Section II - Analysis of Program by Strategic Outcome

This section provides information on programs that are critical to the realization of NRCan’s Strategic Outcomes and priorities for 2013-14. NRCan monitors and tracks progress through quarterly reviews, which enables early detection of problem areas and, wherever possible, the implementation of corrective actions to deliver expected results in accordance with plans and budgets. NRCan will use its updated performance indicators to improve performance management and decision-making, and provide more accurate and balanced performance information to Parliament and Canadians.

More information about these programs and initiatives, as well as supporting evidence from internal evaluations and audit reports, can be found on NRCan’s website ⁷⁵.

 

Strategic Outcome 1 - Canada’s Natural Resource Sectors are Globally Competitive

The objective of this Strategic Outcome is to help Canada’s natural resource sectors become more globally competitive by adapting to continuously changing conditions. This will be achieved by supporting the natural resource sectors in expanding and diversifying their markets to respond to the high demand from emerging economies, and in diversifying their product offerings. Major activities to achieve this include:

• Increasing access to new and existing markets’ and contributing to the reduction of trade barriers and ensuring that regulations are up to date;
• Encouraging natural resource sectors to adopt new technologies and processes so they can maximize productivity, develop new value-added products, and diversify markets;
• Encouraging investments in the natural resource sectors by decreasing the risk of development and increasing knowledge of opportunities; and
• Developing and implementing system-wide improvements to modernize the federal regulatory system for major resource projects.

NRCan also administers the statutory programs for the Atlantic Offshore Accords, which provide that the benefits of revenues from the offshore should flow to provinces as if the resources were on land. The revenues collected by the Receiver General for Canada are paid to Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

NRCan’s success in achieving this Strategic Outcome will be measured as follows:

 

Performance Indicators 76	Targets
Canada's rank in trade as measured by Canada's Trade Performance Index (TPI) for wood, wood products and paper relative to all nations.	Favourable 10-year trend
Canada's rank in trade as measured by Trade Performance Index (TPI) for minerals (includes energy and power) relative to all nations.	Favourable 10-year trend

 

For more information on NRCan’s plans and performance, please see the NRCan plans and performance reports website ⁷⁷.

Program 1.1: Market Access and Diversification

Canada’s natural resource sectors face two key barriers to market access and diversification: 1) trade and policy barriers, and 2) lack of awareness of Canada’s natural resource products. The objectives of this program are to break down those barriers and support natural resource markets by making information available to Canadians, supporting negotiations to reduce trade barriers, and ensuring that regulations are up to date. This helps maintain natural resource sectors’ access to existing markets and increases their access to new market segments.

What NRCan is trying to accomplish and how it measures success

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	How it works
Natural resource sectors have increased access to existing markets	Natural resource sectors have access to markets as defined by domestic exports of energy products, minerals and metals products and forest products.	Meet or exceed baseline % market access (baseline to be established in 2013-14)	By measuring the levels of domestic exports of energy, minerals, metals, and forest products, NRCan will be able to assess the impact of its programs that are aimed at increasing exports and the overall health and competitiveness of the natural resource sectors.
Natural resource sectors have increased access to new market segments	Natural resource sectors have access to new market segments as defined by exports of energy products, minerals and metals products and forest products	Meet or exceed baseline % access to new market segments (baseline to be established in 2013-14)	By measuring the levels of domestic exports of energy, minerals, metals, and forest products, NRCan will be able to assess the impact of its programs that are aimed at increasing exports and providing access to new market segments and the overall health and competitiveness of the natural resource sectors.
	$ value of Canadian Direct Investment Abroad (CDIA) as a measure of investment in, and thus access to, foreign markets.	Favourable 10-year trend

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned Spending 2013-14	Planned Spending 2014-15	Planned Spending 2015-16
44,913	44,913	42,764	41,801

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
233	225	210

 

Planning Highlights

Canada’s natural resource products and technologies are a source of wealth and employment for Canadians and contribute to Canada's exports. To ensure Canada realizes its full natural resource potential, it must maintain and diversify access to markets for its natural resource industries. Partnerships and bilateral and multilateral trade agreements in the mining, forest and energy sectors will support these industries in accessing new markets and maintaining existing ones. NRCan will also work to maintain its long-established relationships with key trading partners and will continue to engage domestic partners in the articulation of Canada’s approach to the management of energy and forest resources. It will also continue to engage in multilateral processes and negotiations that have strong potential to impact Canada’s current and future trade opportunities.

