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Sustainable Development Strategy
December 1997
Table of Contents
Section I: Introduction and Overview
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Overview of CIC
1.3 Issue Scan
1.4 Greening Our Departmental Operations — Administrative
Infrastructure
Section II: Consultations
2.1 Proposed Directions
2.2 Summary of Consultations
Section III: Plan of Action and Key Results
3.1 CIC Programs
3.2 Environmental Management System
Appendix 1 — Summary of the Canada-Quebec Accord
Appendix 2 — The Role of Other Federal Departments and Agencies
Message from the Minister
Sustainable development and the integration of economic, social and environmental considerations is one of the most important issues facing society today. Social trends, global economic activity, and changes to the environment are closely linked, and the decision-making processes of individuals, societies, and governments must reflect these interrelationships.
This government, committed to the well-being and future of Canada, recognizes the importance of a well-managed immigration program for our social and economic development. This is reflected in the need to strike a balance between policies and programs which promote family reunification, those focused on the contribution of immigrants to the economy, meeting our international commitments with respect to refugees, and the protection of Canadians. It is also reflected in my commitment to uphold the values of Canadian citizenship for future generations.
This first sustainable development strategy constitutes for Citizenship and Immigration Canada a new point of departure to better serve Canada. In the years to come, we will promote sustainable development by working closely with our partners, by integrating environmental considerations into decision-making, and by adopting best practices for the “greening” of departmental operations.
The Honourable Lucienne Robillard, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Citizenship and Immigration
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Section I: Introduction and Overview
1.1 Introduction
For more than a decade, sustainable development has been an increasingly important objective of public policy, both in Canada and on the international scene. The Government of Canada believes that sustainable development is now an essential component of government policy.
To attain its sustainable development objectives, the government amended the Auditor General Act, in December 1995, to require that all federal government departments table in Parliament a Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS). In this strategy, each department must present its goals and action plan for integrating sustainable development into its policies, programs and operations. Section III of this document presents Citizenship and Immigration Canada’s (CIC’s) sustainable development action plan.
In developing its strategy, CIC consulted its partners and other stakeholders in order to obtain their views on how the Department should move towards sustainable development, in a way that takes into account its partners’ roles and responsibilities. Section II, below, provides a summary of the views and recommendations of participants in the consultation process.
| Sustainable Development |
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“Sustainable development is development that meets
the needs of the present without compromising the ability
of future generations to meet their own needs.” One thing is clear from this concept: sustainability is not limited to a concern for the natural environment nor is it focused exclusively on economic development. It is an integrated concept which is based on social, economic and environmental concerns. Above all, it is based on intra-national, inter-national, and inter-generational principles of equity. The federal government’s Guide to Green Government explores more fully the key elements of sustainable development: quality of life, integrated decision making and equity.
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This strategy will include initial performance indicators for the measurement of CIC’s contribution to sustainable development. The Department must also report each year on the progress made and adjust its strategy at least every three years.
Under the Auditor General Act, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development will monitor and assess the progress achieved annually in accordance with the objectives established in the SDS.
Sustainable development is a shared responsibility. Individual and collective actions within and outside the federal government will make it possible to achieve progress toward sustainable development. It is also an integrated concept which includes social, economic and environmental sustainability. Much of CIC’s current business is, in fact, compatible with sustainable development. The immigration and citizenship programs are expressions of Canada’s national values, both to Canadians and to the world. These programs are an important factor in Canada’s social and economic development.
This first CIC strategy constitutes the starting point for a step-by-step approach based on continuous improvement. At least every three years, there will be opportunities to adjust our objectives and action plan.
1.2 Overview of CIC
This section briefly outlines what the Department does and how it does it. It establishes the broad context for the sustainable development strategy, describing CIC’s mission and mandate.
Section 95 of the Constitution Act, 1867, provides that the Parliament of Canada and the provincial legislatures exercise shared legislative authority over immigration, while making federal legislation paramount in situations of conflict. Subsection 91 (25) of the same Act gives the Parliament of Canada exclusive legislative authority over naturalization and aliens.
CIC was created in 1993, bringing together various programs and services which had previously been administered by several departments. The creation of CIC serves as recognition of the significance of immigration to Canada. It also acknowledges the links between immigrant selection and the acquisition of Canadian citizenship as part of the integration process. Directly or indirectly, immigration policy has touched the lives of every Canadian. It has helped to make Canada a diverse and prosperous country with strong links to the rest of the world.
The present citizenship program is based on the Citizenship Act of 1977, while the present immigration program is based on the Immigration Act of 1976, with the last major amendments having been made in 1993. In order for Canada to continue to meet its immigration objectives, the Minister has appointed an independent Legislative Review Advisory Group which is currently reviewing the existing immigration and refugee legislation. The advisory group will submit its report and recommendations to the Minister by December 31, 1997.
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CIC’s Mission |
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CIC’s mission is to build a stronger Canada by the achievement of four core objectives:
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The current Immigration Act establishes the basic goals of the Canadian immigration program:
- to foster development of a strong, prosperous and viable economy in Canada;
- to facilitate the reunion in Canada of Canadian residents with close family members from abroad;
- to fulfill Canada’s legal obligations with respect to refugees and uphold its humanitarian tradition;
- to enrich and strengthen the cultural and social fabric of Canada; and
- to protect the health and safety of Canadians.
Although these basic goals established in the Act provide broad guidelines for our immigration policy, the Act also provides the flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances in Canada. For instance, the Act requires an annual announcement of the number of immigrants and refugees Canada plans to admit over a specific period. This number is determined after consultations have been held with the provinces and other interested parties.
In recognition that immigration is a shared responsibility between the federal government and the provinces, section 108 of the Act provides a legal basis for the federal government to consult the provinces regarding the distribution and settlement of immigrants. This provision enables immigration to respond to regional requirements through federal-provincial agreements within the limits imposed by the law and the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms. The Charter protects fundamental rights (such as the right to circulate freely and to establish residence in any province) and strictly defines the ways in which these rights may be restricted.
