the Department of the Environment Act, the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of the Environment extend to and include matters relating to

  • the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment, including water, air and soil quality;
  • renewable resources, including migratory birds and other non-domestic flora and fauna;
  • water;
  • meteorology;
  • the enforcement of any rules or regulations made by the International Joint Commission relating to boundary waters; and
  • the coordination of the policies and programs of the Government of Canada respecting the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment.

Beyond those authorities conferred under the Department of the Environment Act, the Minister of the Environment exercises additional authorities provided under other acts and regulations including, but not limited to, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999), the Federal Sustainable Development Act, and several pieces of legislation relating to the protection of biodiversity and water and the enforcement of environmental laws and regulations. Under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, Environment Canada provides information and analysis as a federal expert to support robust environmental assessments.

The Department is a key partner for other federal departments, including its ministerial portfolio partners, the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency and Parks Canada, where statutes provide Environment Canada with secondary or shared responsibility for the successful execution of other federal departments' mandates. These statutes include, among others, the Arctic Waters Pollution Prevention Act (Transport Canada, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, and Natural Resources Canada), the Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology Act (Natural Resources Canada), the Fisheries Act (Fisheries and Oceans Canada) and the Marine Liability Act (Transport Canada).


About Environment Canada: Facts and Figures

A long history
Environment Canada was created in 1971, but some of its component organizations are much older, such as the Canadian Wildlife Service founded in 1947, the Water Survey of Canada in 1908, and the Meteorological Service of Canada in 1871.

A national workforce
Some 65% of Environment Canada's employees work outside the National Capital Region. Department employees are located across Canada, from Iqaluit to Burlington and Vancouver to St. John's, working in field offices, laboratories, natural wildlife areas and weather stations.


A wide-ranging role; a solid foundation

The Department supports its stewardship mandate - providing Canadians with a clean, safe and sustainable environment - through an array of diverse programs based on science, technology and strong partnerships. Environment Canada is also a world-class regulator, using a suite of tools to achieve specific outcomes.

Environment Canada works for the benefit of Canadians

the Department serves Canadians directly by providing weather and environmental services; and indirectly by protecting fragile ecosystems, promoting compliance with environmental regulations, and cleaning up waters such as those shared by Canada and the United States.

Environment Canada is a science-based department

the Department devotes significant budget and workforce resources to science and technology activities in diverse fields, including biology, chemistry, atmospheric and environmental sciences, hydrology, meteorology, engineering and informatics. Science and technology form the foundation of the Department's work; they are central to Environment Canada's capacity to achieve its mandate and legislative obligations. The Department collects and disseminates knowledge to support sound environmental decision making and encourages innovation in science and technology.

Environment Canada works collaboratively with many partners

Environmental issues have wide-ranging implications for social and economic decisions. Environment Canada works in collaboration with many partners, including other federal government departments, provincial and territorial governments, Aboriginal governments, the governments of other nations, academic institutions, environmental non-governmental organizations, and international organizations. This collaboration enhances the efforts of all partners in working for a clean, safe and sustainable environment.

Environment Canada is committed to operating as a world-class regulator

As an important federal regulator, Environment Canada works within the broader federal performance-based regulatory system developing, promoting compliance with and enforcing a wide array of regulations to protect Canadians and their environment. Environment Canada is strengthening its regulatory system to become increasingly evidence-based, effective, efficient, transparent and adaptable.

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Strategic Outcomes and Program Activity Architecture

Environment Canada fulfills its mandate by promoting three Strategic Outcomes, each contributing to the Government of Canada outcome of a clean and healthy environment.

  • Strategic Outcome 1: Canada's natural environment is conserved and restored for present and future generations.
    This Strategic Outcome is aimed at ensuring that land, water and biodiversity are sustained so that Canadians can enjoy and benefit from their natural legacy over the long term.

