Environment Canada Report on Plans and Priorities for 2003-2004

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Section 3 - Plans and Priorities by Strategic Outcomes

• 3.1  Protect Canadians and their environment from domestic and global sources of pollution
• 3.2  Conserve the biodiversity of healthy ecosystems
• 3.3  Help Canadians adapt to their environment in ways that safeguard their health and safety, optimize economic activity and enhance environmental quality
• 3.4  Provide strategic and effective Departmental management to achieve environmental results

This section describes Environment Canada's four strategic outcomes, the key results being sought in each outcome area, and the priorities, management strategies and key commitments that will ensure success over time. Targets from Environment Canada's Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) have been integrated under the key results to allow ongoing assessment of SDS key commitments.

This section focuses on the strategic initiatives that Environment Canada is implementing to address priority concerns. These initiatives are done within the context of the delivery of ongoing programs and services, which are provided to Canadians every day. Section 7.1 identifies these core programs and services and the partners with whom we work.

3.1 Strategic Outcome – Protect Canadians and their environment from domestic and global sources of pollution.

A - OVERVIEW

Through the Clean Environment Business Line, Environment Canada acts on two fronts to protect Canadians and their environment from domestic and global sources of pollution. First, it seeks to reduce the impact of human activity on the atmosphere and air quality. Second, the Department works to prevent or reduce the threats posed by toxic or other harmful substances in the environment.

Activities under the strategic outcome are managed according to an issue model. This model follows the life cycle of a typical environmental issue — problem identification, solution development, implementation of solutions, monitoring and reporting of performance. Departmental activities begin with research on the toxic substance and assessment of its effect on ecosystems (human health effects are assessed by Health Canada). Work continues with the development of management options and implementation of the most appropriate risk management mechanisms. Finally, there is ecosystem monitoring to ensure that the desired environmental results are achieved. The cycle begins again if problems are identified through results of monitoring or new research findings.

The federal government's investment of $75M over the next 2 years in CEPA 1999 in Budget 2003 will allow us to advance both the Clean Air and the management of toxic substances, given the sunsetting of Budget 1999 resources.

• reduced adverse human impact on the atmosphere and on air quality; and
• understanding, and prevention or reduction of the environmental and human health threats posed by toxic substances and other substances of concern.

B - PLANNED SPENDING BY KEY RESULT

The graphic above illustrates that the 2003-2004 Gross Planned Spending by Input Factor for Clean Environment Business Line is distributed as indicated: Salaries — 36%, Major Capital — 4%, Other Operating expenses — 47%, and Grants and Contributions — 13%.

C - PLANS, PRIORITIES, AND PERFORMANCE FRAMEWORK BY KEY RESULT

KEY RESULT: REDUCED ADVERSE HUMAN IMPACT ON THE ATMOSPHERE AND ON AIR QUALITY.

Through this key result, Environment Canada focuses on three broad categories of air pollutants:

• Pollutants that alter the atmosphere itself, where the resulting changes may affect human and environmental health. This category includes greenhouse gas emissions and the resulting climate change, and emissions of substances that deplete the stratospheric ozone layer.
• Pollutants that use the air as a pathway, with most environmental and health effects arising after the substances are deposited on land or in water, often at considerable distances from their source. Examples include acid rain and persistent organic pollutants. Addressing these substances requires international cooperation as well as action to control releases within Canada.
• Pollutants that alone, or in combination with each other, reduce the quality of the air we breathe. Ground-level ozone and particulate matter are significant pollutants of this type.

The ease with which air pollutants travel across borders means that addressing air issues requires cooperation both internationally and across Canada. For example, persistent organic pollutants are a significant concern for all Canadians, but especially for Canada's northern Aboriginal people, as the long-range atmospheric transport of these pollutants has led to contamination of traditional foods. By consuming some traditional foods, such as beluga and seal blubber, many Inuit people exceed Health Canada's "tolerable daily intake" levels for chlordane and toxaphene, substances never used in the North. Increasingly, Environment Canada seeks to take actions with its partners that address several pollutants simultaneously, thus providing multiple benefits for the same investment.

Reducing human impacts on the atmosphere and on air quality is essential to creating a sustainable society. As our thinking and work on degraded air quality has evolved, we increasingly recognize the importance of a second dimension in this area — protecting human health from the effects of air pollution. The federal government undertakes program activities such as air quality forecasting to provide warnings that inform Canadians of health risks associated with smog and poor air quality. This effort helps Canadians make plans and take actions that reduce personal health risks and avoid any inadvertent contributions they may make to air quality problems.

Plans and Priorities:

• Air Quality — Key areas of work include implementing the requirements of the Ozone Annex to the Canada-U.S. Air Quality Agreement; implementing initial actions on Canada-wide Standards for Particulate Matter and Ozone; negotiating further transboundary reductions for sulphur dioxide (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) (to reduce Particulate Matter and acid rain) under the Canada-U.S. Air Quality Agreement; increasing public outreach; and improving air quality reporting (inventories, monitoring and forecasts).
• Climate Change — Actions will focus on implementation of the Climate Change Plan for Canada.
  

Priority #1: Air Quality

Environment Canada is working to implement the 10-year Clean Air Agenda, the Government of Canada's plan to improve air quality approved in May 2001. The Clean Air Agenda focuses on: attaining and potentially improving targets for Canada-wide Standards for Particulate Matter and Ozone; reducing transboundary emissions; reducing transportation sector and major industrial emissions; advancing science on air quality; and engaging the public so that they take action to reduce air pollution and to protect their health. In January 2003, the Minister of the Environment announced a commitment to work with the United States to develop joint air quality pilot projects.

Over the next three years, Environment Canada will continue to focus on the federal government's agenda on vehicles, engines and fuels. This involves moving forward with the development and implementation of regulations for off-road and on-road engines and fuels, including sulphur in diesel. Environment Canada is also progressing on its commitment to address air pollution from industrial sources, such as thermal power electrical generation plants. Provinces have also committed to this agenda through the Canada-wide Standards process.

Another key component of the Clean Air Agenda is to engage Canadians so that they understand how to interpret air quality information and are aware of the actions that they can take to protect their health and improve air quality. The National Pollutant Release Inventory (NPRI) and the National Air Pollution Surveillance (NAPS) Network are key sources of information about pollutant emissions, air quality trends and progress towards air quality standards and objectives. Enhancements to the NPRI, like the recent addition of criteria air contaminants, provide Canadians with important information to enable them to take action. Several non-government organizations (NGOs), including the Canadian Medical Association and the Canadian Lung Association, are actively involved in defining and addressing the effects of air pollution on human health. In collaboration with these groups and provinces, Environment Canada also provides, on a pilot basis, real-time air quality information and forecasts of immediate use to the public in planning their daily activities so that they reduce the impact of air pollution on their health and reduce the impact of their actions on air quality. We are also reaching out to Canadians through partnerships, which contribute to better air quality through "Clean Air Day" and voluntary vehicle inspection and vehicle scrappage programs.

Environmental changes occur over a long period of time. In the short term, we will see cleaner vehicles and engines enter the market. In the medium term, cleaner industrial processes will be introduced. In the longer term, as newer, cleaner technologies replace older ones, significant emissions reductions will occur, thus reducing adverse impacts on the atmosphere and on human health. Environment Canada is committed to providing information that the public can use to protect their health, contribute to improvements, and judge the success of the measures adopted.

Challenges and Management Strategies

The Clean Air Agenda received four year funding for the Ozone Annex in February 2001. This funding has allowed Environment Canada to move towards the kind of activities already in place on a long-term basis in the United States and Europe. However, Canada-wide Standards for Particulate Matter, including support for the underpinning science, was not included with the Ozone Annex funding.

As the economy grows, continued efforts will be needed to address potential pollution that will be generated, including air emissions. This challenge becomes more complicated as international trade and new technologies are developed. In addition, faced with uncertain funding, our ability to address these issues may be compromised. A key priority must be to work more closely with the United States on reducing transboundary emissions. We will also continue to leverage Ozone Annex funds to ensure co-benefits to other activities and sub-results such as climate change.

