Departmental Plan 2021-2022

Table of Contents

From the Minister

Plans at a Glance

Core Responsibilities: Planned Results and Resources, and Key Risks

• Fisheries
• Aquatic Ecosystems
• Marine Navigation
• Marine Operations and Response

Internal Services: Planned Results

Spending and Human Resources

• Planned Spending
• Planned Human Resources
• Estimates by Vote
• Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations

Corporate Information

• Organizational Profile
• Raison d’être, Mandate and Role: Who We Are and What We Do
• Operating Context
• Reporting Framework

Supporting Information on the Program Inventory

Supplementary Information Tables

Federal Tax Expenditures

Organizational Contact Information

Appendix: Definitions

Minister’s Message

I am honoured to represent the dedicated employees of this Department who work diligently to keep our waters safe, secure, and accessible, while protecting our oceans, fisheries, ecosystems, and waterways.

I am pleased to present the 2021-22 Departmental Plan for Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Coast Guard. This Plan provides Canadians and Parliamentarians with information on the vital work we do and the key objectives we seek to achieve in the next fiscal year.

Our four core responsibilities are:

1. Fisheries – managing Canada’s fisheries, Indigenous fisheries programs and aquaculture activities, and providing support for commercial fishing harbours while applying relevant legislation;
2. Aquatic Ecosystems – managing, conserving, and protecting Canada’s oceans and other aquatic ecosystems and species from human impacts and invasive species;
3. Marine Navigation – providing information and services to facilitate navigation in Canadian waters; and
4. Marine Operations and Response – providing marine response services and operating Canada’s civilian maritime fleet.

I am responsible for meeting the Government of Canada’s priorities and our departmental mandate commitments, including:

• Implementing the modernized Fisheries Act and further developing the Oceans Protection Plan through marine spatial planning, co-management plans, and whale protection measures;
• Fulfilling the Ocean Plastics Charter and the G7 Charlevoix Blueprint for Healthy Oceans, Seas and Resilient Coastal Communities, and enhancing international partnerships in the fight against climate change; and
• Using science and traditional Indigenous knowledge to make decisions that affect fish stocks and ecosystem management.

In 2021-22, the Department plans to:

• Develop a comprehensive Blue Economy Strategy, which will be the overarching ocean framework, to help guide future government actions and investments that enable Canada to grow its oceans economy, creating reliable, middle class jobs and opportunities for coastal communities while advancing our conservation objectives;
• Bring forward a Pacific Salmon Strategy and deliver on our commitment to conserve and protect wild Pacific salmon and their habitats and ecosystems, in collaboration with relevant departments, First Nations, provincial and territorial authorities, fishing and stewardship organizations, and implicated communities across DFO’s Pacific Region;
• Introduce a new, ambitious plan to conserve 25 per cent of Canada’s oceans by 2025, working toward 30 per cent by 2030, and advocate at international gatherings that countries around the world set a goal of 30 per cent conservation by 2030 as well;
• Draft legislation for a new federal Aquaculture Act, and work with British Columbia and Indigenous communities transitioning open net-pen salmon farming in coastal B.C. waters;
• Support the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples;
• Strengthen the middle class by creating more opportunities to deliver Canadian fish and seafood products to new markets, and develop a boat-to-plate traceability program to help Canadian harvesters better market their high-quality products;
• Continue the revitalization of the shipbuilding industry with the renewal of Canada’s Coast Guard fleet, and ensure our marine services have the modern ships they need; and
• Increase investments in small craft harbours and work with communities to develop local economic development plans so that harbours better serve the needs of the fishing industry and local residents.

As we move towards recovery in a post-pandemic world, and focus on how we can build back better, my goal, on behalf of all Canadians, is to ensure economic prosperity for communities across Canada that rely upon these vital resources for their livelihoods.

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Plans at a Glance

In 2021-22, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) will continue to: safeguard Canada’s waters; manage its fisheries; protect its oceans and freshwater resources; create opportunities for coastal communities while advancing reconciliation and conservation objectives; and foster innovation and the creation of economic opportunities in Canada’s ocean space. The following highlights are key initiatives the Department will continue to advance this year in support of Government of Canada priorities and the Minister’s mandate commitments.

DFO will continue to advance the Blue Economy Strategy, which will provide the framework for the sustainable use of Canada’s ocean resources and create opportunities for fishers and coastal communities, while advancing reconciliation and conservation objectives. The strategy will support Canada’s commitment to advance the work of the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy (HLP), a group of 14 heads of state and governments that work to promote the three pillars of protection, production, and prosperity in pursuit of a sustainable ocean economy. Recognizing the crucial importance of healthy ecosystems and the sustainability of our ocean resources, the Department will build on Canada’s successful efforts to conserve over 10 per cent of marine and coastal areas by 2020 by continuing work to conserve 25 per cent by 2025, and work towards 30 per cent by 2030.

DFO has a key role in the transformation of Canada’s relationship with Indigenous peoples. In line with the Government’s commitment to build a renewed nation-to-nation, Inuit-Crown and government-to-government relationships with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples, DFO will continue with the implementation of the action plan for the renewal and expansion of DFO’s Indigenous programs, integrate traditional Indigenous knowledge into the management of fish stocks and ecosystems, and will implement the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

To ensure that negative impacts on Canada’s oceans and other aquatic ecosystems are minimized or avoided, DFO will continue to implement the recently modernized Fisheries Act, including by applying the prohibitions against the destruction of fish and fish habitat. In support of the Act, the Department will continue to revitalize the Fish and Fish Habitat Protection Program through updates to the online public registry, additional guidance for the regulatory reviews of proposed development projects near water, and promoting integrated planning and internal support activities. Supported by the best available scientific advice on the health of fish stocks and ecosystems, DFO will continue to manage fisheries consistently with the fish stock provisions under the Fisheries Act by maintaining healthy fish stocks at levels necessary to promote sustainability, and by developing and implementing rebuilding plans for depleted stocks.

