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Sustainable Development Strategy

 
1.    Federal Sustainable Development (SD)Goals
  1. Water – Clean and secure water for people, marine and freshwater ecosystems
    1. Infrastructure funding (water treatment plants and sewage infrastructure)
    2. Specific project funding (productivity improvements)
    3. Awareness building
  2. Clean air – Clean air for people to breathe, and for ecosystems to function well
    1. Purchase of hybrid and fuel efficient vehicles
    2. Specific project funding (productivity improvements, Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency)
  3. Reduce greenhouse gas emissions – Not directly applicable
     
  4. Sustainable Communities – Communities enjoy a prosperous economy, a vibrant and equitable society, and a healthy environment for current and future generations
    1. All community development outcomes
    2. Infrastructure funding
  5. Sustainable development and use of natural resources
    To meet this federal goal, ACOA has undertaken various activities. Examples include:
    1. Awareness building activities
    2. Specific project funding activities
    3. Internal activities and outcomes
    4. Enterprise Development activities and outcomes
    5. Community Development activities and outcomes
  6. Strengthen federal governance and decision making to support sustainable development
    1. Internal integrated operational plans include SD considerations
    2. Senior management is committed to SD

2.    ACOA's Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS) Goal

Internal: Training, information sessions and other awareness building activities.
    Expected results

  • Awareness building: Employees are aware or knowledgeable about how they can and should contribute to ACOA’s SD priorities and of the importance of their contributions; staff is aware of the full range of SD programs and services available to ACOA clients.
  • Practices: Increased senior management commitment to SD; internal work plans to include SD considerations; integration of SD practices into daily activities by staff; increase in green procurement; purchase of hybrid or fuel efficient vehicles; reduction amount of energy consumed by ACOA offices.

Policy, Advocacy and Coordination: Research, policy development and advocacy.
    Expected results

  • Awareness building: Provinces and other federal government departments and agencies are aware of ACOA’s SD priorities.
  • Partnerships: Coherent approach to achieving federal SD priorities in Atlantic Canada by federal departments.

Enterprise Development: Training, information sessions and other awareness building activities, project screening and funding.
    Expected results

  • Awareness building: Increased awareness among SMEs of SD and its potential benefits to their firms; increased awareness among stakeholders of the importance of their involvement in providing SD services to SMEs.
  • Access: Improved access to government programs and services that contribute to SD.
  • Practices: SMEs implement and adopt SD practices and/or technologies.

Community Development: Training, information sessions and other awareness building activities, project screening and funding.
    Expected results

  • Awareness building: Awareness of opportunities for community sustainable development.
  • Partnerships: Sustained community partnerships; collaboration to explore, develop and capitalize on SD opportunities.
  • Practices: Communities implement SD initiatives and practices; improved sustainable community infrastructure.

3.    Supporting Performance Measures:

Internal: Develop and deliver workshops and training sessions for all staff; develop a communications plan to promote SD awareness; provide SD information and tips to staff; establish regional and Head Office SD committees; include SD activities in program activity work plans; enforce mandatory use of remanufactured toner cartridges; create an identification method through the financial system to capture the purchase of green products; establish inventory of items currently being purchased; look for more eco-friendly products; provide inventory list (including eco-friendly alternatives) to all procurement staff; replacement or new vehicles to use alternative-fuel; evaluate energy consumption of all ACOA equipment; conduct energy audit of ACOA Head Office and regional offices; purchase energy-efficient equipment when replacing existing equipment.

Policy, Advocacy and Coordination: Develop and deliver presentations to Regional Federal Councils; provide ACOA SDS information to provincial partners and stakeholders throughout Atlantic Canada; facilitate the establishment of an SD sub-committee of Regional Federal Councils.

Enterprise Development: Deliver sessions in partnership with other government departments (OGDs) and non-government organizations, share best SD practices/findings through sessions; fund SD reviews/audits of SMEs; deliver awareness sessions; encourage stakeholders to promote SD practices to their clients; partner with OGDs to deliver information sessions on national SD-related programs available; ACOA staff to work with these SMEs to implement SD practices/initiatives.

