2014-15 PHAC Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

The Public Health Agency of Canada's Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy provides information on:

• Overview of the Federal Government's Approach to Sustainable Development
• Sustainable Development Management System
• Strategic Environmental Assessment
• Detailed information on the Public Health Agency’s commitments in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy

Overview of the Federal Government's Approach to Sustainable Development

The 2013–2016 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), tabled in Parliament on November 4, 2013, guides the Government of Canada’s sustainable development activities. This second FSDS articulates Canada’s federal sustainable development priorities for a period of three years (April 1, 2014 to March 31, 2017), as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act (FSDA). The FSDA provides the legal framework for developing and implementing a FSDS that makes environmental decision-making more transparent and accountable to Parliament. Public Health Agency of Canada supports the implementation of the FSDS through the activities found in this departmental strategy.

The Public Health Agency of Canada Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS) supports two themes of the FSDS:

• Theme 1: Addressing Climate Change and Air Quality
• Theme 4: Shrinking the Environmental Footprint – Beginning with Government (also known as Greening Government Operations)

Sustainable Development Management System

The Public Health Agency of Canada is committed to sustainable development and contributes to the FSDS by delivering on its core vision of healthy Canadians and communities in a healthier world. The Agency strives to integrate environmental, economic and social factors in the making of decisions in order to derive added benefits or to avoid or mitigate negative impacts on human health for both present and future generations.

The Agency’s sustainable development vision is guided by the following principles:

• Strengthen Canada’s capacity to protect and improve the health of Canadians;
• Build an effective public health system that enables Canadians to achieve better health and wellbeing in their daily lives by promoting good health, helping prevent chronic diseases and injury, and protecting Canadians from infectious diseases and other threats to their health; and
• Reduce health disparities between the most advantaged and disadvantaged Canadians.

The Agency will manage and promote sustainable development within its policy, planning and operational processes.

Sustainable development planning and reporting is now linked with the federal government's core expenditure planning and reporting system under the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Consistent with the Government of Canada reporting on the FSDS, the Agency has fully integrated its sustainable development commitments in the Report on Plans and Priorities, Departmental Performance Report, annual DSDS Performance Report, and this document, which together form the Agency’s DSDS planning and reporting requirements.

The Agency’s Assistant Deputy Minister Sustainable Development Champion will continue to be a leader for sustainable development at the Agency by promoting sustainable development values, commitments and achievements among employees and Health Portfolio partners. The Champion will engage senior management at corporate governance committees as required to promote advancement of sustainable development commitments. The Champion's leadership is vital in moving the Agency towards the integration of sustainable development principles and FSDS and DSDS commitments into the policies and programs of the Agency. In addition, the Champion will continue to ensure compliance with the Cabinet Directive on Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals.

The Agency will continue to contribute to the federal approach to sustainable development through its ongoing participation at interdepartmental committees and working groups.

Strategic Environmental Assessment

The Agency ensures that its decision-making process includes a consideration of the FSDS goals and targets through the strategic environmental assessment (SEA). An SEA for policy, plan or program proposals includes an analysis of the impacts of the proposal on the environment, including on the FSDS goals and targets. The results of SEAs are made public when an initiative is announced or approved, demonstrating that environmental factors were integrated into the decision-making process.

Detailed information on the Public Health Agency's commitments in the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy

FSDS Theme I: Addressing Climate Change and Air Quality

FSDS GOAL 1: CLIMATE CHANGE: In order to mitigate the effects of climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emission levels and adapt to unavoidable impacts.

FSDS Target 1.2: Climate Change Adaptation: Facilitate reduced vulnerability of individuals, communities, regions and economic sectors to the impacts of climate change through the development and provision of information and tools.

FSDS Implementation Strategy led by the Public Health Agency of Canada:

1.2.2. Work with domestic and international stakeholders to reduce infectious disease risks and public health threats related to climate change by increasing public health capacity and expertise through targeted research, modelling and cost-benefit analysis.

For additional details on the Agency’s activities in support of this Implementation Strategy, please refer to the Agency's activities in support of this Implementation Strategy.

FSDS Theme 4: Shrinking the Environmental Footprint – Beginning with Government (also known as Greening Government Operations

The Agency is a participant in the 2013–16 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy andcontributes to the Theme IV (Greening Government Operations) targets through the Internal Services Program.

Additional details on the Agency’s activities can be found in the 2014-15 Report on Plans and Priorities Greening Government Operations Supplementary Information Table.