DFO is responsible for the management of Pacific salmon species, which are some of the most iconic fish species in Canada, with social, cultural, and economic significance for many communities in British Columbia and the Yukon. However, the number of healthy Pacific salmon populations in Canada continues to decline as a result of climate change and other complex factors, threatening the sustainability of First Nations, recreational, and commercial harvesting. DFO will lead a coordinated response to address the multiple drivers of Pacific salmon stock declines and make strategic investments to provide the greatest chance of mitigating these declines in the long-term. The federal response will leverage recent investments and advance new initiatives that meet clear biological objectives.

The Department will draft legislation for a new aquaculture act. The act will provide a national legislative framework that gives clarity and certainty to the aquaculture industry and other stakeholders across Canada while maintaining environmental protections. The act will also foster a nationally consistent and adaptable legislative framework, taking into account regional differences and recognizing shared jurisdiction between federal, provincial, and territorial governments. The Department will continue to work with B.C. and Indigenous communities on transitioning from open net pen salmon farming in coastal B.C. waters. These improvements will help drive the development of a thriving, competitive aquaculture sector that is supported by enhanced environmental practices and reflect the environmental, social, and economic priorities of rural, coastal, and Indigenous communities.

Canada’s small craft harbours program works to ensure that harbours continue to meet the needs of local residents, including the fishing industry. In 2021-22, DFO will continue to develop local economic development plans in collaboration with communities to ensure harbours better serve their needs. The Department will also continue to advance the full renewal of the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) fleet while helping the revitalization of Canada’s shipbuilding industry. The Coast Guard will continue to modernize its vessels to ensure its fleet can support the services it provides, maintain commercial shipping routes, assert Canada’s sovereignty, and support scientific exploration. Additionally, construction will begin on a new offshore oceanographic science vessel.

For more information on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s plans, priorities, and planned results, see the Core Responsibilities: Planned Results and Resources, and Key Risks section of this report.

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Core Responsibilities: Planned Results and Resources, and Key Risks

This section contains detailed information on the Department’s planned results and resources for each of its core responsibilities. It also contains information on key risks related to achieving those results.

Fisheries

Description

Manage Canada’s fisheries, Indigenous fisheries programs, aquaculture activities and support commercial fishing harbours while applying relevant legislation.

Planning Highlights

DFO works to support healthy and sustainable fishing and aquaculture sectors. Programs in the Fisheries core responsibility ensure that fisheries and the seafood industry are well-managed, that the rights of Indigenous peoples are respected and Indigenous interests are supported, that safe commercial harbours support the industry, and that fish are harvested and farmed in a safe, orderly, and sustainable manner. Key initiatives for 2021-22 include: economic support for the Canadian fish and seafood industry; further advancing the proposed federal Aquaculture Act; work on open net-pen salmon aquaculture; work to stop illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing, and continuing work on reconciliation. More information on these and other initiatives can be found below.

In 2021-22, priority stocks in the annual Sustainable Fisheries Framework work plan will be identified for deliverables, such as developing and updating Integrated Fisheries Management Plans (IFMPs), developing Precautionary Approach (PA) reference points and harvest control rules, and developing rebuilding plans for priority stocks that are at or below their limit reference point. A national plan to implement the 2019 Fishery Monitoring Policy will be developed and begin to be implemented.

In 2021-22, DFO will deliver on the Minister’s mandate commitment to lead a Pacific Salmon Strategy by launching a coordinated response to Pacific salmon stock declines. The Strategy will be delivered in collaboration with First Nations, provincial and territorial authorities, fishing and stewardship organizations, and implicated communities across DFO’s Pacific Region. The Department will establish new mechanisms for ongoing partnership and collaboration, as well as protocols for science, data collection, and other activities. During the first year (2021-22), the Department will focus on building internal capacity, governance, and processes, as well as initiating key projects, to deliver on the commitments outlined in the coordinated response.

In 2021-22, the Ecosystems and Fisheries Management Systems Integration (EFM SI) initiative will maintain focus on transforming commercial fishing related business functions through a series of interdependent projects aimed at streamlining business processes, rationalizing IT system assets, improving data quality, and supporting the adoption of digital technologies. For example:

• The automation of information from third parties, such as Gear Tag Suppliers, will create business efficiencies and better support compliance and enforcement activities.
• Digitization and standardization of quota processes will result in information being available more rapidly to support fisheries management program decisions, as well as public reporting needs (e.g. digitization of the Canadian Atlantic Quota Report).
• A focus on integrating and improving the quality of fisheries management data, (e.g. fishing vessel information), which will enable service delivery improvements, the sharing of better quality data with partners and stakeholders, and allow for the automation of reporting to support decision making.

Other opportunities to improve client service delivery, including the adoption of user centric design and modern digital technologies, will be explored.