Community Development: Deliver a series of information sessions; coordinate the delivery of the infrastructure programs in Atlantic Canada; ACOA staff to work with community stakeholders on collaborations in community development planning and implementation.



4. Expected SDS Results for 2008-2009 5. Achieved SDS Results for 2008-2009
Increased awareness by SMEs of SD and its potential benefits to their organizations
(SDS 1.1)
  • In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Agency continues to provide funding to the Newfoundland Environmental Industries Association to carry out activities that create awareness of SD. In this fiscal year, the association held one breakfast session and four luncheon sessions addressing various topics and one professional skills development session. These sessions were attended by 108 participants.
  • Newfoundland and Labrador, has approved funding for three initiatives aimed at sustainable tourism, for a total of $665,800.
  • In New Brunswick, ACOA has supported a pilot project, called the Sustainable Business Initiative in partnership with Enterprise Fredericton. During this fiscal year, one SME received sustainable development reviews/audits under this initiative.
Increased awareness by stakeholders of the importance of their involvement in providing SD services to SMEs
(SDS 1.2)
  • In New Brunswick, ACOA held one session, which took place during the CBDC and Enterprise Network annual meeting.
  • In Nova Scotia, stakeholders participated in three sessions given by the Strategic Initiative Unit, entitled, “Environment and Your Business.”
Improved access to SD government programs and services
(SDS 1.3)
  • Planning of information sessions for project officers on SD related government programs and services to be held in 2009-2010.
SMEs implement/adopt SD practices and/or technologies
(SDS 1.4)
  • In Newfoundland and Labrador, ACOA funded 11 SD-related projects for a total contribution of $2.0 million.
  • In Nova Scotia, ACOA funded 20 projects with SD attributes through Enterprise Development.
  • In New Brunswick two SMEs are undertaking SD practices.
Awareness of opportunities for community sustainable development
(SDS 2.1)
  • Planning of information sessions for community development partners to be held in 2009-2010.
Improved, sustainable community infrastructure
(SDS 2.2)
The Agency has implemented the Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund (MRIF) and Canadian Strategic Infrastructure Fund (CSIF) programs on behalf of Infrastructure Canada. A total of 98 projects were approved during this fiscal year. Investments will continue under the Building Canada Fund.
  • In Newfoundland and Labrador, ACOA approved 15 green infrastructure projects.
  • In Prince Edward Island, ACOA approved 16 green infrastructure projects.
  • In New Brunswick, ACOA approved 34 green infrastructure projects.
Sustained community partnerships, collaboration to explore, develop and capitalize on SD opportunities
(SDS 2.3)
  • In New Brunswick, one project has been funded with the Atlantica BioEnergy Task Force, which is a coalition of government, industry and post-secondary institutions. The key initiative is to establish a vision for the next stage of evolution for the forestry industry in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and the state of Maine. ACOA funding for this project is $199,000, toward total project costs of $1,272,625.
Provinces and other federal government departments and agencies are aware of ACOA’s vision for SD in Atlantic Canada
(SDS 3.1)
  • In Newfoundland and Labrador, a Regional Federal Council SD sub committee was established, with ACOA acting as co chair. A presentation on ACOA’s SD activities was made, resulting in other federal departments implementing the ACOA’s carbon footprint survey.
Coherent approach to achieving federal SD priorities by federal departments in Atlantic Canada
(SDS 3.2)
  • In Newfoundland and Labrador, the Regional Federal Council’s SD Working Group, in partnership with Treasury Board Secretariat, Service Canada, Industry Canada and others, hosted a one-day planning session entitled, Sustainable Development – The Current Reality.
Employees are aware and knowledgeable of how they can and should contribute to ACOA’s SDS and the importance of their contribution
(SDS 4.1)
  • Training and an information session were offered on topics relevant to SD. These activities included information on the purchase of local food and produce, disseminating information on paperless pay stubs, presenting the movie Crude Awakenings, inviting guest speakers on SD topics, and various internal communications initiatives.

