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SECTION I - OVERVIEW

Minister's Message

As Minister of the Environment, I am pleased to present the 2008-2009 Report on Plans and Priorities for Environment Canada.

Over the last year I am proud to say that our Government has taken real action to protect and preserve our environment.

On climate change, our Government has an aggressive plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Right now, Canada is on a path to achieve absolute reductions in our annual greenhouse gas emissions of 20 percent by 2020 and cut industrial air pollution in half by 2015.

We have also taken a principled position on the world stage when it comes to fighting climate change. At the recent United Nations Conference on Climate Change in Indonesia, Canada worked to achieve three main objectives:

• bringing the world together to launch negotiations for a post-2012 agreement
• finding consensus on what the building blocks for a framework should be
• fixing 2009 as the end date for negotiations

We were successful in achieving those goals, in concert with the United Nations.

We have also taken real action to conserve pristine land across Canada so future generations can experience the natural wonders of our great nation. For example, in the past year, we took action to protect the Ramparts River and Wetlands in the Northwest Territories, one of Canada's natural treasures. By withdrawing massive areas like the Ramparts River and Wetlands from industrial development, we will protect some of the most impressive ecological and cultural wonders in the North for generations to come. Another example of our good work is our partnership with the Nature Conservancy of Canada to purchase and preserve ecologically valuable land across Canada.

Our natural environment is one of our country's greatest assets and our Government is committed to dealing aggressively with its protection. That is why in the most recent budget, we provided $22 million for the hiring of 100 new enforcement officers to join the 213 already at work. Protecting our natural treasures means getting tough on those who poach, plunder or pollute, and enforcement officers play a key role in ensuring that this happens.

On water, our Government's Action Plan for Clean Water will help clean up our lakes and oceans, bolster our fisheries science and enforcement, and improve water and wastewater infrastructure in all communities. We made funding announcements to help clean up important bodies of water like Lake Winnipeg and Lake Simcoe, and we announced our intent to improve sewage treatment across Canada and to get tough on those who dump raw sewage into our rivers, lakes and streams.

In closing, as Minister of the Environment, I am served by a professional public service that helps implement important policies and decisions on a daily basis. I want to therefore thank Environment Canada employees for working hard to turn our vision of a greater natural Canada into reality.

Let me be absolutely clear. Our Government is firmly committed to the protection, improvement and conservation of our country's natural legacy. The objectives outlined in this report build on the foundation we are laying for Canada's future environmental sustainability. Therefore, I encourage all parliamentarians and Canadians to read this report.

The Honourable John Baird, P.C., M.P.
Minister of the Environment

Management Representation Statement

I submit for tabling in Parliament, the 2008-2009 Report on Plans and Priorities (RPP) for Environment Canada.

This document has been prepared based on the reporting principles contained in the Guide to the Preparation of Part III of the 2008-2009 Estimates: Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports:

• It adheres to the specific reporting requirements outlined in the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat guidance.
• It is based on the Department's Strategic Outcomes and Program Activities that were approved by Treasury Board.
• It presents consistent, comprehensive, balanced and reliable information.
• It provides a basis of accountability for the results achieved with the resources and authorities entrusted to it.
• It reports finances based on approved planned spending numbers from the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat.

____________________________

Michael Horgan

Deputy Minister of the Environment

Raison d'être

A number of acts and regulations provide the Department with its mandate and allow it to carry out its programs. Under the Department of the Environment Act, the powers, duties and functions of the Minister of the Environment extend to and include matters relating to

• the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment, including water, air and soil quality;
• renewable resources, including migratory birds and other non-domestic flora and fauna;
• water;
• meteorology;
• the enforcement of any rules or regulations made by the International Joint Commission relating to boundary waters; and
• the coordination of the policies and programs of the Government of Canada respecting the preservation and enhancement of the quality of the natural environment.

Additional authorities are provided in the other acts and regulations administered by the Department, including the Species at Risk Act and the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. For details on departmental legislation and regulations see: www.ec.gc.ca/EnviroRegs.