• To learn more about the air issues, visit: http://www.ec.gc.ca/air/introduction_e.html

Priority #2: Climate Change

Over the next three years, the climate change priority will be to work towards achieving Canada's climate change commitments under the Kyoto Protocol within the 2008-2012 timeframe. Working with all stakeholders including provinces, territories, municipalities, business and industry, NGOs and the Canadian public during 2003-2004, we will continue to co-lead with Natural Resources Canada on climate change policy for Canada. We will also deliver on the Climate Change Action Fund — Public Education and Outreach (CCAF-PEO) component. We will lead on the management of climate change science and partner with Natural Resources Canada in implementing the climate change adaptation component of the CCAF and Action Plan 2000. We will also work with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade on international climate negotiations. Our science, and impacts and adaptation research, will continue to represent a significant contribution to building the base of knowledge needed to support climate change policy and international negotiations.

The focus will shift from efforts to ratify the Kyoto Protocol to implementation of, and reporting on, the Climate Change Action Plan for Canada. This will include: greenhouse gas monitoring; reporting and verification; climate science; impacts and adaptation research; reporting to Canadians every two years on the effectiveness of the Plan; initiating work on the "Demonstrable Progress Report" due in 2005; and initiating preparation for the negotiation of Canada's target for the next commitment period, also due to begin no later than 2005. Environment Canada will be contributing to the 1998-2002 Federal Climate Change Comprehensive Report to Parliament being coordinated by the Climate Change Secretariat.

Delivering on Canada's climate change commitments will include continuing to implement current government-wide priorities (e.g., Action Plan 2000, CCAF) and moving into the third year of CCAF-PEO and Science. Eventually, CCAF-PEO will be integrated with the social marketing program of the consumer challenge and with messaging links to the Clean Air Agenda. Following Budget 2003, we will be working with government partners to specify the initiatives in the first installment of the Plan. International negotiations will focus on the post-2012 topics of future commitments involving the developed and developing country emitters adopting greenhouse gas emission targets and concerns related to adaptation capacity and support.

Challenges and Management Strategies

In implementing the Climate Change Action Plan, the first installment will reflect the federal government's commitment to meeting Canada's Kyoto target and will assist efforts to build consensus with the provinces and territories, industry, other federal, provincial and municipal government departments and stakeholders.

Other challenges include: the need to consult with industry on the design of covenants and the Domestic Emissions Trading system; the design of the new Partnership Fund, to co-invest with provinces/territories, municipalities, Aboriginal groups and others on emission reduction projects; greenhouse gas monitoring, reporting and verification to meet our Protocol commitments; continuous assessment of the effectiveness of new actions; and provision of science advice to support our actions and future negotiations. Work is under way to ensure that Environment Canada's internal capacity is best organized to support climate change resources when they become available and to influence/communicate the implementation of the Plan.

• To learn more about climate change, visit: http://www.ec.gc.ca/climate/home-e.html
  

Key Result Performance Framework:

The "air quality" key result is divided into five sub-results. The following table shows those sub-results with the associated intermediate outcomes, indicators and targets, and initiatives and deliverables for the next three years.

Strategic Initiatives (*see explanatory note at end of Section 3)

KEY RESULT: UNDERSTANDING, AND PREVENTION OR REDUCTION OF THE ENVIRONMENTAL AND HUMAN HEALTH THREATS POSED BY TOXIC SUBSTANCES AND OTHER SUBSTANCES OF CONCERN.

Addressing the problem of toxic substances is complex, for several reasons. Some substances are concerns in themselves; others are part of larger environmental and health issues, such as urban smog, water quality, ozone layer depletion and Arctic contamination. Substances can be released from "point sources" (e.g., specific industrial plants) and "non-point sources" (e.g., vehicle exhaust). Many substances enter the environment from local sources, but others originate beyond Canada's borders. Other substances occur naturally in the environment (e.g., heavy metals) or are released through natural processes, but primarily through human activity.

Plans and Priorities:

• Managing Toxic Substances - Implementing and delivering on CEPA 1999. The focus will be on risk assessment, environmental emergency regulations, hazardous waste and enforcement.
  

Priority #3: Toxic Substances

Environment Canada is working to meet the legislative requirements set by CEPA 1999, while ensuring that emerging environmental issues are addressed. The assessment and management of toxic substances are vital to achieving government-wide priorities, such as efforts on national security, management of federal contaminated sites and ensuring the health of Canadians, especially Aboriginal peoples. In addition to harmful effects on health and the environment, there are economic consequences associated with the release of toxic substances into the environment. Our recognition of the impacts of substances and the implications of managing them have led us to consider a broad spectrum of environmental, economic and social issues that affect the health of Canadians and the environment. Our challenge is to protect human health and the environment by influencing behaviour towards more environmentally sound practices. This involves the development of new risk management tools and approaches, which include pollution prevention plans as well as voluntary initiatives, based on partnerships and innovation.

Budget 2003 strengthens the federal government's commitment to better assess and manage toxic substances to ensure the health of Canada's environment and its citizens. The federal government will invest $75 million over the next two years to advance an appropriate pollution prevention regime and to address the legacy of unassessed chemicals in the Canadian marketplace.

In 2005, the mandatory review of CEPA 1999 must commence. This will be a time to reflect on the effectiveness of programs in reducing the impact of toxics and other pollutants and to consider possible legislative amendments to CEPA 1999. We have incorporated a number of recommendations that the Auditor General made in the 1999 Audit of Toxics Management and the subsequent follow-up report in 2002, to further improve how we manage toxic substances and other substances of concern.

Challenges and Management Strategies

Our continuing strategy for managing the risk of toxic substances focuses on using the most appropriate tool to achieve the desired environmental result. The tools provided by CEPA 1999 include new measures such as pollution prevention plans, and range from regulatory action to voluntary instruments. We are committed to forming effective partnerships with industry, other levels of government, including provinces, territories and municipalities, Aboriginal groups and other government departments.

Environment Canada acts as a catalyst and facilitator in forming strategic partnerships that stimulate and support corporate sustainability leadership among Canadian companies. Not only do these partnerships lead to results on the protection of the environment and health of Canadians, but they help to deepen corporate commitment to practices that align with the concept of sustainable development. Companies are profiting from "eco-efficient" technologies that help to reduce their production costs and by answering a growing demand for environmentally friendly products and services.

As part of the federal government's efforts to enhance the personal and economic security of Canadians, prevent terrorist activities and ensure the protection of the environment and human health and safety, the Department continues to implement measures in the following areas: Environmental Emergencies, Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Sites, and Compliance Promotion and Enforcement.

Risk Assessment
To understand the risk of toxic substances and substances of concern, Environment Canada is categorizing the 23,000 substances on the Domestic Substances List (DSL) against Persistent, Bioaccumulative Toxic criteria by 2006. Substances meeting categorization criteria will undergo further risk assessment work to identify if they are toxic under CEPA 1999. Risks for some toxic substances are very high. These substances are not only on the List of Toxic Substances under the Act, but will be added to the virtual elimination list, which will be created this year.

Risk Management
Substances determined as toxic must have risk management instruments in place within legislatively prescribed timeframes. Administered by Environment Canada in conjunction with Health Canada, the Toxics Management Process is a new approach taken to develop management tools including preventive or control instruments for substances that are declared toxic under CEPA 1999. Using this process, Environment Canada and Health Canada develop risk management actions in a way that ensures that stakeholder consultations are effective and that the timelines set out in the new Act for managing toxic substances are met. CEPA 1999 allows for a number of new flexible tools, such as pollution prevention plans.

Central to the Toxics Management Process is the development of a risk management strategy. This document describes how risks to human health and the environment posed by the use and/or release of each toxic substance will be addressed. In the next year, we will release risk management strategies for at least 10 toxic substances. We are also working with municipalities and provinces to understand and address the risks of wastewater effluents. Environment Canada plans to propose, by publishing a Notice in the Canadian Gazette in the Spring of 2003, that selected owners and/or operators of wastewater treatment facilities must prepare pollution prevention plans to address targeted toxics found in the effluents.

