COMMISSIONER'S DIRECTIVE

ENVIRONMENTAL PROGRAMS

Policy Bulletin 158

POLICY OBJECTIVE

1. To establish criteria to mitigate the environmental impacts of activities of the Correctional Service of Canada (CSC).

AUTHORITIES

2. The Auditor General Act, 1995;
Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999;
Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, 1995;
Fisheries Act, 1985.

CROSS-REFERENCES

3. Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) of the Correctional Service of Canada;
Strategic Objective 5.10;
Environmental Guidelines .

PRINCIPLES

4. The following principles govern the Service's sustainable development program:

1. CSC recognizes that, as part of the federal government infrastructure, its activities have environmental impacts that influence the sustainability of human society in Canada and on a global scale;
2. CSC has a responsibility to manage the environmental impacts of its activities;
3. CSC is required to meet the letter and spirit of all environmental laws, regulations, guidelines, codes and policies applicable to its operations;
4. Appropriate measures will be put in place to mitigate CSC's environmental impacts, including resource conservation, pollution prevention, rapid response to special incidents and remediation of residues from past activities;
5. In both the management of its environmental impacts and its interactions with others, CSC will work diligently toward continual improvement of its performance.

RESPONSIBILITIES

5. The Assistant Commissioner, Corporate Services, through the Technical Services Branch, shall coordinate the preparation of a Sustainable Development Strategy every three years, oversee the implementation of this policy, provide expertise and monitor relevant federal laws, regulations and standards. The Assistant Commissioner, Corporate Services will issue Environmental Guidelines and other instructions as necessary.

6. The Regional Deputy Commissioners and the Chief Executive Officer for CORCAN shall be responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable laws, regulations and environmental standards, establish means for providing environmental planning, programming, performance data collection, staff and offenders training and remedial action activities, and for monitoring relevant provincial laws and regulations.

7. The Assistant Commissioner, Performance Assurance shall ensure that internal audits of appropriate components of CSC's environmental programs are performed as and when appropriate.

8. Institutional Heads shall direct the implementation of an Environmental Management System (EMS), consistent with this policy and with operating systems detailed in Environmental Guidelines.

9. Institutional Heads shall assign specific responsibilities related to environmental obligations to managers and/or employees in positions which have an influence over environmental aspects.

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