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Section II - Analysis of Program Activities by Strategic Outcome(s)

Government of Canada Outcome: Strong Economic Growth

Strategic Outcome 1: Economic Competitiveness Natural resource sectors are internationally competitive, economically productive and contribute to the social well-being of Canadians
NRCan Priorities	Enabling Competitive Resource Sectors
	Advancing Clean Energy
	Managing Nuclear Issues
	Advancing Sustainable Resource Development in the North

NRCan works to promote innovation, investment, and the enhancement of the competitiveness of Canada’s natural resources and related products industries through the provision of know-how and tools, including base geo-science information, along with trade promotion and market acceptance, at home and abroad. The department delivers policies, regulations and legislative work to manage federal responsibilities associated with Canada’s oil and natural gas supply, protecting the critical energy infrastructure, and managing statutory programs for the Atlantic offshore. Work is also undertaken to improve the social-well being of Canadians by focusing on communities that have a substantial reliance on resource-based industries, and to improve overall knowledge, capacity and opportunities for these communities through the provision of value-added products and services.

The performance of these programs and activities will be measured by the following indicators. In all cases, targets are a favourable trend over the long term, but some indicators – as noted with an * – may respond to other influences more immediately (e.g. world and domestic economic growth, the activities of other levels of government, etc.)
(Note: Program Activity 1.2 – Natural Resource-based Communities has been merged with Program Activity 1.1 – Economic Opportunities for Natural Resources. Performance measures and details on our work to achieve them reflect this).

 

Levels	Outcome/Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Strategic Outcome 1	Natural resources sectors are internationally competitive, economically productive, and contribute to the well-being of Canadians	Canada's share of resource-based world trade (rank position) * Measure A: Canada's Trade Performance Index (TPI) for wood, wood products & paper relative to all nations Measure B: TPI for minerals (includes energy and power) relative to all nations	Favourable 5-year trend in rank position
Program Activity 1.1 Programming in this area contributes to Air Quality and Climate Change, and the Protecting Nature Themes of the FSDS**	Competitive national and international markets, stable economic opportunity, and investment in natural resources	Capital investments and exploration investments in the resource sector (in $billions) * Measure A: Forestry: new capital investment Measure B: Mines: complex development investments (for new or existing mines) Measure C: Mines: exploration investments Measure D: Energy: new capital investment	Favourable 5-year trend in billions of dollars
		Diversity of Canada's wood products exports* Measure: Herfindahl index for markets (measuring Canada’s success in diversifying its wood product exports away from one core market (i.e., the United States) towards offshore markets over time).	Favourable 5-year trend
		Performance of programs in achieving expected results within plans, timelines and budgets (in percentage) Measure: Summation of success in delivering sub-activity-level expected results and outputs on time; weighted by planned spending (and adjusted as necessary for spending variances)	Greater than 99% of programs delivered on plan, on time, and within budget

** For full information on NRCan’s contributions to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, see RPP electronic layer of Sustainable Development Reporting

1.1 Economic Opportunities for Natural Resources	Planned Spending	Program $M	Statutory $M	FTEs
	2011-12	185,479	1,613,870	910
	2012-13	163,841	1,474,733	902
	2013-14	142,525	1,233,176	876

NRCan Priority: Enabling Competitive Resource Sectors

NRCan works to foster a competitive forest sector by generating increased value from forest resources through innovation and by reducing barriers to trade. NRCan invests in and carries out research to advance the competitiveness of the sector through product and process innovation and value-added product development and to stimulate more efficient forest inventory tools, with the aim of extracting more value from Canada’s forests. The department also supports initiatives to reinforce Canada as a sustainable and responsible forest nation, while promoting the environmental credentials of Canada’s forest products to key influencers and international consumers of those products.

 Commitments for 2011-12: Demonstrate the application of advanced forest inventory tools in two forest management units of several thousand hectares in size to produce more accurate forest inventories and provide more information on wood quality value. This added information will enable higher value utilization of forest resources.

Through the Investments in Forest Industry Transformation program, develop contribution agreements with eligible forest product companies that will lead to the implementation of new and advanced technologies (e.g., bioenergy, biomaterials, biochemicals, and next generation building products) that direct forest fibre and by-products into a more diversified, higher-value product mix.

Through the Leadership for Environmental Advantage in Forestry Initiative, provide 10 science-based information products to forest sector stakeholders (e.g., Canadian wood product producers and related industry associations) that address key environmental reputation and market acceptance issues.

The competitiveness of the Canadian forest sector can be enhanced by integrating and coordinating the various institutions that fund and perform forest research and development (i.e., the forest sector innovation system). The department provides national leadership to improve the integration and priority-setting in the forest sector innovation system by developing partnerships and strengthening institutional arrangements among forest research and development performers (e.g., FPInnovations and universities), funders (e.g., Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council), and governments.

 Commitments for 2011-12: Working with Statistics Canada, conduct an analysis of the capacity of the forest sector innovation system to address sector priorities through research and development.

Develop a performance assessment framework to assess the impact of the department’s forest science knowledge on the forest sector innovation system.