Organizational Information

2007-2008 to 2008-2009 Program Activity Architecture (PAA) Crosswalk

Environment Canada received Treasury Board approval to modify its PAA for 2008-2009. The table below provides a crosswalk between Environment Canada's 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 Program Activity Architectures.

Environment Canada required amendments to its previously approved PAA to reflect the Order in Council transferring responsibility for the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative (TWRI) from the President of the Treasury Board to the Minister of the Environment.

Totals may differ within and between tables due to the rounding of figures.

Voted and Statutory Items Displayed in the Main Estimates

2008-2009 ($ millions)
Vote or Statutory Item	Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording	2008-2009 Main Estimates	2007-2008 Main Estimates
1	Operating expenditures	665.2	662.6
5	Capital expenditures	43.5	40.0
10	Grants and contributions	165.1	59.7
(S)	Minister of the Environment salary and motor car allowance	0.1	0.1
(S)	Contributions to employee benefit plans	83.6	79.5
	Total Department	957.5	842.0

$2.6 million - Operating

The increase in Operating is mainly due to:
$17.2M in renewed and new incremental funding for implementation of the federal Species at Risk Act
$8.4M increase in funding for the Chemicals Management Plan
$6.5M in new funding for collective agreements for several occupational groups
$4.1M increase in funding for the International Polar Year initiative
$2.0M increase in funding for major natural resource projects
$1.6M increase in funding for the Health of the Oceans initiative
$1.5M vote transfer to provide the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative with the funds needed to administer the program

These increases are mainly offset by the following decreases:
$8.3M in vote transfers aimed at providing sufficient capital spending levels as well as to enhance program delivery by providing the required transfer payments resources
$5.4M decrease due to the termination of the Agriculture Policy Framework
$4.6M decrease for the International Actions component of Canada's Clean Air Agenda
$4.2M decrease in funding level requirements for the activities under the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda
$3.7M reduction to meet Budget 2007 commitment for cost efficiency savings
$3.6M decrease for the Climate Change Scenarios component of Canada's Clean Air Agenda
$3.1M for an operating budget transfer
$2.9M decrease for Action Plan 2000
$2.3M for a planned reduction in the level of activities in support of the Meteorological Service of Canada Transformation
$1.0M decrease for Genomics

$3.5 million - Capital

The increase in Capital is mainly due to:
$4.9M due to vote transfers aimed at providing sufficient capital spending levels

This increase is mainly offset by the following decrease:
$1.3M due to funding level changes for the Chemicals Management Plan

$105.4 million - Grants and contributions

The increase in Grants and contributions is mainly due to:
$85.0M increase due to the reprofiling of funds for the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization initiative from 2007-2008 to 2008-2009
$12.5M increase for the new agreement between the Government of Canada and the Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology for delivery of the Next-generation Biofuels Fund
$7.3M in renewed and new incremental funding for implementation of the federal Species at Risk Act
$5.0M increase to meet the obligations outlined in the Harbourfront Centre Funding Program
$3.4M in vote transfers aimed at enhancing program delivery

These increases are mainly offset by the following decreases:
$5.5M decrease for the International Actions component of the Clean Air Agenda
$1.1M decrease to reflect decisions made by the Expenditure Review Committee
$1.0M due to the reprofiling of funds from 2006-2007 to 2007-2008 for the Invasive Alien Species Strategy

