At a Glance

The Government of Canada has made significant strides in greening its operations.

All new government office buildings are required to meet the Canada Green Building Council's Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Gold level.

Departments have committed to actions that will generate a 12% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020–2021.

All departments have adopted green workplace practices including environmentally sound e-waste management, reduction of printing equipment and paper consumption, and integrating of environmental performance considerations into their procurement decisions.

Performance to Date

  • The Government of Canada will conduct environmental performance assessments on 80% of fully occupied buildings greater than 1000 square metres. Initial project plans have been developed for 27 new construction, build-to-lease and major renovation projects to ensure that they meet a high level of environmental performance.
  • A standardized accounting approach for greenhouse gases (GHG) has been adopted across departments and annual reporting is now in place.
  • Of the departments for which data was available, more than 3700 printing units and 175 tonnes of paper have been reduced.
  • The Government of Canada now includes environmental considerations when renewing standing offers for commonly procured goods and services.

Remaining Challenges

  • The findings from the environmental performance assessments for buildings will need to be addressed strategically to ensure these lead to GHG reductions, as additional initiatives will be required to reach the 17% GHG reduction target.
  • Several departments do not have complete data for green workplace targets, and for many departments, assigning responsibility for implementation remains an ongoing challenge.
  • Reaching and maintaining the green workplace targets over time will require continuing effort and oversight.

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