  • Strategic Outcome 2: Canadians are equipped to make informed decisions on changing weather, water and climate conditions.
    Canadians need to have information and services to enable them to respond and adapt to immediate and longer-term changes in weather, water, air quality and climate conditions that affect their health, safety and economic well-being.

  • Strategic Outcome 3: Threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution are minimized.
    This Strategic Outcome addresses the management and reduction of pollution and waste that directly or indirectly harms human health or the environment.

Program Activity Architecture

Nine Program Activities are aligned to support the achievement of the Department's three Strategic Outcomes. Together, the Program Activities and Strategic Outcomes support progress against the Department's stewardship mandate of providing a clean, safe and sustainable environment. In addition to conducting these Program Activities, Environment Canada maintains core internal corporate services.

All of the Department's Strategic Outcomes, Program Activities and Internal Services Activities are illustrated within Environment Canada's 2011-2012 Program Activity Architecture (PAA) shown below.

2011-2012 Environment Canada Program Activity Architecture

Government of Canada Priority: Clean and Healthy Envrionment (text version)
All of the Department's Strategic Outcomes, Program Activities and Internal Services Activities
View a larger version of the image

Note: On February 16, 2011, responsibility for the Mackenzie Gas Project (MGP) and the Federal Public Administration MGP Office was transferred to the Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development. Please see the Canada Gazette for more information.

* There are Sub-sub-activities under these programs that have not been identified in this graphic.

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Organizational Priorities 2011-2012

Environment Canada delivered successfully on its organizational priorities and management priority during 2011-2012. The progress made under each of these priorities towards providing a clean, safe and sustainable environment for Canadians, is set out below.

Organizational Priority 1: Realize concrete progress on international, continental and domestic initiatives on climate change and clean air.

Type: OngoingLinks to Strategic Outcome 3: Threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution are minimized.
Progress on the priority

As a world-class regulator, Environment Canada continued, under its overall regulatory framework, to support programs that are intended to help reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and maintain or improve air quality. Doing so further advanced progress on a sector-by-sector basis, towards the national GHG reduction target to which Canada committed under the Copenhagen Accord to mitigate climate change, while also contributing to efforts to improve air quality. Initiatives undertaken by Environment Canada to improve air quality and reduce GHG emissions included the development of the new Canadian ambient air quality standards to reduce GHGs from the transportation sector, aligned with the United States.

Key actions towards meeting the priority
Internationally
Continentally
Domestically

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Organizational Priority 2: Enhance environmental conservation, protection and monitoring through the implementation of key national initiatives.

Type: OngoingLinks to all Strategic Outcomes: 1, 2 and 3
Progress on the priority

Environment Canada made progress against this priority through programs directed at the conservation, protection and monitoring of water (including chemicals and wastewater effluent management); ecosystems and habitat; migratory birds and species at risk. These efforts were enhanced by strengthened enforcement programs.

Environment Canada's scientific and technical investments and expertise in areas such as real-time water flow monitoring and severe weather and environmental warnings and forecasts were relied upon by other jurisdictions and Canadians to make decisions or to take appropriate actions.

Key actions towards meeting the priority
Conservation and Protection
  • Funding to renew the Species at Risk program was renewed in Budget 2012.

  • Reinvestment was made in the Chemicals Management Plan, managed jointly by Environment Canada and Health Canada. Both Departments will maintain monitoring, assessment and management of potentially harmful chemicals.

  • Draft regulations for the management of wastewater effluent were developed in response to recommendations for action made by the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME). These regulations fulfill a commitment to establish national effluent quality standards intended to reduce risks to fisheries resources, ecosystems and human health.

  • Results under the Action Plan for Clean water were achieved through effective and active partnerships, concluding and implementing clean-up and monitoring agreements and providing scientific research. Key initiatives include:

  • Two notable initiatives were undertaken to advance conservation and biodiversity efforts. The first was initiating work on developing the National Conservation Plan (NCP) in response to the 2011 Speech from the Throne commitment to engage a broad range of stakeholders on the development of an NCP. To begin this process, the Minister of the Environment held a Ministerial Roundtable in January 2012 to identify key themes for the NCP. The second initiative was the development of a domestic response to the Convention on Biological Diversity's Strategic Plan for 2011-2020.