Departmental Planned Spending and Full-time Equivalents

Program Activities ($ millions)		Forecast Spending 2007-2008*	Planned Spending 2008-2009	Planned Spending 2009-2010	Planned Spending 2010-2011
Biodiversity is conserved and protected		112.0	135.9	132.8	128.7
Water is clean, safe and secure		84.3	84.9	79.0	69.9
Canadians adopt approaches that ensure the sustainable use and management of natural capital and working landscapes		30.9	32.7	30.7	29.9
Improved knowledge and information on weather and environmental conditions influences decision-making		140.8	143.2	143.6	140.0
Canadians are informed of, and respond appropriately to, current and predicted environmental conditions		200.0	194.4	196.9	192.3
Risks to Canadians, their health and their environment posed by toxic and other harmful substances are reduced		185.2	190.7	190.1	186.5
Canadians adopt sustainable consumption and production approaches		26.5	48.0	49.4	64.1
Risks to Canadians, their health, and their environment from air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced		130.4	103.8	102.1	102.7
Revitalization of the Toronto waterfront			87.0	126.0	16.4
Harbourfront Corporation			5.0	5.0	5.0
Budgetary Main Estimates (gross)		910.2	1,025.6	1,055.8	935.5
	Less: Respendable Revenue	(68.2)	(68.1)	(69.1)	(69.0)
Total Main Estimates		842.0	957.5	986.7	866.5
Adjustments:
To 2007-2008 through Environment Canada's Supplementary Estimates
	Transfer from Treasury Board Secretariat - For the revitalization of the Toronto Waterfront through investments in infrastructure and urban development (Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative) as a result of change of Ministers' portfolio	234.3
	Funding for the implementation of the Species at Risk Act to continue the stabilization and recovery of wildlife species at risk in Canada	26.1
	Funding related to government advertising programs (horizontal item)	8.8
	Funding to cover the incremental costs in the Pacific Environment Centre Site lease payments and the costs of the Montreal Protocol Meeting	5.7
	Funding for the Harbourfront Centre to continue its cultural and recreational programming on the Toronto waterfront	5.0
	Funding to prepare for Canada's participation in International Polar Year 2007 - 2008, an extensive international research program in the Arctic and Antarctic (horizontal item)	4.3
	Funding for Meteorological Service of Canada high-priority projects	4.0
	Funding related to the assessment, management and remediation of federal contaminated sites (horizontal item)	3.9
	Funding to enhance environmental law enforcement capacity	3.7
	Funding to improve the performance of the regulatory system for major natural resource projects that are subject to a comprehensive study, a panel review or a multijurisdictional screening under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (horizontal item)	2.3
	Grant to the Canada Foundation for Sustainable Development Technology	1.6
	Funding to support the Health of the Oceans initiative to contribute to the National Water Strategy (horizontal item)	1.3
	Spending authorities available within the vote due to a realignment of resources between salaries and other operating costs	(3.6)
	Other technical adjustments	(3.6)
To 2007-2008 through adjustments other than Environment Canada's Supplementary Estimates
	Operating budget carry forward	13.3
	Reimbursement of eligible salary costs	13.0
	Salary increases due to the signing of new collective agreements and other salary costs	9.9
	Incremental funding in support of the Internal Audit Policy	0.4
	Reprofiling - Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative	(139.2)
	Employee Benefit Plan (EBP)	4.9
To Planned Spending Levels
	Funding for implementation of the National Vehicle Scrappage Program in support of Canada's Clean Air Agenda		31.4	29.9	28.9
	Funding to enhance environmental law enforcement capacity		16.5	14.4	14.0
	Funding for implementation of the Clean Air Regulatory Agenda		15.7	17.9	15.0
	Funding for implementation of the Freshwater Initiatives of the National Water Strategy		12.2	24.7	25.9
	Funding for International Actions in support of Canada's Clean Air Agenda		8.5	8.4	8.4
	Funding to cover the incremental costs in the Pacific Environment Centre Site lease payments and the costs of the Montreal Protocol Meeting		1.7
	Other technical adjustments		(0.2)	(0.2)	(0.2)
Total Adjustments		196.0	85.9	95.2	92.1
Total Planned Spending		1,038.0	1,043.5	1,081.9	958.5
	Less: Non-Respendable Revenue	(11.1)	(13.1)	(13.2)	(13.2)
	Plus: Cost of services received without charge	63.4	82.7	83.4	83.7
Net Cost of Program		1,090.3	1,113.1	1,152.1	1,029.1
Full-time Equivalents		6,454	6,732	6,800	6,768

*Reflects the best forecast of total net planned spending to the end of the fiscal year.

