Office of Sustainable Development

The Office of Sustainable Development is responsible for coordinating Health Canada's sustainable development efforts and developing new approaches to further the integration of sustainable development in the Department's activities. This includes the implementation and monitoring of the Department's Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS), a key tool used by each department within the federal government to advance sustainable development. Health Canada has tabled three SDSs in Parliament to date, one in 1997, another in 2001 and the most recent SDS, entitled Becoming the Change We Wish to See, in March of 2004. The new SDS is a three year strategic plan that tells Canadians and our Parliament what general and specific commitments Health Canada has made to sustainable development.

Sustainable Development is defined by the World Commission on Environment and Development as "development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs". Sustainable development requires that we consider the current and long-term implications of all our actions, including social/cultural, economic, and environmental consequences. The health of Canadians depends on many factors, such as clean air and water, appropriate working conditions, social harmony and support, preservation of cultural values and lifestyles, and economic conditions, which is why the link between health and sustainable development is so important.

Health Canada's Office of Sustainable Development also works with a wide variety of partners both within and outside of the Department to advance sustainable development.

For further information, please contact the Office of Sustainable Development.