ARCHIVED - Sustainable Development

Report on Plans and Priorities 2011-2012
Electronic Layer of Reporting
Elements of NRCan's Sustainable Development Strategy

FSDS Target 6.2 - Terrestrial Ecosystem and Habitat

Park Protected Habitat: Maintain or improve the overall ecological integrity in all national parks from March 2008 to March 2013.

FSDS Implementation Strategy

6.1.13 Establish one new national park by March 2013; complete feasibility assessments of five other potential national parks and one proposed expansion. (PC, NRCan)

You will find below details about NRCan’s activities that contribute to this implementation strategy:

• Environmental Geoscience
• Essential Geographic Information and Support

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Environmental Geoscience

This activity is nested within NRCan’s Program Activity Architecture (PAA) as follows:

• Strategic Outcome 2 - 
  Environmental Responsibility
  
  
  • Program Activity 2.2 - 
    Ecosystem Risk Management
    
    
    • Sub Activity 2.2.3 - 
      Environmental Geoscience
      
      

Description

Governments and Industry require a variety of assessments rooted in sound geoscience in order to develop, monitor and maintain resources responsibly, and to assess risks. Under Sub Activity - Environmental Geoscience (PAA 2.2.3), NRCan delivers expertise, information and data to other government departments and industry, enabling clear understanding of environmental risks and opportunities, which in turn supports environmental responsibility in the development and use of Canada’s natural resources. Under this Sub Activity is a key Sub Activity that contributes to this FSDS implementation strategy:

• Sub Sub Activity - Environmental Stewardship (PAA 2.2.3.1): As required by the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act, NRCan provides geoscience information and expertise in reviews of projects undergoing federal environmental assessment, including public assessments of non-renewable mineral and energy resources as required for the creation of National Parks and National Marine Protected Areas.

Relationship to FSDS Target

Under Sub Activity - Environmental Stewardship, NRCan delivers expertise, information and data to other government departments, enabling a clear understanding of environmental risks and opportunities, which in turn supports environmental responsibility in the development of national parks, protected areas and use of Canada's natural resources. Thus, Sub Activity Environmental Stewardship, under Sub Activity - Environmental Geoscience, contributes indirectly to FSDS Target 6.2 - Terrestrial Ecosystem and Habitat.

Non-Financial Performance Expectations

Expected Result and Indicator (Sub Activity 2.2.3)

NRCan’s geoscience supports the development and management of resources in an environmentally responsible manner.

• Percentage of federally-regulated major development project feasibility studies using NRCan geoscience (reporting annually, beginning in 2011-2012).

Expected Result, Output and Indicators (Sub Sub Activity 2.2.3.1)

Assessments and scientific knowledge and expertise are readily available to governments, regulatory bodies and industry.

• Assessments (including Environmental Assessments (EA) and Mineral and Energy Resource Assessments (MERA)) are produced and readily available to governments and industry (reporting annually, beginning in 2011-2012).

Mineral and Energy Resource Assessments (MERA) are produced.

• MERA assessments are completed on time (reported annually, beginning in 2011-2012).

Other FSDS Linkages

Sub Activity - Environmental Geoscience also contributes to FSDS Target 3.1 - Freshwater Quality through one implementation strategy:

• 3.1.9 - Manage/deliver Great Lakes results federally-provincially, between the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario.

This Sub Activity also contributes to FSDS Target 4.1 - Water Resource Management and Use through the following implementation strategies:

• 4.1.4 - Improve the knowledge of water, its nature, extent, availability, sector use and best management practices such as Integrated Watershed Management to Canadians;
• 4.1.5 - Provide web and print based information on the science and knowledge of water to Canadians in a comprehensive and timely manner to enable responsible decision;
• 4.1.9 - Continue the development and implementation of Water Availability Indicators;
• 4.1.10 - Complete 15 assessments for Canada’s 30 key regional aquifers and produce a national groundwater inventory to help Canadians better understand and manage underground water resources.

This Sub Activity also contributes to FSDS Target 6.3 - Marine Ecosystems through the following implementation strategies:

• 6.3.1 - Develop a federal-provincial-territorial network of Marine Protected Areas;
• 6.3.5 - Provide advice to decision-makers on potential environmental impacts and ecological risks associated with specific, high-priority ocean activities;
• 6.3.8 - Complete feasibility assessments for two potential national marine conservation areas.

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Essential Geographic Information and Support

This activity is nested within NRCan’s Program Activity Architecture (PAA) as follows:

• Strategic Outcome 3 - 
  Safety, Security, and Stewardship
  
  
  • Program Activity 3.2 - 
    Natural Resource and Landmass Knowledge and Systems
    
    
    • Sub Activity 3.2.1 - 
      Essential Geographic Information and Support

Description

Evidence-based geographic knowledge and information is essential to govern the country and to facilitate development of its natural resources. For example, without such knowledge, boundaries could not be determined, authoritative land management and development could not be undertaken and sovereign rights could not be upheld.

Under Sub Activity - Essential Geographic Information and Support (PAA 3.2.1), NRCan delivers essential geographic information and derived products to the Canadian public and private sectors, which support decision-making in key economic, environmental and social activities. With this knowledge, NRCan delivers on Canada’s commitment and obligations related to legal boundaries, shares its knowledge internationally and enables scientific activities to be undertaken in Canada’s Arctic. Under Sub Activity - Essential Geographic Information and Support is a key Sub Activity that contributes to this FSDS implementation strategy:

• Sub Sub Activity - Earth Observation (PAA 3.2.1.3): NRCan delivers data/derived products to federal departments, the Canadian public and private sectors for decision-making in areas such as sustainable resource development, land-use management, forest fire and climate monitoring.

Relationship to FSDS Target

Under Sub Activity - Earth Observation, NRCan provides authoritative geodetic reference points, which enables accurate boundaries to be surveyed, demarcated and approved. This information is also used for mapping and assessment purposes, as well as to uphold boundaries and support the protection of national parks. Thus, Sub Activity - Earth Observation, under Sub Activity - Essential Geographic Information and Support, contributes indirectly to FSDS Target 6.2 - Terrestrial Ecosystem and Habitat.

Non-Financial Performance Expectations

Expected Result and Indicator (Sub Activity 3.2.1)

Geographic and geoscience information is used in public and private sectors’ discussions on issues of governance (land use, boundaries, etc) and the economic development of natural resources.

• Public planning documents contain geographic and/or geoscience information developed by the program (reporting annually, beginning in 2011-2012).

Expected Result and Indicators (Sub Sub Activity 3.2.1.3)

Governments, industry and Canadians have access to up-to-date remote sensing imagery applications and geodetic reference points for the purpose of technology applications.

• Percentage increase in number of downloads of satellite imagery (reporting annually beginning in 2011-2012).
• Percentage increase in number of data requests for geodetic reference points (reporting annually, beginning in 2011-2012).

Other FSDS Linkages

Sub Activity - Essential Geographic Information and Support also contributes to FSDS Target 1.1 - Climate Change Mitigation through one implementation strategy:

• 1.1.5 - Undertake and deliver scientific research and reporting in support of regulatory and other programs, including data analysis, inventory development, monitoring, modeling and assessment of the effectiveness of efforts as well as research on options, costs and benefits, and technology assessments.

This Sub Activity also contributes to FSDS Target 6.4 - Managing Threats to Ecosystems through the following implementation strategy:

• 6.4.1 - Fulfill federal responsibilities related to prevention, detection, rapid response and management of invasive alien species. Key activities are related to governance (including international cooperation legislation/regulation, science and technology, risk analysis, information management and sharing, performance promotion, management and mitigation).