Totals may differ within and between tables due to the rounding of figures.

Summary Information

Financial Resources ($ millions)

2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011
1,043.5	1,081.9	958.5

Human Resources (FTEs)

2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011
6,732	6,800	6,768

Departmental Priorities

Name	Type
1. Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution	Ongoing
2. Ensuring water quality and quantity	Ongoing
3. Supporting clean land and biodiversity	Ongoing
4. Providing quality meteorological and environmental services to Canadians	Ongoing
5. Delivering results on environmental enforcement	Ongoing
6. Protecting Canadians from toxic substances	Ongoing
7. Supporting sustainable urban development and infrastructure renewal in the Toronto waterfront area	New
8. Improving integrated business and human resources planning in the Department	Ongoing

Program Activities by Strategic Outcome

($ millions)	Expected Results	Planned Spending			Contributes to the following priority
		2008-2009	2009-2010	2010-2011
Strategic Outcome: Canada's natural capital is restored, conserved, and enhanced					2,3,5 and 8
Biodiversity is conserved and protected	Wildlife is conserved and protected Land and landscapes are managed sustainably	141.0	135.9	131.6
Water is clean, safe and secure	Aquatic ecosystems are conserved and protected.	94.8	100.7	92.7
Canadians adopt approaches that ensure the sustainable use and management of natural capital and working landscapes	Integrated information and knowledge enables integrated approaches to protecting and conserving priority ecosystems Information, assessment and understanding of the state of ecosystem sustainability supports decision-making	32.9	30.7	29.9
Strategic Outcome: Weather and environmental predictions and services reduce risks and contribute to the well-being of Canadians					4 and 8
Improved knowledge and information on weather and environmental conditions influences decision-making	Information from environmental monitoring activities is sufficient to identify, analyze, study and predict weather and climate conditions, air quality, and clean water availability Science is produced to support weather and environmental services, decision-making and policy development	130.2	127.9	124.2
Canadians are informed of, and respond appropriately to, current and predicted environmental conditions	Canadians are better informed through improved weather and environmental predictions and services and leveraged partnership opportunities Canadians benefit from the creation and use of meteorological and environmental information by Environment Canada and its partners where there is common interest Adaptive strategies to address the impacts of climate change are developed and implemented for the benefit of Canadians and the environment	153.0	154.0	149.4
Strategic Outcome: Canadians and their environment are protected from the effects of pollution and waste					1,5,6 and 8
Risks to Canadians, their health and their environment posed by toxic and other harmful substances are reduced	Risks to Canadians, their health and their environment posed by toxic and other harmful substances are assessed Risks to Canadians and impacts on the environment posed by toxic and other harmful substances are managed Risks to Canadians and impacts on the environment posed by toxic and other harmful substances are mitigated	198.0	194.2	190.6
Canadians adopt sustainable consumption and production approaches	Canadians and decision-makers are informed about the risks posed by environmental pollution and greenhouse gases and are aware of the trends and future actions to take Strategic approaches effectively promote sustainable production and consumption	49.5	50.6	65.2
Risks to Canadians, their health, and their environment from air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions are reduced	Strategic approaches to manage air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions effectively reduce risks Risks from air pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions from industrial sectors are managed Risks from air emissions and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector are managed	152.0	156.9	153.5
Strategic Outcome: Sustainable urban development and infrastructure renewal in the Toronto waterfront area					7
Revitalization of the Toronto waterfront	Increased accessibility to and usage of waterfront area Revitalized urban infrastructure Improved environmental management of the waterfront area	87.1	126.0	16.4
Harbourfront Corporation	Stable foundation for Harbourfront Corporation administration and operations Ongoing community access	5.0	5.0	5.0

Departmental Plans and Priorities

Introduction

The most recent Speech from the Throne clearly outlines the Government of Canada's environmental agenda and demonstrates its commitment to addressing threats to our environment in a pro-active and comprehensive manner. Protecting the health of Canadians and ensuring our quality of life, while balancing environmental protection and economic growth, is a top priority for the Government. Maintaining such a balanced approach is at the heart of environmental sustainability.