Immigration agreements have been concluded with a number of provinces. Since 1978, eight provinces have signed immigration agreements with the federal government. These agreements outline specific responsibilities and establish formal mechanisms by which the provinces can have input into the development of immigration policies. CIC is working with provinces to modernize existing federal-provincial arrangements, and where appropriate negotiate new agreements. Federal-provincial working groups are also active in addressing key issues such as access to professions and trades, information sharing, promotion and recruitment, sponsorship and business immigration. The most comprehensive of the current federal-provincial agreements, the Canada-Quebec Accord, gives Quebec exclusive responsibility for selecting all independent immigrants and refugees abroad who are destined for that province. Under the Accord, Quebec also provides its own reception and integration services. The federal government maintains overall responsibility for national standards and objectives, defining immigrant categories, national levels, admission, enforcement, and for meeting international obligations (see Appendix 1 for more information about the roles and responsibilities set out in the Canada-Quebec Accord).
Briefly, CIC has responsibility for (see also Appendix 1):
- setting immigration levels and selection criteria;
- settlement policies;
- federal-provincial relations on immigration matters;
- processing applications for immigration and for temporary entry;
- processing refugee claims;
- enforcement of the Immigration Act;
- citizenship education and promotion;
- citizenship policy; and
- administration of Citizenship Act and processing applications for granting of Canadian citizenship.
Parts of the immigration program are delivered in co-operation with the provinces and with other federal departments and agencies. Details on the role of the other federal departments and agencies in the delivery of the immigration program are provided in Appendix 2.
The following table provides some facts on CIC’s activities.
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Facts on CIC’s Programs and Activities |
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1.3 Issue Scan
The world population is growing by an estimated 100 million per year. At the same time, the number of international migrants is increasing steadily. The number of refugees and displaced persons currently on the move around the world is roughly equal to the population of Canada. These population movements have transformed international migration into a major social and political issue in most industrialized countries. Some of the factors underlying these population movements include:
- the integration of the global economy, including reduced barriers to trade in goods and services, rising levels of urbanization, and improvements in communication and transportation links;
- the end of the Cold War which brought significant movements in Eastern Europe and in some cases new ethnic and regional conflicts which produced refugee movements; and
- the growth in networks for the smuggling of illegal migrants, as well as the rise in organized crime and terrorist activities across international borders.
As a “traditional” country of immigration, Canada has a strong interest in the effective management of population movements. In 1996, Canada granted permanent residence to 225,313 persons including 196,998 immigrants and 28,315 refugees (of whom 13,842 were persons who had made asylum claims on our territory). The demographic impact of immigration on Canada is relatively well known. Since the mid-1980s, Canada’s rate of population growth has increased steadily. At 1.5% in 1991, Canada’s population growth was the highest in the industrialized world largely due to net immigration. As a result, foreign-born persons now account for 17% of Canada’s population, compared with 9% in the U.S., 7% in France, and 4% in the U.K.. Of the industrialized countries, only Australia has a higher proportion of immigrants — some 22%.
This situation presents risks, challenges and opportunities for Canada.
Economic
Economic opportunities from international migration can be considered in several ways. From a macroeconomic standpoint, many studies have found that immigration enhances productivity through its contribution to human capital, to capital investment and to entrepreneurial talent. International migration also contributes to the development of new commercial opportunities, access to leading edge technologies and the alleviation of skill bottlenecks.
Macroeconomic research has indicated that immigration has a small but positive contribution to Canada’s economic growth [1]. The prevailing conclusion of these studies is that immigration would increase the population base and raise real gross national product and economic efficiency, thus bringing positive economic benefits to the residents of the receiving country. The positive effect, as measured by the change in per capita gross national product of the entire population is relatively small. The Economic Council of Canada estimated that the per capita gross domestic product increase would be around 0.3 percent for every one million people added to the population.
From a human capital perspective it is difficult to quantify the amount of skills and labour market experience imported by immigrants to Canada. It can be argued, however, that international migration results in a transfer of labour and human capital from the sending countries to the receiving countries in the sense that the sending countries subsidize the cost of raising and educating their emigrants to be potentially productive members of the receiving countries. There has been considerable discussion and debate about the “diminishing returns” from immigration over the 1980s and into the 1990s. There is evidence to suggest that over that period, the skill level of immigrants fell as the share of family class rose and the economic component of the immigration flow declined. The average education level of immigrants over that period did not keep pace with the education of Canadians, which has been rising steadily. Several policy changes in the early 1990’s have, however, contributed to a reversal of this trend. Over the next decade, the increasing integration of the North American and global economies may lead to an increase in the “brain drain” of highly skilled Canadians to other industrialized countries. It can be argued that skilled immigrants will help alleviate the implications of emigration on the economic and social well-being of Canadians.
The economic impact of immigration can also be considered from the perspective of opportunities for international trade and global economic ties, a factor which is of increasing importance with the globalization of the economy. Immigrants coming from different parts of the world with language skills and knowledge of their home countries are valuable to Canada in understanding its global trading partners. There are many indications that countries of the Asia-Pacific region will play an increasingly important role in the global economy of the next century and that Canada’s economic growth and prosperity can be fostered by strengthening its ties with these countries. Trade with the Asia-Pacific economies now constitutes almost twice the volume of trade with European countries. In the last decade, five of the top ten source countries for immigrants to Canada were in the Asia-Pacific region.
Integration
The integration process implicates all levels of government and many social and economic institutions. The full costs of integrating immigrants go beyond CIC’s traditional role in settlement services and language training. Many federal departments and all levels of governments are implicated in programs which contribute to integration — e.g. health, employment and community services, social assistance, education and language training, policing and justice. All of these programs are facing and will continue to face challenges in the delivery of services to meet the short term needs of immigrants during the integration process. Research suggests that in the long term, however, immigrants catch up to, and may surpass the Canadian average of employment income.
Canada is a “traditional” country of immigration and is experiencing a dynamic evolution of the mix of immigrants entering the country in all categories. It is not only that major source regions have shifted over the last twenty years from Europe to Asia, but within today’s immigrant flow are very diverse populations, from varying backgrounds and experiences and with wide ranging integration needs. The effects of these diverse populations with different needs are magnified by the fact that about 60% are destined to the three major urban centres (Vancouver, Toronto, Montreal). This makes the impacts of immigration much more apparent, and concentrates the demand for services.