  • Working with partners and stakeholders to protect key species and conserve their habitats resulted in the posting of the proposed National Recovery Strategy for Boreal Caribou on the Species at Risk Public Registry for public consultation; the finalization of the National Polar Bear Conservation Strategy; the initial development of a management plan for Polar Bears following the listing of the Polar Bear as a species of special concern under the Species at Risk Act (SARA); and ongoing development of a circumpolar action plan for Polar Bears by the signatories to the 1973 Agreement on the Conservation of Polar Bears (Canada, Greenland, Russia, United States and Norway).

  • The North American Waterfowl Management Plan (the objective of which is to restore waterfowl populations to their 1970s levels) was revised by Canada, the United States and Mexico to update and better integrate the objectives for waterfowl populations and the wetlands and upland habitat needed to support these populations.

  • Enforcement and promotion of, and compliance with environmental regulations were strengthened both through increased investment in training and deployment of enforcement and compliance officers and increased geographic coverage of inspections focused on wildlife and pollution.

Monitoring

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Management Priority: Foster capacity of enabling functions to support programs.

Type: OngoingLinks to all Strategic Outcomes: 1, 2 and 3
Progress on the priority

To support progress on the Department's organizational priorities, Strategic Outcomes and program commitments, the Department's Internal Services providers delivered services across the Department, while realigning departmental resource levels. The Department continued to improve its overall assessment under the government's Management Accountability Framework (MAF).

Key actions towards meeting the priority
  • The adoption of modifications to the Departmental Financial Management System, together with the introduction of a desktop electronic management tool providing the Department's managers with real-time data accessibility, both facilitates decision making and promotes compliance with financial management procedures, policies and protocols.

  • A multi-year risk-based audit and evaluation plan that focuses on areas of highest risk and priorities was designed to provide management with objective and independent information, assurance and advice regarding the performance of departmental programs, policies and operations.

  • The Department successfully communicated, both internally and externally, its stewardship mandate and that all programs and services support a "clean, safe and sustainable" environment.

  • Departmental infrastructure, technologies and systems investments were made to maintain both secure and accessible key services and information for Canadians and decision-makers.

  • Investments made in training and development, retention and recruitment enabled the Department to maintain, during a period of restraint, a viable workforce, much of which consists of recognized experts within their fields of practice, be they scientific, technical or regulatory.

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Environment Canada's Five Key Environmental Indicators

Environment Canada's stewardship vision is centered on delivering a clean, safe and sustainable environment for Canadians. Five key environmental indicators were developed to represent, at a high level, progress in these three areas.

Three of these indicators - those for air quality, water quality and climate change - are already reported as part of Environment Canada's Performance Measurement Framework (PMF). The remaining two indicators - biodiversity and severe weather events - were developed in 2011-2012 and will be included and reported in the PMF for the 2012-2013 reporting cycle.

The results of these indicators (reported below) are not solely attributable to Environment Canada's actions, but are indicative of the results achieved collectively by various levels of government and partners, in accordance with their responsibilities for the environment.

Environment Canada develops and communicates these and other national environmental indicators through the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI) program. Further details are available at the CESI website. Details for the climate change indicator are available in the Canada's Emissions Trends 2012 report.

Environmental Indicators
Stewardship MandateKey IndicatorsResults
* based on the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) water quality ratings

Clean

Threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution are minimized

Air Quality
Fine Particulate Matter (PM2.5)
The national average ambient level of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has been steady since 2000. In 2010, the value was 8.7 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3).
Climate Change
GHG Emissions Reductions
Copenhagen target: 17% below 2005 level by 2020 or 607 Mt
In part due to announced federal and provincial measures, Canada is projected to reduce its emissions by 130Mt in 2020 when compared to its initial projected business-as-usual GHG emissions in 2020. This is about half the emissions reductions needed to meet the Copenhagen target.