Under the departmental Whales Initiative, DFO works to ensure that fish harvesting activities don’t negatively affect endangered whales in Canadian fisheries. This work supports the Department’s mandate letter commitments addressing the need for a world-leading Canadian plan to protect marine species at risk. In 2021-22, to further work in this area, DFO will launch the following activities:

• Implement all of the approved management measures in support of the recovery strategies for Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW), North Atlantic right whale (NARW) and St. Lawrence Estuary beluga (SLEB) (2021-2023)
• Implement all of the mandatory / voluntary measures for fisheries mitigation and any additional ones assessed and approved (2021-2023), namely:
  • The use of planes, ships, and underwater listening devices to find out where and when NARW are in Canadian waters.
  • The establishment of closed areas to fishing when NARW are seen or heard in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Bay of Fundy, and other areas in Quebec and Atlantic Canada.
  • A requirement for fisheries in Atlantic Canada and Quebec, such as lobster and crab, to have colour marks on their rope to help determine if the gear involved in whale entanglements comes from somewhere in Canada or the United States.
  • The establishment of closed areas to both recreational and commercial salmon fishing in SKRW-critical habitat, such as the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Gulf Islands on the west coast.
• Grow and improve the Marine Mammal Response Program (MMRP) by establishing contracts with organizations in Canada that are experts at responding to incidents involving marine mammals, such as a whale entangled in rope or injured by a vessel. This includes providing funds to support training to organizations and indigenous communities along with the appropriate equipment needed to safely respond to marine mammal incidents. For example, funds have been given to a new response team to help large whales in distress in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, which helps fill in a response gap in Atlantic Canada (2021-2023).

In 2021-22, the Fish Stocks provisions (section 6.1 and 6.2) in the amended Fisheries Act will be implemented for prescribed stocks once the provisions come into effect through a regulation. The work will include the development and implementation of rebuilding plans for prescribed major stocks that require them.

Aquaculture has been identified, both internationally and within Canada, as a key agri-food sector that is important in supporting the world’s growing demand for animal protein, and that contributes to food security and human health in a low-carbon production manner. The proposed Aquaculture Act will provide more clarity and certainty to the aquaculture industry, maintain environmental protections and foster a nationally consistent and adaptable legislative framework, taking into account regional differences and respecting existing jurisdictions. Meaningful engagement with other partners and stakeholders is being undertaken. Partnership and dialogue with Indigenous people is essential to the successful development and implementation of the Act. Indigenous engagement is in the early stages and is expected to continue well into 2021. The Department will continue to work with the Assembly of First Nations and the First Nations Fisheries Council to co-develop approaches and tools to engage First Nations communities across Canada and co-lead policy discussions. Following meaningful engagement and consideration of all input, the Department will proceed with policy development for the proposed legislation.

To support the transition of marine net-pen salmon aquaculture in coastal British Columbia, the Department has established a strategic oversight committee and technical working group to oversee and lead the development of the transition. As announced on November 12, 2020, the Parliamentary Secretary, Terry Beech, will engage with First Nations in B.C., the aquaculture industry, and environmental stakeholders on this initiative and present the results in an interim report in spring 2021. The Parliamentary Secretary’s interim report will guide further engagement and research efforts to inform the transition of marine net-pen salmon farming in B.C. The Department will take the time necessary to ensure that broad consultations and research inform the basis of an environmentally responsible, sustainable, and economically feasible transition in B.C.

The Atlantic Fisheries Fund (AFF) focuses on support for innovation in the fish and seafood sector in Atlantic Canada by investing in projects that help meet growing demands for sustainably- and legally-sourced, high-quality fish and seafood products and to endure the economic impacts of COVID-19. Based on the applications received to date, AFF is already expecting to deliver on over 80 projects either continuing or beginning in 2021-22. It is also anticipated that there will be over 100 new in-year project applications that will be approved and commence in 2021-22. Strategic priority areas for AFF projects in 2021-22 are:

• supporting sustainable harvesting technology research, development, and implementation;
• improving productivity and product quality through automation and mechanization throughout the fish and seafood sector;
• improving boat-to-plate tracking capacity through research, testing, and implementation of traceability processes and technologies throughout the fish and seafood sector; and
• fostering a more sustainable fish and seafood sector through research, development, and adoption of new innovative technologies.

Through the Canadian Fish and Seafood Opportunities Fund (CFSOF), an element of the AFF that focuses on market access and is cost-shared with provinces and territories, the Department will make investments in:

• the development and implementation of initiatives to meet consumer demands for product quality and sustainability;
• the development and implementation of initiatives to address government certification requirements;
• carrying out or disseminating research focused on market access requirements;
• the promotion of branding and advertising through marketing strategies, promotions, or trade seminars to demonstrate the quality, sustainability, or other attributes of products; and
• industry support to better access funding and support the development of markets and market access demands.

The CFSOF will prioritize the following activities in 2021-22:

• collaborating with all provincial and territorial partners to identify new common priorities that meet both the mandate of the program and provincial / territorial commitments, given the competing priorities experienced as a result of COVID-19; and
• providing greater clarity to potential applicants on eligible activities being considered for funding by partnering provinces and territories, given their shifting priorities due to COVID-19.

In addition to the AFF, the Quebec Fisheries Fund (QFF) and the B.C. Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF) will help to ensure that the fish and seafood sector in Canada is positioned for long-term environmental and economic sustainability. In 2021-22, the QFF will fund up to 30 projects. Based on applications received during the summer of 2020, BCSRIF anticipates funding up to 50 projects in the year ahead that will contribute to the rebuilding of fish populations, boat-to-plate traceability of seafood products, and fighting aquatic invasive species, while incorporating scientific evidence and traditional Indigenous knowledge into the fisheries and ecosystem decision-making process.

