Sustainable Development

The Department of Justice strives to ensure that Canada has an accessible, fair and effective system of justice that reflects Canadian values, through the development and management of policies and programs aligned with sustainable development (SD) principles and practices.  Justice also supports the Government with effective and responsible legal advice and services that consider SD principles, where appropriate.

As part of its mandate, Department of Justice provides critical legal services to support client departments in implementing Government priorities including the components of the first cycle of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS), notably policy and program development, the preparation of legislative and regulatory instruments, and support on regulatory enforcement.

Justice's Departmental Decision Making and SD Practices:

1. SD Governance and Implementation
   
2. Activities and Commitments Related to Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
   
3. Departmental SD Activities/initiatives Not Captured in the FSDS
   

The Government of Canada is looking for input from Canadians on the draft second cycle of the FSDS, covering the period 2013 to 2016. Canadians are encouraged to submit comments before June 14, 2013 on the advancement of federal sustainable development initiatives by visiting Environment Canada’s website: http://www.ec.gc.ca/dd-sd/.

Relevant Resources

Department of Justice Resources

•  Departmental Reports:
  • Report on Plans and Priorities 2012-2013
  • Departmental Performance Reports 2011-2012
  • Theme IV: Shrinking the Environmental Footprint – Beginning with Government (Greening of Government Operations Supplementary Table)
• Previous Departmental Strategies (archived on the Web for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes on publications.gc.ca):
  • Sustainable Development Strategy 1997
  • Sustainable Development Strategy 2001-2003
  • Sustainable Development Strategy 2004-2006
  • Sustainable Development Strategy 2007-2009

Government of Canada Resources and Links

• 2012 Progress Report of the FSDS
• Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency - Strategic Environmental Assessment
• Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals
• Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
• Federal Electronic Waste Strategy
• Federal Sustainable Development Strategy 2010 - 2013
• Sustainable Development Research and Analysis by the Policy Research Initiative
• Policy on Green Procurement

Legislation

• Auditor General Act
• Federal Sustainable Development Act

Contact Us

Sustainable Development Secretariat
Department of Justice Canada
E-mail: sustainable-durable@justice.gc.ca