Management of New Substances
Environment Canada is also working to prevent new sources of pollution from entering the environment. Industry must notify Environment Canada of any new substances (chemicals, polymers and animate products of biotechnology) that are proposed to be manufactured or imported into Canada, through our New Substances Program. Typically, between 800 and 1,000 new substance notifications are received by Environment Canada and Health Canada each year. Appropriate risk management measures are put in place. Over the next years, Clean Environment will be working to implement a series of recommendations from stakeholder consultations on the streamlining of the regulations, increasing program transparency, improving service delivery and intensifying international cooperation with other jurisdictions. In addition, environmental assessments ensure that environmental effects of new federal or industrial activities are considered and mitigated to the extent possible. The amended Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, which is expected to receive Royal Assent this year, will strengthen the role of environmental assessment follow-up and improve the consideration of cumulative effects.

Environmental Emergencies and Marine Issues
Under CEPA 1999, we are taking action to reduce the likelihood and impact of environmental emergencies whether caused by accident, vandalism or terrorism. More specifically, we will be promulgating a regulation that will require environmental emergency plans at facilities that manage toxic or other hazardous substances above certain threshold quantities that pose a threat to human health or environmental quality. These plans will address prevention, preparedness, response and recovery.

Environment Canada will continue our work to meet CEPA 1999 and international obligations to protect coastal and marine environments from land-based and sea-based activities and sources of pollution. Specifically, we will prevent ocean disposal of harmful substances through a permitting process and a disposal site monitoring system. We will also meet our responsibilities for shellfish area classification under the Canadian Shellfish Sanitation Program and address emerging marine issues.

Hazardous Waste and Contaminated Sites
We are developing, testing and implementing a real-time, secure system for tracking hazardous waste imports and exports through e-government initiatives like the "smart card" and electronic manifesting mechanisms. We will also be working to improve the hazardous waste regime in Canada by updating existing and developing new regulations that incorporate environmentally sound management (ESM) criteria. This will result in improved risk management practices at recycling, treatment and disposal facilities handling imported and exported hazardous wastes. In parallel, work will continue with provincial governments through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment over the next five years to see the implementation of these ESM criteria across Canada.

Environment Canada is working with other government departments to support the province of Nova Scotia and the community in the development of remedial options for the Sydney Tar Ponds.

Compliance Promotion and Enforcement
Clean Environment is committed to working with our stakeholders to ensure effective compliance promotion and enforcement of our regulatory regime. Compliance is achieved by informing the regulated community about Canada's pollution prevention laws and regulations and by carrying out compliance promotion and enforcement activities. In order to maximize our efforts, partnerships are formed with other government departments and agencies and with provincial/territorial departments and ministries. Our partners include the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, the Canada Customs and Revenue Agency, the Canadian Coast Guard and provincial/territorial environment ministries. Intelligence gathering is key to expediting examinations and inspections of companies that are in compliance and concentrating limited resources on activities and companies where enforcement is a more appropriate response. Intelligence supports the activities of enforcement officers and provides the senior management with objectively derived foreknowledge of emerging issues.

Federal and Aboriginal Lands
We are also committed to improving the management of environmental risks on federal and aboriginal lands. To this end, we are working to develop a standard that will provide a more comprehensive framework to effectively prevent soil and groundwater contamination from storage tank systems on federal and aboriginal lands.

Key Result Performance Framework:

The "toxic" key result is divided into three sub-results. The following table shows those sub-results with the associated intermediate outcomes, indicators and targets, and initiatives and deliverables for the next three years.

Strategic Initiatives (*see explanatory note at end of Section 3)

3.2 Strategic Outcome – Conserve the biodiversity in healthy ecosystems.

A – OVERVIEW

Through the Nature Business Line, Environment Canada acts to conserve the biodiversity in healthy ecosystems, by building shared sustainability strategies for Canada's wildlife and ecosystems, contributing to scientific understanding of ecosystems, and developing partnerships to improve the health of nationally significant ecosystems. Environment Canada also discharges federal responsibilities for managing wildlife (particularly migratory birds and species at risk), fresh water and wetland resources, and establishes the science and technology policies and practices used throughout the Department.
The Canadian Wildlife Service's Strategic Plan 2000 sets out in detail the direction and scope of Environment Canada's wildlife program for the period 2000-2010. It reflects the challenges and opportunities presented by the Department's legislated mandates and authorities, the expectations of partners and the public, resource needs and limitations and, of ultimate importance, the increasing urgency of Canadian wildlife conservation concerns.

Through ecosystem-based science, Environment Canada advances scientific knowledge and understanding through the following actions: monitoring the environment to detect changes in Canada's ecosystems; creating the science knowledge required to understand the effects of human activities on the health of ecosystems; developing science-based options, recommendations and tools to support the development of management actions and ecosystem rehabilitation techniques; and establishing science-based goals for the quality of the Canadian environment and the health of ecosystems.

Environment Canada is engaged in a number of initiatives aimed at promoting ecosystem approaches that respond to the unique problems of targeted areas and communities. The initiatives address environmental, economic, and social concerns. Large ecosystem initiatives include the Atlantic Coastal Action Program, the St. Lawrence Action Plan, the Great Lakes 2020, the Northern Ecosystem Initiative, the Northern Rivers Ecosystem Initiative, and the Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative/Georgia Basin Action Plan.

Key Results:

Environment Canada, through the Nature Business Line, aims to achieve, in partnership with others, the following three key results:

• conservation of biological diversity;
• understanding and reduction of human impacts on the health of ecosystems; and
• conservation and restoration of priority ecosystems.

B - PLANNED SPENDING BY KEY RESULT

The graphic below illustrates that the 2003-2004 Gross Planned Spending by Input Factor for Nature Business Line is distributed as indicated: Salaries — 45%, Major Capital — 1%, Other Operating Expenses— 40%, and Grants and Contributions — 14%.

C - Plans, Priorities and Performance Framework By Key Result

KEY RESULT: CONSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

While Canada is blessed with an abundance of natural resources, it is not immune from threats. Canada's wetlands continue to disappear, old-growth forests on the west coast and in the boreal regions are shrinking and less than 5% of Canada's tall-grass prairie and 10% of Ontario's Carolinian forests remain. On-going stresses are resulting in the disappearance of prime agricultural land, water and soil pollution and/or depletion, the loss of critical vegetation cover and biodiversity, as well as the pending extinction or extirpation of some of Canada's species. In fact, 12 species native to Canada are known to have become extinct, while another 403 are listed as special concern, threatened, endangered or extirpated. Without continued, strategic action on the part of all governments, external stakeholders and Canadians, biodiversity loss in Canada will increase, putting pressure on ecosystems and exacerbating environmental, economic and social progress.

Plans and Priorities:

Environment Canada’s priorities for the next three years will focus on:

• implementing the National Strategy for the Protection of Species at Risk;
• implementing the North American Bird Conservation Initiative;
• developing a Protected Areas Strategy; and
• developing the four priorities of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy.

Priority #1: Implement the National Strategy for the Protection of Species at Risk

Upcoming priorities for the implementation of a National Strategy for the Protection of Species at Risk include: regional collaboration with the provinces and territories in the development of bilateral agreements under the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk; implementing Year 4 of the Habitat Stewardship Program and conducting an evaluation of the Program's results to date; and proclaiming and beginning to implement SARA. Other initiatives that will assist in meeting the long-term objectives of this program include actions relating to the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada and the national recovery process for species at risk (RENEW — the Recovery of Nationally Endangered Wildlife).

While wildlife tends to be under federal or provincial/territorial jurisdiction, actions that conserve these species need to be identified and undertaken co-operatively. Such approaches are outlined in: A Wildlife Policy for Canada; the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy; the Accord for the Protection of Species at Risk; the North American Bird Conservation Initiative; and the North American Biodiversity Conservation Strategy that is currently under development. The Department will continue to maintain and enhance these approaches as it tries to achieve its conservation-related results.

