2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada

ISSN: 2817-6553

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Executive Summary

Within its operating context, the Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada (OIC) will make every effort to implement the elements of Sustainable Development Strategy. Taking into account that the OIC has only one mandate and one program that are not directly related to any of the Goals, and that the OIC operates at arm's length from the government reporting directly to Parliament, its commitment scope will be within the Internal Services.

In delivery of the Internal Services, the OIC considers and adopts, best practices identified by other federal organizations in relation to corporate policies, procedures, and decision making.

The OIC is an Agent of Parliament operating under the Access to Information Act, and the Commissioner is solely responsible for monitoring and ensuring compliance with this policy within the OIC.

Section 1

Introduction to the Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy

The 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) presents the Government of Canada’s sustainable development Goals and targets, as required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act. This is the first FSDS to be framed using the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations 2030 Agenda and provides a balanced view of the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainable development.

In keeping with the purpose of the Act, to make decision-making related to sustainable development more transparent and accountable to Parliament, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada supports the Goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in this Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS).

The Federal Sustainable Development Act also sets out 7 principles that must be considered in the development
of the FSDS as well as DSDSs. These basic principles have been considered and incorporated in Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada DSDS.

In order to promote coordinated action on sustainable development across the Government of Canada, this departmental strategy integrates efforts to advance Canada’s implementation of the 2030 Agenda National Strategy, supported by the Global Indicator Framework (GIF) and Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) targets and indicators. The strategy also now captures SDG initiatives that fall outside the scope of the FSDS to inform the development of the Canada’s Annual Report on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs.

Section 2

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada’s Sustainable Development Vision

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada considers and adopts, whenever possible, best practices identified in impact assessments completed by other federal organizations in relation to corporate policies, procedures, and decision making.

Section 3

Listening to Canadians

As required by the Federal Sustainable Development Act, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada has taken into account comments on the draft 2022-2026 FSDS made during the public consultation held from March 11 to July 9, 2022.

During the public consultation, more than 700 comments were received from a broad range of stakeholders, including governments, Indigenous organizations, non-governmental organizations, academics, businesses, and individual Canadians in different age groups and of various backgrounds. The draft FSDS was also shared with the appropriate committee of each House of Parliament, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, and the Sustainable Development Advisory Council for their review and comment.

What We Heard

Across the submissions received, Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada identified sustainable development priorities and issues that it supports, and these key priorities are:

structuring the strategy around the SDGs in a whole-of-government approach; and
reconciliation and respect for Indigenous rights and self-governance

While no specific priorities directly relate to the OIC’s mandate, these best relate to the OIC’s vision. With the operational limitations listed in the Executive Summary, OIC is committed to advance these priorities to the further extent possible.

What We Did

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada took the above-mentioned key priorities and issues into consideration in this DSDS.

The OIC is supportive of the structured, government-wide strategy, and committed to implement as many key priorities as feasible for the organization of its size and mandate. The OIC is taking part in the achievement in Reconciliation and respect for Indigenous rights and self-governance by being an early adapter of Indigenous Procurement requirement and surpassing the 5% target earlier than mandated and is committed to continue this common practice for the future.

Please find more information on the FSDS public consultation and its results in the FSDS Consultation Report.

Section 4

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada’s Commitments

Goal 10: Advance Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and Take Action on Inequality

FSDS Context:

The OIC is an Agent of Parliament operating under the Access to Information Act.

Target theme: Advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and the Métis communities

Target: Between 2023 and 2026, and every year on an ongoing basis, develop and table annual progress reports on implementing the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act (Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada)

Goal 10: Advance Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and Take Action on Inequality
Implementation Strategy	Departmental Action	Performance Indicator Starting Point Target	How the Departmental Action Contributes to the FSDS Goal and Target and, Where Applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS
Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act	Provide Indigenous cultural competency training and/or training on the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: Percentage of the OIC staff who have completed Indigenous cultural competency training. Starting point: Percentage of the OIC staff trained by fiscal year. Target: 100%	This action encourages OIC employees to increase their cultural competency skills and awareness of issues related to First Nations, Inuit and Métis in Canada, and their knowledge of the UN Declaration. This action contributes to the development of necessary cultural competency knowledge and skills to implement the UN Declaration and help build respectful relationships with Indigenous Peoples in Canada. Relevant targets or ambitions: GIF Target - 10.3 Ensure equal opportunity and reduce inequalities of outcome, including by eliminating discriminatory laws, policies and practices and promoting appropriate legislation, policies and action in this regard

Goal 10: Advance Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and Take Action on Inequality
Implementation Strategy	Departmental Action	Performance Indicator Starting Point Target	How the Departmental Action Contributes to the FSDS Goal and Target and, Where Applicable, to Canada’s 2030 AGENDA National Strategy and SDGS
Other	N/A Program:	Performance indicator: Starting point: Target:	Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:

Goal 12: Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles

FSDS Context:

The OIC is an Agent of Parliament operating under the Access to Information Act.

