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Table 4: Sustainable Development Strategy

The Department of Finance Canada’s Sustainable Development1 Strategy (SDS) for the period of 2007–09 is the Department’s third update of its original SDS tabled in Parliament in December 1997. The 2007–09 SDS builds on the foundation laid by the Department’s previous strategies, which includes key achievements in debt reduction, the evaluation of environmental tax proposals, strategic environmental assessment, and green stewardship.
The Department’s current management strategy for the SDS consists of a departmental sustainable development champion, a core working group of officials with representatives from all branches, and reviews of sustainable development progress and planning by senior management. The Department also continues to raise awareness of the departmental process for fulfilling its obligations under The Cabinet Directive on the Environmental Assessment of Policy, Plan and Program Proposals.

Strategic outcomes

The Department’s vision for sustainable development is as follows:

  • Economic and fiscal policy frameworks and decisions that promote equity and enhance the economic, social, and environmental well-being of current and future generations.

It highlights the long‑term ideal that the Department will strive to achieve.

Key issues

For the 2007–09 SDS, the Department has set out five long-term goals that focus on key areas where it can contribute, within its mandate, to sustainable development: (1) fiscal sustainability and a high standard of living for future generations; (2) strong social foundations; (3) integration of sustainable development considerations into policy making; (4) integration of sustainable development considerations into the economy; and (5) demonstration of the Department’s commitment to sustainable development in operations.
Under each of these five goals, the Department’s action plan for sustainable development sets out a number of objectives and targeted actions over the planning period. In undertaking these actions over the three-year period, the Department recognizes that fully achieving its vision for sustainable development will take time and continued effort, requiring a long-term strategic approach as well as an ongoing commitment to short-term actions.

Targets and reporting

A detailed outline of the Department’s objectives, actions, planned results, and results achieved for 2008–09 as well as highlights of the 2007–09 SDS are available on its website (http://www.fin.gc.ca/purl/susdev-eng.asp).


1. “Sustainable development” is a continually evolving concept based on the integration of social, economic, and environmental concerns. It may be achieved by, among other things, the following:

  • the integration of the environment and the economy;
  • protecting the health of Canadians;
  • protecting ecosystems;
  • meeting international obligations;
  • promoting equity;
  • an integrated approach to planning and making decisions that takes into account the environmental and natural resource costs of different economic options and the economic costs of different environmental and natural resource options;
  • preventing pollution; and
  • demonstrating respect for nature and the needs of future generations.