As part of its work to improve the framework for Canada’s nuclear industry in moving towards a more efficient management model, the Department will continue to examine the future of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited’s (AECL) Nuclear Laboratories, including its mandate, governance and management structure. In doing so, it will continue to work in partnership with other government departments and external advisors, and engage closely with stakeholders (private industry, universities and provinces).

Commitments for 2013-14: Advance the restructuring of Atomic Energy of Canada Limited’s (AECL) Nuclear Laboratories by launching a competitive procurement process to bring in private-sector rigour and efficiencies into the management of its facilities and services under a Government-Owned Contractor-Operator model.

 

 

Program 1.2: Innovation for New Products and Processes

Optimizing the use of Canada's natural resources and the processes by which they are developed would improve the productivity of the natural resource sectors and reduce Canada’s dependency on the sale of traditional natural resource products. The objective of this program is twofold: to maximize productivity and to decrease Canada’s dependency on the sale of traditional products by encouraging natural resource sectors to adopt new technologies and processes to develop new products. This objective is achieved by conducting science, research, development, and demonstrations on new applications, technologies, processes, and products.

What NRCan is trying to accomplish and how it measures success

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	How it works
Natural Resource sectors increase production of new products and processes	Number of new products and processes resulting from NRCan information.	5 (annual)	NRCan undertakes and funds research activities to develop new products and processes, and disseminates this knowledge through various information channels. Measuring the uptake of this information and its use for new products and processes will enable the Department to assess the direct impact of its programs. By developing and offering new products and processes, the natural resource sectors will remain competitive in the long term
	Research and development (R&D) expenditures in natural resource sectors as defined by total intramural R&D expenditures in energy, mining and forest sectors.	Favourable 10-year trend	NRCan undertakes R&D activities to develop new products and processes in the energy, mining and forest sectors. Measuring the trend in expenditures will enable the Department to measure and compare the level of R&D expenditures and activities over time.
Public and private sector organizations have increased either cost-efficiency or productivity	Number of citations of either cost-efficiency or productivity gains in public or private sector organizations	5 (annual)	NRCan provides integrated geomatics and geoscience information and tools with a view to increasing the efficiency and productivity of private sector organizations. By measuring the number of citations related to these two topics, the Department will be able to assess the impact of its programs and evaluate the uptake of its knowledge products.

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned Spending 2013-14	Planned Spending 2014-15	Planned Spending 2015-16
102,525	102,525	61,787	60,506

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
279	269	269

 

Planning Highlights

Canadian mining companies face increasing competition. Innovation and productivity will be key to ensuring their longer-term competitiveness. To that end, NRCan works with industry partners to conduct research on new technologies and processes that will enhance efficiencies while ensuring the safety and security of mine workers.

Commitments for 2013-14: Conduct one demonstration project of an innovative new technology in back fill of underground mine openings.

NRCan also supports the forest sector’s global competitiveness by encouraging the development of new processes and products to increase productivity and decrease dependency on exports of traditional products. Through research, development and deployment, NRCan is supporting the sector’s transformation from one based on traditional volume-driven commodities to one based on new value-added products and technologies. Using partnerships with other governments, industry and research institutions, the Department helps these stakeholders to work together to identify and advance common priorities.

Commitments for 2013-14: Provide advice to industry and policy makers on optimizing the value of forest fibre along the full value chain.

Through programs including Investments in Forest Industry Transformation (IFIT), support the forest sector’s efforts to be more energy efficient and generate more value from Canada’s forests, assess the economic benefits of forest bioenergy and biorefining, and make targeted investments leading to non-traditional, high-value forest products and renewable energy.

