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Message from the President and CEO
The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE or Round Table) is an independent policy advisory body reporting to Parliament through the Minister of the Environment. The purpose of the Round Table, according to the NRTEE Act (1993), is “to play the role of catalyst in identifying, explaining, and promoting, in all sectors of Canadian society and in all regions of Canada, principles and practices of sustainable development.”
Drawing on the insight and experience of NRTEE members, the Round Table examines the environmental and economic implications of priority issues and offers independent advice on how to address them, with the ultimate goal of influencing federal policy development and decisions in other key sectors on these issues. Since its formation over 20 years ago, the NRTEE has established a reputation for working effectively in highly contentious areas and for providing independent, credible, and balanced advice.
The Round Table has established two major priorities for 2010–2011. First and foremost, the NRTEE will produce policy advisory reports from its two key research areas focusing on the economic impacts of climate change on Canada, and water sustainability and the future of the natural resources sectors. Second, the Round Table will explore how new collaborative engagement processes with government, stakeholders, and citizens can lead to improved sustainable development policies for Canada. We will use our findings from recent discussions with government, business, academic, and civic leaders to develop recommendations aimed at strengthening our outreach processes and, as a result, improving policy guidance to governments.
Ongoing priorities for the Round Table will include abiding by its legislated responsibilities under the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act, responding to requests from government for research and policy advice on specific topics of concern, and identifying emerging issues for the future that may need study and advice.
Finally, the NRTEE will implement new communications and outreach practices designed to better inform governments, stakeholder groups and the public of its work and the advice it offers.
Our unique role as a knowledgeable, independent convener of views and information from across the spectrum of society has allowed us to make a substantial contribution to sustainable development and national prosperity. We are committed to assisting the Government of Canada, Parliament, and Canadians in continuing along this path.
_______________
David McLaughlin
President and CEO
Section I – Overview
1.1 Raison d'être and Responsibilities
The purpose of the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE or Round Table) is to play the role of catalyst in identifying, explaining, and promoting, in all sectors of Canadian society and in all regions of Canada, principles and practices of sustainable development. The NRTEE interprets this broad mandate through a strategic focus on issues of national interest at the intersection of the environment and the economy. Through its work, the NRTEE strives to influence policy development and decisions on issues pertaining to the environment and economy. These promote economic prosperity for all Canadians while striving to preserve the environment for current and future generations.
- undertaking research and gathering information and analyses on critical issues of sustainable development;
- advising governments on ways of integrating environmental and economic considerations into their decision-making processes and on global issues of sustainable development;
- advising those sectors and regions on ways of incorporating principles and practices of sustainable development into their activities;
- promoting the understanding and increasing public awareness of the cultural, social, economic and policy changes required to attain sustainable development; and
- facilitating and assisting cooperative efforts in Canada to overcome barriers to the attainment of sustainable development.
NRTEE Act, Section 4
Created in 1988 by the Prime Minister, the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy is an independent national advisory body reporting to the federal government and Parliament through the Minister of the Environment. The Round Table had its status formalized in 1993 by an Act of Parliament, Bill C-72, An Act to establish the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE Act).
The NRTEE is a departmental corporation (Financial Administration Act, Schedule II).
The work of the NRTEE is directed by the Round Table members drawing on their expertise and insight. The members are part-time Governor-in-Council appointees. They represent different regions of Canada and are distinguished leaders from business, labour, universities, public service, and environmental organizations.
A Secretariat in Ottawa, headed by a President and CEO, supports the members. The Round Table normally meets four times each year in plenary sessions where members discuss priorities and review and approve the work of the Secretariat.
General information about the NRTEE and its membership can be found on the agency's website at www.nrtee-trnee.ca.
1.2 Strategic Outcome and Program Activity Architecture (PAA)
The NRTEE aims to achieve the following single strategic outcome: Federal policy development and decisions in other key sectors are influenced by advice on sustainable development issues pertaining to the environment and the economy.
This RPP is based on the Treasury Board-approved PAA shown in Figure 1 below.
1.3 Planning Summary
1.3.1 Financial Resources ($ thousands)
The financial resources table below provides a summary of the total planned spending for the NRTEE for the next three fiscal years.
| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
|---|---|---|
| 5,243.3 | 5,248.5 | 5,248.5 |
1.3.2 Human Resources (Full-time Equivalent [FTE])
The Human Resources tables provide a summary of the total planned human resources for the NRTEE for the next three years.