• To learn more about Canada’s species at risk, visit: http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/theme.cfm?lang=e&category;=12

Priority #2: Operationalize the North American Bird Conservation Initiative

In 1995, the Protocol amending the Migratory Birds Convention was signed, bringing this historic treaty up-to-date. This international treaty places priority on the conservation of North American migratory birds and recognizes the aboriginal and treaty rights of the Aboriginal Peoples of Canada. With the Protocol now in force, a new, more comprehensive approach to migratory bird conservation is being implemented internationally and within Canada. The North American Bird Conservation Initiative has been embraced to deliver on the full spectrum of bird conservation programs through regionally-based, biologically-driven, landscape-oriented partnerships. The four pillars of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative are: the North American Waterfowl Management Plan for waterfowl; Wings Over Water for waterbirds and seabirds; the Canadian Shorebird Conservation Initiative for shorebirds; and Partners in Flight for landbirds.

Priority concerns in the near-term for operationalizing the North American Bird Conservation Initiative include developing a Boreal Strategy and securing agreement among federal departments on co-ordinated investigations and enforcement to protect Canada's marine birds from chronic discharges of oily bilge water by ships at sea.

Assessment of the impacts on wildlife of industrial and commercial activities such as mining, forestry, agriculture, energy development and transportation continue to be a priority for the Department. As such, Environment Canada will continue to work co-operatively with other government departments, non-government organizations and resource associations to foster sustainable industrial activities to maintain ecological integrity and conserve biodiversity. A good example of this approach is the expansion of the North American Bird Conservation Initiative partners to include members of the forestry and mining sector.

• To learn more about the North American Bird Conservation Initiative (NABCI), visit: http://www.cws-scf.ec.gc.ca/birds/nabci_e.cfm

Priority #3: Develop a Protected Areas Strategy

Environment Canada has a number of new and ongoing initiatives designed to protect, conserve and rehabilitate habitats significant to migratory birds and species at risk. All of the programs are of a stewardship nature — working with key partners, landowners and resource users — to achieve a common set of conservation goals. Our goals are achieved through the Ecological Gifts Program, the Habitat Stewardship Program, the North American Waterfowl Management Plan and our own departmental protected areas network of Migratory Bird Sanctuaries and National Wildlife Areas. Through these programs, the Department influences approximately $100 million in stewardship programming in Canada. Our own departmental focus this year will be on advancing Environment Canada's Protected Areas Strategy and addressing some of the issues associated with the Department's system of National Wildlife Areas and Migratory Bird Sanctuaries.

There is an increasing challenge to resolve landscape-level pressures on wildlife and wildlife habitat as a result of environmental, social and economic factors. The Department will address this challenge by furthering such initiatives as: the North American Bird Conservation Initiative; developing regional strategies (i.e., the Boreal Strategy); implementing Canada's Stewardship Agenda; advancing Environment Canada's Protected Areas Strategy; and contributing to a federal protected areas strategy.

Priority #4: Develop the four priorities of the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy

In terms of leading national efforts to define Canada's response to the Convention on Biodiversity, Environment Canada plays a policy co-ordinating, catalyzing, and facilitating role. It operates through an extensive network of contacts within and outside government. At the federal level, an Interdepartmental Committee on Biodiversity provides advice and guidance on domestic and international policy issues. The Federal/Provincial/Territorial Biodiversity Working Group focuses on national biodiversity issues, while the Canadian Biodiversity Forum provides a basis for a wide range of stakeholders (including representatives from many sectors of government, industry, academia and non-government organizations) to advise governments. Environment Canada is also working with indigenous groups to advance Convention issues relating to this constituency. In addition, the Department undertakes a variety of public awareness and educational activities, helping to create tools and systems for national application.

In 2003-2004, efforts will be focused on working with the provincial and territorial governments and other government departments to advance the plans for each of the four Canadian Biodiversity Strategy priorities as they were endorsed by Ministers at the Joint Ministerial meeting in September 2002. The four priorities include: developing a biodiversity science agenda for Canada including a biological information management component; enhancing our capacity to monitor and report on the status and trends of biodiversity; addressing the threat of alien invasive species (in doing so, Environment Canada will be addressing the recommendations of the 2002 Auditor General Report on Invasive Species); and engaging Canadians through biodiversity stewardship.

• To learn more about the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy (CBS), visit: http://www.bco.ec.gc.ca/bco/en/activities/ProjectsDomestCBS.cfm

Challenges and Management Strategies (Priorities #1, #2, #3 and #4)

Although the Department's conservation challenges and obligations have continued to expand, the resources to address some of the challenges have not increased accordingly. As a result, our partnerships are more important than ever. Non-government partners are increasingly recognized as integral players in wildlife conservation, bringing expertise, resources and alternative approaches to the table. The Department will continue to foster our partnerships with wildlife conservation organizations, universities, industry associations and landowners across Canada.

The increasing flow of goods and people across borders brings increasing challenges to the conservation of wildlife. Increased likelihood of colonization by invasive species, together with threats to migratory species when they are outside Canada, add to international concerns. Many of the international conventions and agreements to which Canada is a signatory are now seen as bringing new obligations as well as opportunities. Environment Canada, along with other federal departments and the provinces and territories, is currently addressing the issue of invasive species as one of four commitments selected from the Canadian Biodiversity Strategy as requiring priority action.

There is a need to develop new regulatory and conservation regimes to accommodate the active participation of Aboriginal Peoples in wildlife management. The Department has developed a draft Aboriginal Engagement Strategy to address some of these issues.

Key Result Performance Framework:

The "biodiversity is conserved" key result is divided into four sub-results. The following table shows those sub-results with the associated intermediate outcomes, indicators and targets, and initiatives and deliverables for the next three years. Note that "SDS" marks the commitments that are part of Environment Canada's Sustainable Development Strategy.

Strategic Initiatives (*see explanatory note at end of Section 3)

KEY RESULT: UNDERSTANDING AND REDUCTION OF HUMAN IMPACTS ON THE HEALTH OF ECOSYSTEMS.

The ability to secure a clean and healthy environment for Canadians is dependent upon our capacity to understand how our ecosystems are affected by human-induced stressors and to transfer that knowledge to Canadians and the global community so that it can be incorporated into decision-making. An understanding of the ecosystem structure, processes and functions, as well as the effects of economic activities, is a critical requirement for an effective ecosystem-based management approach and of fundamental importance to sound decision-making.

Plans and Priorities:

In this context, Environment Canada's priorities for the next three years for achieving this key result include:

• enhanced environmental quality status and trends monitoring, and reporting; and
• advanced scientific understanding of the effects of human activities on the health of ecosystems.

Priority #5: Enhanced environmental quality status and trends monitoring and reporting

The major challenges are: the need to enhance existing partnerships and build new ones at the national and international level in order to have an integrated approach and agenda for addressing key environmental issues; to identify and address gaps for research, monitoring, and reporting on existing and emerging issues; and to rethink old methods, use new tools, and design systems to provide integrated, timely and accessible information and advice to Canadians.

Environment Canada will enhance environmental quality status and trends monitoring and reporting by: strengthening and promoting the development of environmental quality monitoring and surveillance nationally with all partners; targeting water quality monitoring efforts on key threats and stressors; developing water quality guidelines against which monitoring data can be compared; releasing water quality information (e.g., water quality index) to Canadians and other status and trends reports on key areas; and producing an environmental indicator synthesis report on 10 years of tracking.

Priority #6: Advanced scientific understanding of the effects of human activities on the health of ecosystems

Environment Canada is committed to generating new scientific knowledge to help us understand the impact of human activities on the health of ecosystems and to providing timely and credible information and advice to decision-makers in Canada and abroad so they can make informed decisions.