Immigrants selected for their skills are expected to be self supporting. They represent more than 20% of all newcomers in 1996, with their dependents accounting for a further 30%. Family class immigrants represent about 30% of all immigrants and refugees to Canada. Recognizing that their job skills may be limited as compared to the economic immigrants, Canada requires that family class immigrants be sponsored by a Canadian citizen or permanent resident who commits to their financial support for up to ten years. In some cases, where the sponsor is unable to continue his support, immigrants may turn to social assistance.
In keeping with its humanitarian traditions and international commitments, Canada accepts refugees requiring protection. These refugees may be processed under either the government-assisted or privately-sponsored resettlement programs. Individuals eligible for federal settlement assistance to ease their initial settlement period in Canada represented about 3.5% of all newcomers in 1996. As well, 1.5% of newcomers to Canada were refugees to whom settlement assistance was provided by local organizations or groups of Canadians. Finally, about 6% of all newcomers in 1996 were refugees landed in Canada (those who arrived in Canada and sought refugee status).
A wide range of programs and services help newcomers adapt during their first few years in Canada, and to become self-reliant, participating members of Canadian society as quickly as possible. In the areas of settlement and integration, CIC has signaled new directions under the Settlement Renewal initiative. The Department is currently pursuing agreements with the provinces which would transfer responsibility for administration of federal settlement funding — under the Canada-Quebec Accord, Quebec is already responsible for providing settlement and integration services inside its jurisdiction. The objective is to eliminate administrative overlap and help to ensure that local settlement services are better coordinated and integrated into other local services. There remains an enduring federal role in the settlement area. In addition to providing funding to provinces, CIC would remain involved in the delivery of income support and immediate essential services for refugees resettled from abroad, and in other areas such as welcome to Canada services at major ports of entry, and research and evaluation.
Social Cohesion
Beyond the cost of immigrant integration is the social impact of absorbing newcomers into Canadian society. Historically, Canada has not been a highly segregated society in comparison to some other countries. Ethnic neighbourhoods have been a characteristic of our larger cities, and are generally valued for their cultural contribution to the wider community. Diversity has also been a feature of the Canadian population, but the immigration patterns of recent years have accelerated the rate of change in terms of ethnicity, religion and culture, particularly in large urban centres. With the shift in source countries, more immigrants are visible minorities and many have religions and customs which are quite different from Canada’s Judeo-Christian traditions. In 1991, the visible minority population was estimated at about 9% of the total Canadian population. Projections based on census data and demographic trends suggest that with a continuation of current immigration trends the visible minority population of Canada could increase to 20% of the Canadian population by 2016.
Newcomers tend to settle in urban centres, placing demands on social and community services and influencing local culture. Most immigrants tend to settle initially in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver, with more immigrants moving from other locations to these cities some time after their arrival. Within these cities, newcomers tend to migrate to neighbourhoods with a concentration of other immigrants from their country of origin. The ethnic and cultural make-up of the neighbourhoods and the wider community is changing as a result, and has a significant impact on all Canadians within these communities.
Environment
Before the emergence of the discussion on the role of population growth in climate and environmental issues, there were very few studies linking population, climate change and the environment. Until the 1970s, the debate focused on population-resources issues. Since then, the discussion has broadened to include pollution along with land, food, industrialization, and non-renewable resources.
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“Population must not be reified as if the simple numbers of human bodies were all that mattered. From the standpoint of population / environmental analysis, people are significant in terms of what these humans do in a matrix of social and environmental interactions.” Arizpe, et al. Population and Environment: Rethinking the Debate. 1994 |
Immigration is only one source of Canada’s population growth. Other equally important factors are the fertility rate of women of child-bearing age, mortality rates and emigration. And while there is a link between population and environmental degradation, there is little agreement on the nature of the link, except perhaps that it is more a function of socio-political, institutional and economic factors rather than population growth per se [2].
Technology use and energy efficiency, individuals’ behaviour in their every-day lives with respect to environmental sustainability, zoning by-laws, institutional factors, industrial composition — these are only a small number of factors which link people (Canadian born and foreign born alike) to the environment. This leaves immigration as but one of a very large set of complex elements — common to all Canadians — contributing to our environmental health.
1.4 Greening Our Departmental Operations — Administrative Infrastructure
Incorporating the environment into administrative operations is an opportunity for departments to lead by example. CIC’s administrative operations are responsible for providing a comprehensive range of services in support of the Department’s strategic and operational goals. These administrative services include facilities and real property asset management, procurement and contracting.
Canada’s immigration programs are delivered at Canadian missions abroad, ports of entry and inland offices. CIC’s operations are highly decentralized; the Department occupies approximately 130 sites across the country and 65 posts abroad.
To overcome these challenges, CIC must establish partnerships with other federal departments affected by immigration and citizenship, with other levels of government, with non-governmental organizations, and with private sector organizations.
Last year, CIC purchased goods and services worth approximately $135 million. Each of these purchases, irrespective of size, has an impact on the environment. The Department can reduce these impacts by incorporating environmental considerations into the procurement process, and by working closely with our federal partners to implement best practices government-wide.
Finally, vehicle use impacts on the environment through emissions, infrastructure and land use. CIC has 195 vehicles located across the country and is undertaking actions to green its fleet.
CIC has developed an environmental management system (EMS) to help entrench sustainable development principles into the day-to-day operations of the Department. The EMS provides a framework to integrate environmental considerations into departmental operations, such as fleet management, procurement and facilities management (waste reduction, energy efficiency and water use). Activities the Department will undertake to achieve this goal are summarized in the Action Plan in Section III.
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Section II: Consultations
2.1 Proposed Directions
In accordance with A Guide to Green Government, a key element in the development of CIC’s Sustainable Development Strategy has been consultations with partners and other stakeholders. Consultation sessions were held in June 1997 in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver, and an invitation was issued to the public to provide written submissions. In November 1996, other federal departments were invited by CIC to discuss the direction CIC ought to take. In July 1997, while CIC was seeking its employees’ perspectives, other federal departments were again consulted regarding a series of proposed directions.
