Final Report
November 2010
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The following recommendations were developed based on evaluation findings and conclusions. Given that the evaluation demonstrated the relevance of the Program and that program activities are on track for achieving expected outcomes, these recommendations are provided to improve on performance should decisions be made to continue the Program. These recommendations are directed to the Assistant Deputy Minister (ADM) of the Science and Technology Branch.
Develop and implement a plan forward that considers the best utilization of the Program's capacity when establishing priority commitments.
It is not clear that the Program will be able to deliver on all of its expected commitments, particularly for the hazards and extremes component. Available financial resources created challenges for the Program to staff as planned in order to carry out all of its planned research and research-related activities. Therefore, the Program should reconsider its expectations to deliver on all of its commitments. Prioritizing expected deliverables according to departmental needs and the needs of its stakeholders and partners might prove beneficial. Considering existing resource levels, the Program should then explore and implement ways to meet those priority commitments that would have the greatest negative impact if not delivered.
The Program should consider ways to increase their reach to target audiences and enhance their ability to meet target users' climate change information needs, within the context of the Program's capacity.
CCCma, CCCSN and the hazards and extremes component each have a specific target population for their climate change data and information, each with a specialized area of expertise and research interests. The general consensus among stakeholders is that the Program produces good research and its scientists are well-respected in Canada and internationally, but there was concern expressed that the Program's climate change data and information were not reaching as large an audience as possible. The Program, therefore, should explore options to increase reach, such as expanding its partnerships and networks with regional organizations and other federal departments to facilitate increased use and application of its products for CCCma, CCCSN and the hazards and extremes component.
The Program's target audiences have specific climate change information needs and are more likely to use data if they are useful for their needs. The general consensus among Program partners is that more climate change data and information specific to the regions are required, particularly for the North. As well, updated climatic design values are imperative for developing infrastructure that takes extreme climate conditions into account. The Program, therefore, should explore viable options of how to expand its research and related activities to include more climate change data and information that meet these needs. The Program may also consider consulting with stakeholders and partners to identify other key data and information required by target users in order to increase their usefulness further.
Develop a performance measurement framework that includes a clear strategy for ongoing data collection for reporting.
While program objectives were clearly identified in program documents, a clear strategy for measuring progress towards achieving these objectives was not as evident. A performance measurement plan was available but it was not fully populated and performance indicators were not sufficient to provide accurate, ongoing measures of the Program's progress towards achieving outputs and intended outcomes. Therefore, the Program should ensure that a complete performance measurement strategy is developed and implemented that includes specific, measurable performance indicators with specific targets and timelines for measuring progress. When developing these indicators, the Program should explore ways to translate its complex, scientific data into useful information for reporting so that the full meaning of the output being measured is not lost. The Program should also develop a formal mechanism (e.g., a management information system) that organizes these performance measures together, including ongoing financial information, and data collection should be coordinated to ensure that ongoing performance measurement facilitates departmental reporting and future evaluation of the Program's performance.