In pursuing these goals, Environment Canada is focused on outcomes and achievable results that will create a healthier environment now and for future generations. Through strong, clear environmental laws and regulations coupled with the effective use of market forces, governments can create incentives and conditions in which businesses and people protect our natural environment and respond to environmental challenges with entrepreneurial innovation and personal commitment.

Operating Environment

Context
Canada is particularly rich in natural assets, containing within its borders 20 percent of the world's natural areas, 10 percent of the world's forests, and 7 percent of the world's renewable fresh water. The Canadian economy benefits greatly from this wealth. Roughly 22 percent of Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) is derived from resources such as energy products, forests and agriculture. While Canada is blessed with a richness of natural assets, improved management of these resources is a central need.

Canada is not alone in its efforts to seek out effective ways to manage the environment. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) estimates that environmental impacts on human health cost OECD countries 0.5 percent of GDP, and that 20 percent of the total burden of disease in industrialized countries can be linked to environmental factors.

The Government has indicated that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has presented compelling scientific proof that the climate has changed because of human action and industrial growth, and it accepts the findings of the Fourth Assessment Report.

Health Considerations

There is growing evidence that the state of the environment is significantly affecting human health. Smog, for example, can worsen existing heart and breathing problems and provokes thousands of premature deaths each year. Smog causes hundreds of thousands of severe episodes of asthma and bronchitis annually, particularly among children and the elderly. The Ontario Medical Association estimates that air-related illnesses result in approximately 60,000 emergency visits and 16,000 hospital admissions annually in Ontario alone. Data show that 12 percent of children are estimated to have asthma and it is now a leading cause of school absenteeism. An analysis in eight major Canadian cities concluded that air pollution is a factor in 1 of every 12 deaths-a total of 5,800 preventable deaths per year. [1]

Some of the same pollutants that cause smog also impair ecosystems and wildlife. Poor air quality, resulting in acid deposition and long-range transport of contaminants, remains one of the most serious threats to biodiversity, forests and freshwater ecosystems. Hazardous air pollutants, such as mercury, can be deposited into water and pose risks to wildlife and humans through their accumulation up the food chain.

Air quality is of increasing concern to Canadians: 60 percent consider air pollution to be the most important environmental issue. Over half believe it will eventually have a negative impact on their health, and a third believe that air pollution is already having adverse impacts.

Economic Considerations

The stress on, and resulting degradation of, our environment carries real economic costs. These are associated with, among other things, a decline in resource and labour productivity and an increased burden on the health care system. In the province of Ontario alone, poor air quality has resulted in an estimated $374 million in lost productivity in 2005 and direct health care costs of $507 million per year. [2]

These types of costs cumulatively affect all regions and sectors, and together cumulatively represent a serious challenge to Canada's long-term prosperity. In the Okanagan Valley and in Alberta's oil sands region, for example, economic opportunities are increasingly constrained by water availability. In the Prairies, Atlantic Canada and elsewhere, invasive pests that harm crops and forests are estimated to cost Canada's economy $7.5 billion each year. [3]

Natural disasters, particularly weather-related ones such as severe thunderstorms, winter storms, freezing rain, floods or drought, also take their toll on the economy. Recent studies reveal that Canadian natural disasters are on the rise in both size and frequency. Most of these disasters have occurred within the last decade, and the Canadian government has spent more than $13 billion to restore damaged infrastructure and uninsured properties. [4] Also, the insurance industry expected to pay out more than $500 million in the wake of a storm that hit southern Ontario on August 19, 2005, and over $1.5 billion following the ice storm that struck southern Quebec and eastern Ontario in 1998. [5]

Competitiveness in the Global Economy

Within the global economy, citizens, investors and companies are responding to the reality that environmental sustainability is an increasingly important driver of competitiveness.