Safe

Canadians are equipped to make informed decisions on changing weather, water and climate conditions

Severe Weather Events
Weather Warning Indicator
For its first reporting year, the Weather Warning Index was 7.5 (using data from 2009 to 2011). The index is on a scale of 0 to 10, where 10 signifies that all warnings were within target lead times and there were no missed events or false alarms.

Sustainable

Canada's natural environment is conserved and restored for present and future generations

Biodiversity
Protected Areas
Target: 17% of Canada's area by 2020
In 2011, 9.9% of Canada's land was protected, a 19% increase over the period of last five years.
Water Quality
National Freshwater Quality Indicator*
Overall, the national freshwater quality indicator remained stable between 2003 and 2009. For the period 2007 to 2009, freshwater quality was rated as excellent or good at 41% of stations, fair at 39%, and marginal at 17%.

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Risk Analysis

The purpose of this section is to summarize Environment Canada's response to the Department's corporate risks as identified in the 2011-2012 Report on Plans and Priorities. The mitigation measures that respond to these risks are aimed at minimizing the threats these risks may have posed to the capacity of the Department to support its mandate, and to meet its operational and management priorities.

The Department identified a number of corporate risks: external dependencies; business continuity, capital assets/infrastructure functionality and information management; and risk-based resource management. The measures taken to mitigate these risks follow.

External Dependencies

Environment Canada's expected program results are achieved through collective engagement, commitment and actions by various levels of government and partners in accordance with their responsibilities for the environment at the domestic, continental and international levels. To reduce the risks posed by the Department's dependency on its partners in program delivery, reliance was placed on shared data, information, research and science; participating in or accessing existing bilateral, multilateral or regional fora; and reinvesting in priority areas such as biodiversity and conservation. The creation of Shared Services Canada in 2011 developed a new dependency for the delivery of the Department's 24/7 mission-critical weather services, including the supercomputer and telecom services. The Department developed a relationship with Shared Services Canada to ensure appropriate support.

Internationally, the Department participated in key environmental fora; continued to meet its Copenhagen and Cancun commitments to support developing countries in their efforts to adapt to climate change; and worked with stakeholders, other governments and partners to advance or finalize regulations aimed at reducing climate change and air pollution.

Domestically, engagement efforts with provincial partners and stakeholders secured key joint monitoring and implementation planning in areas such as the oil sands under the Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring; protection and conservation of the Great Lakes and other key waterways through continued advancements under the Action Plan for Clean Water; and the development of recovery strategies and management plans for species such as the Boreal Caribou and Polar Bear.

Canadians and others globally depend on the Department for first-rate weather information and prediction data to inform responsive actions. To provide this service, Environment Canada in turn relies on outside partners. These key working partnerships are integral to ensuring the ongoing delivery of services, and thereby helping to mitigate the corporate risk inherent in external dependencies.

Business Continuity, Capital Assets/Infrastructure Functionality, and Information Management

Central to the mitigation of this risk has been the renewal of business continuity plans (BCPs) and service-level agreements. These instruments serve to minimize the risk of disruption to mission-critical services such as weather operations. The Department's role was critical in delivering the Government's five-year investment plan to protect the integrity of core infrastructure, such as the weather and climate monitoring networks, which include the weather radar network, and the surface weather and climate stations. These facilities are at the core of the Department's ability to issue timely weather warnings and provide frequent updates on weather and environmental conditions. The facilities were essential to emergency management organizations during the flooding and hurricane events that affected communities in Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan and Quebec in 2011-2012.