NRCan is working to sustain economic viability of mineral resources in many communities, through the identification of potential new areas of economic mineral resources. The Targeted Geoscience Initiative 4 (TGI-4), delivered in collaboration with partners, addresses the gaps in our understanding of mineral systems that form Canada's major deposit types. It provides geoscience knowledge on the entire mineral system, including exploration models that can be used as a guide to determine appropriate exploration areas, contributing to economic opportunities in communities. Exploration risks are high for the mining industries, and NRCan works to provide accessible and reliable geological information in order to attract investments and mitigate the risks of investments through the use of appropriate strategies for development.

Commitments for 2011-12: As part of TGI-4, sign eight collaborative arrangements with provincial, territorial, academia and industrial partners.

Deliver tools such as exploration modeling in order to optimize effectiveness in exploring for a certain deposit type. This includes the geological, geochemical and geophysical characteristics of the desired mineral and its surrounding environment.

Furthermore, NRCan has put in place programming to support a competitive investment climate, create technologies that add value and minimize potential downsides to minerals’ and metals’ production and use, and to ensure continued access to global markets and resources. This is achieved by providing information and knowledge through conferences, investment seminars with Provinces and Territories, participating in multilateral forums, and by engaging industry and others to transfer knowledge and technology. Support for the minerals and mining sector will also be provided through the implementation of a corporate social responsibility strategy and by addressing other challenges, including declining base metal reserves.

Commitments for 2011-12:  Conduct specialized research work with partners to improve mine productivity through reduced energy costs, more efficient processes, and improved health and safety.

Develop a base-metal strategy action plan to identify and develop new base-metal resources in existing mining camps, remote areas and in the North.

Complete reports on an Overview of Trends in Canadian Mineral Exploration and comparative international tax study for base metals.

Undertake a review of the Aboriginal toolkit to determine its effectiveness and initiate work to better understand opportunities for Aboriginal people in mining.

The newly relocated CANMET Materials Technology Laboratory (MTL) at the McMaster Innovation Park in Hamilton, Ontario, will enhance our work with industry and academia on productivity issues, through research and commercialization of new or improved materials and processes.

Commitments for 2011-12:  Complete the CANMET-MTL building in compliance with LEED Platinum requirements.

In response to capacity reductions and loss of jobs in the forest sector, NRCan develops strategies to enable communities to take advantage of emerging economic opportunities. Through community, regional and national partnerships and investments, the Forest Communities Program supports community-based business development and educational initiatives; develops innovative forest science, knowledge, tools and best practices in sustainable forest development and integrated landscape management; and encourages sharing of knowledge, tools and sustainable forest management practices and strategies domestically and internationally in Latin America, Europe, Asia, Africa and Russia.

 Commitments for 2011-12:  Develop and implement the new Aboriginal Forestry Initiative.

Develop and disseminate more than 50 knowledge products, tools and strategies associated with the Forest Communities Program.

NRCan Priority: Advancing Clean Energy

NRCan undertakes a number of policy, regulatory, research, and legislative-based activities to ensure the sustainable development of Canada’s energy resources while promoting energy security and economic prosperity. To deliver on the government’s core responsibilities, the department provides expert advice on petroleum regulations and policy, clean energy policy, the demonstration of carbon capture and storage, and the maintenance of an adequate, reliable and environmentally sustainable supply of electricity at competitive prices.

 Commitments for 2011-12:  Position Canada’s energy interests at key international fora and international climate change negotiations, such as the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the APEC Energy working group meeting.

Provide advice, recommendations and analysis on international energy issues, most notably with the US through the Canada-US Energy Consultative Mechanism, the Clean Energy Dialogue, and the North American Energy Working Group.

NRCan supports the development of new sources of energy, which are pivotal to meeting Canada's long-term energy requirements and sustainable economic growth through a diverse mix of energy supply. The department is working to better understand unconventional sources of energy and their potential to become proven and useable sources of energy. The New Energy Supply program provides relevant data, information and knowledge on unconventional and renewable resources such as shale gas, gas hydrates, geothermal and tidal energy, as well as offshore energy sources to encourage private sector interest and development activities. The department is also working to advance carbon capture and storage, including the safe and secure underground storage of CO₂.

Commitments for 2011-12:  Publish an evaluation of geothermal energy potential.

Publish a study on geological parameters impact assessment for carbon storage. Contribute to the design and implementation of CO₂ geological storage projects (through the International Energy Agency Weyburn-Midale CO₂ Monitoring and Storage Project).

rovide the Canadian component of the North American Carbon Storage Atlas.

NRCan Priority: Managing Nuclear Issues

NRCan oversees Canada’s nuclear energy regulatory framework and supports Atomic Energy of Canada Limited’s (AECL) efforts toward the renewal of its research and development capacity, infrastructure, and the development of the advanced CANDU reactor. NRCan will continue to implement the restructuring of AECL and will finalize the divestiture of its commercial reactor division, thereby reducing taxpayers' exposure to commercial risks and costs while positioning Canada's nuclear industry to take maximum advantage of domestic and international opportunities. With the National Research Universal (NRU) reactor now back in service, NRCan will manage funding pressures in order to preserve the value of the asset and limit the risks for Canadians, while considering the long-term mandate and possible options for AECL National Laboratories. Together with Health Canada, NRCan will work to ensure that Canadians have a secure supply of medical isotopes.

Commitments for 2011-12: Continue to address AECL funding pressures through the divestiture of the AECL Commercial Reactor Division and the restructuring of AECL National Laboratories to limit the risks for taxpayers.