The Department developed, for consultation purposes, a paper highlighting the contribution of CIC policies to the government’s economic and social development objectives. This paper summarized the Department’s key issues and suggested directions with respect to sustainable development. These proposals were intended to:
- promote awareness of sustainable development and protection of the environment among newcomers to Canada;
- promote a better understanding of the economic, environmental and social challenges and opportunities presented by Canada’s immigration policies;
- support development of competitive industry in Canada by facilitating access to expertise that might not be available in Canada, particularly in the environmental sector; and
- encourage adoption of environmentally aware “best practices” in the Department’s day-to-day operations.
The following table shows the major directions proposed by CIC in the consultations:
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Key Issues, Suggested Priorities and Directions |
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| Key Issues | Suggested Priorities | Suggested Directions |
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How can CIC support Canada’s social and economic goals? |
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How can CIC support Canada’s environmental goals? |
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| How can CIC’s administrative operations be more environmentally sensitive? |
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2.2 Summary of Consultations
Some sixty individuals were invited to attend consultation sessions, which were held in June 1997, in Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. These one-day sessions were attended by representatives of immigrant service agencies, environmental interest groups, academic institutions, provinces, and municipalities.
Participants gave general support to the priorities proposed by CIC and to the suggested directions to be taken for meeting these priorities in the context of the first Sustainable Development Strategy (SDS). Several stressed, however, that the absence of an integrated vision for sustainable development for the federal government as a whole diminished the effectiveness of this exercise. They also raised other issues not directly addressed in the consultation paper such as, how can CIC address the global dimension of sustainable development; how can Canadians take advantage of the economic, social and environmental values, knowledge and practices that immigrants bring with them; and how will performance towards sustainable development be measured.
A number of written submissions received from the public suggested that existing immigration levels are generally appropriate and that CIC should participate in research on “what Canada’s maximum population should be”. On a slightly different note, one Ontario resident was of the view that “in setting a target, three factors must be considered: how many people the economy can absorb, how many the public will accept, and how many the visa posts can process in a timely manner”. One individual stressed the importance of providing newcomers with information on the environmental challenges we face as a society and the importance of working with stakeholders to meet the needs of the environmental industry. Another stressed that “for any sustainable development policy to be successful, it must be pervasive throughout the organization”.
Finally, suggestions put forward by CIC employees related to the “greening” of the Department’s operations, particularly in the areas of recycling, reduction of paper use, environmentally-sensitive methods for battery disposal, and employee awareness and information initiatives on environmental issues.
Common themes and issues of concern evident throughout the consultation sessions included the following:
- While the importance of environmental protection is recognized, social and economic sustainability is an essential dimension of sustainable development, particularly in the areas of immigration and integration.
- There is a need for immigration policy to take into account both the national and the global dimension of sustainable development (e.g., environment and degradation can cause people to move, and mass movements of people can influence the environment).
- There is an opportunity for Canada to benefit from the skills, knowledge and practices that immigrants bring with them from their home countries, particularly in the area of environmental protection. From a global perspective, the benefit for environmental protection may be offset by the emigration of persons with valuable skills.
- There is a need, and a potential value in terms of coherence, for a better integration of policies throughout the government. Sustainable development calls for a change in the culture of decision making. This will require more collaboration on policy development among federal government departments, other levels of government, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), immigrant service providers and other stakeholders. No suggestions were made on how to institutionalize this collaboration, or how to effect this change in culture, but it was felt that a continued dialogue needs to take place between policy makers and the various stakeholders (including immigrants).
- There is a need to consider the environmental impact of migration and of immigrant settlement patterns in city planning. Large cities continue to attract immigrants — as well as Canadian-born from other areas — in part because of the availability of support systems. These include settlement services, accessible transportation, job opportunities, and support networks of friends and relatives.
- Immigrant settlement in smaller centres and rural areas needs to be encouraged. Funding the settlement of immigrants in smaller communities may cost more, but the net benefit of increased population through immigration can help to sustain some of these communities.
- The linkage between population policy, immigration levels and environmental sustainability is one topic where some participants had differing views. Environmental impact is related to the size and distribution of population, consumption patterns (Canadians, for example, are among the world’s largest energy consumers) and other technological and institutional factors outside the control of CIC.
- Some participants were of the opinion that, in total, immigration provides net benefits to Canada. One participant disagreed with this view and considers that the environmental perspective has not been given enough weight in the formulation of Canada’s immigration policy.
- Settlement service providers are seen as the key link to immigrants and to immigrant education on environmental protection and sustainable development. These service organizations need to integrate sustainable development considerations into their own operations and into immigrant integration, education, and settlement programs.
- There are concerns over the federal government’s capacity to exercise influence over program outcomes, in light of the anticipated devolution of CIC programs to provinces, municipalities and service providers. This includes a concern for the capacity of the federal government to ensure clear accountability for program outcomes.
- The challenge of developing performance indicators for sustainable development was discussed at some length. Ideally, measurement methods need to focus on outcomes and should consider long term and multi-generational impacts. Issues of accessibility, confidentiality, and cost of data collection were identified as major difficulties for measuring achievements with regard to sustainable development. It was recognized by many participants that in the short run, performance measurement is likely to rely on output measures.
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Section III: Action Plan and Key Results
This section indicates how the Department intends to implement its Sustainable Development Strategy. The action plan is based on the views expressed in CIC’s recent consultations with partners and stakeholders.
This CIC strategy constitutes the starting point for a step-by-step approach based on continuous improvement. The table below provides a summary description of CIC’s Action Plan, including key performance indicators.
3.1 CIC Programs
As mentioned in the introduction, sustainable development is a shared responsibility that requires co-operation on the part of all stakeholders in society. Thus, development of CIC’s action plan was guided by a desire to contribute to this comprehensive effort by:
- emphasizing actions to be carried out in partnership with respect to policy and communication;
- giving the Department the tools it needs for an integrated approach to decision making; and
- adopting environmentally aware administrative practices.
It should be noted, however, that CIC does not have exclusive control over policy levers which contribute to sustainable development (as described in section 1.2). Other departments and levels of government control a wider range of legislative, policy and program levers (for example: environmental protection statutes, building codes, emissions standards and land use). In addition, the Charter of Rights and Freedoms ensures that there is no difference in the treatment of immigrants and Canadian citizens — so that once in Canada, policies relating to sustainable development, for example, apply equally to all individuals.
