2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
Introduction to the 2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
The 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada’s sustainable development goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. This is the first FSDS to be framed using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and provides a balanced view of the environmental, social, and economic dimensions of sustainable development.
In keeping with the purpose of the Act, to make decision-making related to sustainable development more transparent and accountable to Parliament, Invest in Canada supports the goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in Invest in Canada’s 2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS). This Report provides a report on progress related to Invest in Canada’s DSDS in the fiscal year 2023 to 2024.
The Federal Sustainable Development Act also sets out 7 principles that must be considered in the development of the FSDS as well as DSDSs. These basic principles have been considered and incorporated in Invest in Canada’s DSDS and 2023 to 2024 DSDS Report.
To promote coordinated action on sustainable development across the Government of Canada, Invest in Canada’s departmental strategy reports on Canada’s progress towards implementing the 2030 Agenda and advancing the SDGs, supported by the Global Indicator Framework (GIF) and Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) targets and indicators. The Report also now captures progress on SDG initiatives that fall outside the scope of the FSDS.
Commitments for Invest in Canada
GOAL 10: ADVANCE RECONCILIATION WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TAKE ACTION ON INEQUALITY
FSDS Context:
Invest in Canada is committed to working with its partners to ensure that the organization's promotion of global investments into the country supports the Government's commitment to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. Action is essential to addressing social, economic and environmental inequalities and achieving substantive equality. As Canada's national investment promotion agency, Invest in Canada is well positioned to engage and nurture relationships with partners across Canada, including First Nations Leaders and Indigenous economic development organizations to highlight the positive impacts of global investments and how Invest in Canada can work in partnership with them to attract and champion opportunities for investment that will bring benefits to Indigenous communities across Canada.
Target theme: Advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis communities
Target: Between 2023 and 2026, and every year on an ongoing basis, develop and table annual progress reports on implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)
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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY |
DEPARTMENTAL ACTION |
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR |
HOW THE DEPARTMENTAL ACTION CONTRIBUTES TO THE FSDS GOAL AND TARGET AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, TO CANADA’S 2030 AGENDA NATIONAL STRATEGY AND SDGS | RESULTS ACHIEVED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act | Provide cultural bias training with a focus on Indigenous perspectives. Program: Internal Services |
Performance Indicator: |
Public servants are in a unique position to help build respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. This action encourages public service employees to increase their awareness of cultural bias and issues of prejudice and discrimination. Awareness of cultural bias is an important step towards building a respectful workplace and better serving the Canadian public. This action contributes to the understanding personal biases, prejudices and discrimination and building culturally safe relationships with Indigenous Peoples. |
Indicator result: 10% of staff completed identified training, including: Invest in Canada is developing a plan to ensure the 100% target is met by March 31, 2025 |
GOAL 12:
REDUCE WASTE AND TRANSITION
TO ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLES
FSDS Context
The Canadian economy relies on nature and the resources it provides. However, current unsustainable approaches to production and consumption of natural resources and fossil fuels will result in negative impacts on the environment, resource shortages, rising or volatile prices, and supply chain interruptions, amongst other environmental and sustainability challenges. The federal government is committed to finding new approaches to minimize waste and threats to the climate while enhancing economic opportunities for Canadians. One of such approach is to strengthen the federal procurement practices through prioritizing reusable and recyclable products and to support the procurement of Canadian clean technology. Invest in Canada is committed to supporting the Government of Canada’s policy to ensuring sustainable approaches that protect the environment. The organization is developing a long-term procurement strategy that will strengthen green procurement.
Target theme: Federal Leadership on Responsible Consumption
Target: The Government of Canada’s procurement of goods and services will be net-zero emissions by 2050, to aid the transition to a net-zero, circular economy (All Ministers)
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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY |
DEPARTMENTAL ACTION |
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR |
HOW THE DEPARTMENTAL ACTION CONTRIBUTES TO THE FSDS GOAL AND TARGET AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, TO CANADA’S 2030 AGENDA NATIONAL STRATEGY AND SDGS |
RESULTS ACHIEVED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strengthen green procurement criteria |
Ensure all procurement and material management specialists are trained in green procurement (such as, the Canada School of Public Service course on green procurement, or equivalent) within one year of being identified |
Performance Indicator: Percentage of procurement and materiel management specialists trained in green procurement within one year of being identified |
Green procurement incorporates environmental considerations into purchasing decisions and is expected to motivate suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of the goods and services they deliver, and their supply chains. |
Indicator result: 100% of procurement and materiel management specialists completed the following training within one year of being identified:
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GOAL 13:
TAKE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE
AND ITS IMPACTS
FSDS Context
Invest in Canada is taking key actions to support the government's objective to transition to a net-zero economy by reducing greenhouse gas emissions while continuing to grow prosperity. Increasing efforts to mitigate further emissions of greenhouse gases, and adapting to changes in the climate, contributes to sustainable development and helps to ensure that future generations will be able to provide for their needs. Invest in Canada is committed to supporting the federal government's efforts to transition to net-zero and adopt clean energy solutions through its programs and services.
Target theme: Federal Leadership on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions and Climate Resilience
Target: The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon operations for facilities and conventional fleets by 2050 (All Ministers)
| IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY |
DEPARTMENTAL ACTION |
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR |
HOW THE DEPARTMENTAL ACTION CONTRIBUTES TO THE FSDS GOAL AND TARGET AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, TO CANADA’S 2030 AGENDA NATIONAL STRATEGY AND SDGS |
RESULTS ACHIEVED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations |
Ensure all relevant employees are trained on assessing climate change impacts, undertaking climate change risk assessments, and developing adaptation actions within one year of being identified |
Performance Indicator: Percentage |
Trained staff can identify risk to critical program delivery, and develop responses to increase the resilience of operations to impacts of climate change. |
Indicator result: Invest in Canada is developing a plan to ensure that 50% of staff completed the identified training by March 31, 2025
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Target: The Government of Canada will transition to climate resilient operations by 2050 (All Ministers)
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IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGY |
DEPARTMENTAL ACTION |
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR |
HOW THE DEPARTMENTAL ACTION CONTRIBUTES TO THE FSDS GOAL AND TARGET AND, WHERE APPLICABLE, TO CANADA’S 2030 AGENDA NATIONAL STRATEGY AND SDGS | RESULTS ACHIEVED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reduce risks posed by climate change to federal assets, services and operations. |
Assess the risk of climate change impacts at mission critical assets and include plans to reduce the risk in a business continuity plan |
Performance Indicator: % of mission critical assets where the risk of climate change impacts is assessed
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By assessing the risks of climate change impacts at mission critical assets, and developing plans to reduce the risks, the risk of disruption of critical service delivery to Canadians is reduced. |
Indicator result: Invest in Canada is in the process of relocating its offices and has incorporated a risk assessment of climate change impacts for critical assets and is reviewing its business continuity plan for climate change impacts.
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Integrating Sustainable Development
Invest in Canada will continue to ensure that its decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets through its SEA process. An SEA for a policy, plan or program proposal includes an analysis of the impacts of the given proposal on the environment, including on relevant FSDS goals and targets.
Public statements on the results of Invest in Canada’s assessments will be made public when an initiative has undergone a detailed SEA (see organization website). The purpose of the public statement is to demonstrate that the environmental effects, including the impacts on achieving the FSDS goals and targets, of the approved policy, plan or program have been considered during proposal development and decision making.
Invest in Canada did not complete any detailed SEAs in 2023-2024.