Reach an agreement with a purchaser for the divestiture of AECL’s commercial reactor division.

Complete the Non-reactor-based Isotope Supply Contribution Program and report on the technical and commercial viability of the isotope production technologies.

NRCan Priority: Advancing Sustainable Resource Development in the North

The Geo-mapping for Energy and Minerals (GEM) program provides governments, communities and industry with fundamental geoscience required to make strategic decisions. The area represents an untapped resource for mineral and energy supply, and requires the use of modern techniques to acquire geophysical and geochemical data to encourage industry to make major investments in exploration. In collaboration with territorial governments and First Nations, GEM is focused on updating and disseminating geological data, information and knowledge on priority areas to identify the potential locations of various mineral and energy types. NRCan’s geoscience information and understanding of local priorities and practices in the North further support industry exploration investment.

Commitments for 2011-12: Conduct high resolution geophysical and geochemical surveys, and geological mapping to fill knowledge gaps in the North.

Undertake community-level consultations and information sessions to better target GEM priorities to local community needs for economic development, combined with territorial and provincial regional development priorities and industry development priorities for exploration investments.

Benefits for Canadians

The natural resource sectors are a strong engine of Canada’s economy, economic growth and job creation. NRCan is working to support the Canadian natural resource sectors and the communities as these sectors evolve, adapt and grow. Stronger natural resources sectors will mean increased prosperity for Canada and Canadians.

Government of Canada Outcome: A Clean Healthy Environment

Strategic Outcome 2: Environmental Responsibility Canada is a world leader on environmental responsibility in the development and use of natural resources
NRCan Priorities	Enabling Competitive Resource Sectors
	Advancing Clean Energy
	Managing Nuclear Issues
	Advancing Sustainable Resource Development in the North

NRCan develops and delivers energy science and technology, policies, programs, legislation and regulations to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and to reduce other environmental impacts associated with energy production and use. The department also delivers programs that help to understand the risks to our environment and the protection of critical resources such as groundwater and Canada’s forests.

The performance of these programs and activities will be measured by the following indicators. In all cases, targets are a favourable trend over the long term, but some indicators – as noted with an * – may respond to other influences more immediately (e.g. world and domestic economic growth, the activities of other levels of government, etc.)

Levels	Outcome/Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Strategic Outcome 2	Canada is a world leader on environmental responsibility in the development and use of natural resources	Canada's total annual energy savings due to efficiency* (in petajoules [PJ]) Measure: Difference between energy use without energy efficiency improvements and energy use with energy efficiency improvements	Favourable 5-year trend in PJ saved
		Contribution to advancement of innovative and environmentally responsible practices in the resource sector measured by uptake of knowledge, technologies, and demonstration projects Measure: Number of peer-reviewed publications by NRCan in this field.	Favourable long-term trend in number of publications
Program Activity 2.1 Programming in this area contributes to Air Quality and Climate Change Theme of the FSDS**	Increased energy efficiency, increased production of low-emission energy, and reduced environmental impacts associated with energy production and use	Clean energy production and greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions attributable to NRCan programming (in megatonnes of carbon dioxide [CO2] equivalents) Measure A: Cumulative GHG reductions attributable to NRCan's ecoENERGY efficiency programming Measure B: Cumulative GHG reductions attributable to NRCan's ecoENERGY renewables programming	Favourable long-term trend in megatonnes of CO2 equivalents
		Natural Resources Canada's contribution to advancement of clean energy knowledge, and uptake of innovative clean energy solutions Measure: Number of peer-reviewed publications by NRCan in this field.	Favourable long-term trend in number of publications
		Performance of programs in achieving expected results within plans, timelines and budgets (in percentage) Measure: Summation of success in delivering sub-activity-level expected results and outputs on time; weighted by planned spending (and adjusted as necessary for spending variances)	Greater than 99% of programs delivered on plan, on time, and within budget
Program Activity 2.2 Programming in this area contributes to Air Quality and Climate Change, Protecting Nature, and Water Quality and Availability Themes of the FSDS **	Canada understands and mitigates risks to natural resource ecosystems and human health	NRCan's contribution to federal environmental assessments, mineral and energy resource assessments for proposed protected areas on federal lands and waters, and related reporting processes. Measure A: NRCan’s participation in Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) Panel reviews (number of Panel Reviews active at NRCan during the fiscal year) Measure B: NRCan’s participation in CEAA Comprehensive Studies (number of Comprehensive Studies active at NRCan during the fiscal year) Measure C: NRCan’s contribution to the federal Government’s Mineral and Energy Resource Assessments (MERA) (number of MERA active during the fiscal year)	Fulfilling on-demand requirements
		NRCan’s contribution to advancement of ecosystem knowledge, and innovative ecosystem risk management solutions Measure: Number of peer-reviewed publications by NRCan in this field.	Favourable long-term trend in number of publications
		Performance of programs in achieving expected results within plans, timelines and budgets (in percentage) Measure: Summation of success in delivering sub-activity-level expected results and outputs on time; weighted by planned spending (and adjusted as necessary for spending variances)	Greater than 99% of programs delivered on plan, on time, and within budget

** For full information on NRCan’s contributions to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy see RPP electronic layer of Sustainable Development Reporting

2.1 Clean Energy	Planned Spending	Program $K	FTEs
	2011-12	1,327,303	796
	2012-13	890,405	642
	2013-14	661,975	641

NRCan Priority:  Advancing Clean Energy

The government has recognized the key role clean energy can play in the shift to a lower carbon economy, simultaneously providing economic and environmental benefits to Canadians. NRCan’s work and activities aim to achieve this objective in the short and long term by encouraging energy efficiency, increasing the availability of renewable energy, and supporting the development and use of cleaner fossil fuels and alternatives. The department conducts research and provides scientific expertise on clean energy technology while providing leadership and acting as a catalyst for accelerated clean energy innovation in Canada.