Advancing the scientific understanding of the effects of human activities on the health of ecosystems will be accomplished through further development of Canadian environmental science networks (e.g., network on water); expanding the existing role of the National Water Research Institute (NWRI) geographically; building capacity on key issues; and developing a federal research strategy to address the ecosystem effects of genetically modified organisms.

Key Result Performance Framework:

The "health of ecosystems" key result is divided into four sub-results. The following table shows those sub-results with the associated intermediate outcomes, indicators and targets, and initiatives and deliverables for the next three years. Note that "SDS" marks the commitments that are part of Environment Canada's Sustainable Development Strategy.

Strategic Initiatives (*see explanatory note at end of Section 3)

KEY RESULT: CONSERVATION AND RESTORATION OF PRIORITY ECOSYSTEMS

Major ecosystems are under continual long-term threat from a number of stressors such as increased population, industrial activity and unsustainable land use. These activities are leading to increased air and water pollution and the disappearance of habitat required to maintain the natural balance of living things and their environment. In particular, water issues have become of increasing concern to Canadians and their governments. Science capacity is critical for understanding and addressing these threats. Environment Canada plays a strong role in research, the monitoring and assessment of freshwater resources and ecosystems, the development of water quality guidelines, the control of toxic substances and the promotion of pollution prevention.

Plans and Priorities

• Water
  
  • protecting drinking water and aquatic ecosystems through enhanced collaboration with provinces and territories on issues of national significance through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment and other federal departments;
  • protecting water quality and quantity of waters shared with the United States;
  • preventing transboundary water pollution and protection of water resources;
  • conserving and protecting priority ecosystems through partnerships and action;
  • contributing Canadian expertise and technology to addressing global water issues (e.g., World Summit on Sustainable Development targets); and
  • promoting integrated water resource management domestically and internationally.
• Ecosystem Initiatives (EI) - change decision-making/human behaviour

Priority #7: Water

Canada is not immune to risks associated with the contamination of water. Canadians are concerned about the quality and sustainability of their water resources, including drinking water and source water protection. There is an increasing need to re-evaluate the instruments and institutional arrangements that govern water management in Canada.

Challenges and Management Strategies

Federally, Environment Canada is working with other departments to fulfil our responsibilities for water. The Department's strategy for addressing this challenge relies upon stronger integration at the federal level to ensure complementary actions and policies related to water. A more strongly integrated federal family will be better able to support integration at the federal-provincial-territorial level.

Through the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment, Environment Canada has been working with its provincial and territorial counterparts to ensure clean, safe and secure water for Canadians. Ongoing and future efforts aim to protect water quality from "source to tap" by focusing on the following areas: water quality research priorities; sharing best management practices; developing a water quality monitoring network of networks; improving Internet-based information on water quality; and accelerating the development of water quality guidelines.

In addition to environment ministries, water management responsibilities are shared by well over 10 other federal departments. Issues such as agriculture, ground water, transportation, manufacturing and mining, energy (hydro and thermal), forestry, fisheries and management of water on federal and aboriginal lands are just some key examples of how water management is complex and cuts across various departments and jurisdictions. Progress is occurring at differing rates within each of these sectors, and an important challenge over the next three years will be to better integrate and collaborate the work of these sectors.

• To learn more about issues related to water, visit: http://www.ec.gc.ca/water_e.html

Priority #8: Ecosystem Initiatives

Ecosystem initiatives are co-operative efforts to address complex environmental issues affecting targeted ecosystems. Ecosystem initiatives help Canadians achieve environmental results through partnerships, pooling resources, focusing science, co-ordinating efforts, sharing information and experiences and generating a broad basis of support. They help build the capacity of all the players involved to make better decisions and to effect change.

Environment Canada works with a broad spectrum of governments and communities of interest in pursuit of shared objectives in six ecosystem initiatives in Canada — namely, the Georgia Basin Ecosystem Initiative/Georgia Basin Action Plan, the Northern Rivers Ecosystem Initiative, the Northern Ecosystem Initiative, the St. Lawrence Action Plan, the Atlantic Coastal Action Program and the Great Lakes 2020.

• To learn more about issues related to water, visit: http://www.ec.gc.ca/ecosyst/backgrounder.html

Key Result Performance Framework:

The "priority ecosystems" key result is divided into three sub-results. The following table shows those sub-results with the associated intermediate outcomes, indicators and targets, and initiatives and deliverables for the next three years.

Strategic Initiatives (*see explanatory note at end of Section 3)

3.3 Strategic Outcome - Help Canadians adapt to their environment in ways that safeguard their health and safety, optimize economic activity and enhance environmental quality

A – Overview

As Canadians, we are affected by weather and environmental conditions such as tornadoes, winter storms, floods, droughts, smog, variable lake water levels, extremes in temperature and precipitation, aircraft turbulence, and road icing. These conditions affect our health and safety, businesses, the economy, and the environment. The Meteorological Service of Canada (MSC), the core service supporting the Weather and Environmental Predictions (WEP) Business Line, operates 365 days per year, 24 hours per day, to forecast weather and environmental conditions from coast to coast.

Environment Canada works to reduce risks to Canadians from weather-related and environmental hazards by providing warnings of hazardous and severe weather to Canadians and by supporting other federal departments and governments in their decision-making. The Department's work also helps weather-sensitive industries, such as transportation, energy, fisheries, forestry and tourism, improve their productivity and competitiveness as well as rendering their operations environmentally sustainable. Finally, the Department also provides the federal government with essential scientific information to support the development of effective policies on key issues, such as clean air, clean water and water management, and climate change.

Key Results

• reduced impact of weather and related hazards on health, safety and the economy; and
• adaptation to day-to-day and longer-term changes in atmospheric, hydrological and ice conditions.

B – Planned Spending by Key Result

The graphic above illustrates that the 2003-2004 Gross Planned Spending by Input Factor for Weather and Environmental Prediction Business Line is distributed as indicated: Salaries — 43%, Major Capital — 7%, Other Operating Expenses — 32%, and Grants and Contributions — 18%.

C – Plans, Priorities, and Performance Framework By Key Result

KEY RESULT: REDUCED IMPACT OF WEATHER AND RELATED HAZARDS ON HEALTH, SAFETY AND THE ECONOMY

Through its warning program, Environment Canada informs Canadians, primarily by way of mass media or delivery systems such as Weatheradio, of imminent or short-term weather and related environmental hazards. In addition, Environment Canada continues to make extensive and growing use of the Internet as a dissemination tool both to the general public and as a targeted tool for national and local media organizations. Doing so ensures that Canadians have the knowledge and the time to react to protect themselves, their property and their businesses.

Each year, Environment Canada, through the MSC, issues approximately 14,000 severe weather warnings and 3,500 ice hazard warnings. The Department also provides education and outreach to Canadians in addition to offering direct support to clients and partners. For example, Environment Canada provides information to assist the following areas: provinces in support of flood programs; the inter-jurisdictional apportionment of critical water resources and critical ice information in support of Coast Guard activities; international shipping; and offshore resource extraction. All are supported by a strong research and development program.

Plans and Priorities:

Environment Canada's priorities for the next three years will be to focus on:

• Having Canadians recognize Environment Canada as the official source of warnings and the authority on meteorological standards in Canada — Actions will concentrate on renewing the MSC and on increasing its visibility with and accountability to Canadians.
• Optimizing the time that Canadians have to respond to high-impact events, not only through accurate and effective warnings but also through a philosophy of fostering resilient communities — Objectives are to help Canadians understand the social and economic vulnerabilities from high-impact weather and climate events and to give them enough advance warning that they can react to minimize the impacts.

Priority #1: Official source of warnings and the authority on meteorological standards in Canada

A cornerstone of government has always been to reduce social and economic vulnerability by providing federal services for the safety and security of Canadians. Moreover, Canadians want those services kept modern and adaptive to changing economic and social needs. Environment Canada is challenged to build a more forward-looking and sustainable MSC. The MSC must deal with the continuing expansion of scientific knowledge in its fields of work, the rapid pace of technological change and increasing competition in the public and private sectors for skilled employees.