Finally, with the emergence of mass-market distribution systems (e.g., mobile devices) that have dramatically increased the demand for location-based data and technology, NRCan is working to facilitate the standardization and relevance of geographic information systems and other location-based information by delivering architecture, standards, policies, guidelines and expertise. The objective is to enable the natural resource sectors to create innovative and value-added applications.

 

 

Program 1.3: Investment in Natural Resource Sectors

Investing in the development of natural resources is costly and risky due to the uncertainties related to the potential economic viability of natural resources. There are many factors to consider when deciding whether or not to develop a natural resource – such as investors and/or companies lack knowledge on, and thus being unaware of, potential opportunities, or regulatory delays and uncertainty impeding the investment climate. The objective of this program is to encourage natural resource sector investment by either decreasing the risk of development, or increasing knowledge on opportunities. This objective is achieved by advancing federal system-wide regulatory improvements and providing funding and information on the factors that determine the potential economic viability of natural resources.

What NRCan is trying to accomplish and how it measures success

Expected Result	Performance Indicator	Target	How it works
Natural resource sectors have increased investment	Growth of capital expenditures in the energy sector (average of past 5 years) compared to growth in overall capital expenditures in Canada (average of past 5 years)	The average 5-year growth rate of capital expenditures in the energy sector grows at a rate higher than the average 5-year growth rate in capital expenditures in Canada	New capital investments are related to the health and competitiveness of the natural resource sectors and the development of natural resources. As NRCan’s programs are aimed at facilitating investments in the energy sector, this measure will enable the Department to assess the effectiveness of its program.
	Growth of capital expenditures in the forest sector (average of past 5 years) compared to growth in overall capital expenditures in Canada (average of past 5 years).	The average 5-year growth rate of capital expenditures in the forest sector grows at a rate higher than the average 5-year growth rate in capital expenditures in Canada	New capital investments are related to the health and competitiveness of the natural resource sectors and the development of natural resources. As NRCan’s programs are aimed at facilitating investments in the forest sector, this measure will enable the Department to assess the effectiveness of its program.
	Growth of capital expenditures in the minerals and metals sector (average of past 5 years) compared to growth in overall capital expenditures in Canada (average of past 5 years).	The average 5-year growth rate of capital expenditures in the mineral and metals sector grows at a rate higher than the average 5-year growth rate in capital expenditures in Canada	New capital investments are related to the health and competitiveness of the natural resource sectors and the development of natural resources. As NRCan’s programs are aimed at facilitating investments in the minerals and mines sector, this measure will enable the Department to assess the effectiveness of its program.

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned Spending 2013-14	Planned Spending 2014-15	Planned Spending 2015-16
54,484	54,484	48,508	42,008

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
432	430	405

 

Planning Highlights

NRCan continues to provide leadership to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal regulatory system and facilitate investment in major resource projects. Modernizing Canada’s regulatory system will ensure more predictable and timely project reviews, reduce duplication for project reviews, strengthen environmental protection, and enhance consultations with Aboriginal communities. Through interdepartmental collaboration, NRCan also ensures timely, high-quality reviews of major resource projects.

NRCan works to attract investment in natural resources and reduces the risks of exploration by providing accessible and reliable geological knowledge and information. Targeting Canada’s North, modern geological information is provided to communities and industry in order to facilitate strategic land-use and investment decision-making. Through the development of geological maps, optimal predictive models and deep exploration techniques, NRCan identifies potential new areas for undiscovered mineral or energy resources, thereby facilitating access to viable investment opportunities.

NRCan is also a key player in promoting the Government of Canada’s Corporate Social Responsibility Strategy to ensure that Canadian companies bring economic, social and environmental benefits to the communities in which they work, both at home and abroad. To this end, NRCan supports developing countries by providing policy advice on their mining governance framework, working bilaterally or through international fora such as the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and Sustainable Development.