Through a variety of mechanisms, NRCan works with federal, provincial, industry and academic partners to develop and encourage research and demonstration on and the deployment of clean energy systems for buildings and communities; clean electric power generation; clean energy systems for industry; clean transportation energy; environmentally sustainable oil and gas development; and bioenergy. NRCan’s efforts contribute to improving energy efficiency in every sector of the economy – homes, commercial buildings, vehicles – and increase the production of low-impact renewable energy. The following programs and initiatives achieve this:

•  The Clean Energy Science and Technology programming supports research, development and the demonstration of the next-generation clean-energy technologies and systems, including increasing clean energy supply and renewable energy from clean sources such as wind, solar, tidal and biomass. Initiatives are also undertaken to increase efficiency and reduce pollution from conventional energy sources, such as research on cleaner fossil fuels, oil sands development, and carbon capture and storage. The Clean Energy Science and Technology programming is funded in part by ecoENERGY Technology Initiative and the Clean Energy Fund.
  
  

  • Commitments for 2011-12: Undertake competitive processes to select the most promising clean energy technology projects including the review and approval of proposals.

  • Establish and maintain partnerships with external public and private stakeholders through contracts and contribution agreements to cost-share clean-energy technology projects.

  • Review and assess progress and results for current and new projects related to clean energy science and technology.

•  The ecoENERGY for Renewable Power program diversifies Canada’s energy mix by providing production incentives to producers of renewable electricity. Programming has been instrumental in increasing the supply of renewable electricity – e.g. wind, biomass, low-impact hydro, geothermal, solar photovoltaic and ocean energy – to the electrical grid.
  
  

  • Commitments for 2011-12: Manage over 100 contribution agreements under the ecoENERGY for Renewable Power program.

  • Follow up on Environmental Assessments completed on approved ecoENERGY for Renewable power projects to ensure compliance.

  • Perform technical site visits for approved ecoENERGY for Renewable Power projects

•  The ecoENERGY for Biofuels program, which supports the production of renewable alternatives to gasoline and diesel, and encourages the development of a competitive renewable fuels industry in Canada by providing incentives directly to new and existing producers.
  
  

  • Commitments for 2011-12: Monitor up to 38 legal agreements with existing or new producers representing 2 billion litres of domestic production of renewable alternatives to gasoline and 500 million litres of domestic production of renewable alternatives to diesel²

• The Advanced Materials for Transportation Program and the Materials for Nuclear and Conventional Energy Program develop, in partnership with universities and industry, advanced materials, technologies and processes that improve energy efficiency and enable clean energy systems. Research advances will benefit the nuclear reactor and the automotive sectors, leading, for example, to a next generation of vehicles that are stronger and lighter, thereby reducing fossil fuel consumption and contributing to the reduction of GHG emissions, as well as to high-efficiency next-generation nuclear reactors that can produce clean electricity.
  
  

  •  Commitments for 2011-12:  Develop a prototype engine with high temperature resistant aluminum alloy. Launch a university-industry-federal lab collaborative project to design, fabricate, assemble and test a magnesium intensive demonstration structure. Develop a short list of candidate GEN IV alloys for materials assessment and testing.

• Finally, NRCan is working to enhance the environmental and commercial sustainability of the pulp and paper industry through the Pulp and Paper Green Transformation Program. Through this program, NRCan supports investments in Canadian pulp and paper mills that will improve the environmental performance of the industry, while also laying the groundwork for a more competitive and sustainable future.
  
  

  •  Commitments for 2011-12: Provide financial contributions to eligible pulp and paper mills to support capital investments that will result in the generation of environmental benefits for Canadians, including a 4,230,000 GJ/year reduction in quantity of energy consumed and a 2,100,000 MWH/year increase in quantity of renewable energy produced.

  • With the conclusion of PPGTP at the end of 2011-12, contribution agreements with 25 participating pulp and paper firms, will have been established, for a total of $950 million in program credits.

Benefits for Canadians

NRCan helps Canadians improve energy conservation and energy efficiency in multiple sectors of the economy (e.g. homes, commercial buildings, vehicles and fleets), contributing to the longer term sustainability and reducing the short-term costs of energy consumption. The department is working to reduce the environmental impacts associated with the production and use of energy, and to increase the production of low-impact renewable energy, thereby advancing the environmental sustainability efforts that will benefit current and future generations.

2.2 Ecosystem Risk Management	Planned Spending	Program $K	FTEs
	2011-12	86,975	419
	2012-13	99,367	415
	2013-14	92,243	415

NRCan Priority:  Enabling Competitive Resource Sectors
Through the Green Mining Initiative – a multi-stakeholder partnership – NRCan develops, identifies and promotes the use of green technology in mining, with the objective of enabling a competitive and greener resource sector. Research and outreach activities aim to reduce ecosystem risks from mining and encourage and improve sustainable best practices. Focus for the next year will be on four main research themes: footprint reduction; mine waste management; mine closure and rehabilitation; and ecosystem risk management.