Challenges and Management Strategies

Infrastructure and Capacity Issues
The Department is faced with significant infrastructure and resource challenges and is taking the necessary steps to restore the integrity of the MSC in order to meet its 2011 vision. To that end, Environment Canada has set priorities in the following areas: remove or replace obsolete infrastructure; recruit and train new technicians, meteorologists and scientists to replace staff who will be retiring over the next five years; and integrate new and more innovative technologies into the monitoring networks to enhance our observing capacity. The availability of resources will be a critical factor in determining the speed at which the MSC can transform to a sustainable service and meet its goals.

Enhancing Recognition of Contributions
In order to be recognized as an authority and official source of weather warnings, Environment Canada also must increase its visibility with the Canadian public. Canadians have access to weather and environmental information from a variety of sources. The quality of this information varies widely. Environment Canada wants to ensure that Canadians are able to recognize, trust and act on quality information originating from the Department. The Department works closely with the media, a key partner in the dissemination of weather information, and the private meteorological sector to clarify responsibilities and to increase attribution to Environment Canada for its information in broadcasts and the print media.

Maintaining Expertise
To ensure credibility, the quality of forecasts and warnings needs to be upheld. Both experienced and new staff need substantial training and development opportunities to maintain the existing level of skill and expertise and to continue providing Canadians with a high-level of service. A multi-year training partnership with the Co-operative Program for Operational Meteorology, Education and Training in the United States, signed in 2001, provides meteorologists with learning opportunities. Comparable partnerships are being explored with Canadian universities.

Modernizing Networks
Environment Canada operates many monitoring networks. Some of them are modern and in a good state, such as the lightning and radar networks. Other long-standing networks, however, such as portions of the surface weather network, have very outdated equipment and there is a risk of failure. Efforts are under way to modernize monitoring networks and to move to a philosophy of "life-cycle management" for critical infrastructure so that all new equipment installed is maintained and its eventual replacement is planned. Many partners contribute funds to operate these networks and are involved in data collection or share data. Partners include the provincial and territorial governments, NAV CANADA, other federal departments and agencies (e.g., National Defence, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Canadian Space Agency) and international organizations (e.g., National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Weather Service, World Meteorological Organization, etc.). New technologies, such as satellite-based remote sensing and aircraft-borne weather sensing systems, will provide new and enhanced data that can be used to improve the quality of forecasts and warnings. The Department has an agreement with Air Canada Jazz to provide upper-atmosphere measurements through such systems installed on some of their aircraft.

Priority #2: Optimizing response to high-impact events

To protect themselves, Canadians need promptly disseminated accurate forecasts and warnings, in addition to guidance about what to do when severe weather threatens. Timely meteorological information is essential for reducing risks to Canadians, and Canadians have increasing expectations on the advance notice they need to prepare themselves.

Challenges and Management Strategies

In partnership with others, Environment Canada wants to improve society's capacity to adapt, anticipate, mitigate, withstand and recover from high-impact events and related hazards by improving lead time, accuracy, utility and satisfaction with warnings. This will be accomplished by taking the following actions: focusing more attention on high-impact events and automating routine forecasts as much as possible; applying the advances that science and technology offers for the future; transferring scientific knowledge from research to production; helping Canadians understand and reduce their vulnerability through outreach, education and services; improving access to and dissemination of weather and environmental information and warnings; and improving support to first responders and emergency organizations (e.g., Health Canada, Emergency Preparedness, National Defence, provincial and municipal emergency measures and response agencies, etc.).

Improving Response to Hazards and Other issues
The importance of weather and environmental services is increasing as Canadians become more vulnerable to weather and environmental conditions. The change in vulnerability comes about as the population concentrates in urban areas, the infrastructure ages and new technology creates complex but vulnerable production and delivery systems (e.g., a power grid susceptible to icing, implications of just-in-time inventory approaches to manufacturing). The challenge to Environment Canada is to improve the timeframes within which environmental hazards and issues such as climate change and environmental health are addressed to allow Canadians and their governments time to anticipate, prevent, withstand or adapt to them more effectively. Along with the responsibility of more advanced notice, the Department must continue to work with media and other partners to inform and educate Canadians about how best to react in order to reduce the number of injuries, casualties and damage from natural disasters.

The Department will place a greater focus on forecasting high-impact weather and climate events. By automating routine forecast production, meteorologists will be able to devote greater attention to diagnosing, forecasting and providing advanced warning of high-impact weather, which can have a significant impact on public safety and the economy. Production offices will be modernized and will work in collaboration and consultation with governments, industry and the academic community across Canada and internationally to enhance scientific understanding, and to ensure the transfer of the resulting science to improved forecasts and other products and services provided to Canadians.

Working with Partners
Government, industry and universities have joined forces to ensure that Canada maintains a high level of expertise in the area of high-impact weather and climate, and these sectors work closely with one another to address this national concern. The MSC is a member of the Laboratoire universitaire sur le temps extrême and, together with the Institute for Catastrophic Loss Reduction, contributes partial financial support of a McGill University Chair in Extreme Weather.

Media and private sector companies, such as Pelmorex (the parent company of The Weather Network and Météomédia), are key partners in getting warnings and forecasts out to Canadians. They also assist in disseminating information on how Canadians can protect themselves and their property from environmental hazards. To further improve dissemination of weather warnings, Environment Canada continues to explore innovative ways to deliver weather warnings and information to Canadians in time for them to take action to protect themselves and their property. Technologies such as cell phones, personal data assistants, laptop computers, the Internet, and digital radios offer a variety of future opportunities. These include crawler messages that scroll across television screens to warn viewers of severe weather, and technologies that interrupt automated radio broadcasts during weather-warning situations. This will create opportunity for new partnerships with broadcasters and cable and telecommunications companies at some future time.

Key Result Performance Framework:

The "hazards" key result is divided into three sub-results. The following table shows those sub-results with the intermediate outcomes, the indicators and targets, and the initiatives and deliverables for the next three years.

Strategic Initiatives (*see explanatory note at end of Section 3)

KEY RESULT: ADAPTATION TO DAY-TO-DAY AND LONGER-TERM CHANGES IN ATMOSPHERIC, HYDROLOGICAL AND ICE CONDITIONS

Each year, Environment Canada issues approximately 500,000 public weather forecasts, 200,000 marine weather forecasts and 400,000 aviation forecasts. The Department provides information on water quantity in our rivers and lakes, including information and advice on changing water levels in the Great Lakes and transboundary water allocations. Environment Canada provides information on ice, wind and waves for shipping and navigation. Such information is essential for Canadians to adapt to their environment and understand the opportunities from their changing environment.

Plans and Priorities:

Environment Canada's priorities for the next three years will be to focus on:

• Ensuring that Canada has the meteorological, climatological and hydrological data, information and science capacity to produce sound environmental policies — advance scientific knowledge through meaningful research, support policy development, and develop science and policy capacity in academic and private sectors.
• Supporting growth in Canada's environmental prediction capacity — stimulate the growth of the private meteorological sector to encourage the development of value-added services and improve services and outreach to weather-sensitive industries to improve their competitiveness and productivity.

Priority #3: Ensuring that Canada has the meteorological, climatological and hydrological data, information and science capacity to produce sound environmental policies

Climate variability, combined with other high-profile weather events, has raised interest in several sectors, including agriculture, shipping, construction, media, health, environmental conservation, forestry and recreation, as well as among the public. These sectors are quickly becoming aware of the emerging risks of climate change and variability. They see the impacts of extreme weather events on businesses, homes and infrastructure, and citizens in many parts of Canada feel the stress from unusually hot summers.

