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Mandate

The mandate of the Department is to protect and manage Saskatchewan's environment and natural resources so as to maintain a high level of environmental quality, ensure sustainable development, and provide economic and social benefits for present and future generations.

Over half the province consists of Crown lands under SE administration, principally in northern Saskatchewan. Environmental legislation such as The Environmental Assessment Act and The Environmental Management and Protection Act, administered by SE, are major tools for ensuring sustainable development and effective pollution prevention and management throughout the province.  Saskatchewan Environment also recognizes that effective environmental stewardship requires good relations with stakeholders and the public.

Reorganized Structure

The department was reorganized in 2004 into the following four Divisions: The Compliance, Fire and Forest Division, the Resource and Environmental Stewardship Division, the Planning and Risk Analysis Division and the Corporate Services Division. The Communications Branch continued to report directly to the Deputy Minister.

Compliance, Fire and Forests Division is responsible for field and compliance services, fire and forest ecosystems.

Environment and Resource Stewardship Division is responsible for environmental protection, Crown lands, parks and fish and wildlife resource management.

Planning and Risk Analysis Division is responsible for key corporate strategic services, including green policy development, environmental assessment, risk analysis and compliance planning, strategic planning and policy, legislative services, intergovernmental and Aboriginal affairs.

Corporate Services Division provides strategic, operational, financial, human resources and information management support.

Communications Services Branch delivers strategic communications and encourages information exchange, increased participation in Department programs, public input into policy and program development and co-ordinates communications with other government departments.

Principles

Saskatchewan Environment carries out its mandated responsibilities using the following principles:

• Ecosystem approach

Ecosystems consist of communities of humans, animals, plants, and micro-organisms, interacting with each other and with the non-living elements of their environment. Environmental protection and resource management should be based on an ecosystem approach, recognizing that all components in an ecosystem are closely linked and cannot be managed in isolation from one another. Sustainable development approaches should simultaneously consider impacts on each environmental medium (air, land and water) to avoid the transfer of risk from one environmental medium to another.

• Prevention

Sustainable development approaches should emphasize the principle that it is better to "anticipate and prevent" environmental and resource degradation rather than "react and cure" the problem once it has occurred.

• Risk Assessment

Saskatchewan Environment will first assess the risk an environmental or natural renewable resource management issue could have on human health, the integrity and health of the ecosystem, and socio-economic impacts, before taking action and/or allocating resources to address the issue.

• Precaution

When faced with uncertainty about whether a negative environmental impact will occur, it is preferable to take a precautionary approach that preserves the environmental status quo, especially if the cost of the impact would be high.

 • Shared Responsibility

Sustainable development approaches require the commitment and participation of all parties, including First Nations and Metis, industry, governments, education institutions, non-government organizations and the public. Cooperation of these sectors will foster a smoother transition to sustainability than would independent action. A listing of our primary partners and stakeholders can be found in Appendix B of our 2004-05 Annual Report.

 • Integration

The environment cannot be dealt with in isolation. It must be protected and managed in a systematic way by being fully-integrated into all aspects of the economy and society, including business, government and individual decision-making. Communication is fundamental to encouraging integrated environmental and resource use decisions, to improving the efficient and effective operation of the department, and to maintaining positive relations with stakeholders and the public. Communication by SE staff is characterized by open dialogue that is accurate, clear, and consistent.

 • Stewardship

Sustainable development approaches should be considered for their long-term benefits. Up front costs should not be viewed as unrecoverable expenses but as investments with a clear pay-back over the long-term. We should also recognize that our world and its resources are not solely the possession of our generation. We must consider the needs of future generations and leave them an undamaged or improved environment.

 • Full Information on Costs  

The price we pay for goods and services generally does not include "externalities" such as the environmental damage or costs associated with their production and use. Information about environmental costs should be made available so that sound decisions can be made in the marketplace.

 • Accountability  

All staff are aware of their role as civil servants, and act as department representatives and ambassadors providing quality products in a timely manner which are comprehensive and well-prepared. All requests are handled in an expedient and professional manner, projects are tracked and progress is communicated at regular intervals.

To receive more information please contact our Inquiry Centre:

inquiry@serm.gov.sk.ca  
1-306-953-3750 (year-round, 8 am to 5 pm, Monday through Friday)
3211 Albert Street, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 5W6