Introducing our strategy

Introduction

The draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS, the draft strategy) is the first to be developed under a strengthened Federal Sustainable Development Act (the Act). Taking a whole-of-government approach, it sets out Government of Canada sustainable development goals, targets, milestones and implementation strategies from an environmental perspective. Unless stated otherwise, information in the draft strategy is current as of February 1, 2022.

The draft 2022 to 2026 strategy supports Canada’s efforts to advance the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. With the 17 SDGs as its frame, the draft strategy shows what the Government of Canada will do over the next 4 years to support the environmental aspects of the SDGs.

Message from the Minister

I am pleased to share the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy for your input and ideas.

This draft strategy is important in many ways. It is the first to be developed under the strengthened Federal Sustainable Development Act, which reflects a higher level of ambition, raises the bar for transparent and accountable sustainable development decision making, and has expanded the number of participating federal organizations from 28 to 99. It is also the first draft strategy to be produced since we announced our commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 40 to 45% below 2005 levels by 2030, and to halt and reverse nature loss in Canada by 2030.

The draft strategy brings together priorities and actions from across government to advance sustainable development in Canada. It outlines targets and measures to ensure the future we want for our children and our grandchildren, with a focus on the environmental aspects of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. It shows how 99 organizations across the federal government will work together to promote a clean environment and tackle the crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, all while growing our economy and making sure that no one is left behind. It also shows how the Government of Canada is leading by example by transitioning to net-zero carbon and climate-resilient operations by 2050.

The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy is informed by principles outlined in the strengthened Act. These principles shape the strategy and give it direction. They include recognizing that sustainable development is a concept that continuously evolves in response to new and emerging issues. The draft strategy also reflects the principle of intergenerational equity, or the ability of present generations to meet their needs without comprising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. And it supports openness and transparency and a results and delivery approach. This means bringing federal environmental sustainability targets across all 17 Sustainable Development Goals together in one place, and requiring all of the strategy’s targets to be specific and measurable, with clearly identified indicators, time frames, and baselines for future reporting.

Now is a critical time. In the face of a global pandemic, unprecedented biodiversity loss, extreme climate events affecting Canadians from coast to coast to coast, and a worldwide shift to a clean economy, solving the interrelated environmental, social and economic challenges of sustainable development has never been more important. The Government of Canada’s commitment to achieving sustainable development is reflected in this draft strategy and in Moving Forward Together: Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy. By focusing on the environmental aspects of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals, this draft strategy complements the actions of federal organizations to advance all 3 pillars of sustainable development in the United Nations 2030 Agenda.

The draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy is part of an ongoing conversation, and your perspectives will help shape and improve our strategy. This is your chance to have your say and help inform the government’s approach to sustainable development, making it even bolder and more ambitious.

Much work to advance sustainable development is underway, but much will change as the government defines new directions. The draft strategy will be refined in the coming months to reflect the full range of the government’s sustainable development commitments, including those set out in ministerial mandate letters.

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas over the next 4 months as we finalize the 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and table it in Parliament. I also look forward to continuing the conversation in the coming years as we continue to take action for a cleaner, greener, and more resilient Canada.

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, P.C., M.P.

Minister of Environment and Climate Change

Executive summary and target overview

The draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy: what’s new

A strengthened Federal Sustainable Development Act that promotes a broader view of sustainable development, supports a whole-of-government approach and introduces new requirements to ensure transparency and accountability
A new frame for the draft strategy based on the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, with a focus on the environmental aspects
99 federal organizations will play a role in achieving the draft strategy’s goals and targets
All targets are specific and measurable, include a time frame, identify one or more ministers responsible for achieving them, and are consistent with the principles set out in the Act.
“Where the Government of Canada is going” sections in each chapter show how new commitments and priorities will advance the environmental aspects of the SDGs
Call-out boxes in each chapter highlight how environmental sustainability issues affect diverse communities in Canada, including Indigenous peoples
Although a domestic strategy, each chapter makes links to corresponding environmental targets in the 2030 Agenda’s Global Indicator Framework

The draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS, the draft strategy) sets out the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets and outlines implementation strategies and short-term milestones for achieving them, from an environmental perspective. It provides a whole-of-government view, bringing programs, priorities and actions to advance sustainable development together in one place. This draft strategy is the first step in establishing the Government of Canada’s environmental sustainability plan for the next 4 years. New commitments that are currently being defined will be reflected in the final strategy following public consultation.

While this draft will become the fifth Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, it is the first to be developed under an amended Federal Sustainable Development Act (the Act), improving accountability through time-bound targets and milestones as well as whole-of government participation across 99 federal organizations.

It is also the first draft strategy oriented toward the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda, with a focus on their environmental aspects. The Government of Canada has committed to work with all partners to accelerate progress on the 17 SDGs in Canada and contribute to their achievement internationally.

Framing the draft strategy around the 17 SDGs supports a unified approach to sustainable development within the Government of Canada and shows how the strategy’s targets, milestones and actions contribute to advancing the SDGs. It also responds to past recommendations from parliamentarians, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development and Canadians, and ensures that the draft strategy respects Canada’s domestic and international sustainable development obligations, as outlined in the Act.

The draft 2022 to 2026 strategy complements actions of federal organizations to advance the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development by committing to environmentally focused goals, targets, and milestones supported by indicators to measure their progress, and contributes to implementing Moving Forward Together: Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy. Each chapter is influenced by the Agenda 2030 Global Indicator Framework or the 2030 National Strategy’s Canadian Indicator Framework.

The draft strategy shows the complex interrelationships between the environment and economic and social dimensions of sustainable development, including issues such as poverty, education, and gender equality. It touches on themes that cut across the environmental aspects of social and economic SDGs, such as sustainable food production, enhancing food security in Indigenous and northern communities, promoting gender equality in the clean technology sector, and financing low-carbon, climate-resilient development in low and middle-income countries.

Public comments will help shape the final version of the strategy and ensure that its targets, milestones, and actions reflect the priorities of Canadians. Your comments will strengthen the strategy and help inform the Government of Canada’s sustainable development priorities.

We also invite you to show us what a sustainable Canada looks like by entering our photo contest. Winning submissions will be featured in the final 2022 to 2026 FSDS and the photographer(s) will be profiled in the strategy.

Comments on the draft strategy will be accepted until July 9, 2022. The final 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy will take into account these comments and reflect new and evolving Government of Canada priorities. We will also continue the conversation after the strategy is tabled in Parliament. Three years later, keep an eye out for a report on progress of the strategy’s goals, targets and milestones. You can also follow annually what actions federal organizations are taking to support the strategy’s goals and/or targets by looking at their departmental sustainable development strategies and reports that are tabled in Parliament.

Federal Sustainable Development Strategy: Target overview

The 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) sets out 50 specific and measurable targets for the Government of Canada. These targets are aligned with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), from an environmental perspective.