Following a significant landslide on a remote stretch of the Fraser River near Big Bar Creek, B.C., DFO worked closely with Indigenous partners and the Province of British Columbia on the emergency response to assist migrating salmon, but despite this, more work is needed to overcome the barrier, and DFO and its partners are preparing to ensure migration in 2021 and after. In December, DFO announced the award of a $176.3 million contract to Peter Kiewit Sons ULC (Kiewit), from Burnaby, B.C., to design and construct a permanent fishway at the slide. The contract also includes protecting the site from extensive rock fall hazards, improving access routes, and assisting DFO with interim measures to move fish. The fishway is expected to be operational by the start of the 2022 migration season. Pacific salmon stocks are a national good and hold particular ecological, economic, and cultural significance to First Nations and all Canadians. An aggressive work schedule with relatively rapid completion will improve the survival of early migrating salmon stocks, which are especially vulnerable and threatened with extirpation. Once completed, the system will provide fish passage for the entire migration period, from early May to late November.

Until this permanent solution is in place, DFO, together with the Province, Indigenous groups, specialists and other experts, will implement a number of measures to support the 2021 migrating Fraser salmon, including:

• alternative fish passage systems to move fish past the barrier;
• continuously-maintained access routes, improved worksite roads, and stringent site safety to facilitate transportation;
• enhanced emergency conservation of at-risk upper Fraser salmon stocks; and
• a monitoring program to track and analyze fish movement, the impacts of the remaining slide debris on migration, and the results of the alternative assisted fish passage systems.

The Department will continue to implement the Charlevoix Blueprint for Healthy Oceans, Seas and Resilient Coastal Communities and work to expand international adoption and implementation of the Ocean Plastics Charter, as stated in the Minister’s mandate letter. This will include investments in tackling illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing (IUU), including advancing the Pacific Fisheries Intelligence Group, taking a leadership role in advancing Canada’s interests at international fora such as the United Nations (UN), the UN Fisheries and Agricultural Organization, the UN Decade of Ocean Science and Sustainable Development, and regional fisheries management organizations. IUU fishing is a major contributor to the global decline in fish stocks and marine habitat destruction. IUU fishing threatens human rights, national security, the seafood trade, global food security, jobs and livelihoods, safety at sea, and marine life and ecosystems. In support of efforts to combat IUU fishing, Canada will increase fisheries intelligence collaboration and capacity building. An example of this includes the new Pacific Fisheries Intelligence Group (PACFIG), which will work to build an international community of intelligence practitioners dedicated towards achieving sustainable fisheries in the Pacific Ocean.

Also, in support of the implementation of the G7 Charlevoix Blueprint for Healthy Oceans, Seas and Resilient Coastal Communities, the Government of Canada will continue to provide leadership within the international community to prepare for and launch the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development that runs from 2021-2030. In 2021-22, the Department will work with the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission to contribute to the planning, promotion, and coordination of activities. This work will help to build scientific capacity, develop and mobilize knowledge, raise awareness of ocean issues, as well as enhance cooperation and communication among ocean stakeholders. These efforts will also highlight the critical role science plays in generating the information needed to inform policies and decisions to support the sustainable development of the ocean economy.

DFO is committed to show leadership in the management of lost, abandoned, or otherwise discarded fishing gear, also known as ghost gear. Ghost gear is a form of marine pollution that can be fatal to fish, marine mammals, and other marine life, pose a navigation hazard, and also breaks down into other forms of pollution such as microplastics. The Department will continue to implement the Sustainable Fisheries Solutions and Retrieval Support Contribution Program. The government has allocated $8.3 million dollars to this to assist Indigenous groups, fish harvesters, the aquaculture industry, environmental non-governmental organizations, and communities to take concrete actions to support ghost gear prevention, retrieval, and responsible disposal. It will also support fish harvesters in acquiring new gear technologies to reduce gear loss. The four pillars of the contribution program include:

• Gear acquisition and piloting of technology to prevent gear loss;
• Third party-led retrieval of ghost gear;
• Disposal and recycling; and
• International

The Conservation and Protection program is changing its Departmental Results Framework indicator to focus on measuring non-compliance rather than compliance for the Departmental Result “Fisheries, oceans and other aquatic ecosystems are protected from unlawful exploitation and interference”. The new indicator better reflects the department’s priorities on targeting non-compliance and captures this progress and achievements towards the program’s result.

The Small Craft Harbours (SCH) Program keeps Canada’s vast network of harbours safe, accessible, and in good repair. Small craft harbours provide critical support to the commercial fishing industry, which had landings valued at $3.7 billion in 2018. Harbour repair / restoration projects are undertaken in cooperation with local Harbour Authorities that manage and operate facilities for local users on behalf of Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

As part of the establishment of the new Tallurutiup Imanga National Marine Conservation Area in the High Arctic, the Government of Canada and the Qikiqtani Inuit Association (QIA) announced in August 2019 that four new harbours will be constructed by the Federal Government in Nunavut, two of which are to be built by DFO in Clyde River and Arctic Bay. Construction on these two new harbours will begin in 2021-22 and the harbours are expected to be completed by 2025-26. New harbour facilities in these communities will provide safe access to the land and sea which will support local economic development as well as the potential development of additional fisheries in the area. Additionally, it will ensure that the existing and emerging fisheries can continue in a safer and more secure fashion.

The Abandoned and Wrecked Vessels Removal Program (AWVRP), part of the Oceans Protection Plan, is providing up to $1.325 million over five years (2017-18 to 2021-22) to harbour authorities and other eligible recipients to remove and dispose of abandoned and/or wrecked vessels located in small craft harbours owned by DFO. This program aims to reduce the number of existing abandoned or wrecked vessels located in federally owned small craft harbours that pose a risk to the environment, the health and safety of harbour workers and users, and the efficient and effective operation of the harbour.