NRCan supports and facilitates Aboriginal community and regional-scale partnership projects focusing on the development of knowledge products and tools. The objective is to build capacity and provide viable opportunities to Aboriginal and forest-based communities to participate in and take advantage of employment and business opportunities in a transitioning forest sector. NRCan also works with lead federal departments (Human Resources and Skills Development Canada, Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada, Citizenship and Immigration Canada), provincial and territorial counterparts to understand labour market challenges facing the natural resource sectors and to identify programs and best practices to address them.

Program 1.4: Statutory Programs – Atlantic Offshore

This program is about monitoring and facilitating payment disbursal agreements and transfer payments under the Atlantic Offshore Accord Acts.

What NRCan is trying to accomplish and how it measures success

Expected Result	Performance Indicator	Target	How it works
Statutory requirements relating to offshore petroleum payments in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador are managed in a timely manner.	Percentage of offshore payments processed in a timely manner	(100%)	The Atlantic Offshore Accord Acts, managed by NRCan, provide that an amount equal to the amount of revenues from offshore petroleum activities is to be transferred to provinces. NRCan processes these transfers in the time and manner prescribed in Regulations.
Statutory requirements relating to offshore petroleum payments in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador are managed in an accurate manner.	Percentage of offshore payments processed in an accurate manner	(100%)

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned Spending 2013-14	Planned Spending 2014-15	Planned Spending 2015-16
1,255,167	1,255,167	1,100,100	1,121,468

 

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
0	0	0

 

Planning Highlights

The Atlantic Offshore Accords provide that the benefits of revenues from offshore petroleum should flow to provinces as if the resource were on land. Revenues collected by the Receiver General for Canada are paid to the provinces of Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.

Commitments 2013-14: Process offshore transfer payments to both Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador as required under the Atlantic Offshore Accord Acts in a timely and accurate manner.

 

Strategic Outcome 2 - Natural Resource Sectors and Consumers are Environmentally Responsible

 

Energy use and natural resource development can have negative impacts on land, water and air, which can affect the well-being of current and future generations. NRCan works to ensure that natural resources are developed and used in an environmentally responsible manner by:

• Encouraging and enabling energy consumers and producers to adopt cleaner and more efficient technologies, products, services and practices;
• Encouraging academia, industry and the public sector to research, develop and demonstrate innovative solutions to resource development and environmental implications; and
• Enabling government departments, regulatory bodies and industry to understand the risks to the environment, assess environmental impacts, and protect Canada’s resources.

NRCan’s success in achieving this Strategic Outcome will be measured as follows:

 

Performance Indicators	Targets
Change in Canadian greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions	Canada’s national target is a 17% reduction from 2005 levels by 2020.
Annual harvest of timber relative to the level of harvest deemed to be sustainable (Allowable Annual Cut – AAC)	Stay within the upper limit of the supply line (AAC)

 

For more information on NRCan’s plans and performance, please see the NRCan plans and performance reports website ⁷⁸.

 

Program 2.1: Energy-efficient Practices and Lower-carbon Energy Sources

 

Canada’s energy markets are defined by consumption and production decisions; however, consumers and producers do not necessarily make decisions that minimize their impact on the environment due to several barriers including: 1) a lack of awareness of available options and their benefits, 2) insufficient capacity for adoption (e.g. regulatory frameworks, codes and standards, etc.) and 3) financial risk. The objective of this program is to address these barriers and encourage and enable energy consumers and producers to adopt cleaner and more efficient technologies, products, services and practices, thereby transforming the market. This objective is achieved through education and outreach activities, targeted incentives, and regulatory interventions that keep pace with technological changes.

What is NRCan trying to accomplish and how it measures success

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	How it works
Energy consumers and producers adopt environmentally responsible products and practices related to energy use and production	Canada’s total annual energy savings due to efficiency (difference between energy use without energy efficiency improvements and energy use with energy efficiency improvements; the units are petajoules [PJ])	Favourable 5-year trend in PJ saved, as per 2006 baseline, now and ongoing	Energy savings can be achieved through consumption and production choices. Measuring the annual energy savings over 5 years will allow NRCan to assess the effectiveness and direct impacts of its energy efficiency programs that include education, outreach and legislation.
	Renewable electricity generation capacity in megawatts (MW)	Favourable 5-year trend in MW, as per 2007 baseline of 6,753 MW of installed capacity (excluding large hydro), now and ongoing	NRCan’s programs support the production of renewable energy. By assessing the trend in megawatts of capacity, the Department will be able to measure the increase in renewable electricity generating capacity, which contributes to the reduction of GHG emissions.
	Biofuel production in Canada	Favourable 5-year trend, as per 2007 baseline, now and ongoing	NRCan’s programs support domestic biofuel production. By assessing the production trend, NRCan will be able to measure the effectiveness of its program.