Sustainable Development Goal	Target theme	FSDS target
SDG 1: No poverty	Emergency management and disaster risk reduction	Awareness of disaster risks By March 2023, 55% of Canadians are aware of disaster risks facing their household (Minister of Public Safety; Minister of Emergency Preparedness)
SDG 2: Zero hunger	Sustainable food systems	Sustainable aquaculture By 2026, maintain 90% compliance with Fisheries Act regulations related to aquaculture (Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard)
SDG 2: Zero hunger	Sustainable food systems	Sustainable agriculture By 2030, support improvement in the environmental performance of the agriculture sector by achieving a score of 71 or higher for the Index of Agri-Environmental Sustainability (Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food)
SDG 3: Good health and well-being	Air quality	Air quality Increase the percentage of the population living in areas where air pollutant concentrations are less than or equal to the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards from 60% in 2005 to 85% in 2030 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change; Minister of Health)
SDG 3: Good health and well-being	Sound management of chemicals and contaminated sites	Chemicals Management Plan By 2024, 100% of the 4,363 existing chemicals that were prioritized under the Chemicals Management Plan have been addressed (Minister of the Environment and Climate Change; Minister of Health)
SDG 3: Good health and well-being	Sound management of chemicals and contaminated sites	Contaminated sites By March 31, 2025, 60% of Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan eligible sites are closed or in long-term monitoring (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 4: Quality education	Sustainable development information	Climate information By 2026, increase the number of Canadians accessing climate information through the Canadian Centre for Climate Services from a baseline of 200,815 visits to the portals in 2021 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 4: Quality education	Sustainable development information	Environmental sustainability information By 2026, increase the annual number of Canadians accessing environmental sustainability information through the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators website, and through the Canadian Indicator Framework portal, to 260,000 visits from a baseline of 239,188 visits in 2020 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 4: Quality education	Sustainable development research	Average Relative Citation in natural sciences, engineering, and life sciences Increase Canada's ranking for Average Relative Citation in natural sciences, engineering, and life sciences to the top 10 of OECD countries by 2025 (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry)
SDG 4: Quality education	Training and skills in sustainable development	Science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates 175,000 students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate in Canada by December 2025 (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry)
SDG 5: Gender equality	Women's participation in the environmental and clean technology sector	Women in clean technology By 2026, increase the number of women employed in the clean technology sector from a baseline of 86,694 in 2019 (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry)
SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation	Clean and safe water	Great Lakes Areas of Concern By 2026, complete all actions required to restore 6 Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation	Clean and safe water	Great Lakes objectives By 2026, report on all 9 objectives to be achieved for the Great Lakes (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation	Clean and safe water	Restoration and Protection of lakes and rivers By 2027, action plans are in place to advance restoration and protection of major lakes and rivers in Canada (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation	Clean and safe water	Wastewater effluent quality on reserve By March 2030, 85% of wastewater systems on reserve achieve effluent quality standards (Minister of Indigenous Services)
SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation	Clean and safe water	Wastewater effluent By December 2040, 100% of wastewater systems achieve effluent quality standards (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy	Renewable and non-emitting sources of electricity	Clean power generation By 2030, 90%, and in the long term 100% of Canada's electricity is generated from renewable and non-emitting sources (Minister of Natural Resources)
SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy	Renewable and non-emitting sources of electricity	Net-zero clean electricity grid Consult on the development of a Clean Electricity Standard to achieve a net-zero clean electricity grid by 2035 and achieve a 100% net-zero emitting electricity future (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy	Energy efficiency	Energy efficiency By 2030, 600 petajoules of total annual energy savings will be achieved as a result of adoption of energy efficiency codes, standards and practices from a baseline savings of 20.0 petajoules in 2017 to 2018 (Minister of Natural Resources)
SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy	Clean fuels	Clean fuels By 2030, grow the production and use of clean fuels while continually reducing life-cycle carbon intensity over the long term (Minister of Natural Resources)
SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth	Green jobs	Clean technology employment Achieve 8% growth in jobs in the clean tech products sector by March 31, 2024 (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry)
SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth	Green jobs	Clean technology commercialization Between 2022 and 2026, 30% of all Sustainable Development Technology Canada's SD Tech Fund-supported technologies are commercialized annually (Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry)
SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure	Green infrastructure and innovation	Low-carbon recharging and refueling stations for transport corridors and metropolitan centres By March 31, 2024, 1,000 electric vehicle chargers, 22 natural gas stations, and 15 hydrogen stations along major highways, freight corridors and key metropolitan centres are completed (Minister of Natural Resources)
SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure	Green infrastructure and innovation	Low-carbon recharging and refueling stations for local day-to-day use By March 31, 2026, 33,500 new electric vehicle chargers in public places, on-street, at apartment buildings, retail outlets and the workplace, as well as 10 new hydrogen stations are completed (Minister of Natural Resources)
SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure	Green infrastructure and innovation	Investment in green infrastructure By fiscal year 2027 to 2028, the federal share of the value of green infrastructure projects approved under the Invest in Canada plan will reach $26.9 billion (Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities)
SDG 10: Reduced inequalities	Taking action on inequality	Drinking water reporting Between 2022 and 2026, continue to annually report to Canadians on access to clean drinking water in First Nations communities through Indigenous Services Canada's departmental website as data becomes available (Minister of Indigenous Services)
SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities	Public transit and active transportation	Public transit and active transportation By 2030, 22% of commuters use public transit or active transportation (Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities)
SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities	Green spaces, cultural and natural heritage	National urban parks Establish a new National Urban Parks policy and designate national urban parks as part of a network, with a target of 15 new national urban parks by 2030 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities	Green spaces, cultural and natural heritage	Visits to Parks Canada heritage places By 2026, maintain or increase the number of Canadians that get out into nature, relative to the 2018 to 2019 baseline (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities	Green spaces, cultural and natural heritage	Visits to National Wildlife Areas By March 31, 2022, increase annual visitation to the 10 national wildlife areas that are part of the Connecting Canadians to Nature Initiative by 25%, from a baseline of 220,050 in 2015 when the program was launched (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production	Waste management	Waste reduction Reduce the amount of waste Canadians send to disposal from a baseline of 699 kilograms per person in 2014 to 490 kilograms per person by 2030 (a 30% reduction); and to 350 kilograms per person by 2040 (a 50% reduction) (Minister of Environment and Climate Change, as federal lead in the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment)
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production	Waste management	Plastic packaging Plastic packaging in Canada contains at least 50% recycled content by 2030, where feasible (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production	Waste management	Single-use plastic By 2032, reduce single-use plastics that are found in the environment, are not recycled, and have readily available alternatives (for example, check-out bags) entering the waste stream by 4% and entering the environment as pollution by 7% (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production	Zero-emission vehicles	Zero-emission vehicles (light-duty) 100% of new light-duty vehicle sales are required to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035, with an interim sales target of at least 50% by 2030 (Minister of Transport; Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 12: Responsible consumption and production	Zero-emission vehicles	Zero-emission vehicles (medium- and heavy-duty) 100% of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sales are zero emission by 2040, where feasible (Minister of Transport; Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 13: Climate action	Climate change mitigation and adaptation	Canada's greenhouse gas emissions Achieve 40 to 45% greenhouse gas emission reductions below 2005 levels by 2030, and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 13: Climate action	Climate change mitigation and adaptation	Black carbon emissions Achieve a 25% reduction in national black carbon emissions by 2025, compared to 2013 levels (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 13: Climate action	Federal leadership on greenhouse gas emissions reductions and climate resilience	Net-zero carbon and climate-resilient operations The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon and climate-resilient operations by 2050 (President of the Treasury Board of Canada)
SDG 14: Life below water	Ocean protection and conservation	Marine conservation Conserve 25% of marine and coastal areas by 2025, and 30% by 2030, from 13.8% recognized as conserved as of the end of 2020 in support of the commitment to work to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 in Canada, and achieve a full recovery for nature by 2050 (Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard)
SDG 14: Life below water	Ocean sustainability	Sustainable fisheries By 2026, at least 55% of Canada's key fish stocks are in the Cautious and Healthy zone (Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard)
SDG 15: Life on land	Conservation of land and fresh water	Terrestrial ecosystem conservation Conserve 25% of Canada's land and inland waters by 2025, working toward 30% by 2030, from 12.5% recognized as conserved as of the end of 2020 in support of the commitment to work to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 in Canada, and achieve a full recovery for nature by 2050 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 15: Life on land	Conservation of land and fresh water	National parks and national marine conservation areas By 2027, establish 10 new national parks and 10 new national marine conservation areas (NMCAs), working with Indigenous communities on co-management agreements for these national parks and NMCAs (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 15: Life on land	Conservation of land and fresh water	Sustainable forests Between 2023 and 2026, maintain Canada's annual timber harvest at or below sustainable wood supply levels (Minister of Natural Resources)
SDG 15: Life on land	Species protection and recovery	Species at risk population trends By 2026, increase the percentage of species at risk listed under federal law that exhibit population trends that are consistent with recovery strategies and management plans to 60%, from a baseline of 42% in 2019 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change; Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard)
SDG 15: Life on land	Species protection and recovery	Status of wild species By 2026, maintain or improve the proportion of species that are ranked as secure that remain secure or apparently secure from a baseline of 80% in 2015 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 15: Life on land	Species protection and recovery	Migratory birds By 2030, increase the percentage of migratory bird species whose population sizes fall within an acceptable range—neither too low nor too high—to 70% from a baseline of 57% in 2016 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 15: Life on land	Species protection and recovery	Participation of Indigenous peoples By 2030, Indigenous peoples participate in 90% of migratory bird monitoring and research projects (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions	Effective institutions for promoting compliance with environmental laws and delivering high-quality impact assessments	Environmental and wildlife enforcement By 2026, maintain the annual percentage of non-compliance with environmental and wildlife laws and regulations that are addressed by enforcement action at 70% (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions	Effective institutions for promoting compliance with environmental laws and delivering high-quality impact assessments	Environmental Damages Fund By March 31, 2026, restore and/or enhance a total of 5,000 hectares of natural environment through Environmental Damages Fund projects, from a baseline of 568 hectares in 2018 (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)
SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals	Environmental partnerships	Climate finance Implement Canada's climate finance commitment of $5.3 billion over 5 years, with at least 40% of funding going toward climate adaptation and at least 20% to projects that leverage nature-based climate solutions and projects that contribute biodiversity co-benefits (Minister of Environment and Climate Change)

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Annexes

Annex 1: About the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy

The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS, the strategy) sets out our sustainable development priorities, establishes goals and targets, and identifies actions to achieve them. Actions to implement the strategy will support the environmental aspects of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

Legislative basis

The Federal Sustainable Development Act (the Act) establishes the requirement to table the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Its purpose is to provide the legal framework for developing and implementing a strategy that will:

make decision making related to sustainable development more transparent and subject to accountability to Parliament
promote coordinated action across the Government of Canada to advance sustainable development
respect Canada’s domestic and international obligations relating to sustainable development

The Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to table and report on a whole-of-government strategy at least once in each 3-year period. Recent amendments to the Act came into force on December 1, 2020.

