Sustainable Development

The Government of Canada is looking for input from Canadians on the draft second cycle of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), covering the period 2013 to 2016. Canadians are encouraged to submit comments before June 14, 2013 on the advancement of federal sustainable development initiatives by visiting Environment Canada’s website.

Sustainable development (SD) is a broad concept based on integrating social, economic, and environmental considerations, along with the principles of equity, into all levels of decision-making.

At CIC, this vision is captured in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (Departmental Strategy) which outlines on the one hand, how CIC will reduce its environmental footprint and on the other, how we will ensure that our policies and programs are developed in a sustainable manner.

On October 6, 2010, the federal government tabled its first Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, (Federal Strategy). For the first time, the Federal Strategy brings together the Government of Canada’s environmental sustainability priorities and our progress in achieving them all in one place. The Strategy also commits to strengthening how we integrate environmental considerations related to economic and social decision-making and sets clear targets to green federal operations.

CIC’s Departmental Strategy is aligned with the Federal Strategy and includes:

  • The CIC Sustainable Development Policy Framework developed to bring together the full suite of relevant policy instruments, to strengthen the clarity of requirements and associated roles and responsibilities, and to enhance effective monitoring and support so that CIC can better fulfill its commitments.
  • A Greening Government Operations Implementation Strategy to ensure the department’s operations are green, meeting the targets and goals under Theme IV of the FSDS: Shrinking the Environmental Footprint – Beginning with Government; and
  • The CIC Policy on Sustainable Development Assessments (SDA) and supporting tools, to ensure that our policies and programs are developed in a way that integrates social, economic, environmental and equity factors and meets requirements under the Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals (SEA) and the principals of SD as stated in the Federal Sustainable Development Act.
    • Where important environmental effects (either positive or negative) have been identified in an SDA, a public statement will be used to demonstrate that environmental factors have been integrated into the decision making process.

CIC’ Departmental Strategy is tabled in the Department’s Reports on Plans and Priorities. Progress will be reported in the Department’s Performance Report for the period ending March 31 of each year.