 

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned Spending 2013-14	Planned Spending 2014-15	Planned Spending 2015-16
444,318	444,318	464,096	255,697

 

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
319	319	316

 

Planning Highlights

 

NRCan works to encourage energy efficiency, increase the availability of renewable energy, and diversify Canada’s energy mix. Programs and initiatives focus on reducing GHG emissions from the natural resource sectors, increasing the production of low-impact renewable energy, and improving energy efficiency. NRCan also works to advance the Government’s commitment to support major new clean energy projects of national or regional significance.

NRCan works to encourage and enable energy consumers and producers to adopt more efficient products and practices. The ecoENERGY Efficiency program improves energy efficiency at home, at work and on the road. NRCan efforts make the housing, building and equipment stock more energy-efficient, energy performance more visible, and industry and vehicle operations more efficient.

Furthermore, NRCan supports the production of renewable alternatives to gasoline and diesel and encourages the development of a competitive domestic industry through the ecoENERGY for Biofuels program. NRCan also supports the diversification of energy used in the transportation sector through education and outreach activities and codes and standards development for natural gas through the ecoENERGY for Alternative Fuels program.

 

 

Program 2.2: Technology Innovation

Solutions to the environmental challenges faced by the natural resource sectors require sustained efforts in research, development and demonstration because the current level of science and technology is inadequate to address these concerns. However, the natural resource sectors neither have all the necessary knowledge nor make the necessary investments in innovation due to the potential poor return on investment. The objective of this program is to encourage academia, industry and the public sector to research, develop and demonstrate innovative solutions to environmental challenges encountered in the natural resource sectors. This objective is achieved through the generation and dissemination of scientific knowledge, and the development and demonstration of new technologies.

What NRCan is trying to accomplish and how it measures success

Expected Result	Performance Indicator	Target	How it works
Stakeholders invest in S&T to address environmental challenges	Dollar amount of stakeholder investments in S&T to address environmental challenges	5% increase over 5 years (2005 baseline $934 million), now and ongoing	NRCan conducts and provides funding for clean energy science and technology. Activities are undertaken in partnership with industry, academia and other governments to allow for risk and cost sharing, and to ensure that the research is relevant to the needs of the industry and other stakeholders. Measuring stakeholder investment will allow NRCan to assess the relevance of its research activities.

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned spending 2013-14	Planned spending 2014-15	Planned spending 2015-16
265,762	265,762	202,009	122,822

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
622	617	611

 

Planning Highlights

Through research activities conducted mainly by NRCan’s CanmetENERGY laboratories and with funding from the Program of Energy and Research Development, Clean Energy Fund, ecoENERGY Innovation Initiative and the Isotope Technology Acceleration Program, NRCan supports the research, development and demonstration of next-generation energy technologies and systems to advance energy supply and distribution technologies, including cleaner fossil fuel and electricity with carbon capture and storage, and improve energy efficiency within industry and among end users.

NRCan’s research, development and demonstration activities also support the Canadian, automotive and oil and gas industries in increasing energy efficiency and safety in these sectors. The Department works closely with Canada’s industry and academia to develop lightweight materials for the automotive sector, which will lead to vehicles that are stronger and lighter and therefore safer and more energy efficient and that will enable the use of clean energy sources such as electric and hybrid-electric vehicles. Research is also conducted on new materials for oil and gas pipelines to ensure their integrity and performance.