The Department has already removed 89 vessels under this program, surpassing its five year objective of 50 vessels by March 2022. The success of the program has demonstrated the need to continue to financially support the removal of vessels in federally owned harbours and address this systemic problem. In 2021-22, DFO has budgeted $500,000 towards support for the removal of abandoned and wrecked vessels.

The SCH program is examining ways through which it can further position itself to support Canada’s oceans economy, through delivery of its existing mandate to provide harbour infrastructure critical to the commercial fishing industry, but also in support of other activities that can realize economic benefits from marine resources. The program will continue to engage collaboratively at the community level.

The Minister has been mandated to lead the development of a federal Blue Economy Strategy to continue to “grow Canada’s ocean economy to create opportunities for fishers and coastal communities, while advancing reconciliation and conservation objectives.” The government launched a public engagement process early in 2021 to begin the process to develop a comprehensive Blue Economy Strategy to help guide future government actions and investments that will enable Canada to grow its ocean economy to create good middle class jobs and opportunities for Indigenous and other coastal communities that also advance our conservation objectives. The Strategy will aim to pursue actions that increase representation, inclusiveness, diversity, and equity in Canada’s ocean sectors, and that support future benefits being distributed equitably. The Blue Economy Strategy will allow Canada to meet its international commitment to the High Level Panel’s centrepiece recommendation to develop a Sustainable Ocean Plan.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

In 2019-20, DFO amended its Departmental Results Framework, the overarching logic model that connects programs to departmental results, to include a new departmental result focusing specifically on “enhanced relationships with, involvement of, and outcomes for Indigenous peoples”. To support the achievement of this result, the Department developed relevant performance indicators for all programs across all core responsibilities and Internal Services. In 2021-22, DFO will continue to develop a national Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) followed by regional RAPs, and will begin annual public reporting on the new departmental results and associated indicators. DFO will launch a national Reconciliation Strategy Scorecard Exercise to measure the shorter-term results of the RAPs and each RAP will consist of specific, key elements to ensure coherent reporting across the Department.

DFO continues negotiations with Indigenous groups on agreements that recognize their rights and self-determination. Specifically with the Mi’kmaq and Maliseet First Nations in New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, Nova Scotia, and the Gaspé region of Québec, as well as the Peskotomuhkati in New Brunswick, the focus continues to be on collaboration and the implementation of fishing plans related to their right to fish in pursuit of a moderate livelihood in accordance with the Rights Reconciliation Agreement process. These negotiations will continue into 2021-22 in addition to further engagement and consultations with Indigenous groups on a number of fisheries-related matters.

United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

For additional information on how the Department is advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, please refer to DFO’s 2020-2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Experimentation

In 2021, DFO will further explore the establishment of federal-provincial-Indigenous partnership arrangements to facilitate area-based planning and management of aquaculture operations in British Columbia. Area-based Aquaculture Management will:

• allow better understanding of, and response to, impacts and risks associated with aquaculture activities on scales that consider connectivity and cumulative impacts;
• ensure operational management is responsive to the local environment;
• plan for environmental protection and/or industry growth on the appropriate scale;
• set management objectives and measure performance that better aligns with the interests and concerns of Indigenous groups / stakeholders;
• enhance Indigenous community and organization involvement in monitoring and data collection on farms / areas; and
• improve communication with Indigenous communities and organizations about performance and management.

DFO hopes to gain improved collaborative arrangements with provinces and Indigenous communities and organizations, management plans tailored to regional environmental and social carrying capacities, and increased involvement of Indigenous peoples in aquaculture planning and operations.

Innovation is one of three program pillars under which the B.C. Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund (BCSRIF) is administered. By limiting the financial risk to proponents, BCSRIF enables program participants to research, develop, and pilot new techniques, technologies, and processes that will help to modernize B.C.’s fisheries and inform management decisions that will support the conservation and restoration of wild Pacific salmon. In 2021-22, BCSRIF will prioritize investment in projects that advance selective fishing practices, with the goal of minimizing impacts to non-target species. Results of these pilots will inform future decisions around the management of regional commercial, recreational, and food, social and ceremonial fisheries, to ensure continued economic opportunities while protecting species of concern. While funding will be provided to a variety of project proponents, there is a high level of interest from Indigenous organizations in exploring selective fishing methods as an alternative to historical fishing methods.

Additionally, DFO is testing new methodological approaches for integrating Indigenous knowledge into the socio-economic analysis of Indigenous fisheries related issues and priorities. This will be done through the use of participatory research approaches that directly engage Indigenous communities and organizations in the conduct of socio-economic research. This will contribute to the development of evidence-based socio-economic analysis and advice that are better aligned with reconciliation efforts, as well as contribute to filling a gap that has been noted for many years now concerning the availability of studies that assess the social and cultural value of Indigenous fisheries. Indigenous communities stand to benefit by developing their expertise in conducting policy-relevant socio-economic studies, as well as by developing new communication tools for describing the holistic and collective value that fisheries have to them.

Throughout 2021-22, DFO will fund a study to implement methods and strategies for new, green pest management in Atlantic salmon aquaculture. Specifically, contributions have been approved to develop protocols for producing, transporting, and deploying lumpfish and cunners as “cleaner fish” that would reduce the detrimental effects of sea lice on salmon in salmon sea cages. Lumpfish and cunners have been shown to be a promising species effective at grazing and removing sea lice from salmon. If the experiments are successful, the Canadian industry could use these species to mitigate sea lice levels in Atlantic salmon aquaculture with an all-natural biological method to meet acceptable standards.

