ARCHIVED - Sustainable Development

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

FSDS Target 6.4 - Managing Threats to Ecosystems

Threats of new alien invasive species entering Canada are understood and reduced by 2015.

FSDS 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). (EC, NRCan)

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

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

Evidenced-based geographic knowledge and information is essential to govern the country and responsible development of its natural resources. 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). Under the Remote Sensing Act, NRCan manages key initiatives supporting space remote sensing, including satellite ground stations and systems for storing, processing and distributing information on an ongoing basis. Under this Sub Activity, NRCan: a) delivers data and derived products to federal government departments and the Canadian public and private sector for decision-making in areas such as sustainable resource development, land-use management, forest fire and climate change monitoring and to ensure that Canadian authorities responsible for emergency preparedness can make informed decisions; b) receives data from Canadian and international satellites; and c) provides longitude, latitude, height values for geographic coordinates across the country.

Relationship to FSDS Target

This program delivers remote sensing data and derived information to decision-makers that provides evidence-based information received from calibrated and validated space-based, airborne and satellite imagery data, technology and applications. This work provides the geographic knowledge essential for better identification of insect defoliation (area and severity), and other effective monitoring, mapping and management activities related to invasive alien species that will enable legislation/regulation, risk analysis and information management activities, helping to reduce its impact to Canadian habitat. Thus, Sub Activity - Earth Observation, under Sub Activity - Essential Geographical Information and Support - contributes indirectly to FSDS Target 6.4 - Managing Threats to Ecosystems.

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 Indicator (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).

Other FSDS Linkages

Sub Activity - Environmental Geoscience also contributes to FSDS Target 1.1 -Climate Change Mitigation through the following 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 6.2 - Terrestrial Ecosystem and Habitat through the following 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.