  • Newfoundland and Labrador, a carbon footprint survey was develop and disseminated, with 53 employees participating in the survey during Earth Day activities.

  • ACOA staff in Moncton and Ottawa participated in a HO Go Green Initiative. Sixty-eight employees participated in a baseline ecological footprint and 74 participated in a follow-up ecological footprint. Thirteen training sessions were held for employees in order to make them aware of sustainable development practices and SD business practices. ACOA’s regional offices in New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island are reviewing the results of the Go Green Initiative and may undertake this initiative in the following year.

  • With regard to increasing the traffic on the ACOA’s SD intranet site, links to the Head Office and New Brunswick Regional Committee sites were added as well as a link to the Newfoundland intranet site. The SD site was updated and the regional sites are used to provide environment tips and other messages to staff.

  • An Enviro Tip of the Week was published on the Agency’s intranet site (Rendezvous) throughout the year.

  • In ACOA’s New Brunswick offices, the Agency began replacing all water coolers and bottled water supplies with water fountains.

  • Regional SD committees are strong and active in New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador and Head Office.

Staff is aware of the SD programs and services available to ACOA clients
(SDS 4.2)
  • During a meeting of ACOA account managers in New Brunswick, an SD session was offered and 50 staff members took part.
Increased senior management commitment to SD
(SDS 4.3)
  • SD activities are included in the annual planning cycle, through corporate and regional work plans. Financial and human resources to support SD activities have been approved. SD has been integrated into the PAA.
  • The President’s annual call letter for the 2008 2009 planning process identified the requirement for human and financial resources for SD activities.
Emphasize green procurement
(SDS 4.4)
Achieved:

Head Office

  • 42% of toner cartridges purchased were remanufactured cartridges, and all empty toner cartridges were returned for recycling.
  • 100% of copy paper purchased was recycled paper.
  • Energy-efficient photocopiers including a fax function were purchased, eliminating the need for two fax machines and one scanner.
  • Environmentally friendly products were used.
  • Training on green procurement was offered to all procurement staff.

Newfoundland and Labrador:

  • 60% of toner cartridges purchased were remanufactured.
  • 70% of office supplies and papers purchased were environmentally friendly.

New Brunswick:

  • Products were purchased from the “Green Catalogue.”
  • New equipment purchased was Energy Star rated, on as needed basis.
  • 45% of cartridges bought were remanufactured or recycled.

Nova Scotia:

  • All new equipment purchased was energy efficient
  • Fifteen different green products are being ordered from seven different suppliers.

Prince Edward Island:

  • 100% of paper purchased was recycled paper.
  • New equipment purchased was energy efficient.
  • Green product catalogues were made available and green products promoted.
  • Two remanufactured and energy efficient printers were purchased.

Although it is sometimes difficult to track the exact number of green products purchased, information on green products was provided to all purchasing staff at ACOA.

Purchase of hybrid or fuel efficient vehicles.
(SDS 4.5)
Achieved:

Agency

  • Hybrid/alternative fuel vehicles comprise 77% of fleet.

Head Office

  • Hybrid/alternative fuel vehicles comprise 75% of fleet.

Newfoundland and Labrador

  • Hybrid or flex vehicles compose 83% of required fleet.

New Brunswick

  • Hybrid vehicles comprise 88% of fleet, with the objective of increasing to 100%.

Nova Scotia

  • Alternative fuel vehicles comprise 75% of required fleet; all new vehicles purchased were hybrid.

Prince Edward Island

  • Hybrid vehicles comprise 60% of the regional fleet; new purchases were hybrid or alternative fuel.
Reduce amount of energy consumed in offices.
(SDS 4.6)
  • The Newfoundland and Labrador regional office is the only ACOA office located in a federally owned building where power-down initiatives are in place to reduce the building energy consumption.
  • All other regions are reducing energy consumption through awareness training.