The Department recognized and responded to the need to continue to retain its assets management function and did so through several means. These included the implementation of a comprehensive life-cycle management application and associated policies and procedures to enhance and standardize assets management within the Department. For example, a decision tracking tool (the Assets Lifecycle Management tool) was implemented on a pilot basis for certain meteorological networks and a strategic monitoring plan was developed to take the atmospheric and hydrometric program to 2020. This strategic plan identifies risk mitigation actions through the establishment of monitoring priorities.

Updates to the Real Property Framework were initiated, including input into the federal real property and contaminated sites directories, to comply with the Policy on Management of Real Property. As part of the Asset Lifecycle Management project, the Department started the development of performance indicators and improved asset information holdings.

As a science-based and regulatory department, Environment Canada is a significant contributor of scientific research and monitoring data and is a key partner in the Government of Canada's Open Data initiative. In support of this role, the Department has implemented a process requiring that projects include planning for information management needs and data management requirements at the beginning of a project's life cycle.

As a further mitigation measure, Environment Canada developed a data management program, including the implementation of a data catalogue and inventory containing standards pertaining to metadata and data interoperability. These standards will support the Open Data initiative. For example, the Science and Technology Branch has developed data management principles, data stewardship models, a pilot catalogue focusing on the North and on monitoring and priorities for open databases to ensure that accurate and value-added data are being used in the development of Environment Canada's broader management program.

Risk-based Resource Management

Environment Canada's Integrated Risk Management Framework was completed in 2011-2012, providing the foundation for the Department's approach to integrated risk management. The Framework formalized the roles and responsibilities of risk management as the Department continues to enhance and integrate its risk management practices into program management at all levels. Risk management continued to be a key factor that supported and informed departmental priority setting, business and resource planning and decision making.

The Department's credibility is built largely upon its employees and their unique scientific and technical skills and discipline-specific competencies. There is a relatively small pool of experts upon which to draw in the event that departmental expertise is lost, for example, through advancement or attrition. To mitigate this risk, the Department has worked internationally to leverage scientific knowledge and innovation and to participate in international organizations that further departmental expertise and reach.

Environment Canada developed tools, offered training and identified areas of the Department requiring highly specialized knowledge, education or technical skill. For example, the Meteorological Service of Canada implemented an operational plan to ensure that capacity could be retained.

The Department implemented risk-based budget planning to ensure that key priorities were adequately funded to support achievement against Environment Canada's mandate, requiring the identification of and linkage to interdependencies and risks to achieving success. In response to audit and evaluation recommendations, management actions have been taken to support ongoing progress in areas of governance, risk management, internal controls and program performance and relevance.

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Summary of Performance

2011-2012 Financial Resources ($ millions)*
Planned SpendingTotal Authorities**Actual Spending**
* Through out this document, totals may differ within and between tables due to rounding of figures.
** Excludes amount deemed appropriated to Shared Services Canada, if applicable.
872.11,099.01,008.5

The Department's planned spending represents the amount approved by Parliament through the Main Estimates and increased by other anticipated adjustments for the remainder of the year. Throughout the year, new and renewed funding added a total of $226.9 million to Planned Spending, increasing the Total Authorities to $1,099 million. The main programs contributing to this increase were reinvestment in the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda III ($84.5 million), the Chemicals Management Plan ($25.1 million), the Weather Monitoring and Supercomputing Infrastructure ($9.9 million), the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan ($6.7 million), Adaptation to the Impact of Climate Change ($5.1 million), the International Climate Change Strategy ($5.4 million), a statutory payment to the Nature Conservatory of Canada ($33.7 million) and other in-year adjustments. The total authorities include a reduction of $21.7 million for the responsibilities transferred to Shared Services Canada.

The Actual Spending of $1,008.5 million (92% of Total Authorities) reflects the departmental expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts, with a resulting surplus of $90.5 million. This surplus is explained by the decision to reprofile the funds to future year for Sustainable Development and Technology Canada ($25 million), the Action Plan on Clean Water ($3.0 million), the Departmental Financial Management System Implementation ($6.5 million) and the unsigned collective agreements ($5.9 million).