As such, the Action Plan as it relates to CIC policies and programs, focuses on three levers CIC has under its authority: information to support policy design, selection and education. CIC will continue to consult with its partners to develop policies which are consistent with the social and economic sustainability objectives of this strategy and in that context will discuss environmental considerations as appropriate. CIC’s research and evaluation activities will provide better information on program and policy outcomes, which will be used to enhance the effectiveness of policy design. CIC will work with its federal and provincial partners to use its selection powers to support industry needs for individuals with specific expertise in environmental technologies and practices, which are not available in Canada.
Newcomers to Canada and those applying for citizenship are provided with educational material to assist in their integration and to enhance their understanding of Canadian practices and of the responsibilities of citizens. We will be reviewing the content of this material and revising it to include new information on how newcomers can contribute to Canada’s environmental sustainability.
3.2 Environmental Management System (EMS)
This action plan describes some of the activities CIC will undertake to develop and implement an Environmental Management System (EMS).
The Department uses scarce resources to sustain operations, from energy and water to paper and other materials. These resources and materials eventually impact the environment by ending up in the air, water and solid-waste streams. CIC’s goal is to manage operations in an environmentally responsible manner, using resources efficiently and minimizing pollution.
CIC will institutionalize existing and new environmental initiatives into its operations through the development of the EMS, which will provide a framework for environmental initiatives in all facets of departmental operations: land use and facilities management, procurement, waste management and vehicle fleet management.
3.2.1 EMS — Background
Shared Responsibility
Many facets of CIC operations are controlled, or strongly influenced, by other parties such as other federal departments or building owners or “landlords”. Without direct responsibility, CIC’s role in greening these aspects of operations is therefore often limited to an advisory capacity and behavioural change.
For example, as a non-custodial department, CIC is not directly responsible for the management and operation of the space it occupies. Land use and facilities management, including building maintenance, construction and renovations, waste disposal, and energy and water use are the responsibility of the building “landlords”. Depending on the location, these “landlords” may be from either the private or public sectors.
CIC’s control over purchasing activities is also somewhat limited. Certain goods and services over a particular value, and others purchased through standing offers, are specified by Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC).
The Department will strive to green its operations by implementing an EMS and encouraging the co-operation and leadership of agencies that play a significant role in CIC’s day-to-day activities, and of its employees.
The 4 R’s — Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Recover
CIC will enhance existing, and adopt new, initiatives to reduce, reuse, recycle and recover materials to minimize future resource use and diminish waste production. Reducing the use of materials, energy and water are the first imperative for ‘greening’ operations. Minimizing new purchase requirements through needs screening and material reuse and recycling will help to achieve this goal. Substituting more benign for harmful products will also serve to reduce the environmental impacts of the Department’s operations.
How does it work?
CIC is currently participating in a number of successful initiatives to green the Department’s operations. Many of the facilities are provided with recycling programs to divert materials from the waste stream. Within the Department itself, employees make efforts to purchase environmentally friendly products, reduce the amount of paper used through actions such as double-sided photocopying, use the creation of an Internet Site to increase access to documents and immigration-related information, and reuse goods such as binders and file-folders. The EMS will provide a framework to integrate these initiatives and other environmental considerations into business decisions and activities.
The EMS Format
CIC has adopted an EMS format from the International Standards Organization (ISO) standard 14004:1996(E) document, Environmental Management Systems — General Guidelines on Principles, Systems and Supporting Techniques. The purpose of the EMS is to systematically integrate environmental considerations into the organization’s overall management system. It provides the framework for resource allocation, responsibility assignments and practice, procedure and process evaluations on an ongoing basis.
EMS Development Process at CIC
CIC is participating in a number of environmental initiatives across the country. The Department commenced the development of the EMS framework with an initial environmental review. In this review, CIC analysed regulatory and policy requirements, environmental aspects and impacts of operations as well as the existing environmental initiatives. This plan reflects the priorities for developing and implementing the EMS that will enable CIC to meet its environmental goals and objectives. These preliminary actions are first steps in the development of an EMS that will evolve over time.
3.2.2 EMS — Sustainable Development in Action
The strategies and action plans summarized in this section build on existing initiatives and known best practices. The EMS will ensure that these initiatives and sustainable development principles are entrenched in the day-to-day operations of the Department.
CIC efforts to green operations are concentrated on the following operational activities:
- Procurement
- Fleet Management
- Facilities Management: Solid Waste Reduction; Energy Efficiency; Water Conservation
Human resource issues and initiatives are considered in each area (i.e. training).
Fleet Management
CIC has developed a new vehicle fleet policy to guide the Department toward compliance with the revised Treasury Board Policy. The Department will determine other fleet optimization options by studying the feasibility and cost-effectiveness of regional transportation alternatives.
The new policy will also promote energy efficiency and emission reduction by adopting a corporate standard vehicle to be more fuel-efficient than the common vehicles in the fleet. Alternative transportation fuels, such as propane, natural gas, methanol and ethanol, will be used where cost-effective and feasible in compliance with the Alternative Fuels Act.
Procurement
The procurement process is currently governed by Treasury Board materiel management policies. Within these parameters, CIC will develop a departmental procurement policy that will incorporate environmental issues and provide more detailed guidelines to employees. The policy will promote the purchase of goods and services that make efficient use of resources, can be reused or recycled, and have minimal disposal requirements.
The Department will also define the procurement roles and responsibilities to facilitate successful adoption of the policy. This is particularly important in CIC’s decentralized procurement environment.
CIC will also develop a purchasing guide, outlining procedures and protocols, resource information and tools (i.e. product specifications, checklists, and evaluation techniques). One of the key objectives of this guide is to ensure that employees examine the actual need for the purchase first and foremost. Reducing the number of purchases, through needs assessment and alternatives such as recycling and reuse, is the most effective way to reduce procurement impacts on the environment.
The Department will also strive to integrate environmental awareness into existing management systems by: examining the capabilities of the financial system to record environmental purchases; and reviewing and revising service contracts to include environmental considerations.
Facilities Management
CIC operations occupy approximately 130 sites across the country. The Department resides in some properties as tenants under occupancy instruments to parties such as PWGSC, and at the Canadian ports of entry under legal obligation. These sites are all shared with other parties, such as Revenue Canada Customs and Excise at the ports of entry.