Key Risk(s)

Work under this core responsibility touches on many areas of expertise within DFO. As a result, numerous areas of risk influence the plans and priorities within this Core Responsibility. For example, there is a risk that the department may be unable to develop and maintain relationships with its numerous Indigenous partners at a sufficient pace, which may impact its ability to make progress towards fully implementing and achieving its plans and priorities in this area. For 2021-22, DFO has developed plans that mitigate and manage related risks. As well, DFO will continue to monitor this key risk as well as other strategic risks that impact the Department’s ability to deliver on its priorities and plans.

Note: N/A in the “Actual Results” column indicates that the performance indicator was not in effect at that time, and therefore, historical data may not be available. In cases where historical data is available, past results are presented.

*These targets also includes people employed / trained under Indigenous-led activities funded by agreements if the program cannot validate individuals’ Indigenous status.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Aquatic Ecosystems

Description

Conserve and protect Canada’s oceans and other aquatic ecosystems and species from human impact and invasive species.

Planning Highlights

DFO has a significant responsibility to protect the health of Canada’s oceans and aquatic ecosystems. Programs in the Aquatic Ecosystems core responsibility work to protect fish habitats and species at risk, manage aquatic invasive species, and perform scientific research to support decision-making. Key initiatives for 2021-22 include working on the implementation of the mandate commitment to introduce a plan to conserve 25 per cent of Canada’s oceans by 2025, working toward 30 per cent by 2030; to implement and further develop the Oceans Protection Plan; and ongoing implementation of the modernized Fisheries Act. More information on these and other initiatives can be found below.

The Department is working with Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Parks Canada Agency to introduce a new ambitious plan to conserve 25 per cent of Canada’s oceans by 2025, working toward 30 per cent by 2030. This plan will be grounded in science, Indigenous knowledge, and local perspectives. Canada is also implementing new protection standards which prohibit oil and gas activities, mining, dumping, and bottom trawling in all new federal marine protected areas (MPAs) and considers the risk posed by human activities to biodiversity when determining conservation approaches in marine Other Effective Area-Based Conservation Measures (OECMs). In 2021-22, the Department will lay groundwork and make progress on the following commitments:

• Marine spatial plans in five initial areas are completed by March 2024
• Canada meets its 25 per cent marine conservation target (before the end of December 2025)

Canada will also advocate internationally for all countries to set a new goal of 30 per cent conservation by 2030. This 30 per cent target will strengthen the conservation and protection of important marine ecosystems. DFO will build on existing efforts to advocate for the 30 per cent target, such as participating as a member of the Global Ocean Alliance (GOA) and the High Ambition Coalition for People and Nature (HAC), as well as securing agreement on a global target of 30 per cent conservation for oceans in the High Level Panel for a Sustainable Ocean Economy Transformations document. Additional efforts include advocating bilaterally for other countries to support the 30by30 target for oceans and build cross-governmental support for the target, organizing side-events and/or virtual events during major oceans meetings, such as the United Nations Ocean Conference when rescheduled, participating in high-level engagements, and working within cross-governmental groups to produce outcomes endorsing 30by30.

As part of its ongoing commitment to Oceans Co-management, the Government is on track to securing commitments and co-developing Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) work plans with planning partners, such as Indigenous peoples, provinces, and territories, with a goal of better coordinating the use and management of marine spaces. Marine Spatial Planning is internationally recognized as an effective tool for transparent, inclusive, and sustainable oceans planning and management. This progress lays the foundation for developing interactive marine data maps, building capacity to enable Indigenous participation as partners in MSP processes, and working toward finalizing and approving the plans by 2024. As outlined in the recent Speech from the Throne, the Government continues to prioritize protecting Canada’s coasts, creating opportunities for coastal communities, and advancing reconciliation with Indigenous peoples. Currently in its fourth year of implementation, the $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan (OPP) has been a key contributor to these priorities. In collaboration with OPP federal partners (Transport Canada, Environment & Climate Change Canada, and Natural Resources Canada), DFO and the Coast Guard will continue to advance these priorities throughout 2021-22 as the lead department for OPP delivery, with a portfolio comprising more than 60 projects across all coasts.

DFO will continue to build on early successes under the Nature Legacy for Canada, a large-scale, cross-departmental investment in Canada's biodiversity, ecosystems, and natural landscapes, showing that place-based, multi-species, and threat-based approaches can result in improved conservation outcomes for substantially more species at risk and engage more stakeholders and partners from a variety of backgrounds. For instance, through the Canadian Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk and the Habitat Stewardship Program, DFO is partnering with provinces and territories, Indigenous communities and organizations, resource users, local groups, communities, industries and academia to support recovery actions in priority places for aquatic species at risk, mitigating priority threats, and supporting stewardship and capacity building for Canada’s aquatic ecosystems. In 2021-22, up to $15 million in Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk funding will support 49 multi year projects across Canada, focused on aquatic species at risk recovery in seven priority areas and addressing two marine priority threats.