Challenges and Management Strategies

The Department conducts research in a wide variety of areas related to climate change and variability, air quality, weather research and water quantity to ensure that it provides a solid scientific foundation on which to develop policies and strategies to safeguard our environment and to protect human health. The Department participates in a multitude of co-operative projects with universities and research agencies in Canada and internationally (e.g., UK Hadley Centre, European Centre for Medium Range Weather Forecasts, World Climate Research Program, Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research) to conduct research related to atmospheric and environmental sciences. It also supports the development of atmospheric science and policy capacity in academic and private sectors partly through collaboration with partners such as the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Studies and is working to provide better access to data, models and climate scenarios.

Environment Canada is developing a plan to address the specific peer review recommendations made by a panel of international atmospheric and climate scientists. The research and development program was found to be fundamentally sound and responsive to the needs of the Department and Canadian citizens. However, some specific areas for action were identified, including personnel succession planning, ongoing peer review process, increased university collaboration, better client interactions and a strategic science plan.

In response to client demand, the MSC will continue to make improvements to its complex climate models and is researching whether human influence on climate change is detectable on smaller scales (e.g., continental scale).

The ultimate key to success of Environment Canada's research and development lies in securing a long-term funding base for research efforts where results are observed only in the longer term. In addition, attracting and retaining talented young scientists is a critical challenge faced by the Department, given competitors offering much more attractive salaries and secure positions.

Priority #4: Supporting growth in Canada's environmental prediction capacity

Challenges and Management Strategies

Working with Industry
The private meteorological sector in Canada is small, but diverse. Environment Canada is working to build stronger relations with this sector and to encourage the development and use of value-added meteorological services. These services will benefit all Canadians, as $150 billion of our nation's economy is weather-sensitive. In addition to responding to the strategic needs of the private meteorological sector and identifying areas where it can play a supporting or co-operative role, Environment Canada is working to improve data access, to identify new and emerging business opportunities for this sector, and to implement better cost recovery practices to ensure that it does not compete for business. The Department meets with the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society Private Sector Task Force to advance work of common benefit.

For Canadian weather-sensitive industries — such as transportation, energy, construction, forestry, agriculture, fishing, recreation and tourism — awareness, access, and the use of high-quality, timely and reliable weather, water quantity, climate and related information can significantly improve their productivity and competitiveness.

Meeting the Expressed Needs of Canadians
Some key needs of Canadians, as expressed in a recent national survey, include: safer roads; improved extended-range and seasonal forecasts; and improved information on the nature of high-impact weather and climate events, including appropriate community responses.

Environment Canada plans to work with Transport Canada and the provincial and territorial governments to set up road weather observational networks. Real-world case studies in Canada and elsewhere have shown that road weather information systems together with road weather forecasts and road maintenance training can reduce snow and ice-related fatalities by as much as 15%. Additionally, road salt use is reduced by approximately 25%. Effort in this area will diminish impacts on the environment, reduce road maintenance costs, and decrease damage to road infrastructure.

The Department plans to improve the forecasts out to 15 days, as well as monthly and seasonal predictions and scenarios. The resulting information is key to the weather-sensitive private and public sectors, as it provides the following benefits: increased efficiencies and reduced risks in those sectors; more effective water management decisions; improved energy supply, demand planning and government service (such as natural resource management and municipal planning); and increased competitiveness of Canadian industries.

Environment Canada plans to improve understanding and services directed to communities and weather-sensitive government services (e.g., municipal planners and engineers, emergency planning organizations, etc.) on: the nature of high-impact weather and climate events; the associated vulnerabilities and risks; and appropriate preparation and response strategies.

Key Result Performance Framework:

The "adaptation" key result is divided into three sub-results. The following table shows those sub-results with the intermediate outcomes, the indicators and targets, and initiatives and deliverables for the next three years.

Strategic Initiatives (*see explanatory note at end of Section 3)

• To learn more about the Meteorological Service of Canada, visit http://www.msc-smc.ec.gc.ca/index_e.cfm

3.4 Strategic Outcome – Provide strategic and effective Departmental management to achieve environmental results

A - Overview

The context in which Environment Canada operates is one where environmental issues are global in nature, jurisdictions are shared and the challenges of integrating environmental, economic and social factors must be addressed. As such, it is important to ensure strong linkages across the Department in the development of strategic directions related to both horizontal management and policy issues.

Through the Management, Administration and Policy (MAP) Business Line, Environment Canada develops the integrated management and policy agenda. This is the Department's strategic medium-and long-term agenda that focuses on leadership and partnerships to inform and engage citizens and develop ways to provide efficient and innovative internal and external services.

On the policy side, environmental issues continue to be cross-cutting, leading to shared jurisdictions and accountabilities. A significant amount of effort has been put into developing and delivering an ambitious policy agenda in recent years and setting the stage for long-term transformation to better address the increased scope and complexity of the environmental agenda. The impact of major policy events of the past year (e.g., World Summit on Sustainable Development, ratification of the Kyoto Protocol and Royal Assent for SARA) will orient the Department towards implementation. In the coming year, emphasis will also continue to be put on promoting the integration of environmental and sustainable development considerations in support of the highest possible quality of life for Canadians, now and in the future. Environment Canada is transforming the way it works through the implementation of the Knowledge in the Service of Canadians (KISC) agenda. This will entail an enhanced focus on outreach and dialogue that will enable an increased understanding of the needs, expectations and concerns of citizens, clients, partners and stakeholders. Further, service transformation will be undertaken to modernize our business to meet evolving internal and external client needs. Finally, specific actions will be taken to foster a culture that values collaboration, learning and innovation (i.e., communities of practice, learning events) in achieving results for Canadians.

Essential to the KISC agenda is the modernization of Environment Canada's human resource management function. The goal is to continue to develop and implement a modern human resources management regime that is innovative and dynamic, respects public service values, provides for maximum delegation to line managers to meet operational needs and facilitates the ongoing development of an exemplary workplace.

Another important priority for the Department is continuing efforts to advance the implementation of modern management approach, which is both complementary and supportive of the KISC agenda and will allow the Department to commit to excellence in five management areas — responsible spending, managing for results, values, citizen focus and exemplary workplace.

Key Results

Through the MAP Business Line, Environment Canada aims to achieve two key results:

• strategic and integrated policy priorities and plans; and
• a well-performing organization supported by efficient and innovative services.

B - PLANNED SPENDING BY KEY RESULT

* Reflects best forecast of total planned spending to the end of the fiscal year.

C - Plans and Priorities, and Performance Framework by Key Result

KEY RESULT: STRATEGIC AND INTEGRATED POLICY PRIORITIES AND PLANS

Plans and Priorities:

Environment Canada's strategic policy priority for the next three years will be to focus on:

• Shaping and advancing the medium-term environmental and sustainable development agenda — through enhanced knowledge, partnerships and innovative policy instruments

Priority #1 Shape and advance the medium-term environmental and sustainable development agenda

Challenges and Management Strategies

Working with Partners
To make sustainable development a reality, the Department needs to integrate social, economic and environmental issues into all of the Department's policies and programs. Increasingly, there is interest in the social aspects (eg., poverty, gender and health) which lead to concerns relating to environmental health, including children's health, and the urban agenda. Intense work needs to continue, and much remains to be done, to better integrate environmental policies with economic considerations. MAP's integrated policy result reflects the Business Line's responsibility for the Department's leadership role in the development and promotion of the Government of Canada's broader Environment and Sustainable Development agenda. To advance these objectives, it uses strategic partnerships with both key domestic and international stakeholders.

Environment Canada took the lead in developing the Framework for Moving Forward on the Environment Agenda, approved in early 2002, and is currently working with other government departments to develop a federal Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS). One challenge in particular will be ensuring that the Framework is used by federal departments to establish environmental and sustainable development priorities and that the federal SDS serves a strategic role in promoting sustainable development across the federal system. Building partnerships will also be essential for implementing Environment Canada's actions in the follow-up to the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and in the implementation of the Kyoto Protocol.

