Response to audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada (including audits conducted by the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development)

Response to audits conducted by the Office of the Auditor General of Canada or the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

2017 Fall Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to the Parliament of Canada – Report 2: Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change

Summary

The audit focused on the extent to which federal organizations had made progress in adapting to climate change. It examined federal leadership efforts and whether departments and agencies implemented the Federal Adaptation Policy Framework. The audit also examined progress by determining whether 19 key departments and agencies identified and assessed climate change risks and took measures to adapt to climate change in their areas of responsibility.

The audit concluded that Environment and Climate Change Canada, in collaboration with other federal partners, did not provide adequate leadership to advance the federal government’s adaptation to climate change impacts. It also concluded that most of the federal departments and agencies examined did not take appropriate measures to adapt to climate change impacts by assessing and managing the climate change risks to their programs, policies, assets, and operations.

There were no recommendations for NRCan

2017 Fall Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to the Parliament of Canada – Report 3: Funding Clean Energy Technologies

Summary

This audit focused on whether Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) and Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC) managed demonstration projects in three federal funds for clean energy technologies in compliance with the conditions of the funds. It also focused on whether NRCan and SDTC articulated how selected funded projects were contributing to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The audit examined clean energy technology demonstration projects in three funds.

The audit concluded that NRCan and SDTC managed selected clean energy technology projects in compliance with the conditions of the funds. They both had rigorous and objective processes in place to assess, approve, and monitor projects. The audit also concluded that NRCan and SDTC had articulated the environmental benefits of their funds. SDTC tracked and reported estimated greenhouse gas emission reductions. NRCan tracked and reported on the results of completed carbon capture, utilization, and storage projects that it funded but did not consistently track and report this for other projects.

Recommendations involving NRCan

The Department received the following three recommendations:

1. Natural Resources Canada should clearly document its project assessment and approval decisions, to show due diligence in the assessment of potential greenhouse gas emission reductions for demonstration projects that have this as an intended long-term outcome. The response was:

   Agreed. Natural Resources Canada has developed and implemented a clear and rigorous proposal assessment and approval documentation process that demonstrates due diligence, and that has been in place for programs that followed the ecoENERGY Technology Initiative and the Clean Energy Fund. Natural Resources Canada will further strengthen this process by including supplementary information on the assessment of potential greenhouse gas emission reductions for demonstration projects that have this as an intended long-term outcome for new programs starting in the 2017–18 fiscal year.

2. Natural Resources Canada should report publicly on greenhouse gas emission reductions resulting from all the demonstration projects it funds that are intended to achieve emission reductions. The response was:

   Agreed. Natural Resources Canada already reports publicly on greenhouse gas emission reductions resulting from large demonstration projects that it funds, in program evaluation reports and on its website. Natural Resources Canada will supplement this information by publicly reporting on direct greenhouse gas emission reductions resulting from smaller demonstration projects that it funds, where such reductions exceed 0.01 megatonne per year per project, aggregated at the appropriate program level, for new programs starting in the 2017–18 fiscal year.

3. Natural Resources Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, in consultation with Environment and Climate Change Canada, should create a plan to measure and report on outcomes for funded clean energy technology demonstration projects that aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The response was:

   Agreed. Natural Resources Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (which is responsible for Sustainable Development Technology Canada), in consultation with Environment and Climate Change Canada, will develop an approach to measuring and reporting on expected outcomes for funded clean energy technology demonstration projects that have as a goal reducing greenhouse gas emissions for new funding received as of the 2017–18 fiscal year.

2017 Fall Reports of the Auditor General of Canada to the Parliament of Canada – Report 1: Phoenix Pay Problems

Summary

This audit examined whether Public Services and Procurement Canada, working with selected departments and agencies, resolved pay problems in a sustainable way to ensure that federal government employees would receive their correct pay, on time. The audit included 12 department and agencies. The audit included the following 12 departments and agencies: the Canada School of Public Service, the Canadian Security Intelligence Service, Correctional Service Canada, Employment and Social Development Canada, National Defence, Natural Resources Canada, the Privy Council Office, Public Services and Procurement Canada, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Shared Services Canada, Statistics Canada, and the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

The audit concluded that Public Services and Procurement Canada did not identify and resolve pay problems in a sustainable way to ensure that public service employees consistently receive their correct pay, on time. It also concluded that Departments and agencies contributed to the problems; however, Public Services and Procurement Canada did not provide them with all the information and support to allow them to resolve pay problems to ensure that their employees consistently receive their correct pay, on time.

There were no recommendations for NRCan

Response to audits conducted by the Public Service Commission of Canada or the Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

Response to audits conducted by Public Service Commission of Canada or Office of the Commissioner of Official Languages

There were no audits in 2017–18 requiring a response.