With the world’s longest coastline, Canada must have a world-leading plan to protect the coastline itself as well as the marine species that live along the coastline. Through the Marine Environmental Quality initiative, DFO is undertaking a range of activities to increase understanding and address pressing issues affecting the quality of the marine environment with an initial emphasis on stressors to marine mammals from marine shipping activities. In 2021-22, DFO will analyze existing mitigation strategies, identify potential management gaps, and adjust existing management measures, or develop new ones where necessary, to address significant management concerns. The Marine Environmental Quality program will also advance development of an Ocean Noise Strategy for Canada, a whole-of-government approach and long-term plan to guide federal science research, technology development, and the management of human-caused marine noise in Canada’s oceans. The Strategy will help improve coordination and planning of efforts to reduce underwater noise in the marine ecosystem and mitigate its impacts. The Marine Environmental Quality program collaborates with partners to develop and update evidenced-based measures, tools, and strategies under the Oceans Act to better manage and maintain healthy and sustainable marine, coastal, and estuarine ecosystems while providing increased clarity, direction, and transparency for partners and stakeholders.

The North Atlantic right whale (NARW) faces two key threats: vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. With the launch of the SmartWhales program in 2021-22, DFO, in collaboration with the Canadian Space Agency and Transport Canada, is making an innovative change to the way it protects NARWs. Current earth-based whale observation solutions provide critical data to help us monitor, understand, and protect ecosystems and the NARW but could benefit from additional data. As such, SmartWhales is a competitive program seeking multi-sector, collaborative research and development projects from Canadian industry and academic institutions that specifically propose innovative, space-based (remote sensing) solutions for the monitoring and protection of the endangered NARWs. SmartWhales proposals will focus on multi-sector collaboration and leverage existing Government of Canada programs. Contracts for the winning SmartWhales project proposals are expected to be put in place by the Canadian Space Agency in 2021-22 with funding from DFO and the Canadian Space Agency over a three year period (2021 to 2024).

DFO is mandated to make new investments in marine science and fighting aquatic invasive species. The Department will continue to take steps to strengthen its prevention, early detection, response, and control activities to address aquatic invasive species through collaboration and outreach with provincial, territorial, and other partners. For example, the program is working with partners to improve biosecurity at international borders, and in 2021-22 will continue a pilot project to develop and test the procedures and tools necessary for border agents and fisheries officers to mitigate the risk of aquatic invasive species coming into Canada.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

The federal government’s policy agenda and the analysis of gender and other identity factors influenced the design and are influencing the delivery and implementation of the Nature Legacy for Canada, including, but not limited to, the new Canada Nature Fund for Aquatic Species at Risk; the engagement of Indigenous peoples; communications; and recruitment, retention, and development. The goal is that initiatives and communications will be well-received by Canadians regardless of gender, age, or other characteristics. Particular efforts will be made to take into account and accommodate the needs and objectives of women and Indigenous peoples.

United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

For additional information on how the Department is advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, please refer to DFO’s 2020-2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Experimentation

DFO will pilot the Science Micro-innovation Funding Initiative (SMIF), which is designed to support DFO science staff to take advantage of time-sensitive opportunities to innovate, experiment, and/or “test-drive” a new idea, solution, or process within their work. New and innovative ideas are brought directly to senior Science sector management for consideration which helps remove barriers or perceived barriers for staff to have their ideas considered. Micro-innovation funding can be used to support small-scale, short-term projects and activities that are not already supported by existing DFO funding programs but are in line with the Departmental mandate and priorities. Eligible applicants can seek up to $10,000 in operating funding for their project or activity. This initiative promotes innovative ideas and fosters openness to consider all ideas from science staff regardless of source. It is expected that this will enhance the culture of inclusion and lead to the leveraging of successful projects among staff.

Key Risk(s)

Work under the Aquatic Ecosystems Core Responsibility relies upon coordinated progress across multiple areas of expertise with the end result that overall results can be influenced and impacted by a number of risks. For example, a key risk the Department faces in this area is the ability to meet heightened expectations around delivering results for numerous horizontal deliverables (i.e. Ocean Plastics and Ghost Gear Management Framework for Canada, the Government of Canada Whales Initiative, etc.). The Department’s ability to deliver on results will be impacted by our partners’ progress within their own domains. Much of the work in this area supports the mitigation of these risks. DFO will continue to monitor this risk; and should the severity change, take action to reduce the overall level of risk.

Note: N/A in the “Actual Results” column indicates that the performance indicator was not in effect at that time, and therefore, historical data may not be available. In cases where historical data is available, past results are presented.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Marine Navigation

Description

Provide information and services to facilitate navigation in Canadian waters.

Planning Highlights

DFO and the Coast Guard are responsible for ensuring that Canada’s waters are safe and navigable for mariners. This includes the charting and managing of waterways, as well as the management of Marine Communications and Traffic Services (MCTS), aids to navigation, and icebreaking services. Key initiatives for 2021-22 include: continuing the rollout of new and experimental lighted buoys and the expansion and modernization of the radar network and vessel information management systems. More information on these and other initiatives can be found below.

To support safe navigation in Canadian waters, the Department will continue to acquire hydrographic data using modern technologies such as multi-beam echosounders, LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging), and satellite-derived bathymetry. This new information is managed following international standards to provide updated navigation charts, products, and services. In 2021-22, a focus will be on continuing to survey the proposed Arctic Low Impact Shipping Corridors, on completing the updates to the charts for 23 high priority commercial ports, and on further developing dynamic, real-time e-navigation services for bathymetry, currents, and water levels.