International Leadership
Environment Canada will continue to build on Canada's strong international presence as an environmentally progressive nation, through its participation in organizations and fora like the United Nations Environment Programme, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and the G8, as well as bilaterally with selected countries. For example, the Department will continue to implement Environmental Co-operation Agreements with partners in the Americas (United States, Mexico, Chile and Costa Rica) and the Memorandum of Understanding with China. Work will continue through the Canadian International Development Agency with countries such as India, to achieve concrete environmental improvements and to build capacity in developing countries and countries with economies in transition. Environment Canada will also continue to partner with the United States and Mexico in implementing a program of action for North America. More broadly, work will be done with Canada's trade partners in the Americas to promote national action and co-ordinated hemispheric action to improve human and environmental health.

Innovative Policy Instruments
In support of the Environment and Sustainable Development agenda, the Department will also continue to develop new approaches to policy instruments, including Environment and Sustainable Development indicators, and support policy research and development analysis. Emissions trading of greenhouse gases, for example, has been included as a key element of Canada's Climate Change Action Plan. This recognition of the important role of market-based instruments reflects work undertaken over a number of years within Environment Canada and other federal agencies in collaboration with the provinces, territories and stakeholders. Work will also be undertaken with the Department of Finance and other departments to implement fiscal measures (taxes, charges and other market-based instruments) to achieve the objectives of climate change policies. Environment Canada will continue to support the broader federal initiative to move forward on a smart regulation strategy.

Key Result Performance Framework

The "strategic and integrated policy" key result is divided into two sub-results. The following table shows the sub-results with intermediate outcomes, indicators and targets, and initiatives and deliverables for the next three years. Note that "SDS" marks the commitments that are part of Environment Canada's Sustainable Development Strategy.

Strategic Initiatives (*see explanatory note at end of Section 3)

KEY RESULT: A WELL-PERFORMING ORGANISATION SUPPORTED BY EFFICIENT AND INNOVATIVE SERVICES.

Ensuring the Department has the management context and capacity to achieve its environmental results entails providing the stewardship and frameworks that will lead to good management decision-making, a healthy work environment and a productive workforce.

Plans and Priorities:

In this context, Environment Canada's management and service priorities for the next three years will be to focus on:

• implementing the Knowledge in the Service of Canadians (KISC) agenda; and
• implementing the Modern Management Action Plan (MMAP) (over the next two years).

Priority #2: Knowledge in the Service of Canadians

The Knowledge in the Service of Canadians (KISC) agenda is a commitment to deliberately integrate our approaches to people, knowledge, service and outreach, and to manage and share knowledge creatively to encourage innovation to better serve Canadians. As a catalyst for implementation, the MAP Business Line has developed a path forward with concrete actions to support this agenda.

Supporting Environment Canada's People
In addressing the people component of the KISC agenda, the development and implementation of the People Management Framework and Strategy will bring together all human resources management initiatives, such as the strategic hiring plan and employment equity and diversity management plans, within the Department and establish a plan for modernizing and improving people management. The 2002 public service employee survey will support and inform departmental human resources plans and the required actions will be integrated into other initiatives and work plans. Creating opportunities for continuous learning and personal development and providing necessary tools and information to staff will also be key strategies to enable the Department to recruit, develop and retain a highly talented and diverse workforce. An internal engagement strategy will also be implemented to better engage staff in the transformation agenda. It will include tools for managers, support for informal leaders, knowledge-sharing seminars and Department-wide events.

Knowledge Management
Environment Canada through the MAP Business Line, will act as an advocate for better knowledge management by putting emphasis on the following areas: knowledge retention and sharing; nurturing communities of practice in key Business Line areas; capturing lessons learned in cross-organizational efforts (e.g., water); testing and developing tools for knowledge sharing; and further implementation of the Canadian Information System for the Environment (CISE).

Outreach & Dialogue and Service Transformation
The Outreach & Dialogue and Service Management strategies will include: tools to assess current and new service demands on the Department; approaches to access scientific data and specialized information; and activities to engage in a productive dialogue with clients, partners and stakeholders. The result will be increased client engagement, needs analysis, partnerships and evaluation. Within this context, e-government approaches remain a departmental priority and will continue to be advanced. These strategies will be fundamental in setting the direction Environment Canada will take with respect to its e-government initiatives over the next two years in moving forward to meet the Government of Canada, "Government On-Line" objectives.

The Department's Internet presence constitutes a valuable asset. Environment Canada continues to expand the management of its Internet assets to include Intranet and Extranet assets. The Department's goal is to leverage them to best advantage in delivering on its key result areas and to pilot the development of sites for specific client groups. The Department continues its lead role on the Sustaining the Environment & Resources for Canadians (SERC) cluster on the Canada Site.

Client-centred Pilot Projects
Each Region will conduct a pilot project over the next two years, using Environment Canada's priorities as a foundation, to more closely examine and understand the information needs of local government, and to test various approaches to addressing urban environmental issues in a more comprehensive and client-centred fashion. The pilot projects will test such things as: broad partnerships and collaboration; Environment Canada's services in the context of local government needs; single window approaches; and different decision-making models. The projects will be carried out in the departmental context of improving knowledge management and service innovation and in the broader government context of the Prime Minister's Caucus Task Force on Urban Area, which identified four pillars for a strengthened federal urban agenda: coherence and cohesiveness; collaboration and consultation; capacity building; and communication.

Priority #3 Implementing the Modern Management Action Plan

In order to position the Department at the forefront on public service management, Environment Canada has developed a Modern Management Action Plan (MMAP). This plan presents a series of integrated activities aimed at improving a wide range of capabilities and contributes directly to the achievement of the KISC agenda. The 2003-2004 year will mark the second year of implementation. In implementing the plan, Environment Canada will build its capacity towards excellence in five key management areas: citizen focus, exemplary workplace, responsible spending, managing for results and values. Further, it will put the appropriate systems and processes in place to ensure that Environment Canada has the capacity to improve how it can achieve and report on results. For example, the Department will focus on managing for results by increasing its capacity for integrated planning and reporting. The continued implementation of the Department's Information Management/Information Technology (IM/IT) Action Plan and Strategy will support responsible spending. It is a multi-year program for restoring the IM/IT infrastructure, transforming information and for ensuring sustainability in IM/IT processes and structure throughout the Department. The new People Management Framework and Strategy will be key in making continuous improvements towards an exemplary workplace and, as a result, contributes to both the Modern Management and KISC agendas.

Challenges and Management Strategies

Environment Canada manages in a context of close public scrutiny and increased demands for accountability, transparency and results. The services delivered by the MAP Business Line are fundamental to delivering on both policy and program priorities and to meeting expectations for Modern Management (e.g., Human Resource Modernization, Security, Audit and Review, e-government, Modern Comptrollership). Notable challenges that the Business Line will confront in achieving its results involve service transformation efforts, maintaining momentum and ensuring adequate human resources to deal with these challenges.

Service transformation - Expectations for innovative services have increased demands for systems and operations provided by the Business Lines that support employees in delivering external benefits for Canadians. Information technologies, for example, are evolving rapidly and, as a result, are leading to an increased demand for more efficient systems. The Business Lines' challenges will be to better manage internal and external client expectations and continue to develop financial strategies to support investments in services, systems and operations.

Maintaining Momentum - With several management improvement efforts underway, there is a risk that the functional areas covered by MAP will not have the adequate resources, both financial and human, to give each of them the optimal level of attention. MAP's challenge will be to balance efforts to improve the quality and type of management services provided internally with efforts to build our capacity to achieve results for Canadians.

Human Resources - Environment Canada's primary human resources challenge is to deal with changes in demographics: an aging workforce and a high turnover of personnel, particularly at senior levels, that put corporate knowledge at risk; and a workforce that should be more representative of the public it serves. That being said, the strategies outlined above, the People Management Framework and Strategy in particular, have been established to address them in a coherent way.

Key Result Performance Framework:

The "well-performing organization" key result is divided into four sub-results. Note that "MM" marks the commitments that contribute to Environment Canada's MMAP and "SDS" marks the commitments that contribute to Environment Canada's Sustainable Development Strategy.

Strategic Initiatives (*see explanatory note at end of Section 3)