Commitments for 2011-12: Produce 15 R&D publications on environmental technologies.

Complete 10 projects with industry and government stakeholders on green mining.

Engage in 10 Ground Control, safe mining or innovative projects.

The scope of these projects includes: (1) reducing the risks related to mining at a great depth to access mineral deposits and improving the productivity of Canadian mining operations; (2) developing innovative technologies on the effect of heat stress on mine workers; and, (3) developing and testing processes for long term storage of radioactive wastes in Canada.

NRCan provides knowledge and expertise of the impacts on the environment and ecosystems of resource development (both renewable and non-renewable) in order to develop projects in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner and create federally protected areas. Through the Mineral and Energy Resource Assessments, the department informs decision-making on the establishment of national parks and other protected areas. NRCan also contributes to environmental assessments for natural resources projects, as required under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act and for all federally triggered or regulated projects/reviews, through the delivery of science and technology and the provision of analysis and expertise to government departments, regulatory bodies, and industry.

 Commitments for 2011-12: Publish 15 R&D publications related to the environmental assessment process for natural resources development and use.

Respond to requests for expertise and advice on projects that require environmental assessment review under the federal CEAA process or under a territorial EA regime with federal input.

 Provide comments in a timely manner for federal environmental assessment reviews and deliver as requested Mineral and Energy Resource Assessments.

The department is working with its partners on the assessment and mapping of key aquifers. Information from this is distributed with a view to ensure the sustainable management of groundwater resources and the responsible development of Canada’s lands.

Commitments for 2011-12:  In collaboration with the provinces and territories, complete and produce the assessment and mapping of new two Canadian Aquifers.

NRCan will continue to develop forest ecosystem knowledge and predictive tools that are critical to understanding the nature and extent of Canada’s forests and how they are changing over time as a result of natural and human-caused disturbances, particularly in view of a changing climate.

Commitments for 2011-12: Update and make accessible National Forest Information products, including databases and maps to governments, industry, non-governmental organizations and the public.

Provide estimates of forest-related greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to meet Canada’s international reporting commitments.

Comprehensively review the state of science on Canada’s boreal zone and its ecosystems, with particular emphasis on ecosystem health and sustainability.

These commitments will increase our understanding of national forest processes and enhance Canada’s environmental reputation and increase market access.

NRCan Priority: Managing Nuclear Issues

NRCan is working to mitigate risks to the environment and human health through the Radioactive Waste Management programs. These include the Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program, which is implementing a long-term strategy to decommission legacy infrastructure and restore affected lands at AECL sites, including the implementation of long-term solutions for the management of associated wastes; as well as ongoing efforts for the clean-up of historic wastes in the Port Hope (Ontario) area and elsewhere in Canada.

Commitments for 2011-12: Meet the government-approved milestones for the second phase of the Nuclear Legacy Liabilities Program, including the building and infrastructure decommissioning and radioactive waste cleanups at the AECL sites.

Facilitate future implementation of the Port Hope Area Initiative by obtaining proper approvals and regulatory authorities.

Develop, optimize and validate a leaching scheme to extract key elements from radioactive wastes to dispose of these while meeting Canada’s environmental needs safely.

NRCan Priority:  Advancing Sustainable Development of the North

NRCan is conducting research to better understand the impact of energy and mineral development on the Northern environment. The objective is to develop methods and approaches to assess the potential impacts of the development of oil, gas and mineral resources on the Arctic environment. Ongoing activities include the impact of pipeline construction on the stability of permafrost.

Commitments for 2011-12:  Initiate a research project to provide guidelines to stakeholder on assessing the environmental impacts of strategic mineral resources in the Arctic (project to be completed by 2014).

Develop a Northern Strategy, in collaboration with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada and Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, related to minerals and metals development to identify the potential developments, highlight the potential barriers and propose a strategy to address the barriers for moving forward.

Benefits for Canadians

NRCan’s work and expertise creates knowledge that is critical in making decisions on environmental stewardship, conservation and environmental protection. This impacts the health and quality of life of Canadians, as well as the sustainability of their natural resources, now and in the future.

Government of Canada Outcome: An Innovative and Knowledge-Based Economy

Strategic Outcome 3: Safety, Security and Stewardship Natural resource knowledge, landmass and management systems strengthen the safety and security of Canadians and the stewardship of Canada’s natural resources and lands
NRCan Priorities	Improving the Performance of the Regulatory System for Major Project Reviews
	Enabling Competitive Resource Sectors
	Advancing Sustainable Resource Development in the North

NRCan provides geoscience and geospatial information that contributes to the reduction of risks from natural hazards, such as earthquakes, tsunamis and flood, as well as hazards arising from human activities, and works with front-line responders to provide geographical information in the event of an emergency. The department also provides accurate and precise geographic information on the Canadian landmass, as well as information that will help Canadians mitigate and adapt to the effects of a changing climate.

Relevant accurate, timely and accessible knowledge is also provided to increase collaborative efforts with other jurisdictions in key areas (e.g., regulatory efficiency) and improve approaches for and management of shared issues. Furthermore, NRCan carries out the Minister’s obligation to provide a property rights infrastructure on all lands for which the department has this responsibility.