Finally, through the Green Mining Initiative, NRCan works with partners to improve the mining sector’s environmental performance and productivity, ultimately enhancing its competitiveness and reducing its impact on land, water and air. The Department conducts and supports research, development and demonstration of green mining technologies and processes, including footprint reduction, mine waste management, mine closure and rehabilitation, and ecosystem risk management.

Commitments for 2013-14: Demonstrate key environmental technologies for green mining, including the feasibility of developing productive agricultural land uses on mine waste.

Program 2.3: Responsible Natural Resource Management

Greater knowledge of risks and environmentally responsible practices could help to prevent and reduce the environmental impacts of natural resource development. The objectives of the program are to enable government departments, regulatory bodies and industry to assess these impacts to the environment and to develop, monitor and maintain resources or clean up wastes responsibly. These objectives are achieved through the provision of assessments and knowledge rooted in sound science, and waste management efforts in collaboration with provinces, federal agencies and municipalities.

What NRCan is trying to accomplish and how it measures success

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	How it works
Public and private sectors establish practices to mitigate the environmental impacts to natural resources	Number of public and private sector new/updated policies, regulations or other decision-making tools completed annually	3 (annual)	Through its programs and activities, NRCan provides information on environmentally responsible practices and risks to the environment. The uptake of this information by public and private stakeholders shows that its use for environmental decision-making is based on science.
Federal Government implements waste management practices that meet modern standards for safety and environmental protection	Number of contaminated sites where the environmental impacts are reduced	7 (by 2016) (Specifically, environmental impacts reduced at Whiteshell and Chalk River Laboratories, Glace Bay, Port Granby and Welcome waste management facilities, Port Hope and Northern Transportation Route sites	NRCan characterizes contaminated sites and develops clean-up strategies in cooperation with local stakeholders and implementing agencies. Clean-up approaches meet federal and provincial regulatory requirements including those of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission.

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned Spending 2013-14	Planned Spending 2014-15	Planned Spending 2015-16
341,051	341,051	157,779	178,425

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
285	282	281

 

Planning Highlights

 

 

To prevent and reduce the environmental impacts of natural resource development, NRCan provides scientific and technical expertise to all federally triggered or regulated projects and reviews as required under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act.The Department also provides guidance to other government departments and regulatory bodies and contributes to the provision of science, the development of guidelines and the identification of best practices to address the environmental impacts of metal mining, pipelines, oil sands and offshore energy development and transportation.

 

The Department, in partnership with provinces, municipalities and the private sector, works to mitigate the risks of radioactive wastes to the environment and human health through the Radioactive Waste Management programs. The Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program implements long-term management solutions to clean up radioactive waste or contaminated lands at AECL sites and the Historic Waste Program deals with low-level radioactive waste arising across Canada for which the original private sector producer no longer exists or cannot reasonably be held responsible, such as in Port Hope, Ontario.

NRCan conducts research as well as national assessments and monitoring to develop, synthesize and integrate scientific knowledge of Canada’s forest ecosystems. This knowledge supports the sustainability of forests. It is used by governments, industry and non-governmental organizations to develop sound forest management practices and policies, to meet international reporting obligations, to form Canada’s negotiating positions on international environmental issues related to forests, and to promote a science-based understanding of Canada’s forests and management practices.

Finally, NRCan works with provincial and territorial partners to develop common standards, protocols and methods to assess and map Canada’s key aquifers (underground water) and harmonize data and approaches between the different jurisdictions. This work will improve understanding of the extent of groundwater systems, their dynamics and vulnerability, and will provide a consistent and coordinated approach to groundwater management. This information will be disseminated through a national inventory to be used by urban planners, decision-makers and other levels of government.

 

Strategic Outcome 3 - Canadians have Information to Manage their Lands and Natural Resources, and are Protected from Related Risks

 

By providing knowledge on Canada's lands and natural resources, NRCan enables informed decision-making, facilitates the responsible development and management of Canada’s natural resources and land, and ensures the safety and security of Canadians and the management of risks associated with natural and man-made hazards. This is achieved by:

• Enabling the government, communities and the private sector to reduce the risks from natural and man-made hazards by providing regulation and knowledge, fulfilling legislated responsibilities, and undertaking climate change impacts and adaptation research and analysis to develop a greater understanding of the issues.
• Providing clearly defined legal boundaries to support sovereignty, administration of interprovincial-territorial lands and an effective system of property rights in Canada.
• Providing authoritative geographic infrastructure and fundamental geospatial information on Canada’s landmass to support the Canadian public and stakeholders in location-based decision-making.

