Media Advisory—Tabling of the 2023 Spring Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development

Media Advisory—Tabling of the 2023 Spring Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development—Thursday, 20 April 2023

Ottawa, 29 March 2023—The 2023 Spring Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development will be tabled in the House of Commons on Thursday, 20 April 2023, at approximately 10:00 am (eastern daylight timeEDT). Descriptions of the reports are provided below.

Embargoed reports

If you are a journalist accredited by a recognized media organization and wish to receive embargoed electronic copies of the reports at 7:30 am (EDT) on 20 April 2023, please email Infomedia@oag-bvg.gc.ca to receive instructions to register for the media preview. Registration must be completed by 5:00 pm (EDT) on 19 April 2023. Please note that print copies of the reports are not available for distribution.

News conference

Journalists accredited by the Canadian Parliamentary Press Gallery are invited to attend a news conference with Jerry V. DeMarco, Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm (EDT), via Zoom or in person (Room 200 – 144 Wellington Street, Ottawa). Media who are not members of the Press Gallery may contact pressres2@parl.gc.ca for temporary access.

Interviews

To book an interview, please call 1-888-761-5953 or email infomedia@oag-bvg.gc.ca.

The 2023 Spring Reports of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development are as follows:

Report 1—Forests and Climate Change. This audit focused on whether Natural Resources Canada, working with Environment and Climate Change Canada, designed and implemented the 2 Billion Trees Program adequately and estimated and reported on historical and future forest-sector carbon emissions and removals credibly and transparently.

Report 2—Follow-up on the Recovery of Species at Risk. This audit focused on whether Environment and Climate Change Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and Parks Canada met the timeline requirements of the Species at Risk Act specific to the development of recovery strategies, action plans, and management plans and related implementation reports; and whether objectives set out in the recovery strategies and management plans were being met.

Report 3—Discretionary Powers to Protect Species at Risk.  This audit focused on whether Environment and Climate Change Canada took a timely and evidence based approach to informing the Minister of Environment and Climate Change’s recommendations to apply the safety net and emergency order provisions of the Species at Risk Act for terrestrial wildlife species on non-federal lands.

Report 4—Supervision of climate-related Financial Risks—Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada. This audit examined whether the Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions Canada, according to its roles and responsibilities, incorporated climate-related financial risks into its risk management systems and frameworks of federally regulated financial institutions and federally regulated pension plans, to contribute to public confidence in the Canadian financial system.

Report 5—Emission Reductions Through Greenhouse Gas Regulations—Environment and Climate Change Canada. This audit focused on whether selected regulations administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada achieved their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets and contributed as intended to Canada’s long-term climate change mitigation goals.

The 2023 Spring 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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