The performance of these programs and activities will be measured by the following indicators. In all cases, targets are a favourable trend over the long term.

Levels	Outcome/Expected Results	Performance Indicators	Targets
Strategic Outcome 3	Natural resource knowledge, landmass and management systems strengthen the safety and security of Canadians and the stewardship of Canada’s natural resources and lands	Contribution to the safety and security of Canadians, and the effectiveness of federal land stewardship and regulatory processes. Measure A: Number of peer-reviewed publications by NRCan in this field. Measure B: Percent of target geomagnetic data posted to the web after quality control by the Canadian Hazard Information Service (CHIS) Measure C: Percent of target seismic data posted to the web after quality control review by CHIS Measure D: RADARSAT data reception accuracy within the Earth Observation Data Services system (percent of data at standard)	Favourable long-term trend in number of publications Greater than 90% of landmass and natural hazard data meets timeliness and accessibility standards
Program Activity 3.1   Programming in this area contributes to Air Quality and Climate Change Theme of the FSDS **	Canada adapts to a changing climate and has the knowledge and tools to manage risks associated with natural hazards and hazards arising from human activities	NRCan’ contribution to the safe and secure use of explosives in Canada; certifying non-destructive testing personnel in Canada; and materials innovations for the security of individuals Measure A: Number of inspections and advancement of knowledge in explosives science and technology Measure B: Number of certifications and renewals for Non-Destructive Testing personnel in Canada provided by NRCan’s NDT Certifying Agency. Measure C: Number of peer-reviewed publications by NRCan in this field.	Favourable long-term trend in number of publications; sustained or favourable trend in number of inspections and certifications
		NRCan's contribution to climate change adaptation and natural hazard risk management as measured by the uptake of adaptation knowledge and tools, and the timeliness and accessibility of natural hazard risk management knowledge and tools Measure A: Percent of target geomagnetic data posted to the web after quality control by the Canadian Hazard Information Service (CHIS) Measure B: Percent of target seismic data posted to the web after quality control review by CHIS Measure C: Number of peer-reviewed publications by NRCan in this field.	Greater than 90% of natural hazard data meets timeliness and accessibility standards; Favourable long-term trend in number of publications;
		Performance of programs in achieving expected results within plans, timelines and budgets (in percentage) Measure: Summation of success in delivering sub-activity-level expected results and outputs on time; weighted by planned spending (and adjusted as necessary for spending variances)	Greater than 99% of programs delivered on plan, on time, and within budget
Program Activity 3.2 Programming in this area contributes to Air Quality and Climate Change, and the Protecting Nature Themes of the FSDS **	Government has the necessary natural resources and landmass knowledge and systems required to both govern the country and position Canada to play a leadership role in federal/provincial/territorial and international fora	NRCan's contribution to the development and security of Canada through advancements in geographic knowledge, boundary management, and surveys & supporting systems for secure land tenure of Canada Lands. Measure A: Number of peer-reviewed publications by NRCan in this field. Measure B: Boundary management and survey outputs relative to 5-Year Average (dimensionless number)	Favourable long-term trend in number of publications Fulfilling on-demand requirements
		Effective management of the federal regulatory process for major natural resource projects as measured by adherence to target timelines and service standards by all federal departments and agencies. Measure: Percentage of federal project reviews for major resource projects that are on time or within 8 weeks of the project-specific service standards and target timeline	Greater than 80% of active or completed MPMO projects within eight weeks of target timeline
		Performance of programs in achieving expected results within plans, timelines and budgets (in percentage) Measure: Summation of success in delivering sub-activity-level expected results and outputs on time; weighted by planned spending (and adjusted as necessary for spending variances)	Greater than 99% of programs delivered on plan, on time, and within budget

** For full information on NRCan’s contributions to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy see RPP electronic layer of Sustainable Development Reporting.

3.1 Adapting to a changing climate and hazard risk management	Planned Spending	Program $K	FTEs
	2011-12	63,558	552
	2012-13	51,519	551
	2013-14	52,231	551

NRCan Priority: Enabling Competitive Resource Sectors

How Canada responds to the changing climate and manages risks from natural and human-induced hazards has a significant impact on the safety and security of Canadians. By developing a greater understanding of hazards, NRCan facilitates government response in times of crisis and informs the development of long-term mitigation strategies, which benefit Canadians and Canada’s resource sectors.

The department performs research and provides accurate, objective scientific data to governments and communities to facilitate the understanding of the impacts of a changing climate and influence long-term planning. This information allows for adaptation and forward planning, possibly avoiding future environmental impacts resulting from a change in climate. The dissemination of this information also demonstrates some of the impacts of climate change on the Canadian landscape. As changes in Canada’s northern climate will likely have a greater impact than in southern Canada, adaptation measures will need to be carefully designed to preserve Canada’s sensitive Arctic and sub-Arctic environments.

Commitments for 2011-12: Produce the geoscience information such as papers, presentations and reports that stakeholders use to prepare and build into proactive adaptation plans.