2011-2012 Human Resources (Full-Time Equivalent - FTE)*
PlannedActualDifference
* Through out this document, totals may differ within and between tables due to rounding of figures. The FTE numbers exclude students and employees on Interchange Canada assignments.
6,0386,208170

The human resources required to sustain an average level of employment over 12 months are based on a 37.5-hour work week. Planned full-time equivalents (FTEs) and Actual FTEs should be read in relation to Planned Spending and Actual Spending respectively in the above 2011-2012 Financial Resources table.

Environment Canada used 6208 FTEs in 2011-2012. This increase of 170 FTEs or 3% over the initial planned estimate of 6,038 FTEs reflects the FTE associated with the $226.9 million in new and renewed funding noted in the 2011-2012 Financial Resources table above. The Actual FTEs include a reduction of 71 FTEs that were transferred to Shared Services Canada.

This FTE utilization represents a decrease of 567 from that of 2010-2011 (6,775 FTEs).

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Performance by Strategic Outcome

Strategic Outcome 1: Canada's natural environment is conserved and restored for present and future generations.
Performance IndicatorsTargets2011-2012 Performance Summary
Percentage of Canadian ecosystems where ecosystem health has been assessed as good.No target for this indicator has been established1.The Canadian Biodiversity: Ecosystem Status and Trends 2010 report listed 20 key findings on the health of Canada's ecosystems. The findings rated some 22% of ecosystems as impaired; 50% as of concern; 18% as healthy; and 10% as undetermined.
Program Activity2010-2011
Actual
Spending ($ millions)*
2011-2012Alignment with Government of Canada Outcomes
Main
Estimates
Planned
Spending
Total
Authorities**
Actual
Spending**

* Totals may differ within and between tables due to rounding of figures.

** Excludes amount deemed appropriated to Shared Services Canada.

Biodiversity - Wildlife and Habitat129.3108.1107.2143.8138.8A Clean and Healthy Environment
Water Resources118.094.293.2108.8107.6
Sustainable Ecosystems65.874.774.870.766.2
Compliance Promotion and Enforcement - Wildlife16.918.318.318.817.5
Total (excluding Internal Services)330.0295.2293.4342.1330.1

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Strategic Outcome 2: Canadians are equipped to make informed decisions on changing weather, water and climate conditions.
Performance IndicatorsTargets2011-2012 Performance Summary
Percentage of the population surveyed (adult Canadians) who indicate having received enough notice to properly react to a warning of an approaching winter storm always or most of the time.85% by 2012In the 2011 survey, 78% of Canadians reported that they received enough notice. Data for this indicator will be collected next in 2015. A large majority of respondents of the 2012 survey (94%) find Environment Canada's weather services and information important.2
Percentage of municipalities that rank atmospheric hazards among the top 10 hazards affecting their community, based on relative risk.370% of Canadian municipalities by 2015No data for this indicator are available.3 Through informal feedback collected by our weather preparedness meteorologists with contacts in provincial/territorial emergency organizations, we understand that municipalities across Canada rank atmospheric hazards and severe weather events among their top ten hazards affecting their communities and are included in municipal emergency preparedness plans for those with such a plan in place.
Program Activity2010-2011
Actual
Spending ($ millions)*
2011-2012Alignment with Government of Canada Outcomes
Main
Estimates
Planned
Spending
Total
Authorities**
Actual
Spending**
* Totals may differ within and between tables due to rounding of figures.
** Excludes amount deemed appropriated to Shared Services Canada.
Weather and Environmental Services for Canadians186.8153.9153.9173.6172.4A Clean and Healthy Environment
Weather and Environmental Services for Targeted Users23.020.522.524.424.1
Total (excluding Internal Services)209.9174.3176.4198.0196.5

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Strategic Outcome 3: Canada's natural environment is conserved and restored for present and future generations.
Performance IndicatorsTargets2011-2012 Performance Summary
Canadian emissions of greenhouse gases (carbon dioxide equivalents) in megatonnes (Mt)4.Canada's national target is a 17% reduction from 2005 levels by 2020.Canada's total GHG emissions in 2010 were 692 megatonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2 eq), or 6.5% (48 Mt) below the 2005 emissions of 740 Mt.
Canadian ambient air quality (ground-level ozone and fine particulate matter).