| 2010-11 | 2011-12 | 2012-13 |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | 31 | 31 |
1.3.3 Planning Summary Table
| Performance Indicator | Target |
|---|---|
| Extent to which NRTEE advice is considered in policy decisions by federal decision makers | NRTEE advice is partly responsible for a number of policy decisions and is often considered in assessing relevant policy choices made by federal government policy makers. |
| Program Activity 1 | Forecast Spending 2009–10 ($ thousands) | Planned Spending ($ thousands) |
Alignment to Government of Canada Outcomes |
||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-11 | 2012-12 | 2012-13 | |||
| Advisory Program on Environment and Economy Issues | 5,134.0 | Strong Economic Growth | |||
| Internal Services | |||||
| Total Planned Spending | 5,243.3 | 5,248.5 | 5,248.5 | ||
1.4 Alignment with Government of Canada Outcomes
In 2010–2011, the NRTEE will continue to contribute to the Government of Canada's outcome of Strong Economic Growth by providing relevant research and policy advice on how Canada can address sustainable development issues in the medium and long term. The NRTEE's advice, if implemented, is consistent with Canada's national interest and the government's objective of building a globally competitive, sustainable, technologically innovative economy that benefits all Canadians.
1.5 Contribution of Priorities to Strategic Outcome
For 2010–2011, the agency has identified two priority areas, one operational and one management, both of which contribute to the NRTEE's single strategic outcome.
| Operational Priorities | Type | Links to Strategic Outcome | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| To produce and promote advice to decision-makers on environment and economy issues | Ongoing | Federal policy development and decisions in other key sectors are influenced by advice on sustainable development issues pertaining to the environment and the economy. | Timely, actionable, and relevant advice is essential to the NRTEE's credibility and its ability to influence decision makers; dissemination and promotion of the advice is another essential component of its work.
Plans for 2010–2011 include two key policy research areas:
(See Section 2 for additional information and other plans.) |
| Management Priorities | Type | Links to Strategic Outcome(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| To apply sound management practices in operations | Ongoing | Federal policy development and decisions in other key sectors are influenced by advice on sustainable development issues pertaining to the environment and the economy. | Sound management enables the NRTEE to deliver its primary program activity. Key management plans for 2010–2011:
(See Section 2 for additional information.) |
1.6 Risk Analysis
1.6.1 Organizational Context
The Secretariat, headed by a President and CEO, provides program management, policy and research analysis, communications, and administrative services to the NRTEE.
Issues to be examined by the NRTEE are identified through an internal screening and scoping process, in which the final decisions reflect current policy, environmental, economic or political priorities together with NRTEE members' combined interests. The NRTEE reinforces members' expertise and advice with stakeholder consultation and original policy research undertaken or directed by the Secretariat, as part of its approach to conducting its work.
The NRTEE also responds to specific research requests from the federal government. In addition, the Round Table has a legislated responsibility to respond as per the Kyoto Protocol Implementation Act to the federal government's annual Climate Change Plan within 60 days.
This annual reporting requirement exists until 2012.
1.6.2 Risks and Challenges
The NRTEE seeks to influence the government's approach to important sustainable development issues. To accomplish this, the NRTEE must produce and promote relevant, neutral, credible advice in a timely manner. Its ability to do so is affected by both risks and challenges. These are discussed below.
- A key indicator of the NRTEE's performance is its ability to influence government policy development. In Canada, particularly for the issues typically examined by the NRTEE, federal policy is not developed in isolation. It is affected by the government's relationships with other Canadian and international jurisdictions and by a range of other factors over which the NRTEE has no control, creating a complex decision-making environment.
- The ability to influence government is a difficult performance indicator to measure. In addition to the challenge described above, the NRTEE's influence on government decisions may translate into action only years after NRTEE's reports and recommendations are published. Therefore, the causal effect may not always be clear.
- The NRTEE often casts its policy agenda forward as it deals with contentious sustainability issues, risking perceived asymmetry with current government agendas, time frames, and policy frameworks.
- The NRTEE currently has limitations on the amount of its budget it can spend on travel and hospitality for 2010–2011, even though this is central to its core business of stakeholder engagement and outreach with economic and environmental organizations and experts. Restrictions on allocating funds internally from existing budgets may limit the scope and scale of desired activities in this area, even though this would not result in an increase in the NRTEE's overall budget.
- The members' expertise and insight is critical in directing the research and analysis of the Round Table's work. There is risk in having insufficient members and representation of interests, experience, and regional diversity unless appointments occur in a timely manner. Ongoing liaison with the Minister's office on this issue, together with the existing orientation program for new members, can help address these challenges.
1.7 Expenditure Profile
The NRTEE's overall financial resources and expenditures profile indicate only minor fluctuations over time, providing a stable platform for planning and delivery of activities, research, and reports.
1.8 Voted and Statutory Items
| Vote # or Statutory Item (S) | Truncated Vote or Statutory Wording | 2009-10 Main Estimates |
2010-11 Main Estimates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 | Operating expenditures | 4,732.0 | 4,825.8 |
| (S) | Contributions to employee benefit plans | 402.0 | 417.5 |
| Total | 5,134.0 | 5,243.3 | |