History of the strategy

The 1987 Brundtland Report to the World Commission on Environment and Development introduced the concept of sustainable development as “development that meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” In response, in 1995 the Government of Canada introduced amendments to the Auditor General Act requiring federal departments and agencies to create their own individual sustainable development strategies. These amendments also established the office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development (the Commissioner). The Commissioner later identified several weaknesses in this system, including the lack of a coherent, overarching federal strategy, stating it was like trying to put together a puzzle with no picture on the box.

In 2008, a more effective approach was enacted when the Act was passed and came into force. The Act provides the legal framework for the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. At that time, it also tasked 28 departments and agencies with preparing their own departmental sustainable development strategies (DSDSs) that comply with and contribute to the strategy. The 2008 Act also introduced a requirement to consult Canadians on each new Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Four federal sustainable development strategies were tabled under the 2008 Act (2010 to 2013, 2013 to 2016, 2016 to 2019 and 2019 to 2022).

In 2016, the House of Commons Standing Committee on Environment and Sustainable Development conducted a review of the Act and issued a report containing 13 recommendations. The committee’s recommendations identified issues concerning, among other things, the scope of the Act, the need for a whole-of-government approach, and a need for greater transparency and accountability in the development and implementation of sustainable development strategies.

The government responded to the committee’s recommendations with the 2017 Bill C-57, An Act to Amend the Federal Sustainable Development Act, which came into force on December 1, 2020. The amended Act provides greater flexibility in presenting the view of sustainable development to encompass environmental, economic, and social aspects. It also provides for a whole-of-government approach by increasing the number of federal organizations required to contribute to and report on the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy from 28 to more than 95.

The amended Act also includes mechanisms to make sustainable development decision making more transparent and accountable, including a requirement that targets be measurable and include a time frame, and that departmental sustainable development strategies must be tabled in Parliament and referred to the Senate and House committees that deal with matters relating to sustainable development. The draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy is the first to be prepared under the amended Act.

Roles and responsibilities

Environment and Climate Change Canada has a key role in implementing the Act. It houses the Sustainable Development Office (SDO), which is responsible for coordinating the development of the strategy. The SDO is also responsible for developing and maintaining systems and procedures to monitor progress on implementation of the strategy, and for preparing Federal Sustainable Development Strategy progress reports at least once every 3-year period.

Sustainable development cuts across many departmental and agency mandates. The Act reflects this, requiring federal organizations named in Schedule I, I.1 and II of the Financial Administration Act (more than 95 in total) to prepare and report on sustainable development strategies that support the implementation of the goals of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. It also provides for including other federal organizations that wish to participate in the strategy, such as Crown corporations, through an Order in Council. Two such organizations, the National Capital Commission and The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc., are now included in the Act.

The role of departments and agencies also includes:

working collaboratively with Environment and Climate Change Canada to develop the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and progress reports within every 3-year period
integrating environmental and sustainable development considerations into policy, plan and program development through strategic environmental assessments

The role of public consultation

Public consultation is an important part of Federal Sustainable Development Strategy development under the Act. Each draft strategy must undergo a public consultation period of at least 120 days before it is finalized. As part of public consultation, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change provides the draft Federal Sustainable Development Strategy to:

the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
the Sustainable Development Advisory Council (a multi-stakeholder advisory body consisting of 13 members of the Canadian public that represent the views of different provinces and territories, 6 representatives of Indigenous peoples and 3 from each of the following: environmental non-governmental organizations, business organizations, and organizations representative of labour)
the appropriate committee of each House of Parliament
the public

Consultation results inform the final strategy and are summarized in a publicly-available report.

The structure of the strategy

The draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy is organized around the UN 2030 Agenda 17 Sustainable Development Goals from an environmental perspective, acknowledging Canada’s unique responsibilities and circumstances.

One or more targets contribute to each goal. Under the Act, targets must:

be specific and measurable
include a time frame
identify one or more responsible ministers
be consistent with the Act’s principles

To the extent possible, targets should also:

take a medium-term view (5 to 10 years)
fall within federal jurisdiction
align with federal priorities
be supported by indicators that accurately represent the target and allow for comparison over time
have a clear connection to a Sustainable Development Goal, as viewed through an environmental lens

Short-term milestones complement the strategy’s targets. They represent interim steps that will help ensure the Government of Canada stays on track to achieve its longer-term objectives. In general, short-term milestones should be achievable within one Federal Sustainable Development Strategy cycle. To the extent possible, milestones should:

be specific and measurable
include a timeframe
take a short-term view (within one FSDS cycle)
have a clear connection to one or more FSDS targets or to a Sustainable Development Goal

Implementation strategies set out what the Government of Canada will do to achieve its goals and targets. They describe the actions that federal organizations are committed to taking to make progress toward the strategy’s goals and targets. To the extent possible, implementation strategies should:

be written in plain, high-level language
be broad and inclusive to allow for linkages with specific departmental actions
reflect actions the Government of Canada is taking or plans to take during the FSDS cycle
have a clear connection to one or more FSDS targets or to a Sustainable Development Goal

Implementation strategies set out in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy are complemented by specific commitments in departmental sustainable development strategies. Departmental strategies, which must be tabled within one year of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy tabling date, will include actions and performance measures that contribute to the strategy’s implementation strategies.

While provinces and territories, Indigenous peoples, businesses, the scientific community, non-governmental organizations and Canadian citizens contribute to achieving environmental outcomes and achieving the Sustainable Development Goals of the 2030 Agenda, only federal actions are included in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

Annex 2: Performance measurement

Performance measurement is an essential part of the Government of Canada’s sustainable development approach. The government tracks and reports on sustainable development actions and results through:

triennial Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) progress reports
annual reporting on departmental sustainable development strategies (DSDSs)
the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators (CESI)
annual updates to departmental web pages

Fsds progress reports

The Federal Sustainable Development Act requires the Minister of Environment and Climate Change to table a Federal Sustainable Development Strategy progress report at least once every 3-year period. These progress reports describe how the government is implementing the strategy and the progress made toward its goals and targets. In response to past recommendations from the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, a simple dashboard rating system approach helps to ensure that Federal Sustainable Development Strategy progress reports are clear and accessible by using a progress report card.

The Sustainable Development Office (SDO) uses the rating system to assess progress against each target by examining the most recent target-level indicator results achieved during the FSDS cycle to propose an assessment of “achieved”, “underway”, “attention required”, or “no new data available”. The federal organizations whose ministers are responsible for each target are responsible for determining a fair and balanced assessment in consultation with the SDO.

The progress report also describes progress against the strategy’s medium-term targets by using additional reporting on contextual indicators and short-term milestones. In some cases, the report notes where activity to date may constitute a newly-set baseline against which future progress will be measured. Progress reports are a snapshot in time that should be read in tandem with departmental reporting on departmental sustainable development strategies.

While Federal Sustainable Development Strategy progress reports provide important information on environmental outcomes, it is important to note that responsibility for the environment and sustainable development is shared, and that the Government of Canada supports sustainable development within the constraints of federal jurisdiction and authorities. As a result, in some instances it can be difficult to directly link federal actions to specific outcomes.

Departmental sustainable development strategies

DSDSs provide detailed information on what individual departments and agencies are doing to help meet the aspirational goals and/or targets of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Within one year after the 2022 to 2026 strategy is tabled in Parliament, taking into account Canadians’ comments and ideas, participating federal organizations will develop DSDSs that support the implementation of the goals and/or targets of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

DSDSs include:

the department’s sustainable development vision
specific departmental sustainability commitments and actions
performance indicators that show how departments are meeting their commitments
information on departmental decision making and sustainable development practices, including implementation of strategic environmental assessments

Federal organizations bound by the Act contribute differently to Federal Sustainable Development Strategy goals and/or targets depending on their mandate; however, all are responsible for contributing to the greening government content.

Indicators

A number of the indicators that will be used to measure and report on progress are drawn from the CESI program, which provides a wide range of indicators for public availability. The program selects indicators using the following criteria:

policy relevance (represents the FSDS goals and targets)
utility (meets the needs of decision makers and the public)
soundness (provides consistent and solid methodology; comparable over time)
data availability and integrity (uses existing high-quality data with adequate coverage)

The CESI program produces indicators with the support of programs within Environment and Climate Change Canada and other federal departments and agencies, including Health Canada, Statistics Canada, Natural Resources Canada, Parks Canada, Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, as well as provincial and territorial governments.

In addition to the indicators drawn from the CESI program, indicators are sourced from reporting structures used in the departmental planning and reporting cycle of contributing federal organizations, as well as from surveys conducted on a regular or semi-regular basis.

The following table lays out the performance measurement framework to be used for reporting and assessing progress on the targets of the strategy. It also details the contextual indicators which are used to provide more information in progress reporting about issues related to the goals and targets of the strategy. Indicators that can also be found in the Canadian Indicator Framework have been marked with: *.