This fundamental shift in how the environment is valued can be seen in the changing nature of international trade, where countries and industries are increasingly putting in place environmental standards for imported or traded goods and services.

More than ever before, industries are pressured to behave responsibly and to adopt sustainable and ethical practices. For example, the world's top wood buyers responded to campaigns calling on them to stop buying wood from endangered forests, affecting their suppliers across North America and Europe.

Investors, including banks and insurers, monitor corporate earnings related to environmental performance and liability. For example, the Carbon Disclosure Project (on behalf of 315 institutional investors representing US$41 trillion in assets) sends a yearly letter to the world's largest 500 companies demanding disclosure of carbon-related financial risks and strategies. [6]

Financial indices such as the Dow Jones Sustainability Index have emerged, adding credence to arguments that environmental sustainability is a key component of economic competitiveness in the 21st century.

The Environment is a Key Priority of the Government of Canada

The Government of Canada has provided significant new direction on environmental policy and programs.

Advantage Canada, released on November 23, 2006 with the Government's Economic and Fiscal Update 2006, stated that protecting Canada's environment is central to the Advantage Canada plan and an important source of long-term economic strength for Canada. In particular the plan recognized that

• a healthier and cleaner environment enriches the quality of life in Canada, and attracts and retains the highly skilled and mobile people Canada needs to succeed in the global economy;
• responsible development of our natural resources ensures future jobs and wealth creation across the country;
• energy efficiency and environmentally sustainable business practices are increasingly important competitive advantages for our businesses; and
• Canada has the potential to be a leader in the rapidly emerging business of environmental technology.

Budget 2007 invested significant new resources toward cleaning air and water, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, combating climate change, and protecting the natural environment. The Budget identified four environmental priorities under the general theme of "A Better Canada: Ensuring a Cleaner, Healthier Environment":

• Cleaner energy and better energy efficiency
• Promoting cleaner transportation
• Protecting Canada's natural heritage
• Canada 's National Water Strategy

Budget 2007 included new investments in the environment for 20 programs that total $4.5 billion. The following are of particular interest to Environment Canada:

• $1.5 billion in new funding for the Clean Air and Climate Change Trust Fund
• $2 billion to support renewable fuel production
• $275 million to preserve Canada's natural heritage and ecologically sensitive lands
• $110 million to strengthen the implementation of the Species At Risk Act
• $93 million for a new National Water Strategy
• $22 million to support a 50 percent increase in the number of environmental enforcement officers hired

The October 2007 Speech from the Throne outlined that improving our environment is one of the five key priorities of the Government. Specifically with respect to the environment, the Government committed to the following:

• creating an integrated northern strategy focused on strengthening Canada's sovereignty, protecting our environmental heritage, promoting economic and social development, and improving and devolving governance
• implementing a national strategy to reduce Canada's total greenhouse gas emissions 60 to 70 percent by 2050, with a 20 percent reduction by 2020
• bringing forward the first-ever national air pollution regulations. In so doing, our government will put Canada at the forefront of clean technologies to reduce air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions
• establishing a carbon emissions trading market that will give business the incentive to run cleaner, greener operations
• promoting a cleaner environment by investing in public transport and water treatment, and by cleaning up contaminated sites
• implementing a new water strategy to help clean up our major lakes and oceans and to improve access to safe drinking water for First Nations
• bolstering the protection of our water and land through tougher environmental enforcement that will make polluters accountable

Our Priorities

The Department's priorities fully reflect and support the directions of the Government regarding the environment.

For 2008-2009, Environment Canada is focusing on seven program priorities and one management priority that will advance its agenda of measurable environmental outcomes and demonstrable results.

