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Frequently Asked Questions

Q1: What is Transport Canada's Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy?

A1: Transport Canada's Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy is designed to respond to the requirement from the Federal Sustainable Development Act to develop and table a DSDS every three years. The Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy places an important focus on Transport Canada's efforts to support the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

Departmental Sustainable Development Strategies are made up of two components:

  1. High–level statements and visual tags in 2011–2012 Reports on Plans and Priorities; and,
  2. Website that describes in greater detail departmental contributions to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.

Q2: Is this a government–wide initiative?

A2: Yes, Themes I, II and III of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy were developed by Environment Canada and Theme IV was developed by Public Works and Government Services Canada.

The Minister of the Environment is responsible for the overall Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Furthermore, all Schedule 1 departments are to submit a Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy to Parliament every three years. Additionally, the Greening Government Operations targets (Theme IV) apply to all 28 departments and agencies bound by the Federal Sustainable Development Act.

Q3: What are the timelines for the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy?

A3: Departmental Sustainable Development Strategies are to be tabled in Parliament at the same time as the 2011–2012 Reports on Plans and Priorities, and a new Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy must be tabled in 3 years.

Q4: What does Transport Canada hope to accomplish through its Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy?

A4: The Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy highlights how Transport Canada is supporting the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy themes and goals. Over the next three years, Transport Canada will undertake initiatives in each of the four theme areas – addressing climate change and air quality; maintaining water quality and availability; protecting nature; and shrinking the environmental footprint – beginning with government.

The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found at the following link: http://ec.gc.ca/dd-sd/default.asp?lang=En&n=E19EE696-1.

Q5: How is this Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy different from Transport Canada's previous Sustainable Development Strategies?

A5: The new Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy places an important focus on Transport Canada's efforts to support the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy. Furthermore, to ensure improved integration of sustainable development into core government planning processes, departments' sustainable development reporting requirements will now be met through existing departmental Reports on Plans and Priorities and Departmental Performance Reports.

Date modified:
2012-05-03