Furthermore, NRCan’s work on climate change impacts and adaptation focuses on collaboration to plan and manage the impacts of climate change across Canada. The Tools for Adaptation Program supports the development, dissemination and training on decision-support tools and methodologies for adaptation by various private and public sector stakeholders. The Regional Adaptation Collaborative Program brings decision-makers and subject matter experts from government, the private sector and academia together to assess the impacts of climate change and adaptation responses to effectively address key regional issues.

Commitments for 2011-12: Provide support for workshops and presentations to Regional Adaptation Collaboratives focussing on 15 adaptation issues across regions, including areas of water management, community and land use planning.

Develop a nationally applicable climate change vulnerability and adaptation assessment framework for Canada’s forests.

NRCan also works (in partnership with and in support of provinces and territories, other departments and agencies, and stakeholders) to manage and mitigate forest disturbances such as pests and wildland fires and impacts from climate change. It does this by coordinating national and intergovernmental research strategies and providing scientific knowledge. This work includes responding to native and naturalized pests (e.g., Eastern Spruce Budworm) and forest invasive alien insect pests (e.g., Emerald Ash Borer), as well as continuously assessing the risks and mitigating the impacts of wildland fires and climate change on Canada’s forest resources.

Commitments for 2011-12: Assess and disseminate information on the risks and impacts of wildland fire on Canada’s forests and on the safety and security of Canadians.

Synthesize and deliver information on high-priority forest pests to decision makers by enhancing the framework for pest risk analyses and contributing to risk analyses of Canada’s forest pests.

The department also ensures the safety and security of Canada and its people through its work in monitoring and planning for adverse events (e.g., earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, geomagnetic storms, radiological and nuclear incidents, and tsunamis). The provision of hazard information and products supports professional organizations, the private sector, and other levels of government, including international government bodies, in the planning for and mitigation of risks around these events.

Commitments for 2011-12: Monitor, maintain and disseminate earthquake information data and systems to provide near-real time alerting of earthquakes in Canada to the public.

Disseminate hazard information through the Canadian Hazard Information System in a timely manner.

NRCan will continue to work through a multi-stakeholder process to update the explosives regulations to reflect modern industrial practices while strengthening the safety and security of manufacture, storage, and handling of commercial explosives in Canada.

Commitments for 2011-12: Manage the process for Modernizing Explosives Regulations, including developing proposed regulatory improvements; effectively managing engagement with stakeholders; and moving towards implementation of the new Regulations.

Benefits for Canadians

How Canada responds to the changing climate and manages risks from natural and human-induced hazards has a significant impact on the safety and security of Canadians. NRCan manages and helps mitigate hazards and works to develop long-term mitigation and adaptation strategies based on scientific knowledge and expertise, thereby ensuring the safety and security of Canadians, as well as the responsible stewardship of the country’s natural resources.

3.2 Natural Resources and Landmass Knowledge and Systems	Planned Spending	Program $K	FTEs
	2011-12	84,371	616
	2012-13	67,890	576
	2013-14	67,272	576

NRCan Priority:  Improving the Performance of the Regulatory System for Major Project Reviews

The Major Projects Management Office (MPMO) was established to support the Government of Canada's commitment to improve the performance of the regulatory system for major resource projects as a means to ensure Canada’s competitiveness, prosperity and environmental sustainability. The objective is to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the federal regulatory review process for individual resource projects and to drive system-wide improvements to the regulatory system in Canada.

By providing overarching management of the federal regulatory review process for over 60 major resource projects (e.g. environmental assessment, regulatory decision-making and Aboriginal consultation responsibilities) and serving as a single window into the review process for industry, non-governmental organizations and Aboriginal groups, the MPMO, in collaboration with other departments and agencies, ensures that the federal review process for major resource projects is timely, predictable, transparent and accountable with appropriate consideration of social and environmental effects associated with project proposals and consistent and meaningful Aboriginal consultation.

Commitments for 2011-12: Lead the on-going development and implementation of a whole-of-government strategy to deliver a suite of policy, regulatory and legislative improvements to the federal regulatory system.

Ensure that environmental assessment, regulatory review and Aboriginal consultation processes for major resource projects are timely, integrated and well coordinated through the development of project agreements and adherence to agreed upon service standards.

Work collaboratively with partners to strengthen northern regulatory regimes and to improve the integration of federal and provincial review processes.

NRCan Priority:  Advancing Sustainable Resource Development in the North

A better understanding of Canada’s landmass in the North will present greater opportunities to sustainably develop and protect its natural resources. For example, NRCan is conducting bathymetric and seismic surveys to compile accurate coordinates on the limits of Canada’s continental shelf. This geoscience and mapping data will support Canada’s claim to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to extend the country’s sovereign rights on the Atlantic and Arctic continental margins. Furthermore, NRCan’s location-based (geographic) information and derived products provides a reference foundation that underpins many economic and environmental social applications.

Commitments for 2011-12: Provide final set of coordinates for the outer limits of Canada’s Atlantic and Arctic offshore continental shelf.

Develop and maintain up-to-date location-based (geographic) information, topographic maps, including adding 500 new topographic maps at 1:50 000 scale and revising other maps as appropriate.

Provide governments, industry and Canadians with up-to-date and archived remote sensing imagery, and up-to-date applications and geodetic reference points.

NRCan provides accurate and accessible geographic information for the maintenance of the Canada / United States boundaries. Work will continue to conduct boundary surveys of Aboriginal settlement lands upholding Canada's obligations under land claim settlement legislation and treaties; and provide boundary certainty in the North, Canada's offshore area, Aboriginal Lands and National Parks.