SDG 1: No poverty

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	By March 2023, 55% of Canadians are aware of disaster risks facing their household	Percentage of Canadians who are aware of disaster risks facing their household	Public Safety Canada	Every 2 years
Contextual		Emergency geomatics services provided to Canadians	Natural Resources Canada	Annual
		Proportion of investments in disaster mitigation by Infrastructure Canada that benefits/targets climate-vulnerable populations	Infrastructure Canada	To be determined
		Structural and natural assets	Infrastructure Canada	To be determined

SDG 2: Zero hunger

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	By 2026, maintain 90% compliance with Fisheries Act regulations related to aquaculture	Management of Canadian aquaculture	CESI	Annual
Target	By 2030, support improvement in the environmental performance of the agriculture sector by achieving a score of 71 or higher for the Index of Agri-Environmental Sustainability	Index of Agri-Environmental Sustainability for water, soil, air and biodiversity *	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada	Every 5 years
Contextual		Greenhouse gas emissions by economic sector – agriculture	CESI	Annual
		Land-use change	CESI	Every 5 years
		Wildlife habitat capacity on agricultural land	CESI	Every 5 years

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	Increase the percentage of the population living in areas where air pollutant concentrations are less than or equal to the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards from 60% in 2005 to 85% in 2030	Population exposure to outdoor air pollutants *	CESI	Annual
Target	By 2024, 100% of the 4,363 existing chemicals that were prioritized under the Chemicals Management Plan have been addressed	Existing chemicals addressed under the Chemical Management Plan	Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada	To be determined
Target	By March 31, 2025, 60% of Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan eligible sites are closed or in long-term monitoring	Number of Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan eligible sites that are closed or in long-term monitoring	Environment and Climate Change Canada	Annual
Contextual		Air quality	CESI	Annual
		Emissions of harmful substances to air	CESI	Annual
		Household use of chemical pesticides and fertilizers	CESI	Every 2 years
		Human exposure to harmful substances	CESI	Every 3 years
		Releases of harmful substances to water	CESI	Annual

SDG 4: Quality education

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	By 2026, increase the number of Canadians accessing climate information through the Canadian Centre for Climate Services from a baseline of 200,815 visits to the portals in 2021	Number of clients accessing climate information through Canadian Centre for Climate Services’ Climate Information Portals	Environment and Climate Change Canada	Annual
Target	By 2026, increase the annual number of Canadians accessing environmental sustainability information through the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators website, and through the Canadian Indicator Framework portal, to 260,000 visits from a baseline of 239,188 visits in 2020	Number of Canadians accessing environmental sustainability information through the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators website and the Canadian Indicator Framework portal	Environment and Climate Change Canada Statistics Canada	Annual
Target	Increase Canada's ranking for Average Relative Citation in natural sciences, engineering, and life sciences to the top 10 of OECD countries by 2025	Canada's ranking for Average Relative Citation in natural sciences, engineering, and life sciences	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada	To be determined
Target	175,000 students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate in Canada by December 2025	Number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates in Canada	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada	Annual
Contextual		Funding invested in research related to the environment and sustainable development	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Canadian Institutes of Health Research Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada	Annual
		Ground-based infrastructure to receive earth observation data to monitor climate action	Natural Resources Canada	To be determined
		Number of international data partnerships and engagements that support decision making on sustainable development	Natural Resources Canada	Annual

SDG 5: Gender equality

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	By 2026, increase the number of women employed in the clean technology sector from a baseline of 86,694 in 2019	Number of women working in the clean technology sector	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada	Annual
Contextual		Persistence and representation of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs	Statistics Canada	Occasional
		Proportion of leadership roles held by women *	Statistics Canada	Occasional
		Number of female farm operators in Canada	Statistics Canada	Every 5 years
		Number of individuals with an enhanced awareness and/or knowledge and/or skills to promote women’s participation and leadership in public life	Global Affairs Canada	Annual
		Number of people newly-employed in the environment sector, including in technical, supervisory and management roles supported by Global Affairs Canada programming	Global Affairs Canada	Annual
		Percentage of bilateral international development assistance investments that either target or integrate gender equality and the empowerment of women and girls	Global Affairs Canada	Annual

SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	By 2026, complete all actions required to restore 6 Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes	Number of actions taken to restore 6 Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Target	By 2026, report on all 9 objectives to be achieved for the Great Lakes	Reporting on 9 objectives to be achieved for the Great Lakes	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Target	By 2027, action plans are in place to advance restoration and protection of major lakes and rivers in Canada	Number of action plans to advance restoration and protection of major lakes and rivers	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Target	By March 2030, 85% of wastewater systems on reserve achieve effluent quality standards	Percentage of wastewater systems on reserve where effluent quality standards are achieved	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Target	By December 2040, 100% of wastewater systems achieve effluent quality standards	Percentage of wastewater systems where effluent quality standards are achieved	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Contextual		Drinking water advisories	CESI	Every 2 years
		Metal and diamond mining effluent quality	CESI	Annual
		Pulp and paper effluent quality	CESI	Annual
		Water quality in Canadian rivers *	CESI	Annual
		Water quantity in Canadian rivers	CESI	Every 2 years
		Sustainable water use indicator in development	CESI	To be determined

SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	By 2030, 90%, and in the long term 100% of Canada's electricity is generated from renewable and non-emitting sources	Proportion of electricity generated from renewable and non-greenhouse gas-emitting sources *	Natural Resources Canada	Annual
Target	Consult on the development of a Clean Electricity Standard to achieve a net-zero clean electricity grid by 2035 and achieve a 100% net-zero emitting electricity future	In development	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Target	By 2030, 600 petajoules of total annual energy savings will be achieved as a result of adoption of energy efficiency codes, standards and practices from a baseline savings of 20.0 petajoules in 2017 to 2018	Total annual energy savings resulting from adoption of energy efficiency codes, standards and practices *	Natural Resources Canada	Annual
Target	By 2030, grow the production and use of clean fuels while continually reducing life-cycle carbon intensity over the long-term	The proportion of Canada’s energy demand met by clean fuels and the carbon intensity of those fuels.	Natural Resources Canada	To be determined
Contextual		Number of projects funded to support First Nation, Inuit and the Métis Nation’s capacity and readiness	Indigenous Services Canada	To be determined

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	Achieve 8% growth in jobs in the clean tech products sector by March 31, 2024	Jobs in the clean technology products sector *	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada	Annual
Target	Between 2022 and 2026, 30% of all Sustainable Development Technology Canada’s SD Tech Fund-supported technologies are commercialized annually	Percentage of SD Tech Fund-supported technologies commercialized (revenue derived from project technology)	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada	Every 2 years
Contextual		Environmental and clean technology sector compensation	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada	To be determined
		Environmental and clean technology sector GDP	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada	To be determined
		Sustainable business practices	Statistics Canada	To be determined
		Value of investments leveraged in clean technologies	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada	Annual

SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	By March 31, 2024, 1,000 electric vehicle chargers, 22 natural gas stations, and 15 hydrogen stations along major highways, freight corridors and key metropolitan centres are completed	Number of low-carbon recharging and refueling stations along major highways, and in rural and urban areas *	Natural Resources Canada	Annual
Target	By March 31, 2026, 33,500 new electric vehicle chargers in public places, on-street, at apartment buildings, retail outlets, and the workplace, as well as 10 new hydrogen stations are completed	Number of low-carbon recharging and refueling stations in public places, on-street, at apartment buildings, retail outlets, and the workplace *	Natural Resources Canada	Annual
Target	By fiscal year 2027 to 2028, the federal share of the value of green infrastructure projects approved under the Invest in Canada plan will reach $26.9 billion	Value of green infrastructure projects approved under the Investing in Canada plan	Infrastructure Canada	Annual
Contextual		Greenhouse gas emissions per dollar of value-added from the production of infrastructure assets	Infrastructure Canada	Annual

SDG 10: Reduced inequalities

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	Between 2022 and 2026, continue to report on an annual basis to Canadians on access to clean drinking water in First Nations communities through Indigenous Services Canada’s departmental website as data becomes available	Reporting on access to clean drinking water in First Nations communities	Indigenous Services Canada	To be determined
Contextual		Percentage of Indigenous peoples engaged with Environment and Climate Change Canada through conservation activities who indicate that the engagement was meaningful	Environment and Climate Change Canada	Annual

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	By 2030, 22% of commuters use public transit or active transportation	Population using public transit or active transportation *	Statistics Canada	Every 5 years
Target	Establish a new National Urban Parks policy and designate national urban parks as part of a network, with a target of 15 new national urban parks by 2030	Designation of new national urban parks	Parks Canada	Annual
Target	By 2026, maintain or increase the number of Canadians that get out into nature, relative to the 2018 to 2019 baseline	Number of visits at Parks Canada heritage places	Parks Canada	Annual
Target	By March 31, 2022, increase annual visitation to the 10 national wildlife areas that are part of the Connecting Canadians to Nature Initiative by 25%, from a baseline of 220,050 in 2015 when the program was launched	Number of visits to selected national wildlife areas	Environment and Climate Change	Annual
Contextual		Number of natural heritage places managed cooperatively with Indigenous peoples	Parks Canada	Annual
		Population living close to a public transit stop *	Statistics Canada	Occasional
		Proximity to neighbourhood parks	Statistics Canada	Every 2 years
		Visits to parks and public green spaces	Statistics Canada	Every 2 years

