2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
Introduction to the 2023 to 2024 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy Report
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, the Copyright Board supports the goals laid out in the FSDS through the activities described in the Copyright Board’s 2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS). This Report provides a report on progress related to the Board’s DSDS in the fiscal year 2023 to 2024.
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 the Board’s DSDS and 2023 to 2024 DSDS Report.
To promote coordinated action on sustainable development across the Government of Canada, the Board’s departmental strategy reports on Canada’s progress towards implementing the 2030 Agenda and advancing the SDGs, supported by the Global Indicator Framework (GIF) and Canadian Indicator Framework (CIF) targets and indicators.
Commitments for the Copyright Board
GOAL 10: ADVANCE RECONCILIATION WITH INDIGENOUS PEOPLES AND TAKE ACTION ON INEQUALITY
FSDS Context:
The Copyright Board recognizes the importance of advancing reconciliation with the Indigenous Peoples of Canada. The Board has met its commitments with respect to dedicating some of its limited contracting budget to Indigenous businesses, and will ensure that all of its employees complete training on advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit and Metis Peoples. By learning more about the realities of Indigenous Peoples, Board employees will be better equipped to support reconciliation in a respectful, inclusive, meaningful and culturally sensitive manner. Training will also enable employees to identify new opportunities for the Board to advance reconciliation.
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)
| 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 | RESULTS ACHIEVED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act | Ensure that all Copyright Board employees complete training on advancing reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples Program: | Performance indicator: Starting point: Target: | Public servants play an important role in advancing reconciliation by helping to build stronger relationships at the working level between First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples and the Government of Canada. This action will allow Copyright Board employees to learn more about Indigenous realities and become better equipped to support departmental obligations towards reconciliation in a respectful, inclusive, meaningful and culturally sensitive manner. This action contributes to the development of necessary cultural competency knowledge and skills to implement the UN Declaration. Relevant targets or ambitions: | Indicator result:
Notes: |
GOAL 12: REDUCE WASTE AND TRANSITION TO ZERO-EMISSION VEHICLES
FSDS Context:
The Copyright Board is a micro-organization that frequently relies on agreements with other departments for its internal operations. Despite the limited amount of goods and services procured, the Board continuously strives to take into account Canada’s climate change commitments. Accordingly, the Board commits to ensuring its employees responsible for procurement undertake training to know and keep up to date with the federal government's Policy on Green Procurement, strategies for applying green procurement principles, and identifying what defines a green good or service. This training will enable employees responsible for procurement to incorporate green procurement into the procurement decision making.
Target theme: Federal Leadership on Responsible Consumption
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)
| 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 | RESULTS ACHIEVED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strengthen green procurement criteria | Ensure that all Copyright Board employees involved in the procurement of goods and services complete training on green procurement. Program: | Performance indicator: Starting point: Target: | In response to Canada's commitment to climate change, environmental performance is an important consideration when making procurement decisions. This action will ensure that the Copyright Board incorporates environmental considerations into purchasing decisions and is expected to motivate suppliers to reduce the environmental impact of the goods and services they deliver, and their supply chains. Relevant targets or ambitions: | Indicator result: Notes: |
GOAL 13: TAKE ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE AND ITS IMPACTS
FSDS Context:
The Copyright Board is a micro-organization of approximately 20 FTEs. The Board does not own any real property nor a fleet of vehicles, and uses service agreements with other larger departments to support several of its operating activities, particularly internal services. To meet its FSDS obligations, the Board will continue to monitor these service agreements to ensure they meet its needs and remain aligned with Government of Canada policies, regulations, directives and best practices, including climate change impacts, risks, and adaptation actions. The Board will also ensure employees involved in staff accommodations receive training on climate-resilient operations. This training will help the Board to better take into account climate resiliency in its operations.
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)
| 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 | RESULTS ACHIEVED |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Implement the Greening Government Strategy through measures that reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve climate resilience, and green the government’s overall operations | Ensure that all Copyright Board employees involved in staff accommodations are trained on assessing climate change impacts, undertaking climate change risk assessments, and developing adaptation actions Program: | Performance indicator: Starting point: Target: | To combat climate change, the Government of Canada has committed to net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. In order to achieve this ambitious objective, the federal government must adopt climate-resilient operations. This action will ensure that employees responsible for staff accommodations are trained to identify risk to critical program delivery, and develop responses to increase the resilience of operations to impacts of climate change. Relevant targets or ambitions: | Indicator result: Notes: |
Integrating Sustainable Development
The Board will continue to ensure that its decision-making process includes consideration of FSDS goals and targets through its Strategic Environmental Assessment (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.
The Copyright Board has never undertaken a strategic environmental assessment (SEA). The Board’s core activity (or program) is Copyright Tariff Setting and Issuance of Licences. As a result, the Board rarely develops and proposes new policies and programs that would impact the environment and the achievement of FSDS goals and targets. That said, the Board will continue to ensure that its decision-making processes include considerations of environmental impacts as well as FSDS goals and targets through its SEA processes in the future, should they be required.