Commitment for 2011-12: Complete annual land claim survey obligations as defined in the legislation and agreements for the Yukon, NWT and Nunavut.

Finally, the department is providing safe, efficient and cost-effective logistical support to researchers conducting field work throughout the Canadian Arctic, such as air / ground transportation, equipment, fuel and accommodations, through the Polar Continental Shelf Program (PCSP).

 Commitments for 2011-12: Finalize cooperation arrangements with the Department of National Defence in the Arctic to expand the PCSP facility in Resolute.

 Provide cost-effective logistical support to PCSP-granted projects and to major government science programs.

Benefits for Canadians

NRCan works to produce scientific knowledge and data, and oversees systems that facilitate the knowledge creation and information sharing on natural resources, all with a view to inform decision-making on the use and stewardship of natural resources. It also works to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of the regulatory review process of major natural resource projects, thereby increasing investments and creating jobs in our natural resources.

4.1 Internal Services

NRCan Priorities	Integrated Management

  Activities in this area contribute to the Greening Government Operations Theme of the FSDS.

Internal services support NRCan in delivering on its mandate and priorities through three main categories: governance and management support, resource management services, and asset management services. Internal services must adjust and respond to the evolving business priorities and requirements of the organization, and ensure the department’s capacity and responsiveness to deliver better results.

4.1 Internal Services	Planned Spending	Program $K	FTEs
	2011-12	162,493	1,096
	2012-13	154,147	1,096
	2013-14	153,008	1,096

NRCan Priority: Integrated Management

Continue to improve NRCan’s integrated business planning process, including strengthening performance and risk management and improving the governance structure, to ensure the relevance of our programming and allow for greater integration and management of our outcomes and performance. The renovation of the Program Activity Architecture will allow for better attribution of results and more effective reporting on performance – ensuring transparency to Parliament and Canadians. The implementation of a comprehensive risk management framework will support strengthened risk management across the department. The improvements to the governance structure will support stronger integration, support the development of concrete measures to transform business processes and contribute to building a culture of collaboration and collective leadership. The implementation of Felix/SAP should facilitate the integration of these initiatives and enhance key business processes.

The department is also focused renewing and growing our human capital by recruiting more strategically and supporting development to maximize the contribution and growth of our people. For example, the alignment of recruitment initiatives to identified needs and priorities will support the achievement of our outcomes and will address identified skills shortages. To that effect, a particular focus will be placed on strengthening our capacity in science and technology to ensure our ability to deliver in the longer term. Building on an effective executive performance and talent management process, further emphasis will be placed on the management of our talent through the establishement of a comprehensive leadership development framework. The Key NRCan Competencies of organizational awareness, collaboration, innovation and flexibility will increasingly be ingrained into our talent management culture and integrated into our recruitment, learning, leadership development, performance management and recognition strategies.

Commitments for 2011-12: Implement a revised governance structure to ensure the integration and ongoing renewal of risks, human, asset, and information resources through the planning, ongoing monitoring and reporting of activities.

Support implementation of the renewed Program Activity Architecture, the Performance Measurement Framework, and the Corporate Risk Framework.

Implement Felix/SAP to support improved business processes for financial, materiel and project management. Leverage the new system to better track financial and non-financial performance through quarterly reviews.

Focus HR strategies on business needs, including the implementation of a departmental approach to performance management and the design and implementation of targeted initiatives to recruit and develop S&T professionals.

Implement an organizational code (Values & Ethics) based on the principles of the new federal Public Service Code of Conduct.

Implement 2011-2016 Action Plans for Official Languages and Employment Equity.

Implement a re-engineer Access to Information process to ensure timely and continuous review of active requests and, if necessary, resolve delays to ensure commitments to meet processing times.

The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy and NRCan

 NRCan is solely or jointly responsible for 46 FSDS Implementation Strategies under the Air, Water and Nature themes of the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS). In addition, NRCan is responsible for one FSDS target under the Nature theme – 7.3 (Sustainable Forest Management). The link between the NRCan PAA and Target 7.3 in the FSDS is illustrated below.

FSDS Theme III - Protecting Nature

FSDS Goal 7 – Biological Resources Sustainable production and consumption of biological resources within ecosystem limits
FDS Target - Sustainable forest Management	FDS Indicator
7.3 – Improve the management of Canada’s forest ecosystems through the development and dissemination of knowledge.	Number of peer-reviewed publications related to forest ecosystems.
FSDS Implementation Strategies	NRCan PAA sub-activity
7.3.1 – First Nations Forestry Program – support initiatives to enhance first nations’ capacity to sustainably manage reserve forests and other forests (jointly responsible with Indian and Northern Affairs Canada)	The program that directly supports this implementation strategy will be completed in March 2011 and the performance results will be reported in NRCan's 2010-11 Departmental Performance Report. The successful delivery of this program has led to the incorporation of many of its principles into the multi-departmental Aboriginal Forestry Initiative (AFI). The AFI will work effectively to target federal resources to economic development projects in Aboriginal communities as a part of: 1.1.5 Forest-based Community Partnerships.
7.3.2 – Generate and disseminate scientific knowledge related to forest ecosystems.	2.2.2 Forest Ecosystems Science and Application

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