As a small tenant in these facilities, CIC is not responsible for building renovations, operations or maintenance. The Department can, however, affect a number of the associated environmental impacts, through changes in employee behaviour and applying pressure to property managers and owners.
Solid Waste Reduction
Reducing office solid waste has become a priority, as landfills are becoming increasingly costly to site and maintain. The Government of Canada is committed to reducing its waste by fifty percent (50%) by the year 2000 with 1988 as the base year. CIC contributes to this target by participating in programs that employ the 4R principles — REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE and RECOVER to divert material from the waste stream.
Office waste diversion programs such as PaperSave and Multi-Material are available in varying degrees to CIC employees across the country. Although the Department does not manage these programs, it can contribute to their success by participating to the fullest extent possible. To ensure that this is the case, CIC will profile the programs available at the various locations and develop a campaign to improve the awareness of employees.
The Department will also promote a reduction in discretionary material use and a maximization of necessary material use efficiency.
Energy Efficiency
The facilities housing CIC offices use energy in the form of electricity, heating/air conditioning and hot water. Using energy efficiently is an integral component of ‘greening’ the office. Building envelope components, energy using appliances/equipment and energy use behaviour all contribute to consumption levels.
CIC will encourage employees to use energy efficiently in the workplace through improving their awareness of effective behavioural changes (e.g. switching off lights and machines, double-sided photocopying). The Department can also promote substantive initiatives (e.g. building envelope and lighting systems) by encouraging building managers/owners to take action.
Water Conservation
Office buildings use a significant amount of water, contributing to resource depletion and to pollution levels through the discharge of wastewater. CIC is committed to conserving water and improving the condition of water discharged into the environment. The Department will encourage employees to reduce water use.
3.2.3 EMS — Communication Strategy
Effective communications are key to ensuring the success of the ‘greening’ program. Enhancing the environmental awareness and enthusiasm of CIC employees is a critical step to achieving the program goals. The Department must also ensure the effective participation of external parties involved in CIC operations.
There are two key components to the required communications: a general environmental awareness campaign, and program specific information. General environmental awareness will be co-ordinated with the initiatives of the sustainable development strategy. It will increase the awareness of environmental issues and the ways in which employees and external parties can contribute to greener operations.
CIC plans to maintain and enhance this awareness and enthusiasm through reports of progress and success. Opportunities to co-ordinate some of these communications with other federal agencies will also be explored.
3.2.4 EMS — Partnering
Many of the CIC materiel and facilities management decision-making processes involve other government departments or agencies and the private sector. To enact an effective Green Plan and to make significant environmental contributions will require cooperation with our partners.
Procurement
CIC will work with other departments and the private sector to examine the possibility of incorporating environmental aspects in procurement functions including:
- environmental specifications for products and services in the standing offers; and
- environmental specifications, alternative fuel vehicle and more energy efficient vehicles in the Government Motor Vehicle Ordering Guide (GMVOG).
Facilities Management
The Department will inform its employees of facilities environmental initiatives, including waste management, energy and water conservation initiatives. And CIC will work with other departments and the private sector to strive toward “best practices” in terms of waste reduction and energy and water conservation initiatives.
ACTION PLAN
| CIC’s Strategic Priorities | Action to be Taken | Major Partners | Targets | Performance Indicators |
| Derive maximum economic and social benefit for Canada from the global movement of people and protect refugees and persons in need of humanitarian assistance. | In accordance with the Immigration Act, continue to recommend to the Minister annual immigration and refugee levels after consultation with the provinces and other persons and organizations as the Minister deems appropriate. Promote consultations which provide a framework for inputs from a sustainable development perspective. | Other federal departments, provinces and other stakeholders. | Annually | Consultation and tabling of Immigration Plan in Parliament. |
| Develop and implement policies and programs which consider broad horizontal policy issues and are consistent with Canada’s social and economic well-being. | Other federal departments, provinces and other stakeholders. | Ongoing | Adoption and implementation of policies and programs which integrate analysis of socio-economic and environmental effects when appropriate. | |
| Contribute to the competitiveness of Canadian businesses and to the protection of the environment by exploring, along with our partners, options for facilitating the entry of needed temporary foreign workers with environmental skills needed by Canadian firms. | Human Resources Development Canada, Industry Canada and private sector | 1998 | Consultation with partners. Adoption of administrative guidelines if required. |
|
| Consult with provincial governments and sectoral organizations to revise the General Occupations List, and ensure that professions in the environmental field that would benefit from skilled entrants from abroad entering Canada will be included on the revised list. | Human Resources Development Canada | 1998 | Maintain professions in the environmental fields in the General Occupations List | |
| Define membership in Canadian society, enhance the role of Canadian citizenship, and support the adaptation, settlement and integration of newcomers. | Work towards elimination of barriers to equal access to professions and trades for immigrants by maintaining effective relationships with other federal departments, provincial departments and licensing bodies with the purpose of furthering the access agenda and encouraging equity. | Human Resources Development Canada, provinces, employers, licensing bodies and unions | Ongoing | Coordination and support of the activities of the federal-provincial working group on access to professions and trades. |
| Strengthen CIC’s communications efforts in the area of environmental awareness by developing new content in citizenship and immigration educational material on sustainable development and environmental responsibility to promote awareness by newcomers to Canada. | Environment Canada, Revenue Canada, Canadian Heritage, provinces, municipalities, immigrant service providers | 1999 | Revised content of CIC’s educational material. | |
| Preserve the integrity of Canada’s citizenship, immigration and refugee programs and protect health, safety, security and well-being of Canadian society. | Develop and implement policies and programs to prevent abuse of Canada’s citizenship, immigration and refugee programs and to protect the health and safety of Canadians and the security of Canada. | Ongoing | Adoption and implementation of policies and programs which minimize the risk of abuse of Canada’s citizenship, immigration and refugee programs, encourage potential immigrants and visitors to comply with Canadian requirements concerning entry, and protect the health, safety and security of Canadians. | |