To be determined.

Targets will be determined with the finalization of the air pollutant management approach.

In 2010, the average concentration in Canada of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) in the air was 8.7 micrograms per cubic metre (µg/m3), 24% higher than in 2009.

The likely factors contributing to this increase include the forest fire episodes in Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Quebec; transboundary pollution from the United States; and a warm and dry year in many parts of Canada compared to 2009. Overall, between 2000 and 2010, there was no significant increasing or decreasing trend detected in the national ambient PM2.5concentration.

In 2010, the average concentration of ground-level ozone in the outdoor ambient air was 38.2 parts per billion (ppb) in Canada, about 3% higher than the previous year.

The increase is mainly due to 2010 being a warmer and drier year than 2009 and to transboundary pollution from the United States. A rising trend was detected from 1990 to 2010, representing a concentration increase of 10% over that period.

Percentage decrease of concentrations of selected substances in air, oil, sediment, water and/or biota from baseline data.5To be determined.

There was a 40% decrease in the polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) concentrations in Lake Trout sampled in Lake Ontario and a 13% decrease in PBDEs concentrations in Lake Ontario sediments compared to year 2000 values.

There was a 17% decrease in the perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) concentrations in Lake Trout sampled in Lake Ontario and a 40% decrease in PFOS concentrations in Lake Ontario sediments compared to year 2000 values.

Program Activity2010-2011
Actual
Spending ($ millions)*
2011-2012Alignment with Government of Canada Outcomes
Main
Estimates
Planned
Spending
Total
Authorities**
Actual
Spending**
* Totals may differ within and between tables due to rounding of figures.
** Excludes amount deemed appropriated to Shared Services Canada.
Substances and Waste Management103.758.759.093.683.3A Clean and Healthy Environment
Climate Change and Clean Air160.899.499.1178.0118.3
Compliance Promotion and Enforcement - Pollution39.939.739.749.343.3
Total (excluding Internal Services)304.5197.7197.7320.9244.8

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Internal Services
Program Activity2010-2011
Actual
Spending ($ millions)*
2011-2012Alignment with Government of Canada Outcomes
Main
Estimates
Planned
Spending
Total
Authorities**
Actual
Spending**
* Totals may differ within and between tables due to rounding of figures.
** Excludes amount deemed appropriated to Shared Services Canada.
Internal Services242.7204.8204.5238.0237.1N/A

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Contribution to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy

The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) outlines the Government of Canada's commitment to improving the transparency of environmental decision making by articulating its key strategic environmental goals and targets. Environment Canada ensures that consideration of these outcomes is an integral part of its decision-making processes. Environment Canada contributes to the following FSDS themes as denoted by the following visual identifiers below.

Please note that the FSDS targets included in Section II were established in 2010 with the tabling of the first FSDS and remain in effect until the next cycle of the FSDS in 2013.

Strategic Outcome 1: Canada's natural environment is conserved and restored for present and future generations.

Theme II Maintaining Water Quality and Availability Theme III Protecting Nature

Strategic Outcome 2: Canadians are equipped to make informed decisions on changing weather, water and climate conditions.

Theme I Addressing Climate Change and Air Quality Theme III Protecting Nature

Strategic Outcome 3: Threats to Canadians and their environment from pollution are minimized.

Theme I Addressing Climate Change and Air Quality Theme II Maintaining Water Quality and AvailabilityTheme III Protecting Nature

During 2011-2012, Environment Canada considered the environmental effects of initiatives subject to the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals. Through the strategic environmental assessment process, departmental initiatives were found to have positive environmental effects on goals and targets in Theme 1 - Addressing Climate Change and Air Quality; Theme 2 - Maintaining Water Quality and Availability; and Theme 3 - Protecting Nature. Further information on the results of strategic environmental assessments is available on the Department's strategic environmental assessment public statement website.

