Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy: Departmental Website Component of the 2012-2013 Report on Plans and Priorities

Six of the 14 groups in the ZIP Program and Stratégies Saint-Laurent conduct activities in marine zones to support local and regional collaboration among the various stakeholders involved in the St. Lawrence Plan and engage them in improving its environmental quality.

Community action projects will be funded through contribution agreements with local organizations under the Community Interaction Program (CIP). This funding will support community projects related to the objectives of the Canada–Quebec Agreement on the St. Lawrence: biodiversity conservation, sustainable use, and improvement of water quality.

Performance expectations:

• Annual number of projects completed (Community Interaction Program indicator).
• 2012–2013 performance indicators for these six agreements under the ZIP program.

Environment Canada provides advice to Transport Canada on issues that involve both disposal at sea and marine pollution from ships preventing gaps in regulation and providing consistent environmental protection.

By participating in the development and implementation of best practices or global regulation, Environment Canada’s support of Transport Canada has an impact on ocean sustainability with respect to marine pollution from ships.

Performance expectations:

• Provide support towards the development of Canadian positions on the issue and management of ship based garbage (Garbage Annex of  International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) and coordination with London Protocol), ship recycling, and support the advance of these positions at the Marine Environmental Protection Committee of the International Maritime Organization and with Transport Canada domestically.

Environment Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada work collaboratively to coordinate the development of Canada’s national report in support of its commitment to the Global Programme of Action (GPA) for the Protection of the Marine Environment from Land-Based Activities. The report is submitted to the United Nations Environment Programme once every five years prior to an international meeting of GPA signatories.

The development of Canada’s national report on the Global Programme of Action provides an opportunity to take stock of how effectively federal, provincial and territorial policies and programs are helping to reduce the risk to Canadians and impacts on the marine environment posed by pollution from land-based activities. It is, however, only one example of how data is being collected and used to support domestic and international organizations.

Performance expectations:

• Coordinated the development of Canada’s national report on the Global Programme of Action.
• Submitted Canada’s national report prior to the 3^rd Intergovernmental Review of the Global Programme of Action in fall 2011.

Canada is a Party to the London Protocol a global treaty on marine pollution and disposal at sea. The treaty sets assessment and monitoring goals globally. Environment Canada leads on this Treaty for Canada.

Canada’s participation internationally has an impact on the domestic and global ocean sustainability with respect to disposal at sea by influencing best practices or global regulation.

Performance expectations:

• Develop Canadian positions and advance them at London Protocol. Canada expects to achieve at least 50% of its positions.

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA 1999) requires an application for disposal at sea and the Minister of the Environment is required to monitor representative disposal sites where the material is permitted for disposal. Each permit is granted following a detailed assessment and sets conditions to protect the marine environment and human health.

This service requirement for permit assessment supports the larger sustainability target 3.9 – Prevent marine pollution from uncontrolled dumping at sea. Ensure that permitted disposal at sea is sustainable such that 85% of disposal site monitoring events do not identify the need for site management action (such as site closure) by ensuring that the assessment is consistent, conducted in a timely manner, and thus provides a sound basis for monitoring.

Please visit the Disposal at Sea website for more information.

Performance expectations:

• Service standard of 90% of permits issued within 120 days will be met on an ongoing basis.