| Promote organizational effectiveness and support the Department in adapting to its changing environment through the management of resources, information and partnerships. | Design and implement evaluation frameworks which assess the economic, social and cultural impacts of CIC’s programs, and identify the possible interactions with the environment. | Ongoing | Program evaluations. | |
| Integrate the sustainable development strategy update and reporting processes with the annual cycle of CIC’s business planning and performance reporting. | 1999 onward | Integrated report on performance measurement starting in 1999. Integrated planning starting in 2000. |
||
| Environment Management System (EMS) | Incorporate environmental considerations into CIC’s day-to-day operations by the development and implementation of an Environmental Management System which will provide a framework for environmental initiatives with a focus on fleet management, procurement, and facilities management (including waste reduction, energy efficiency and water conservation). | |||
| Fleet Management | ||||
| Develop and implement action plan to comply with Treasury Board Motor Vehicle Policy. | 1999 | Action plan completed. | ||
| Ensure new financial system captures personal vehicle daily rentals and taxi expenses by location. | 1998 | Financial system implemented and data input training ensured. | ||
| Optimize the fleet by increasing the average annual usage per vehicle. | 1999 | Average annual distance driven of 20,000 kms. | ||
| Establish systems and procedures to formalize vehicle allocation and restrict vehicle use for administrative purposes. | 1998 | Systems and procedures in place. | ||
| Assess and establish policy for selecting most fuel efficient vehicles and practices compatible with CIC activities. | 1998 | Policy drafted (1998). Less fuel efficient vehicles phased-out and replaced by more fuel efficient ones (ongoing) Vehicle fuel consumption reported annually. |
||
| Improve vehicle maintenance tracking to ensure lowest possible emissions and fuel consumption. | 1998 | Standardized approach to vehicle maintenance implemented. | ||
| Communicate and promote best fleet management practices. | 1997 | Training programs disseminated. National committee to communicate standards established. |
||
| Procurement | ||||
| Develop a procurement policy incorporating environmental considerations, and roles and responsibilities for management and reporting. | 1998 | Policy developed. | ||
| Develop and disseminate to purchasing agents a guide for green procurement. | 1998-1999 | Guide drafted in 1998 and disseminated in 1999. | ||
| Review and revise service contracts to integrate environmental consideration where feasible. | 1998 | Service contracts revised. | ||
| Facilities Management | ||||
| Contribute to the Government commitment to reducing its waste by participating in programs that employ the 4R principle. | PWGSC | 1998 | Profile of 4R initiatives available to employee completed. Report on opportunities for implementation of new initiatives completed. Regional co-ordinators to promote 4R initiatives assigned. |
|
| 1999 | Awareness program delivered to employees (including awareness of energy efficiency and water conservation). | |||
| Communication Strategy | ||||
| Develop a communication strategy that includes a general environmental awareness campaign and a plan to update and deliver the campaign annually. | Communication strategy completed. | |||
| Partnering | ||||
| Approach CIC’s material and facility partners to encourage them to take a leadership role in incorporating environmental specifications into standing offers, leases and other dealings with material and facilities management. | 1998 | Actions taken. | ||
| CIC’s Strategic Priorities | Action to be Taken | Major Partners | Targets | Performance Indicators |
| Derive maximum economic and social benefit for Canada from the global movement of people and protect refugees and persons in need of humanitarian assistance. | In accordance with the Immigration Act, continue to recommend to the Minister annual immigration and refugee levels after consultation with the provinces and other persons and organizations as the Minister deems appropriate. Promote consultations which provide a framework for inputs from a sustainable development perspective. | Other federal departments, provinces and other stakeholders. | Annually | Consultation and tabling of Immigration Plan in Parliament. |
| Develop and implement policies and programs which consider broad horizontal policy issues and are consistent with Canada’s social and economic well-being. | Other federal departments, provinces and other stakeholders. | Ongoing | Adoption and implementation of policies and programs which integrate analysis of socio-economic and environmental effects when appropriate. | |
| Contribute to the competitiveness of Canadian businesses and to the protection of the environment by exploring, along with our partners, options for facilitating the entry of needed temporary foreign workers with environmental skills needed by Canadian firms. | Human Resources Development Canada, Industry Canada and private sector | 1998 | Consultation with partners. Adoption of administrative guidelines if required. |
|
| Consult with provincial governments and sectoral organizations to revise the General Occupations List, and ensure that professions in the environmental field that would benefit from skilled entrants from abroad entering Canada will be included on the revised list. | Human Resources Development Canada | 1998 | Maintain professions in the environmental fields in the General Occupations List | |
| Define membership in Canadian society, enhance the role of Canadian citizenship, and support the adaptation, settlement and integration of newcomers. | Work towards elimination of barriers to equal access to professions and trades for immigrants by maintaining effective relationships with other federal departments, provincial departments and licensing bodies with the purpose of furthering the access agenda and encouraging equity. | Human Resources Development Canada, provinces, employers, licensing bodies and unions | Ongoing | Coordination and support of the activities of the federal-provincial working group on access to professions and trades. |
| Strengthen CIC’s communications efforts in the area of environmental awareness by developing new content in citizenship and immigration educational material on sustainable development and environmental responsibility to promote awareness by newcomers to Canada. | Environment Canada, Revenue Canada, Canadian Heritage, provinces, municipalities, immigrant service providers | 1999 | Revised content of CIC’s educational material. | |
| Preserve the integrity of Canada’s citizenship, immigration and refugee programs and protect health, safety, security and well-being of Canadian society. | Develop and implement policies and programs to prevent abuse of Canada’s citizenship, immigration and refugee programs and to protect the health and safety of Canadians and the security of Canada. | Ongoing | Adoption and implementation of policies and programs which minimize the risk of abuse of Canada’s citizenship, immigration and refugee programs, encourage potential immigrants and visitors to comply with Canadian requirements concerning entry, and protect the health, safety and security of Canadians. | |
| Promote organizational effectiveness and support the Department in adapting to its changing environment through the management of resources, information and partnerships. | Design and implement evaluation frameworks which assess the economic, social and cultural impacts of CIC’s programs, and identify the possible interactions with the environment. | Ongoing | Program evaluations. | |
