A sustainable development vision for Canada
Our commitments and plans
Vision
Canada is one of the greenest countries in the world and our quality of life continues to improve.
Goals
Our strategy centres on 13 aspirational goals that reflect the environmentally-focused SDGs, acknowledging our unique responsibilities and circumstances:
- Effective action on climate change
- Greening government
- Clean growth
- Modern and resilient infrastructure
- Clean energy
- Healthy coasts and oceans
- Pristine lakes and rivers
- Sustainably managed lands and forests
- Healthy wildlife populations
- Clean drinking water
- Sustainable food
- Connecting Canadians with nature
- Safe and healthy communities
Targets and milestones
Medium-term targets that are measurable and time-bound support each goal.
Short-term milestones represent interim steps that will help ensure we stay on track to achieve our medium-term targets and long-term goals.
Action plans
Action plans set out what we will do to achieve our targets, including priority measures as well as other actions that support the targets.
Canada’s starting point
What our indicators currently show, and how we’ll measure our progress going forward.
Canada in the world
How our goals targets and actions support the SDGs and contribute to other international agreements and initiatives.
Connections with other FSDS areas
How each FSDS goal supports the achievement of others.
Our Partners
Actions others are taking that support our goals and targets.
Take action
Steps that Canadians can take to help achieve our goals and targets.
Table 1 – FSDS goals, targets, and responsible ministers
Goal title |
Target title |
Responsible minister |
---|---|---|
Effective action on climate change |
Canada’s greenhouse gas emissions |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change, supported by a whole-of-government approach to implementation |
Zero-emission vehicles |
Minister of Transport |
|
Greening government |
Real property and fleet (greenhouse gas emissions reductions) |
All ministers |
Real property and fleet (non-hazardous operational waste) |
All ministers |
|
Real property and fleet (plastic waste) |
All ministers |
|
Real property and fleet (construction and demolition waste) |
All ministers |
|
Real property and fleet (domestic office lease transactions) |
All ministers |
|
Real property and fleet (zero-emission vehicles) |
All ministers |
|
Adaptation to climate change |
All ministers |
|
Procurement |
All ministers |
|
Clean growth |
Federal investment in clean energy research, development and demonstration |
Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development; Minister of Natural Resources |
Clean technology exports |
Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development |
|
Modern and resilient infrastructure |
Investment in green infrastructure |
Minister of Infrastructure and Communities |
Clean energy |
Clean power generation |
Minister of Natural Resources |
Energy efficiency |
Minister of Natural Resources |
|
Healthy coasts and oceans |
Marine conservation |
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard |
Sustainable fisheries |
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard |
|
Pristine lakes and rivers |
Lake Erie |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change |
Lake Winnipeg Basin |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change |
|
Sustainably managed lands and forests |
Terrestrial ecosystem conservation |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change |
Health of national parks |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change |
|
Sustainable forests |
Minister of Natural Resources |
|
Healthy wildlife populations |
Species at risk |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change |
Migratory birds |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change |
|
Clean drinking water |
Long-term drinking water advisories |
Minister of Indigenous Services |
Sustainable food |
Sustainable agriculture |
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food |
Sustainable aquaculture |
Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard |
|
Agri-food exports |
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food |
|
Connecting Canadians with nature |
Visits to parks and participation in biodiversity conservation |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change |
Safe and healthy communities |
Air quality |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change |
Air pollutant emissions |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change |
|
Chemicals Management Plan |
Minister of Environment and Climate Change; Minister of Health |
*Given our whole-of-government approach to climate change, as well as the broad scope of the Pan-Canadian Framework, a number of goals in this strategy will affect Canada’s progress toward its climate change targets.