The seven program priorities are as follows:

1- Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Air Pollution

On April 26, 2007, the Government announced Turning the Corner: An Action Plan to Reduce Greenhouse Gases and Air Pollution. The ongoing implementation of the Government's Clean Air Agenda will be a priority for Environment Canada in 2008-2009. This year, the Government intends to introduce regulations establishing mandatory targets for the reduction of both greenhouse gases and air pollution, regulation of the fuel efficiency of cars and light duty trucks and a strengthening of energy efficiency standards for a number of energy-consuming products, including washers and dryers.

Mandatory targets, coupled with industry's ability to meet some of its obligations by contributing to a technology fund, will create incentives for the development and deployment of new technologies that will be central to reducing emissions and promoting continuous improvement.

Through Turning the Corner, the Government itself is also making investments in clean energy and transportation technologies in Canada, yielding reductions in the short-term as well as deriving long-term economic benefits from improved energy efficiency, greater competitiveness, more opportunity to sell Canadian environmental products and know-how abroad, and more jobs for Canadians. Establishment of a carbon emissions trading market will also give business the incentive to run cleaner, greener operations.

Taken together and combined with actions being taken by provincial and territorial governments, the Government is committed to a 20 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and a 60-70 percent reduction by 2050 compared to 2006 emission levels.

In addition to its lead role in domestic climate change policy, Environment Canada will continue to support the Government of Canada in its commitment to playing a constructive role in developing a new international climate change regime that establishes binding targets for all major emitters.

2- Ensuring Water Quality and Quantity

In Budget 2007 and the Speech from the Throne, the Government committed itself to the Action Plan for Clean Water to help clean up Canada's major lakes and oceans and improve access to safe drinking water for First Nations.

The Action Plan for Clean Water sets the direction for concrete action by focusing on improving the quality of drinking water, cleaning up polluted waters, better understanding and predicting changes in water levels in basins such as the Great Lakes, and protecting key ecosystems. Already a number of initiatives have been launched as part of the plan-a number of targeted investments have been made in the Great Lakes and in lakes Simcoe and Winnipeg.

Looking ahead, in 2008-2009, Environment Canada will continue work under this action plan by engaging with provinces to put in place new national standards for sewage treatment. Environment Canada will implement its responsibilities under the action plan primarily through regulations under the Fisheries Act. These regulations and other actions with partners will improve water quality for First Nations. Further, on regulatory action, Environment Canada will propose amendments to its existing regulations on phosphate content in detergents to address concentrations in dishwashing detergents. Environment Canada will also continue to support the implementation of the Health of the Oceans Initiative.

3- Supporting Clean Land and Biodiversity

Environment Canada will continue to work towards cleaning up contaminated lands and protecting biodiversity. Through the Government's infrastructure plan 2008-2009, contaminated sites and brownfields will be targeted for clean-up by Environment Canada and other departments.

With regard to biodiversity, Budget 2007 committed additional resources to better implement the Species at Risk Act. In addition, through work by Environment Canada and other departments and agencies, such as Parks Canada, announcements were made throughout 2007 establishing a number of new conservation areas such as a massive expansion of Nahanni National Park. In addition, the Government also announced the establishment of the world's largest protected freshwater marine area in northern Lake Superior. In 2008-2009, Environment Canada will continue to work with other departments and agencies to build upon this process of expanding and establishing Canada's protection of sensitive areas.

Throughout these activities a comprehensive, outcomes-based approach will be used, focusing on the following: healthy and diverse ecosystems, viable populations of species, access to genetic resources and sustainable use of biological resources.

4- Providing Quality Meteorological and Environmental Services to Canadians

Environment Canada will continue to provide Canadians with accurate and up-to-date meteorological and environmental forecasts, services and information that enable effective decision-making. This information is utilized by all Canadians 24 hours a day, every day and continues to be an important factor in reducing the impacts on society resulting from hazardous weather and environmental conditions.