NRCan’s success in achieving this Strategic Outcome will be measured as follows:

Performance Indicators	Targets
Number of new and updated public and private sector adaptation and risk mitigation activities, plans and strategies, such as Natural Resource Management Plans, Adaptation Plans or Emergency Preparedness Plans using NRCan information	5 activities, plans or strategies by March 31, 2014
Number of national or international interoperable geo-tools and data frameworks that support the management of lands, natural resources, national infrastructure and human populations	2 (baseline as of 2012-13) by March 31, 2014

 

For more information on NRCan’s plans and performance, please see the NRCan plans and performance reports website ⁷⁹.

 

Program 3.1: Protection for Canadians and Natural Resources

Natural resource development, military activities and changes in the environment pose risks to human, natural resource and infrastructure health. Without the appropriate coordination for and knowledge on the management of these risks, the impacts would be severe. The objective of this program is to enable other government departments, communities and the private sector to manage these risks to human, natural resource and infrastructure. This objective is achieved by providing regulation and knowledge, fulfilling legislated and regulatory responsibilities, and ensuring capacity.

What NRCan is trying to accomplish and how it measures success

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	How it works
Other government departments, communities, and the private sector manage risks to natural resources, infrastructure, and human health	Number of climate change risk or related assessments completed on natural resources and infrastructure	4 (annual)	NRCan’s programs provide information on climate change adaptation and natural hazards. The use of this information by stakeholders to complete natural resources and infrastructure assessments will allow the Department to assess the effectiveness of its programs.
	Number of active collaborations with the public and private sector that manage risks to human population, natural resources and infrastructure health	3 collaboration agreements (annual)	Multi-jurisdictional discussions are required to manage risks to human health and infrastructure. By assessing the number of collaboration agreements, the Department will be able to measure the potential number of practical adaptation measures being implemented.

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned Spending 2013-14	Planned Spending 2014-15	Planned Spending 2015-16
58,484	59,202	58,051	55,829

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
456	448	448

 

Planning Highlights

How Canada responds to the changing climate and manages risks from natural and human-induced hazards has a significant impact on the safety and security of Canadians. By developing a greater understanding of hazards such as wildland fire, forest insects and disease pests, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, geomagnetic storms, tsunamis and nuclear and radioactive incidents, NRCan facilitates government response in times of crisis. By monitoring and planning for natural events and by keeping Canadians informed of long-term mitigation, prevention and adaptation strategies, practical actions can be taken to prepare for and mitigate natural disasters.

Through collaboration with provinces, territories, other government departments, industry and key international partners, NRCan enables discussions on adaptation issues and the preparation of practical adaptation measures. To this end, the development of the Adaptation Platform and associated tools will bring together governments, the private sector and other stakeholders to share information, experience and expertise and to identify risks and opportunities for climate change adaptation, including infrastructure and development planning.

NRCan also regulates, licenses and inspects the manufacture, storage, sale and possession of explosives and fireworks. These strict controls are necessary to protect Canadians from potential economic and environmental incidents. NRCan also acts as the Certifying Agency for the Canadian Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) Personnel Certification Program. NDT-certified personnel can then conduct inspections and tests on new product quality, equipment condition and infrastructure reliability to help prevent failures in nuclear power, aviation, transportation, oil and gas, and petrochemical plants and anywhere else where public safety or the environment could be significantly impacted.