SDG 12: Responsible production and consumption

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	Reduce the amount of waste Canadians send to disposal from a baseline of 699 kilograms per person in 2014 to 490 kilograms per person by 2030 (a 30% reduction); and to 350 kilograms per person by 2040 (a 50% reduction)	Solid waste diversion and disposal	CESI	Every 2 years
Target	Plastic packaging in Canada contains at least 50% recycled content by 2030, where feasible	In development	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Target	By 2032, reduce single-use plastics that are found in the environment, are not recycled, and have readily available alternatives (for example, checkout bags) entering the waste stream by 4% and entering the environment as pollution by 7%	In development	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Target	100% of new light-duty vehicle sales are required to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035, with an interim sales target of at least 50% by 2030	Proportion of new light-duty vehicle registrations that are zero-emission vehicles	Transport Canada	To be determined
Target	100% of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sales are zero emission by 2040, where feasible	Proportion of new medium- and heavy- duty vehicle sales that are zero-emission	Transport Canada	To be determined
Contextual		Percentage of households who use their own bags or containers when grocery shopping	Statistics Canada	Every 2 years
		Plastic particles in the Northern Fulmar	CESI	Every 5 years
		Total waste diversion *	Statistics Canada	Every 2 years

SDG 13: Climate action

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	Achieve 40 to 45% greenhouse gas emission reductions below 2005 levels by 2030, and achieve net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050	Greenhouse gas emissions *	CESI	Annual
Target		Greenhouse gas emissions projections	CESI	Annual
Target	Achieve a 25% reduction in national black carbon emissions by 2025, compared to 2013 levels	Black carbon emissions	Environment and Climate Change Canada	Annual
Target	The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon and climate-resilient operations by 2050	Percentage change in energy related greenhouse gas emissions from facilities and conventional fleets relative to fiscal year 2005 to 2006	Centre for Greening Government (Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat)	Annual
Target		Percentage change in greenhouse gas emissions from national safety and security fleets relative to fiscal year 2005 to 2006	Centre for Greening Government (Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat)	Annual
Contextual		Greenhouse gas concentrations	CESI	Annual
		Land-based greenhouse gas emissions and removals	CESI	Annual
		Proportion of municipal organization who factored climate change adaptation into decision-making processes *	Infrastructure Canada Statistics Canada	Occasional
		Temperature change in Canada	CESI	Annual
		Sea ice in Canada	CESI	Every 2 years
		Snow cover	CESI	Every 2 years
		Adaptation indicator in development	Statistics Canada	To be determined
		Extreme heat indicator in development	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined

SDG 14: Life below water

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	Conserve 25% of marine and coastal areas by 2025, and 30% by 2030, from 13.8% recognized as conserved as of the end of 2020 in support of the commitment to work to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 in Canada, and achieve a full recovery for nature by 2050	Canada's conserved areas *	CESI	Annual
Target	By 2026, at least 55% of Canada’s key fish stocks are in the Cautious and Healthy zone	Status of key fish stocks	CESI	Annual
Target		Sustainable fish harvest *	CESI	Annual
Contextual		Eelgrass in Canada	CESI	Every 3 years
		Marine pollution spills	CESI	Every 3 years
		Monitoring disposal at sea	CESI	Every 3 years
		Shellfish harvest area quality	CESI	Every 2 years

SDG 15: Life on land

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	Conserve 25% of Canada’s land and inland waters by 2025, working toward 30% by 2030, from 12.5% recognized as conserved as of the end of 2020 in support of the commitment to work to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 in Canada, and achieve a full recovery for nature by 2050	Canada’s conserved areas *	CESI	Annual
Target	Establish 10 new national parks and 10 new national marine conservation areas (NMCAs) in the next 5 years, working with Indigenous communities on co-management agreements for these national parks and NMCAs	Establishment of new national parks and national marine conservation areas	Parks Canada	Annual
Target	Between 2023 and 2026, maintain Canada’s annual timber harvest at or below sustainable wood supply levels	Sustainability of timber harvest	CESI	Annual
Target	By 2026, increase the percentage of species at risk listed under federal law that exhibit population trends that are consistent with recovery strategies and management plans to 60%, from a baseline of 42% in 2019	Species at risk population trends *	CESI	Annual
Target	By 2026, maintain or improve the proportion of species that are ranked as secure that remain secure or apparently secure from a baseline of 80% in 2015	Status of wild species *	CESI	Every 5 years
Target	By 2030, increase the percentage of migratory bird species whose populations sizes fall within an acceptable range—neither too low nor too high—to 70% from a baseline of 57% in 2016	Population status of Canada’s migratory birds	CESI	Every 5 years
Target	By 2030, Indigenous peoples participate in 90% of migratory bird monitoring and research projects	Participation of Indigenous peoples in migratory bird monitoring and research projects	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Contextual		Canadian forest area	Natural Resources Canada	Annual
		Canadian species index	CESI	Every 3 years
		Changes in the status of wildlife species at risk	CESI	Annual
		Deforestation and afforestation	Natural Resources Canada	Annual
		Ecological integrity of national parks	CESI	Annual
		Extent of Canada’s wetlands	CESI	Every 5 years
		Trends in Canada's bird populations	CESI	Every 5 years

SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	By 2026, maintain the annual percentage of non-compliance with environmental and wildlife laws and regulations that are addressed by enforcement action at 70%	Percentage of non-compliance with environmental and wildlife laws and regulations that are addressed by enforcement action	Environment and Climate Change Canada	To be determined
Target	By March 31, 2026, restore and/or enhance a total of 5,000 hectares of natural environment through Environmental Damages Fund projects, from a baseline of 568 hectares in 2018	Area (in hectares) where natural environments are restored and/or enhanced	Environment and Climate Change Canada	Annual
Contextual		Percentage of Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development audits and evaluations reviewed by parliamentarians	Office of the Auditor General of Canada	To be determined

SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

Indicator type	Target	Indicator	Source	Update cycle
Target	Implement Canada’s climate finance commitment of $5.3 billion over 5 years, with at least 40% of funding going toward climate adaptation and at least 20% to projects that leverage nature-based climate solutions and projects that contribute biodiversity co-benefits	Delivery of Canada’s climate finance commitment	Environment and Climate Change Canada	Annual
Contextual		Amount of Canadian international assistance that addresses climate change	Global Affairs Canada	Annual
Contextual		Number of international engagements and commitments that advance Canada’s priorities on environment, climate change and clean technology	Natural Resources Canada	Annual

Annex 3: Responsibilities of federal organizations

The draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy includes specific, measurable and time-bound targets linked to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Targets are supported by short-term milestones and implementation strategies. Actions within an implementation strategy may directly contribute to a target or contribute to the broader FSDS goal.

While the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy provides a framework for action across government, specific commitments will be included in departmental sustainable development strategies. Each federal organization included in the Schedule of the Federal Sustainable Development Act is required to prepare its own departmental sustainable development strategy, which must be tabled within one year of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy tabling date. Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Sustainable Development Office provides guidance to support federal organizations in preparing these strategies.

SDG 1: No poverty

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Emergency management and disaster risk reduction
Target	By March 2023, 55% of Canadians are aware of disaster risks facing their household	Minister of Public Safety Minister of Emergency Preparedness
Action	Conduct research and analysis on emergency preparedness	Natural Resources Canada Public Safety Canada
Action	Enhance public awareness of preparedness for natural disasters	Public Safety Canada
Action	Provide space-based data for emergency management	Natural Resources Canada
Action	Support emergency preparedness in Indigenous communities	Indigenous Services Canada
Action	Support transboundary climate risk management	Canada Border Service Agency
Action	Work with partners on emergency management and disaster risk reduction	Health Canada Indigenous Services Canada Infrastructure Canada Public Safety Canada
Milestone	Issue National Risk Profile reports	Public Safety Canada