For further information on Environment Canada's activities to support sustainable development and strategic environmental assessments, please visit the departmental website (DSDS website). For complete information on the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, please visit the Environment Canada website.

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Expenditure Profile

The following chart depicts the Department's spending trend over a six-year period. For the period from 2009-2010 to 2011-2012, Actual Spending represents the actual expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts. For the period from 2012-2013 to 2014-2015, Planned Spending reflects approved funding by Treasury Board to support the departmental Strategic Outcomes and the reductions attributable to the Budget 2012 decisions.

Spending Trend: Actual total spending (in $ millions) for 2009-2010 (1,095), for 2010-2011 (1,089) and for 2011-2012 (1,008); and planned total spending (in $ millions) for 2012-2013 (1,025), for 2013-2014 (910) and for 2014-2015 (850)
View text version

As seen in the chart above, Environment Canada's actual spending as per the Public Accounts for 2011-2012 was $1.008 billion, a year-over-year decrease of $80.4 million or 7.4% from 2010-2011 spending. This decrease is mainly due to the responsibilities transferred to Shared Services Canada, the sunsetting of both the National Vehicle Scrappage program and the Canada's Economic Action Plan.

The decrease in actual spending between 2009-2010 and 2010-2011 ($6.2 million) is primarily attributed to reduced payments to foundations such as the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Other minor variations in spending, both increases and decreases, offset each other.

The increase in spending from 2011-2012 to 2012-2013 is the result of increased funding for Canada's fast-start financing under the Copenhagen Accord and for the Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development and Technology Canada (SDTC). This increase is partly offset by the increased responsibilities transferred to Shared Services Canada and reductions attributable to Budget 2012 decisions.

The decrease in planned spending from 2012-2013 to 2014-2015 is the result of increased reductions attributable to Budget 2012 decisions and reduced and sunsetting funding for initiatives, including Sustainable Development Technology Canada, the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda, the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan and the Implementation of Canada's fast-start financing under the Copenhagen Accord. Sunsetting programs are subject to government decisions to extend or enhance funding. The outcomes of these decisions will therefore be reflected in both the Department's future budget exercises and reports on plans and priorities.

Environment Canada's Spending Trend
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Estimates by Vote

For information on Environment Canada's organizational Votes and/or statutory expenditures, please see the Public Accounts of Canada 2012 (Volume II). An electronic version of the Public Accounts 2012 is available on the Public Works and Government Services Canada's website.

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1 In 2012-2013, the performance indicator will be replaced by: Percentage of terrestrial land protected as a measure of conservation effort, and a target of 17% to be attained in 2020 has been established.

2 In 2012-2013, this indicator will be replaced by the Weather Warning Index (WWI), created to track the performance of Environment Canada's severe weather warning system in providing Canadians with warnings with sufficient lead time. The WWI is calculated based on information from six warning types that are representative of Canada's climate (severe thunderstorm, rainfall, freezing rain, wind, snowfall and marine gale). For each warning type, the accuracy in predicting the severe weather event and its timeliness is assessed in comparison with the lead times identified in Environment Canada's warning performance target.

3 The program had intended to quantify the uptake of information by local planning activities; however, measuring this has proved more difficult than anticipated due to methodological challenges and extenuating factors beyond the control of those making the information accessible. For 2012-2013, the indicator has been removed.

4 Please note that reporting against the Strategic Outcome indicator focuses on historical emissions for the most recent reporting year (currently 2010), whereas the Climate Change Key Indicator focuses on a projection of historical emission trends out to 2020, Canada's target year for emission reductions.

5 This indicator was modified for 2012-2013 and a new target for the indicator was developed.

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