Media Advisory—Tabling of the 2021 Fall Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development—Thursday, 25 November 2021
Ottawa, 9 November 2021—The 2021 Fall Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development will be tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday, 25 November 2021, at approximately 2:00 pm (eastern standard timeEST).
Embargoed reports
If you are a journalist accredited by a recognized media organization and wish to receive embargoed electronic copies of the reports at 9:30 am (EST) on 25 November 2021, please email Infomedia@oag-bvg.gc.ca to receive instructions to register for the media preview. Registration must be completed by 5:00 pm (EST) on 24 November 2021. Please note that print copies of the reports are not available for distribution due to pandemic restrictions
News conference
Registered journalists can also take part in an embargoed news conference with Jerry V. DeMarco, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, from 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm (EST), via teleconference or in person (Room 200 – 144 Wellington Street, Ottawa). To attend the news conference in person, you must be accredited by the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery and follow all public health requirements.
Interviews
To book an interview, please call 1‑888‑761‑5953 or email infomedia@oag-bvg.gc.ca.
The 2021 Fall Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development are as follows:
Report 3—Scientific Activities in Selected Water Basins. This audit focused on whether Environment and Climate Change Canada and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada took a coordinated and risk-based approach to reduce the impact of excess nutrients on ecosystem health in selected Canadian water basins. Our audit examined 3 water basins: Lake Erie, Lake Winnipeg, and Wolastoq, Saint John River. We selected these 3 water basins in part because they cross international or interprovincial borders and because each basin has significant or emerging harmful and nuisance algal blooms.
Report 4—Emissions Reduction Fund—Natural Resources Canada. This audit focused on whether Natural Resources Canada designed the Onshore Program of the Emissions Reduction Fund to ensure that the anticipated reductions of greenhouse gas emissions in the oil and gas sector after 2023 would be credible and sustainable. The report also examined whether the department conducted due diligence technical and financial assessments of each applicant’s project submission, including the assessment of how each contribution would represent value for money.
Report 5—Lessons Learned from Canada’s Record on Climate Change. This report, which is not an audit, provides a historical perspective on Canada’s action to address climate change mitigation and adaptation in order to inform parliamentarians. Parliamentarians are instrumental in ensuring that Canada transitions to a low-emission economy and ultimately must hold government to account in meeting its climate change objectives. This report also aims to build Canadians’ awareness of the climate crisis and to share the Commissioner’s views and position future work on Canada’s climate change efforts.
Report 6—Departmental Progress in Implementing Sustainable Development Strategies—Healthy Coasts and Oceans, Pristine Lakes and Rivers, and Sustainable Food. This review focused on whether federal departments and agencies contributed to meeting the 2016–2019 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy’s goals of healthy coasts and oceans, pristine lakes and rivers, and sustainable food, as applicable to each organization.
Report 7—Environmental Petitions Annual Report. The purpose of this annual report is to inform Parliament and Canadians about the number, nature, and status of environmental petitions and responses received from 1 July 2020 to 30 June 2021, as required by section 23 of the Auditor General Act.
The 2021 Fall Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development will be available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website immediately following tabling.
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