5- Delivering Results on Environmental Enforcement

Following through on the Government's commitment, in Budget 2007, to improve environmental enforcement, Environment Canada will continue to work towards putting over 100 more enforcement officers in the field. This will strengthen the Department's capacity to enforce environmental protection laws and achieve better environmental outcomes.

To further strengthen the Government's ability to successfully prosecute environmental crimes, the recent Speech from the Throne underscored the Government's intention to bolster environmental protection by committing to "tougher environmental enforcement that will make polluters accountable."

6- Protecting Canadians from Toxic Substances

Environment Canada plays a key role in protecting the environment and Canadians from the risks of chemical substances under a number of laws, including the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999.

To strengthen its ability to regulate and monitor harmful substances and to protect the health of Canadians, the Government has implemented a Chemicals Management Plan. This includes a number of measures to reduce the risks posed by hazardous chemicals. Canada is the first country in the world to categorize the thousands of chemical substances that were in use before comprehensive environmental protection laws were created. The approach underpinning this success has changed how Environment Canada and industry work together and has provided a comprehensive way to set science-based environmental and health priorities.

To date, Environment Canada has identified 200 high-priority substances and is working with industry within a three-year timeframe to develop a satisfactory management plan for each of these substances. Information received from industry, the world's scientific community, environmental and health groups, and the public, will all be used to decide what actions are to be taken in regard to each of these chemicals to protect the environment and the health of Canadians.

7- Supporting Sustainable Urban Development and Infrastructure Renewal in the Toronto Waterfront Area

The responsibility for the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Initiative was recently transferred from the President of the Treasury Board to the Minister of the Environment. The mission and expected results of the Initiative have not changed. Under this initiative, Environment Canada manages a contributions program focused on investments in infrastructure and urban renewal. The purpose of the Initiative is to revitalize the Toronto waterfront through investments in both traditional city-building infrastructure, such as local transportation and sewers, and more contemporary urban development, including parks, green spaces, tourism-related facilities and the rebirth of underutilized post-industrial areas. It is expected that investments in these areas will result in social and economic benefits for the Toronto region.

The management priority is as follows:

8- Improve Integrated Business and Human Resources Planning in the Department

The Public Service Renewal initiative led by the Clerk of the Privy Council acknowledges the importance of integrated planning. Accordingly, Environment Canada is working toward implementing the second phase of a rigorous process where human resources planning is integrated with departmental business planning. This process continues to build on extensive lessons learned through consultation, both from the previous planning cycles and from previous Management Accountability Framework (MAF) assessments.

Our Plans

The program plans put forward to deliver on these priorities support the departmental Strategic Outcomes and are implemented through Environment Canada's approved Program Activities. These are described by Strategic Outcome and detailed by Program Activity in Section II of the Report on Plans and Priorities.

Science continues to play a fundamental role in enabling Environment Canada to deliver on its mandate, in informing environmental decision-making and regulations, and in supporting the delivery of services to Canadians. To ensure that the Department has access to the science it needs, it has developed a long-term science plan that encourages integration of science within the Department and collaboration with partners outside the Department. In the coming year, Environment Canada will further advance the strategic directions of its science plan, and take steps to address priority science management issues and integrate the Science Plan with its new technology plan. Efforts to implement this integrated science and technology plan will be guided by departmental priorities and by the federal Science and Technology Strategy, entitled Mobilizing Science and Technology to Canada's Advantage.

Environment Canada has a leadership role in the implementation of the government's environmental agenda. In responding to these significant expectations, Environment Canada is transforming the way it does business in a number of areas. For example, there is a much greater emphasis on regulation and enforcement programs.

Sustaining program delivery capacity in all areas where Environment Canada intervenes is a challenge given that the Department's resources are composed of a mix of ongoing, short-term, and one-time funding. Also, the Department's ability to maintain and preserve its knowledge capital is jeopardized by the difficulty of recruiting and retaining highly specialized staff.

These challenges, their potential impact on results and measures to respond to them need to be consistently factored into the Department's priority-setting, plans and program delivery.

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