SDG 2: Zero hunger

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Sustainable food systems
Target	By 2026, maintain 90% compliance with Fisheries Act regulations related to aquaculture	Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Target	By 2030, support improvement in the environmental performance of the agriculture sector by achieving a score of 71 or higher for the Index of Agri-Environmental Sustainability	Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
Action	Enhance Indigenous and northern food security	Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Action	Ensure the resilience of Canada’s food system	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Canada Border Services Agency
Action	Support natural climate solutions in Canada	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Action	Support sustainable agriculture	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Support sustainable aquaculture	Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Milestone	Develop a Canadian Agri-Environmental Strategy	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Milestone	Improve the affordability of nutritious food	Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Milestone	Increase support through the Northern Isolated Community Initiatives Fund	Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency
Milestone	Promote and support Canadian Agricultural Partnership Policy Framework	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Milestone	Reduce nitrous oxide emissions in the agriculture sector	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada
Milestone	Support Indigenous self-determination through food cultures and ways of living	Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Air quality
Target	Increase the percentage of the population living in areas where air pollutant concentrations are less than or equal to the Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards from 60% in 2005 to 85% in 2030	Minister of Environment and Climate Change Minister of Health
Action	Develop, administer and enforce measures addressing air pollution	Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada Transport Canada
Action	Inform Canadians about air quality	Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada
Action	Research the impacts of air pollution	Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada National Research Council Canada Transport Canada
Action	Work with partners to address air quality	Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada
Milestone	Maintain reduced air pollutant emission levels	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Strengthen Canadian Ambient Air Quality Standards	Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada
Sound management of chemicals and contaminated sites
Target	By 2024, 100% of the 4,363 existing chemicals that were prioritized under the Chemicals Management Plan have been addressed	Minister of Environment and Climate Change Minister of Health
Target	By March 31, 2025, 60% of Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan eligible sites are closed or in long-term monitoring	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Address contaminated sites	Canada Border Services Agency Correctional Service Canada Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Health Canada Indigenous Services Canada Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. National Capital Commission National Defence National Research Council Canada Parks Canada Public Service and Procurement Canada Transport Canada
Action	Assess and manage risks from chemicals	Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada
Action	Continue review of pesticides	Health Canada
Action	Inform and increase understanding of harmful substances	Canada Border Services Agency Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada Transport Canada
Action	Work with partners to reduce the risks of harmful substances	Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada
Milestone	Implement the Chemicals Management Plan	Environment and Climate Change Canada Health Canada
Milestone	Implement the Federal Contaminated Sites Action Plan phase IV	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Reduce environmental liability	Environment and Climate Change Canada

SDG 4: Quality education

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Sustainable development information
Target	By 2026, increase the number of Canadians accessing climate information through the Canadian Centre for Climate Services from a baseline of 200,815 visits to the portals in 2021	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By 2026, increase the number of Canadians accessing environmental sustainability information through the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators website, and through the Canadian Indicator Framework portal, to 260,000 visits from a baseline of 239,188 visits in 2020	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Promote environmental knowledge and data sharing	Fisheries and Oceans Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Provide information to help consumers make more sustainable choices	Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Provide science and knowledge to inform ambitious climate action	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Natural Resources Canada Statistics Canada
Milestone	Implement an environmental marketing campaign	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Roll out the Science Literacy Promotion Initiative	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Sustainable development research
Target	Increase Canada's ranking for Average Relative Citation in natural sciences, engineering, and life sciences to the top 10 of OECD countries by 2025	Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
Action	Promote better environmental decision making	Statistics Canada
Action	Work with partners on sustainable development research initiatives	Canadian Institutes of Health Research Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Milestone	Establish the national freshwater data strategy	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Establish the national freshwater science agenda	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Training and skills in sustainable development
Target	175,000 students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate in Canada by December 2025	Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
Action	Increase the number of young Canadians pursuing skills training or careers in environmental sectors	Employment and Social Development Canada
Action	Support youth skill development in environmental sectors	Canadian Institutes of Health Research Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Employment and Social Development Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada

SDG 5: Gender equality

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Women’s participation in the environmental and clean technology sector
Target	By 2026, increase the number of women employed in the clean technology sector from a baseline of 86,694 in 2019	Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
Action	Disaggregate data	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Statistics Canada
Action	Invest in women	Indigenous Services Canada Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Action	Support skills and training	Environment and Climate Change Canada Global Affairs Canada Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Support GBA Plus across the Government of Canada	Indigenous Services Canada

SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Clean and safe water
Target	By 2026, complete all actions required to restore 6 Areas of Concern in the Great Lakes	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By 2026, report on all 9 objectives to be achieved for the Great Lakes	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By 2027, action plans are in place to advance restoration and protection of major lakes and rivers in Canada	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By March 2030, 85% of wastewater systems on reserve achieve effluent quality standards	Minister of Indigenous Services
Target	By December 2040, 100% of wastewater systems achieve effluent quality standards	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Develop knowledge of water-related sustainability in Canada	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Develop knowledge to better understand the St. Lawrence River ecosystem	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Implement the Wastewater S ystem s Effluent Regulations	Environment and Climate Change Canada Indigenous Services Canada
Action	Implement water quality and ecosystem partnerships programs	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Work with partners on drinking water quality	Health Canada
Milestone	Create a new Canada Water Agency	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada (lead) Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Complete approved water and wastewater projects	Infrastructure Canada
Milestone	Renew the Freshwater Action Plan	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Reduce risk to public water systems and public wastewater systems on reserve	Indigenous Services Canada
Milestone	Publish the State of the St. Lawrence River report	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Publish the Great Lakes Progress Report of the Parties	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Publish the State of the Great Lakes report	Environment and Climate Change Canada

SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Renewable and non-emitting sources of electricity
Target	By 2030, 90%, and in the long term 100% of Canada's electricity is generated from renewable and non-emitting sources	Minister of Natural Resources
Target	Consult on the development of a Clean Electricity Standard to achieve a net-zero clean electricity grid by 2035 and achieve a 100% net-zero emitting electricity future	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Implement and enforce regulations and legislation	Canada Energy Regulator
Action	Invest in research, development, and demonstration of clean energy technologies	National Research Council Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Play a leading role to promote clean and renewable energy	Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Support renewable energy deployment	Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Indigenous Services Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Support voluntary action to adopt clean energy technologies	Department of Finance Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Work with partners on clean and renewable energy	Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Canada Energy Regulator Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Indigenous Services Canada Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Develop regulations on offshore renewable energy	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Demonstrate and deploy the next generation of smart grids	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Install renewable energy in Indigenous and northern communities	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Provide access to efficient sources of electricity	Infrastructure Canada
Milestone	Support smart renewables	Natural Resources Canada
Energy efficiency
Target	By 2030, 600 petajoules of total annual energy savings will be achieved as a result of adoption of energy efficiency codes, standards and practices from a baseline savings of 20.0 petajoules in 2017 to 2018	Minister of Natural Resources
Action	Develop and implement energy efficiency codes and regulations	National Research Council Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Invest in research, development, and demonstration of energy efficiency technologies	Natural Resources Canada
Action	Support deployment of energy efficiency technologies and practices	Natural Resources Canada
Action	Support voluntary action	Natural Resources Canada
Action	Work with domestic and international partners on energy efficiency	Canada Energy Regulator Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Demonstrate energy-efficient and net-zero energy building technologies	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Promote ENERGY STAR Portfolio Manager	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Publish energy efficiency regulations	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Support greener homes	Natural Resources Canada
Clean fuels
Target	By 2030, grow the production and use of clean fuels while continually reducing life-cycle carbon intensity over the long-term	Minister of Natural Resources
Action	Apply clean fuel regulations	Natural Resources Canada
Action	Deliver the Clean Fuels Fund	Natural Resources Canada
Action	Develop and update codes and standards	Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada Canada Energy Regulator
Action	Invest in research, development, and demonstration of clean fuels	Natural Resources Canada
Action	Work with stakeholders to advance the Hydrogen Strategy for Canada	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Develop clean fuel production facilities	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Develop codes, standards and regulations	Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Support biomass supply chains	Natural Resources Canada

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Green jobs
Target	Achieve 8% growth in jobs in the clean tech products sector by March 31, 2024	Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
Target	Between 2022 and 2026, 30% of all Sustainable Development Technology Canada’s SD Tech Fund-supported technologies are commercialized annually	Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry
Action	Develop our knowledge of clean technologies	Employment and Social Development Canada Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Support workers, businesses, and communities	Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency Economic Development Agency of Canada for Québec Regions Environment and Climate Change Canada Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario Fisheries and Oceans Canada Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Parks Canada Pacific Economic Development Canada Prairies Economic Development Canada

SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Green infrastructure and innovation
Target	By March 31, 2024, 1,000 electric vehicle chargers, 22 natural gas stations, and 15 hydrogen stations along major highways, freight corridors and key metropolitan centres are completed	Minister of Natural Resources
Target	By March 31, 2026, 33,500 new electric vehicle chargers in public places, on-street, at apartment buildings, retail outlets, and the workplace, as well as 10 new hydrogen stations are completed	Minister of Natural Resources
Target	By fiscal year 2027 to 2028, the federal share of the value of green infrastructure projects approved under the Invest in Canada plan will reach $26.9 billion	Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
Action	Attract and scale-up sustainable finance in Canada	Environment and Climate Change Canada Department of Finance Canada
Action	Develop and implement climate-resilient codes and standards	Infrastructure Canada Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada National Research Council Standards Council of Canada
Action	Invest in deployment and adoption of clean technologies	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Natural Resources Canada National Research Council of Canada
Action	Invest in green infrastructure	Infrastructure Canada
Action	Invest in research, development and demonstration of clean technologies	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Deliver standardization strategies	Standards Council of Canada
Milestone	Demonstrate electric and hydrogen vehicle infrastructure	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Enable new and revised codes, standards and guidelines and decision support tools for climate-resilient infrastructure	National Research Council
Milestone	Growing business investment in research and development	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Milestone	Publish a Carbon Capture, Utilization and Storage Strategy	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Publish national model codes	National Research Council
Milestone	Support research, development and demonstration of carbon capture, utilization and storage technologies	Natural Resources Canada