Target theme: Federal Leadership on Responsible Consumption

Target: By 2030, the Government of Canada will divert from landfill at least 75% by weight of non-hazardous operational waste (All Ministers)

Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles
Implementation Strategy	Departmental Action	Performance Indicator Starting Point Target	How the Departmental Action Contributes to the FSDS Goal and Target and, Where Applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS
Maximize diversion of waste from landfill	Promote sustainable practices in corporate management. Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: N/A (Ongoing) Starting point: Target:	The OIC promotes sustainable practices and encourage employees to reduce, reuse and recycle paper, computers and other office supplies, and to dispose of goods responsibly and with as small and environmental impact as possible. The OIC will takes environmental considerations into account in the upkeep and renovation of its office space, and work with other tenants in its building on greening activities. Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:
Other	N/A Program:	Performance indicator: Starting point: Target:	Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:

Target: By 2030, the Government of Canada will divert from landfill at least 90% by weight of all construction and demolition waste (All Ministers)

Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles
Implementation Strategy	Departmental Action	Performance Indicator Starting Point Target	How the Departmental Action Contributes to the FSDS Goal and Target and, Where Applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS
Maximize diversion of waste from landfill	Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: N/A Starting point: Target:	The OIC is not the building custodian but it takes environmental considerations into account in the upkeep and renovation of its office space, and works with other tenants in its building on greening activities. Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:
Other	N/A Program:	Performance indicator: Starting point: Target:	Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:

Target: The Government of Canada’s procurement of goods and services will be net-zero emissions by 2050, to aid the transition to a net-zero, circular economy (All Ministers)

Reduce Waste and Transition to Zero-Emission Vehicles
Implementation Strategy	Departmental Action	Performance Indicator Starting Point Target	How the Departmental Action Contributes to the FSDS Goal and Target and, Where Applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS
Transform the federal light-duty fleet	Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: N/A Starting point: Target:	The OIC has no light-duty fleet and has only one ministerial vehicle.
Strengthen green procurement criteria	Ensure material management and procurement specialists have the necessary training and awareness to support green procurement. Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: Percentage of specialists in procurement and materiel management who have completed training on green procurement (target: 100%) Starting point: 100% of procurement specialists have received the training. Target: 100% of procurement specialists have received the training.	The Canadian Human Rights Commission provides contracting services to several small government departments, including the OIC, and as such enables streamlined procurement efforts and unified results. Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:
Other	N/A Program:	Performance indicator: Starting point: Target:	Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:

Implementation strategies supporting the Goal

This section is for implementation strategies that support the Goal “Reduce waste and transition to zero-emission vehicles” but not a specific FSDS target

Implementation strategies supporting the Goal
Implementation Strategy	Departmental Action	Performance Indicator Starting Point Target	How the Departmental Action Contributes to the FSDS Goal and Target and, Where Applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS
Other	Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: N/A Starting point: Target:	The OIC promotes sustainable travel practices (for both commuting and business travel), and the ministerial vehicle is hybrid. The OIC is evaluating options for going forward. Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:

Goal 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts

FSDS Context:

The OIC is an Agent of Parliament operating under the Access to Information Act.

Target theme: Federal Leadership on Greenhouse Gas Emissions Reductions and Climate Resilience

Target: The Government of Canada will transition to net-zero carbon operations for facilities and conventional fleets by 2050 (All Ministers)

Goal 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts
Implementation Strategy	Departmental Action	Performance Indicator Starting Point Target	How the Departmental Action Contributes to the FSDS Goal and Target and, Where Applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS
Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations	Promote sustainable practices in corporate management. Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: N/A Starting point: Target:	The OIC promotes sustainable travel practices (for both commuting and business travel), and encourages employees to reduce, reuse and recycle paper, computers and other office supplies, and to dispose of goods responsibly and with as small and environmental impact as possible. The OIC will take environmental considerations into account in the upkeep and renovation of its Workplace office space, and work with other tenants in its building on greening activities (post pandemic). Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:
Modernize through net-zero carbon buildings	Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: N/A Starting point: Target:	The OIC is not playing the custodian role for its building. However, the OIC takes environmental considerations into account in the upkeep and renovation of its office space, and works with other tenants in its building on greening activities. Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:
Apply a greenhouse gas reduction life-cycle cost analysis for major building retrofits	Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: N/A Starting point: Target:	The OIC takes environmental considerations into account in the upkeep and renovation of its office space, and works with other tenants in its building on greening activities. Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:
Other	N/A Program:	Performance indicator: Starting point: Target:	Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:

Target: The Government of Canada will transition to climate resilient operations by 2050 (All Ministers)

Goal 13: Take action on climate change and its impacts
Implementation Strategy	Departmental Action	Performance Indicator Starting Point Target	How the Departmental Action Contributes to the FSDS Goal and Target and, Where Applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS
Reduce risks posed by climate change to federal assets, services and operations	N/A Program: Internal Services	Performance indicator: Starting point: Target:	Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:
Other	N/A Program:	Performance indicator: Starting point: Target:	Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:

Implementation strategies supporting the Goal

This section is for implementation strategies that support the Goal “Take action on climate change and its impacts” but not a specific FSDS target

Implementation strategies supporting the Goal
Implementation Strategy	Departmental Action	Performance Indicator Starting Point Target	How the Departmental Action Contributes to the FSDS Goal and Target and, Where Applicable, to Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy and SDGS
Other	N/A Program:	Performance indicator: Starting point: Target:	Relevant targets or ambitions: CIF Ambition/Target: CIF Indicator: GIF Target:

Section 5

Integrating Sustainable Development

Office of the Information Commissioner of Canada will continue to ensure that its decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS Goals and targets through its SEA process. An SEA for a policy, plan or program proposal includes an analysis of the impacts of the given proposal on the environment, including on relevant FSDS Goals and targets.