 

Program 3.2: Landmass Information

 

NRCan provides clearly-defined legal boundaries, a robust property system framework, authoritative geographic infrastructure and fundamental geospatial information on Canada’s landmass. Without these frameworks, negative impacts will result to the Canadian economy, environment and standard of living. This program delivers Canada's regulatory system for Canada Lands legal surveys, the fundamental geodetic reference system, earth observation and mapping information. Together, these support the Canadian public, other federal departments and levels of government, the private sector and academia to carry out a variety of decisions founded on location-based information, such as land transactions, commercial/industrial development, transportation and logistics. This information enables effective management of Canada’s natural resources and lands including opportunities for collaboration across jurisdictions (e.g., cross-border planning, regulatory efficiency), which advances the interests of Canada’s natural resources sectors, both domestically and at the international level.

What NRCan is trying to accomplish and how it measures success

Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets	How it works
Public, private sectors and academia use accurate, Government of Canada geo-information for decision-making	Number of public, private sector, governments and academia that use NRCan information for decision-making	6 large federal departments or agencies (annual), private sector companies or universities	NRCan’s programs provide information on Canada’s landmass: legal boundaries, property system framework, authoritative geographic infrastructure and fundamental geospatial information. By assessing the number of public, private sector and academic institutions using NRCan landmass information, we will be able to measure the relevance and accessibility of the information produced.
	Percentage of clients who are satisfied with Canada's legal boundary framework for effective governance, economic and social development	Positive trend on bi-annual client satisfaction surveys (rotational amongst key client groups: Aboriginal, other government departments, industry) Baseline years ending 2012-13 (annual)	NRCan’s programs impact land use, elections planning, emergency preparedness and response, transportation and real estate. By surveying the Department’s client groups – Aboriginal groups, other government departments and industry – the Department will be able to assess client satisfaction with NRCan’s data.

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned Spending 2013-14	Planned Spending 2014-15	Planned Spending 2015-16
44,500	44,500	41,888	40,712

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
461	459	458

 

Planning Highlights

 

NRCan provides accurate, location-based data and information used to manage Canada’s natural resources and lands. The Department’s programs provide authoritative geographic information and support open access to geomatics information such as maps, geodetic reference points and satellite imagery. This information allows for sound decision-making in areas such as land use planning and sustainable resource development. Moreover, opportunities for collaboration across jurisdictions can improve emergency preparedness and response, thereby ensuring the safety and security of Canadians and their land.

NRCan also conducts surveys to determine the limits of Canada’s continental shelf. These data will support Canada’s submission to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea by the 2013 deadline. This submission will define the extent of the continental shelf in the Atlantic and Arctic Oceans where Canada may exercise its existing sovereign rights over the exploration of the natural resources of the seabed beyond the customary 200 nautical miles.

Uncertainties around boundaries can diminish investors’ confidence in the property rights system and limit natural resource development. NRCan is fulfilling Canada’s obligations for demarcating the boundaries of land claim parcels. The Department conducts boundary surveys of Aboriginal settlement lands, in accordance with Canada’s obligations under land claim legislation and treaties. The Department also maintains the Canada-US international boundary.

Finally, NRCan’s Polar Continental Shelf Program delivers efficient and cost-effective logistical support to researchers in Canada’s North through air and ground transportation, equipment, fuel and accommodations.

 

Program 4.1: Internal Services

This program regroups three areas that assist NRCan in delivering on its mandate and priorities: governance and management support, resource management services, and asset management services. The key to the effectiveness and efficiency of this program is the ability of internal services to adjust and respond to evolving business priorities and requirements. This will allow the Department to better align its priorities with the needs and expectations of Canadians, its activities to its priorities, and its resources to its activities. It will also increase NRCan’s capacity to monitor the financial and non-financial performance of its activities and programs.

For 2013-14, NRCan will deliver on its management priority to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of its operations through four guiding principles: asserting policy leadership, mobilizing science and technology, transforming business, and growing human capital. These will ensure that the Department further develops its capacity, responsiveness and resilience to maximize its contribution to the Government of Canada and to Canadians.

 

Financial Resources ($ thousands)

Main Estimates 2013-14	Planned Spending 2013-14	Planned Spending 2014-15	Planned Spending 2015-16
155,810	155,862	139,913	137,490

 

Human Resources (FTEs)

2013-14	2014-15	2015-16
1,069	1,068	1,068

 

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