SDG 10: Reduced inequalities

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Taking action on inequality
Target	Between 2022 and 2026, continue to report on an annual basis to Canadians on access to clean drinking water in First Nations communities through Indigenous Services Canada’s departmental website as data becomes available	Minister of Indigenous Services
Action	Take action towards eliminating remaining long-term drinking water advisories on reserve	Indigenous Services Canada
Action	Collaborate and engage with Indigenous peoples	Fisheries and Oceans Canada Impact Assessment Agency of Canada Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada
Action	Implement the Disaggregated Data Action Plan to fill data and knowledge gaps on inequalities	Statistics Canada
Action	Return fuel charge proceeds equitably through Climate Action Incentive payments and other supports	Environment and Climate Change Canada Department of Finance Canada
Action	Support entrepreneurship for Black and Indigenous communities	Indigenous Services Canada Innovation, Science and Economic Development
Action	Support the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples	Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada
Milestone	Champion the role of Indigenous peoples in the Arctic Council	Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada
Milestone	Collaborate with Indigenous peoples in fisheries management	Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Milestone	Increase participation of Indigenous communities, organizations or governments in Canada’s data governance and knowledge economy	Natural Resources Canada
Milestone	Publish the National Pollutant Release Inventory Indigenous Series	Environment and Climate Change Canada

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Public transit and active transportation
Target	By 2030, 22% of commuters use public transit or active transportation	Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities
Action	Invest in public transit and active transportation	Infrastructure Canada The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc.
Milestone	Support the purchase of zero-emission buses	Infrastructure Canada
G reen spaces, cultural and natural heritage
Target	Establish a new National Urban Parks policy and designate national urban parks as part of a network, with a target of 15 new national urban parks by 2030	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By 2026, maintain or increase the number of Canadians that get out into nature, relative to the 2018 to 2019 baseline	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By March 31, 2022, increase annual visitation to the 10 national wildlife areas that are part of the Connecting Canadians to Nature Initiative by 25%, from a baseline of 220,050 in 2015 when the program was launched	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Enhance visitor experience in parks and historic places	Parks Canada
Action	Promote access to green space, cultural and natural heritage	The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. Parks Canada National Battlefields Commission National Capital Commission
Action	Promote public engagement in green spaces, parks and historic places	Environment and Climate Change Canada Parks Canada National Capital Commission
Action	Work with partners on conservation activities	Environment and Climate Change Canada Parks Canada
Milestone	Maintain access to Battlefields Park	National Battlefields Commission

SDG 12: Responsible production and consumption

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Waste management
Target	Reduce the amount of waste Canadians send to disposal from a baseline of 699 kilograms per person in 2014 to 490 kilograms per person by 2030 (a 30% reduction); and to 350 kilograms per person by 2040 (a 50% reduction)	Minister of Environment and Climate Change (as federal lead in the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment)
Target	Plastic packaging in Canada contains at least 50% recycled content by 2030, where feasible	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By 2032, reduce single-use plastics that are found in the environment, are not recycled, and have readily available alternatives (for example, checkout bags) entering the waste stream by 4% and entering the environment as pollution by 7%	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Advance circular economy in Canada	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Deliver efficient food systems	Agriculture and Agri-food Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Research innovative solutions for plastics	Environment and Climate Change Canada Transport Canada
Milestone	Monitor Canada’s ocean disposal sites	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Measure food loss and waste	Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Use of mining waste to produce critical minerals	Natural Resources Canada
Zero-emission vehicles
Target	100% of new light-duty vehicle sales are required to be zero-emission vehicles by 2035, with an interim sales target of at least 50% by 2030	Minister of Environment and Climate Change Minister of Transport
Target	100% of medium- and heavy-duty vehicles sales are zero emission by 2040, where feasible	Minister of Environment and Climate Change Minister of Transport
Action	Develop regulations that support zero-emission vehicle sales	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Make zero-emission vehicles more affordable and improve supply	Environment and Climate Change Canada Transport Canada
Action	Work with partners in the transportation sector	Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Natural Resources Canada Transport Canada
Milestone	Develop a strategy to decarbonize on-road freight	Transport Canada

SDG 13: Climate action

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Climate change adaptation and mitigation
Target	Achieve 40 to 45% greenhouse gas emission reductions below 2005 levels by 2030, and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050	Minister of Environment and Climate Change - Supported by whole-of-government implementation
Target	Achieve a 25% reduction in national black carbon emissions by 2025, compared to 2013 levels	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Implement the Canadian Net-Zero Emissions Accountability Act	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Implement Canada’s 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Support natural climate solutions in Canada as part of the Strengthened Climate Plan	Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada
Action	Continue to implement the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change	Environment and Climate Change Canada - Supported by whole-of-government implementation
Action	Continue to implement the Strengthened Climate Plan	Environment and Climate Change Canada - Supported by whole-of-government implementation
Action	Adopt an integrated climate lens for all federal decision making	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Establish a 2030 Emissions Reduction Plan	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Ensure a strengthened price on carbon pollution is in place in Canada	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Implement evidence-based measures to protect health from extreme heat in health regions	Health Canada
Milestone	Release a national adaptation strategy for Canada	Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada
Federal leadership on greenhouse gas emissions reductions and climate resilience
Target	The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon and climate-resilient operations by 2050	All ministers
Action	Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations	All federal organizations
Action	Apply a greenhouse gas reduction life-cycle cost analysis for major building retrofits	All federal organizations owning real property
Action	Assess and reduce risks posed by climate change to federal assets, services and operations	All federal organizations owning real property
Action	Modernize through net-zero carbon buildings	All federal organizations owning real property
Action	Purchase low-carbon intensity fuels for air and marine fleets	All federal organizations with significant air and marine fleets, specifically: National Defence Royal Canadian Mounted Police Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Canadian Coast Guard) Transport Canada
Action	Purchase zero emission vehicles	All federal organizations
Action	Strengthen green procurement criteria	All federal organizations
Milestone	Achieve total clean electricity use in federal real property	All federal organizations owning real property, and internationally where locally feasible
Milestone	Develop national safety and security operational fleet decarbonization plans	National Defence Royal Canadian Mounted Police Fisheries and Oceans Canada (Canadian Coast Guard)
Milestone	Develop a zero-carbon, climate-resilient office leasing federal portfolio	Public Service and Procurement Canada
Milestone	Identify and incorporate awareness of climate-change-related risks into federal planning	All federal organizations
Milestone	Reduce greenhouse gas emissions in federal real property and conventional fleet	All federal organizations owning real property and conventional fleets over 50 vehicles
Milestone	Transform the federal light-duty fleet	All federal organizations owning conventional fleets

SDG 14: Life below water

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Ocean protection and conservation
Target	Conserve 25% of marine and coastal areas by 2025, and 30% by 2030, from 13.8% recognized as conserved as of the end of 2020 in support of the commitment to work to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 in Canada, and achieve a full recovery for nature by 2050	Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Action	Build knowledge of coastal and marine ecosystems and marine protected areas	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada National Research Council Canada Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada Transport Canada
Action	Implement new protection standards in marine protected areas	Fisheries and Oceans Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Protect and manage marine and coastal areas	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada Transport Canada
Action	Reduce marine litter and support the Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste	Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Action	Use legislation and regulations to protect coasts and oceans	Canada Border Services Agency Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada Transport Canada
Action	Work with partners to protect and restore coastal and marine ecosystems	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada Transport Canada
Milestone	Further develop Canada’s Ghost Gear Program	Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Milestone	Patrol for marine spills	Transport Canada
Ocean sustainability
Target	By 2026, at least 55% of Canada’s key fish stocks are in the Cautious and Healthy zone	Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and Canadian Coast Guard
Action	Build knowledge to support sustainable fisheries	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Action	Implement policies for sustainable fisheries	Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Action	Support the recovery and protection of Canada’s endangered whales	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Transport Canada
Milestone	Regulating fish stocks provisions	Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Milestone	Implement the Sustainable Fisheries Framework	Fisheries and Oceans Canada

