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Program directory · Crown-Indigenous Relations and Northern Affairs Canada

Northern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability

Program code
BWR07 (INAC)
Core responsibility
Northern and Arctic Affairs
In Departmental Plans
2018-19 – 2025-26 · Appeared and later dropped

What it does

Northern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability contributes to a healthy and sustainable environment for the benefit of Indigenous Peoples, Northerners and Canadians by sustainable management, monitoring and assessment of land and resources throughout the North. The Program ensures that decision making is fully informed by providing science and policy reports and advice informed by scientific and Indigenous knowledge and meaningful engagement, and by co-developing strategic plans to address environmental concerns and impacts. The Program ensures efficient and effective monitoring systems in the North by coordinating, generating and managing scientific and environmental data and by publishing results, reports and data.

Source: the department's Program Inventory, via GC InfoBase.

History and lineage

First appears in GC InfoBase's actual spending by program in 2018-19. The data does not record when a program was created; it may be older than its first appearance here, which is limited by the sources (program spending starts in 2010-11, Departmental Plans in 2018-19).

2018-192019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-262026-272027-28Northern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2018-19: $12.9MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2019-20: $14.2MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2020-21: $12.3MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2021-22: $11.9MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2022-23: $14.8MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2023-24: $20.8MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2024-25: $23.8MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2025-26: $26.5MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2026-27: $20.3MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability 2027-28: $18.3MNorthern and Arctic Environmental Sustainability
Bars: spending by fiscal year (dark: actual; light: actual restated on the 2017-18 program structure; outlined: the latest plan's forecast; grey: related programs). Bands: each program in the lineage over the years it has data.
ProgramRelationYears with dataActual spending over those years
Northern and Arctic Environmental SustainabilityThis program2018-19 – 2027-28$111M

No earlier or later program in the same department has a similar name.

Significant changes in scope and budget

Detected from the data: renames between plans, programs it appears to replace, merge with or split into (matched by name), year-over-year changes in spending of at least 25% and $5M, or in employees of at least 20% and 25 FTEs, linked budget measures, and results indicators added or dropped.

YearWhat changedSource
2019-20Indicators added: Percentage of environmental assessment decisions that reflect the perspectives of Northerners and Indigenous peoplesDepartmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2019-20Indicators dropped: Number of Strategic Environmental Assessments, used for decision-making, that include traditional knowledge and science information.Departmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2022-23Indicators added: Percentage of long-term northern and Arctic contaminant monitoring datasets maintainedDepartmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2022-23Indicators dropped: Percentage of environmental assessment decisions that reflect the perspectives of Northerners and Indigenous peoplesDepartmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2023-24Indicators added: Percentage of contaminant information available to inform public health guidance and individual food choicesDepartmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2023-24Indicators dropped: Percentage of long-term northern and Arctic contaminant monitoring datasets maintainedDepartmental Results Framework (GC InfoBase)
2023-24Spending $20.8M, against $14.8M in 2022-23 (+40%).Actual spending (GC InfoBase)

Success criteria

The program's indicators from its department's Departmental Results Framework: the target set in each year's plan, and the result reported the following year. Source: GC InfoBase.

Historical: targets against results

Percentage of contaminant information available to inform public health guidance and individual food choices
Expected result: Efficient and effective monitoring and human biomonitoring systems in place to address environmental health issues in the North
93%2023-24✗ not met93%2024-25✗ not met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2023-24≥ 100%202493%
37 of 40 datasets included in this indicator were updated successfully. Logistical or safety reasons prevented data collection in 2023 pertaining to 3 datasets.
Not met
2024-25≥ 100%202593%
Most of the datasets and associated contaminant information used to calculate this indicator were available as expected. Change in some projects’ leadership, as well as shifting ice conditions during fieldwork, contributed to the variance from the 100% target.
Not met
Percentage of long-term northern and Arctic contaminant monitoring datasets maintained
Expected result: Efficient and effective monitoring and human biomonitoring systems in place to address environmental health issues in the North
88%2022-23✗ not met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2022-23≥ 100%202388%
While the majority of core monitoring projects were successful in maintaining their sample collections and datasets, some factors prevented successful collections such as: unpredictable and dangerous weather and sea-ice conditions, increased presence of polar bears, as well as a need to re-engage and consult with community and regional partners to ensure proper communications and support for samp…
Not met
Percentage of environmental assessment decisions that reflect the perspectives of Northerners and Indigenous peoples
Expected result: Informed environmental decision-making
100%2019-20✓ met100%2020-21✓ met100%2021-22✓ met

Bars: result reported. Dashed line: target.

Report yearTargetDueResultStatus
2019-20≥ 100%2020100%Met
2020-21≥ 100%2021100%Met
2021-22≥ 100%2022100%Met

Current: the 2026-27 plan's targets

No indicators in the 2026-27 plan.

Future goals: targets due after 2026-27

No targets with a later due date.

Spending and employees: planned against actual

Spending

2018-19: $13.5M2018-19: $12.9M2018-192019-20: $15.5M2019-20: $14.2M2019-202020-21: $15.3M2020-21: $12.3M2020-212021-22: $13.3M2021-22: $11.9M2021-222022-23: $16.3M2022-23: $14.8M2022-232023-24: $16M2023-24: $20.8M2023-242024-25: $26.6M2024-25: $23.8M2024-252025-26: $26.5M2025-262026-27: $20.3M2026-272027-28: $18.3M2027-28
Outlined bar: planned in that year's Departmental Plan (dashed: the latest plan, for years not yet reported). Filled bar: actual.
Show the numbers
Fiscal yearPlannedActual
2018-19$13.5M$12.9M
2019-20$15.5M$14.2M
2020-21$15.3M$12.3M
2021-22$13.3M$11.9M
2022-23$16.3M$14.8M
2023-24$16M$20.8M
2024-25$26.6M$23.8M
2025-26$26.5M—
2026-27$20.3M*—
2027-28$18.3M*—

Employees (FTEs)

2018-19: 232018-19: 202018-192019-20: 222019-20: 202019-202020-21: 232020-21: 232020-212021-22: 232021-22: 242021-222022-23: 282022-23: 252022-232023-24: 212023-24: 252023-242024-25: 382024-25: 292024-252025-26: 282025-262026-27: 242026-272027-28: 232027-28
Outlined bar: planned in that year's Departmental Plan (dashed: the latest plan, for years not yet reported). Filled bar: actual.
Show the numbers
Fiscal yearPlannedActual
2018-192320
2019-202220
2020-212323
2021-222324
2022-232825
2023-242125
2024-253829
2025-2628—
2026-2724*—
2027-2823*—

Planned spending, plan by plan

Each row is one year's Departmental Plan and its forecast for the next three fiscal years; read a column down to see how the forecast for one year changed. The last row is what was actually spent. Click an amount for its source. Biggest changes in federal spending plans

Actual spending is from Departmental Results Reports and the Public Accounts, as published in GC InfoBase. FTEs are full-time equivalents.