Foreword

The starting point for this report is the requirement to provide a whole-of-government picture to parliamentarians and Canadians about how the federal government supports environmental sustainability and what progress the federal government has made. This report takes into account the work of 27 federal departments and agencies on some 400 implementation strategies that contribute to 38 targets, which in turn support the 8 goals of the 2010 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS). This report shows how, as of 2012, the Government of Canada has contributed to the broad outcomes of the FSDS goals and targets. The reader is encouraged to explore online sources of information that are referenced throughout the report to obtain further details. These sources include the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategies of specific federal departments and agencies, where additional detail can be found on specific programs and activities, and the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators program, which provides additional information about the indicators included in this report. Together, these sources provide a full picture of the federal government's sustainable development activities.