SDG 15: Life on land

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Conservation of land and fresh water
Target	Conserve 25% of Canada’s land and inland waters by 2025, working toward 30% by 2030, from 12.5% recognized as conserved as of the end of 2020 in support of the commitment to work to halt and reverse nature loss by 2030 in Canada, and achieve a full recovery for nature by 2050	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	Establish 10 new national parks and 10 new national marine conservation areas (NMCAs) in the next 5 years, working with Indigenous communities on co-management agreements for these national parks and NMCAs	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	Between 2023 and 2026, maintain Canada’s annual timber harvest at or below sustainable wood supply levels	Minister of Natural Resources
Action	Better understand lands and forests	Environment and Climate Change Canada The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. Natural Resources Canada
Action	Conserve natural spaces	Environment and Climate Change Canada Parks Canada
Action	Promote participation in Canada’s forest sector and support the transition to a sustainable economy	Natural Resources Canada
Action	Work with domestic and international partners	Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada
Action	Work with Indigenous peoples	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Parks Canada
Milestone	Designate ecological corridors	Parks Canada
Milestone	Establish new protected areas	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Finalize Nature Agreements	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Make progress on Canada’s commitment to area-based conservation	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Species protection and recovery
Target	By 2026, increase the percentage of species at risk listed under federal law that exhibit population trends that are consistent with recovery strategies and management plans to 60%, from a baseline of 42% in 2019	Minister of Environment and Climate Change Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard
Target	By 2026, maintain or improve the proportion of species that are ranked as secure remain secure or apparently secure from a baseline of 80% in 2015	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By 2030, increase the percentage of migratory bird species whose populations sizes fall within an acceptable range—neither too low nor too high— to 70% from a baseline of 57% in 2016	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By 2030, Indigenous peoples participate in 90% of migratory bird monitoring and research projects	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Deliver enhanced conservation action	Environment and Climate Change Canada The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc. Parks Canada
Action	Develop a pan-Canadian approach to wildlife health with partners	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Enhance foundational knowledge of species, habitats and ecosystems with partners	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Parks Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Establish a principle of no net loss of biodiversity	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Implement, innovate and modernize the regulatory and policy framework and tools to protect species at risk, other fish and fish habitat and migratory birds	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Action	Implement the aquatic and terrestrial pan-Canadian approaches to transforming species at risk conservation in Canada with partners	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Parks Canada
Action	Prevent, detect, and respond to, control and manage invasive alien species	Canada Border Services Agency Canadian Food Inspection Agency Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Natural Resources Canada Parks Canada
Action	Uphold international commitments related to wildlife	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Action	Work with partners to implement and modernize technology for monitoring international wildlife trade to better detect invasive alien species, vectors of diseases and endangered species at Canada’s international borders	Canada Border Services Agency Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Collaborating on protection and recovery actions for terrestrial species at risk	Environment and Climate Change Canada Parks Canada
Milestone	Develop and implement a no net loss policy framework	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Develop conservation action plans	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Enhancing protection and recovery actions for aquatic species at risk	Fisheries and Oceans Canada Parks Canada
Milestone	Increase the proportion of listed bird species	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Milestone	Monitor invasive alien species	Canadian Food Inspection Agency Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Milestone	Partnering with provinces and territories	Environment and Climate Change Canada

SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
Effective institutions for promoting compliance with environmental laws and delivering high-quality impact assessments
Target	By 2026, maintain the annual percentage of non-compliance with environmental and wildlife laws and regulations that are addressed by enforcement action at 70%	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Target	By March 31, 2026, restore and/or enhance a total of 5,000 hectares of natural environment through Environmental Damages Fund projects, from a baseline of 568 hectares in 2018	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Strengthen monitoring and enforcement through innovation	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Implement monitoring, inspection and enforcement activities	Environment and Climate Change Canada Fisheries and Oceans Canada Impact Assessment Agency of Canada Transport Canada
Action	Use a risk-based approach to enforcement	Environment and Climate Change Canada
Action	Foster research to support the implementation of the Impact Assessment Act	Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Action	Meaningfully consult and accommodate Indigenous peoples and consider Indigenous Knowledge in impact assessment processes	Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Action	Provide the public and Indigenous peoples with a voice in impact assessment processes	Impact Assessment Agency of Canada The Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Inc.
Action	Support fair and predictable impact assessments	Impact Assessment Agency of Canada Health Canada
Milestone	Minimize the adverse effects of projects through impact assessments	Impact Assessment Agency of Canada
Milestone	Promote evidence-based decision making that considers public and Indigenous community input, including Indigenous Knowledge	Impact Assessment Agency of Canada

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

FSDS component	Title	Responsible organization(s)
E nviro nmental partnerships
Target	Implement Canada’s climate finance commitment of $5.3 billion over 5 years, with at least 40% of funding going toward climate adaptation and at least 20% to projects that leverage nature-based climate solutions and projects that contribute biodiversity co-benefits	Minister of Environment and Climate Change
Action	Increase support to and help build capacity in developing countries to adapt to and mitigate climate change	Environment and Climate Change Canada Global Affairs Canada
Action	Promote environmental protection in trade agreements and other engagement mechanisms	Environment and Climate Change Canada Global Affairs Canada
Action	Work with partners to monitor and protect our ecosystems from space	Canadian Space Agency Environment and Climate Change Canada Natural Resources Canada
Action	Work with partners to support a clean energy transition	Environment and Climate Change Canada Global Affairs Canada
Milestone	Engage with priority countries and regions	Environment and Climate Change Canada

Annex 4: Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are by design integrated and indivisible and balance the 3 dimensions of sustainable development: economic, social and environmental. Building integrated strategies and policies that create connections between the different goals helps to ensure the economy can grow, society can develop, and the environment can be protected all at the same time.

The SDGs are mutually reinforcing. For example, dealing with the threat of climate change impacts how fragile natural resources are managed and used, and achieving food security and improved health outcomes can help to eradicate poverty, reduce inequalities and eliminate barriers to economic growth and social development.

Every goal in the draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy supports progress on multiple SDGs and helps to advance Canada’s implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.

FSDS Chapters	Other supported SDGs
Chapter 1: Support Canadians’ preparedness for natural disasters and emergencies	SDG 3
	SDG 6
	SDG 9
	SDG 11
	SDG 13
Chapter 2: Ensure Canadians can access safe and healthy food	SDG 1
	SDG 3
	SDG 6
	SDG 12
	SDG 13
	SDG 14
	SDG 15
Chapter 3: Protect Canadians from air pollution and harmful substances	SDG 6
	SDG 11
	SDG 12
	SDG 13
	SDG 14
	SDG 15
Chapter 4: Publicize research, knowledge and data for sustainable development	SDG 1
	SDG 5
	SDG 8
	SDG 12
	SDG 13
Chapter 5: Support Canadian women’s participation in the environmental and clean technology sector	All other SDGs
Chapter 6: Ensure clean and safe water for all Canadians	SDG 2
	SDG 3
	SDG 12
	SDG 14
	SDG 15
	SDG 17
Chapter 7: Help Canadians have access to clean energy	SDG 9
	SDG 12
	SDG 13
Chapter 8: Encourage inclusive and sustainable economic growth in Canada	SDG 5
	SDG 7
	SDG 9
	SDG 11
	SDG 13
	SDG 17
Chapter 9: Foster innovation and support green infrastructure in Canada	SDG 1
	SDG 7
	SDG 8
	SDG 11
	SDG 12
	SDG 13
	SDG 15
Chapter 10: Advance reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and take action to reduce inequality	All other SDGs
Chapter 11: Improve access to transportation, parks, and green spaces, as well as support cultural heritage in Canada	SDG 1
	SDG 3
	SDG 9
	SDG 13
	SDG 15
Chapter 12: Support Canadians in reducing waste, and transitioning to zero-emission vehicles	SDG 2
	SDG 3
	SDG 4
	SDG 8
	SDG 9
	SDG 11
	SDG 13
	SDG 14
Chapter 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts	SDG 1
	SDG 2
	SDG 3
	SDG 7
	SDG 8
	SDG 9
	SDG 11
	SDG 12
	SDG 14
	SDG 15
Chapter 14: Conserve and protect Canada’s oceans	SDG 2
	SDG 6
	SDG 8
	SDG 13
	SDG 15
Chapter 15: Protect and recover species, conserve Canadian biodiversity	SDG 2
	SDG 3
	SDG 6
	SDG 9
	SDG 11
	SDG 12
	SDG 13
	SDG 14
Chapter 16: Enforce environmental laws, manage impacts, and evaluate sustainable development activities	All other SDGs
Chapter 17: Strengthen partnerships to promote global action on climate change and sustainable development	All other SDGs

Strengthening transparency and accountability

Introducing our strategy

On this page

Introduction

Message from the Minister

Executive summary and target overview

The draft 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy: what’s new

Federal Sustainable Development Strategy: Target overview

Annexes

Annex 1: About the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy

Legislative basis

History of the strategy

Roles and responsibilities

The role of public consultation

The structure of the strategy

Annex 2: Performance measurement

Fsds progress reports

Departmental sustainable development strategies

Indicators

SDG 1: No poverty

SDG 2: Zero hunger

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

SDG 4: Quality education

SDG 5: Gender equality

SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation

SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth

SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

SDG 10: Reduced inequalities

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

SDG 12: Responsible production and consumption

SDG 13: Climate action

SDG 14: Life below water

SDG 15: Life on land

SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

SDG 17: Partnerships for the goals

Annex 3: Responsibilities of federal organizations

SDG 1: No poverty

SDG 2: Zero hunger

SDG 3: Good health and well-being

SDG 4: Quality education

SDG 5: Gender equality

SDG 6: Clean water and sanitation

SDG 7: Affordable and clean energy

SDG 8: Decent work and economic growth

SDG 9: Industry, innovation and infrastructure

SDG 10: Reduced inequalities

SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities

SDG 12: Responsible production and consumption

SDG 13: Climate action

SDG 14: Life below water

SDG 15: Life on land

SDG 16: Peace, justice and strong institutions

SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

Annex 4: Sustainable Development Goals