Archived: Departmental Results Report 2018 to 2019: Department of Environment, chapter 2

Results at a glance

In 2018–19, Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) took actions on key environmental issues to deliver on Government of Canada commitments to Canadians. The Department addressed ongoing and emerging priorities related to climate change, pollution and harmful substances, species at risk, and conservation of lands and water. Through science, regulation, and partnership with Indigenous peoples, provincial and territorial governments and a diverse range of stakeholders, ECCC made significant progress on these priorities in Canada and globally.

To address climate change, ECCC continued action on multiple fronts to reduce greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other harmful emissions, build climate resilience and grow the economy. They include over 50 concrete measures, regulations, standards, programs and investments identified in 2016 under the Pan-Canadian Framework on Clean Growth and Climate Change (PCF), as a result of which Canada’s GHGs emissions are projected to be 223 million tonnes lower than if the PCF was not adopted, as set out in Canada’s 2018 Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollution Emissions Projections. Some of the actions taken in 2018–19 are as follows:

• Carbon pollution pricing, a key element of the PCF, is now in place in provinces as of March 31, 2019. ECCC worked with provinces and territories to provide them with the flexibility to set their own carbon pollution pricing systems. All direct proceeds from carbon pollution pricing under the federal system are being returned to those provinces or territory of origin.
• Efforts to reduce GHGs in 2018–19 include Royal Assent of the Greenhouse Gas Pollution Pricing Act, the coming into force of regulations to accelerate the phase-out of coal-fired electricity generation, limiting GHGs from new natural gas-fired electricity generation, reducing methane emissions from oil and gas, introducing controls on hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and publishing the proposed regulatory design for the first phase of the upcoming new Clean Fuel Standard.
• To address GHG emissions in the transportation sector, ECCC developed new GHG emissions regulations for heavy-duty vehicles, which set new standards for school buses, transport trucks, and other large vehicles that account for 9% of Canada’s GHG emissions. For light-duty vehicles, ECCC undertook consultations and technical research and reported on GHG performance of on-road passenger automobiles and light trucks for model years 2011 to 2016.
• Partnerships with Indigenous peoples on the PCF are vital to its successful implementation. ECCC continued to collaborate through distinction-based tables with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis Nation, in partnership with each of the Assembly of First Nations, Inuit Tapiriit Kanatami, and the Métis National Council. These tables informs the design of policies and programs to reflect and advance Indigenous peoples’ clean growth and climate change priorities.
• Through ECCC’s $2 billion Low Carbon Economy Fund, the Department invested in initiatives that encourage clean growth and reduce GHG emissions through two funds: The Leadership Fund and the Challenge Fund. Together, these funds support a diverse range and size of projects to bring effective and innovative approaches to reduce energy and emissions and to further provincial, territorial and local priorities. In addition, through the Climate Action Fund, the Department supported innovation in climate action in Canada by providing up to $3 million for projects delivered by students, youth, Indigenous peoples and organizations, not-for-profit organizations and medium-small enterprises to engage in awareness of climate change and to build capacity for increased actions that contribute to the PCF.
• To support Canadian efforts towards climate change adaptation and resilience, ECCC launched the Canadian Centre for Climate Services website and Support Desk to give Canadians better access to information that helps them plan for climate impacts. The Department also provided advice and guidance to federal departments and agencies to support greater resilience to climate impacts. ECCC supported all aspects of the Global Commission on Adaptation for its 2018–20 mandate.
• ECCC continued its leadership role in the international climate change and clean growth arena to advance Canadian and global goals, including through ongoing negotiations for implementing the Paris Agreement. ECCC continued to work closely with Global Affairs Canada to deliver Canada’s climate finance commitment of $2.65 billion over five years to support vulnerable developing countries transition to resilient, low-carbon economies. While Global Affairs Canada implements the majority of these funds, ECCC channels $57.5 million to reduce short-lived climate pollutants emissions, improve early warning systems, and test innovative approaches for carbon market systems through key bilateral and multilateral initiatives. ECCC and GAC collaborated closely on tracking, monitoring and reporting on progress achieved. ECCC key partnerships include the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (Canada is a founding member), Powering Past Coal Alliance (now at 80 members strong) and the Global Methane Forum, the 2018 iteration of which was hosted by Canada. ECCC remained a strong advocate for referencing environmental issues and climate change in Canada’s free-trade agreements to ensure they enable Canada to meet its environmental commitments.

To address Canada’s biodiversity, pollution and air quality priorities, ECCC took action on several fronts in 2018–19.

• ECCC made significant progress to protect and conserve nature. By March 2019, a total of 11.8% of Canada’s land and freshwater were protected (2020 goal is 17%). Canada also exceeded its mid-term target for marine and coastal waters by protecting 7.9% of these areas as of March 2019, which is well on the way to the 2020 target of 10%. A historic Government of Canada investment of $1.3 billion over five years in Canada’s Nature Legacy, included $500 million, matched by partners, to create a $1 billion Canada Nature Fund. ECCC is implementing the Canada Nature Fund to provide financial resources to partners to protect species and their habitats and to drive progress towards Canada’s biodiversity targets. ECCC established Canada’s first Indigenous Protected Area under the Canada Nature Fund—Edéhzhíe Protected Area (Northwest Territories)—to protect important habitat for woodland caribou and woodland bison, both threatened species. In recognition that Indigenous peoples have long been stewards of the environment and have deep connections to nature, ECCC continued to collaborate with Indigenous peoples and invest in initiatives that protect and restore biodiversity, and that strengthen and renew its relationship with Indigenous peoples.
• ECCC made major progress in protecting priority species, including by working with provinces and territories to develop a Pan-Canadian Approach to Transforming Species at Risk Conservation in Canada, identifying shared priority places, species and sectors for action, and adding protections to 13 species at risk, thus further reducing the backlog of decisions on listing species under Canada’s Species at Risk Act.
• ECCC took significant action on pollution and waste. ECCC worked with provinces and territories to create a Canada-wide Strategy on Zero Plastic Waste. During its G7 presidency, Canada introduced the Ocean Plastics Charter at the Leaders’ Summit it hosted in June 2018.
• ECCC proposed a new 2019–2022 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, which sets out environmental sustainability priorities, establishes goals and targets, and identifies actions to achieve them. ECCC also reported to Canadians through the 2018 Progress Report on the significant results achieved under the previous 2016–2019 Strategy.
• ECCC continued to enforce Canada’s pollution and wildlife laws and regulations, with significant penalty monies going to the Environmental Damages Fund to support environmental projects with measurable outcomes.
• With extreme weather events on the rise, ECCC continued to improve its capacity to provide critical weather and air quality information to Canadians, with ever-greater speed and accuracy. The Department issued 480,000 weather forecasts, watches and warnings. WeatherCAN, ECCC’s new weather app, was launched and was downloaded over 330,000 times in its first six weeks. The Department continued to replace outdated radars with new ones that enable more accurate and timely predictions. The 2018-19 year included the installation of four new weather radars across the country (Blainville, Québec; Foxwarren, Manitoba; Smooth Rock Falls, Ontario; Spirit River, Alberta). In addition to the Radisson, Saskatchewan, radar that was installed in 2017–18, a total of 5 new radars have now been installed, and all 32 new radars are on track for installation across the country by 2023.

* Figures refer to total actual 2018–19 departmental spending and FTE, and not only the selected achievements highlighted above.

For more information on Environment and Climate Change Canada’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.