| Integrate the sustainable development strategy update and reporting processes with the annual cycle of CIC’s business planning and performance reporting. | 1999 onward | Integrated report on performance measurement starting in 1999. Integrated planning starting in 2000. |
||
| Environment Management System (EMS) | Incorporate environmental considerations into CIC’s day-to-day operations by the development and implementation of an Environmental Management System which will provide a framework for environmental initiatives with a focus on fleet management, procurement, and facilities management (including waste reduction, energy efficiency and water conservation). | |||
| Fleet Management | ||||
| Develop and implement action plan to comply with Treasury Board Motor Vehicle Policy. | 1999 | Action plan completed. | ||
| Ensure new financial system captures personal vehicle daily rentals and taxi expenses by location. | 1998 | Financial system implemented and data input training ensured. | ||
| Optimize the fleet by increasing the average annual usage per vehicle. | 1999 | Average annual distance driven of 20,000 kms. | ||
| Establish systems and procedures to formalize vehicle allocation and restrict vehicle use for administrative purposes. | 1998 | Systems and procedures in place. | ||
| Assess and establish policy for selecting most fuel efficient vehicles and practices compatible with CIC activities. | 1998 | Policy drafted (1998). Less fuel efficient vehicles phased-out and replaced by more fuel efficient ones (ongoing) Vehicle fuel consumption reported annually. |
||
| Improve vehicle maintenance tracking to ensure lowest possible emissions and fuel consumption. | 1998 | Standardized approach to vehicle maintenance implemented. | ||
| Communicate and promote best fleet management practices. | 1997 | Training programs disseminated. National committee to communicate standards established. |
||
| Procurement | ||||
| Develop a procurement policy incorporating environmental considerations, and roles and responsibilities for management and reporting. | 1998 | Policy developed. | ||
| Develop and disseminate to purchasing agents a guide for green procurement. | 1998-1999 | Guide drafted in 1998 and disseminated in 1999. | ||
| Review and revise service contracts to integrate environmental consideration where feasible. | 1998 | Service contracts revised. | ||
| Facilities Management | ||||
| Contribute to the Government commitment to reducing its waste by participating in programs that employ the 4R principle. | PWGSC | 1998 | Profile of 4R initiatives available to employee completed. Report on opportunities for implementation of new initiatives completed. Regional co-ordinators to promote 4R initiatives assigned. |
|
| 1999 | Awareness program delivered to employees (including awareness of energy efficiency and water conservation). | |||
| Communication Strategy | ||||
| Develop a communication strategy that includes a general environmental awareness campaign and a plan to update and deliver the campaign annually. | 1998 | Communication strategy completed. | ||
| Partnering | ||||
| Approach CIC’s material and facility partners to encourage them to take a leadership role in incorporating environmental specifications into standing offers, leases and other dealings with material and facilities management. | 1998 | Actions taken. | ||
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Appendix 1
Summary of the Canada-Quebec Accord
The Canada-Quebec Accord, signed in 1991, establishes the sharing of responsibilities between Canada and Quebec in matters of immigration.
Quebec’s Responsibility in Immigration under the Accord includes:
- Determining its own immigration levels;
- Selecting all independent immigrants (business immigrants, skilled workers) and refugees abroad who are destined to Quebec;
- Establishing its own selection criteria for independent immigrants;
- Administering its own immigrant investor program although both parties must harmonize their respective standards and practices;
- Administering family class undertakings and setting related financial criteria when required by the federal Immigration Act;
- Having sole responsibility for administering collective sponsorships for refugees selected abroad;
- Providing settlement and integration services to new permanent residents of Quebec;
- Providing consent for admission for foreign students, temporary foreign workers requiring job validation and for any visitors seeking medical treatment.
Under the Canada-Quebec Accord the Federal Government Has Overall Responsibility for:
- Establishing national objectives;
- Defining general classes of immigrants;
- Setting national immigration levels;
- Admitting immigrants by issuing visas and ensuring that immigrants selected by Quebec meet the statutory requirements, which include medical assessments and background checks;
- Controlling the access to citizenship;
- Conducting enforcement activities;
- Meeting Canada’s international obligations;
- Providing Quebec annually with a minimum compensation of $90 million to cover settlement and integration costs;
- Determining the status of refugee claimants who land in Canada.
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Appendix 2
The Roles of Other Federal
Departments and Agencies
Parts of the immigration program are delivered in co-operation with other federal departments and agencies.
Immigration and Refugee Board — Determines status of refugee claimants; hears appeals on refused sponsorships and deportations; conducts inquiries for people who may be inadmissible to Canada. Reports to Parliament through the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration, but operates at arm’s length from the Department.
Foreign Affairs and International Trade — Supplies common services to all federal government departments with employees abroad; in this regard, it supports the immigration program by providing office accommodation, communications, shipping of supplies, and living facilities for Citizenship and Immigration Canada employees and locally-hired support staff.
Health — Policy input on medical examinations and standards.
National Revenue — Examines all persons arriving in Canada and refers certain individuals to immigration officers for further examination.
Justice Department — Provides legal advice to Citizenship and Immigration Canada in matters such as interpretation of departmental statutes and other national and international legal instruments, drafting and negotiating agreements and contracts, as well as with regard to legal issues and related matters that may arise in the development and implementation of departmental policies.
Federal Court of Canada — Consists of Federal Court (Trial Division) and Federal Court of Appeal. Hears appeals from various federal boards, commissioners or tribunals and has concurrent jurisdiction with provincial superior courts (e.g., Crown liability) or exclusive jurisdiction (e.g., immigration) to hear cases involving matters within federal jurisdiction.
Royal Canadian Mounted Policy (RCMP) — Investigates and prosecutes specific contraventions of the Immigration Act, such as organized smuggling of immigrants into Canada.
Canadian Security and Intelligence Service (CSIS) — Conducts enquiries into security/criminality admissibility of immigrants and some visitors, and provides advice to the Minister of Citizenship and Immigration.
Human Resources Development — Grants job validations.
[ Top ]
Notes:
1. Informetrica Limited. Medium and Long-Term Macroeconomic
Implications of Increased Immigration. 1989
Economic Council of Canada. Economic and Social Impacts of Immigration. Supply
and Services Canada. 1991 [back to text]
2. Johnson, Victoria and Robert Nurick, “Behind the headlines: The ethics of the population and environment debate” in International Affairs 71 (3). p. 547-65. [back to text]