The Four-season Lighted Buoy Implementation Project ensures a year-round uninterrupted buoy service in the St. Lawrence Seaway. This will reduce demands on the Coast Guard’s fleet and improve services, as the lighted “summer” buoys will no longer need to be manually replaced with non-lighted buoys for the winter months. To date, 188 of the 222 buoys required to service the 185 St. Lawrence river positions have been delivered. The procurement phase of the project for the ELA (Espar Lumineuse Annuelle) 1.3m and ELA 0.7m buoys was completed in 2020-21. The procurement phase for the ELA 1.0m buoy will be completed in 2021-22, and the full deployment of the four-season lighted buoys by the Canadian Coast Guard fleet is expected to be completed in 2021-22. Currently, the project has resulted in the deployment of 150 buoys to 185 buoy positions.

In 2020-21, the Coast Guard posted a tender for Ice Hazard Detection Radar units for its vessels to assist with icebreaking duties. These new radar units will facilitate icebreaking operations by enabling early recognition of dangerous ice formations and detecting the proximity of multiple types of ice, some of which are hazardous to vessel hulls, such as glacial ice. The installation of these units is expected to completed in 2021-22 at which time approximately half of all icebreaking vessels will be equipped with these new units.

The Canadian Coast Guard is in the process of replacing its Aids to Navigation Program Information System with a modernized information technology system that will meet our current and future program requirements, and international maritime data standards. This initiative will support the Coast Guard’s Marine Navigation program as well as the Department’s major partners and clients, facilitating improved access to accurate and up-to-date data, improved security, support for data exchanges, and will also meet requirements for the cataloguing and tracking of electronic / digital / e-navigation components.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

The Department will also work to enhance programs and services to meet the needs of Indigenous communities along Canada’s three coasts and waterways. Delivering on Canada’s commitment to reconciliation is a key priority for the federal government and ensuring that the Coast Guard is aligned internally to support negotiations, partnerships and activities with Indigenous people will support the achievement of this commitment. With respect to advancing reconciliation, DFO and the Coast Guard will continue to engage and collaborate with Inuit, First Nations, and Métis governments and organizations, provinces, and territories on the priorities of the Arctic Region. To better position the Coast Guard to deliver on the Department’s commitment to reconciliation in 2021-22, it will strengthen its internal governance and accountability on Indigenous relations issues through the creation of the Integrated Indigenous Policy and Program Committee, strengthen internal collaboration and engagement within the Department based on direction from the committee, and finally, developing a Coast Guard-specific Strategic Framework to support the broader Departmental Reconciliation Strategy.

United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

For additional information on how the Department is advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, please refer to DFO’s 2020-2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Experimentation

For information on the Coast Guard’s experimentation work, see Marine Operations and Response.

Key Risk(s)

A key risk for the Coast Guard is the failure to recruit and retain the highly skilled workforce required to deliver the programs that support safe and navigable waters. The Coast Guard is mitigating this risk by working on recruitment initiatives. More specifically, the Coast Guard has put in a place the Force Generation initiative that has developed a people strategy to address elements of recruitment, training, career development, and wellness specific to the Coast Guard’s needs. The Coast Guard College has also revamped their recruitment strategy and is working on a College modernization strategy to improve the facility, the curriculum, and teaching methods.

Note: N/A in the “Actual Results” column indicates that the performance indicator was not in effect at that time, and therefore, historical data may not be available. In cases where historical data is available, past results are presented.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

Marine Operations and Response

Description

Provide marine response services and operate Canada’s civilian maritime fleet.

Planning Highlights

The Canadian Hydrographic Service of DFO and the Coast Guard are responsible for ensuring safety of navigation in Canadian waters and to respond to incidents that involve substance spills in the water. To support this work, the Coast Guard will continue to work towards having the equipment needed to perform its duties. The Coast Guard also needs specialized staff to perform these important duties, and will continue to work to ensure that its people have the support and training needed for a strong fleet today and in the future. More information on these and other initiatives can be found below.

The Coast Guard will continue to receive new vessels to ensure its fleet can support the services it provides to Canadians and mariners, maintain commercial shipping routes, assert Canada’s sovereignty, and support scientific exploration. In addition to the two search and rescue lifeboats delivered in 2020-21, four more are planned for delivery in 2021-22. This will help ensure that the marine component of Canada’s Search and Rescue program has the lifeboats it needs to provide essential search and rescue capability to mariners in need. In 2021-22, construction will commence on the Offshore Oceanographic Science Vessel (OOSV). The new OOSV, once delivered in 2024, will perform essential science work and replace the aging CCGS Hudson. In addition, 2021 will also mark the transition into service of CCGS John Cabot, the third and final Offshore Fisheries Science Vessel. Additionally, the Department will continue to implement its Vessel Life Extension program in 2021-22 to keep vessels in service until their replacements can be delivered. Interim medium icebreakers, including CCGS Captain Molly Kool, CCGS Jean Goodwill, and CCGS Vincent Massey (once delivered in 2021-22), are used to backfill for ships removed from the fleet for maintenance and vessel life extension work to sustain the Canadian Coast Guard’s levels of service. In 2021-22, the Coast Guard plans to purchase an additional light icebreaker, also as backfill capacity. The vessel will require refit and conversion work before entering service. Below is a list of upcoming Vessel Life Extension Projects that are planned during 2021-22.

The aforementioned work will support the Minister’s mandate commitment to work with Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) on the full renewal of the Canadian Coast Guard fleet, continuing the revitalization of the shipbuilding industry, creating middle class jobs, and ensuring Canada’s marine services have the modern ships that they need. In addition, the Department will continue to support the Minister of PSPC in bringing forward options and analyses for the creation of Defense Procurement Canada.

In support of the Oceans Protection Plan, the Coast Guard is also continuing to work toward equipping the large vessel fleet with standardized permanent pollution response equipment to expand environmental response capabilities in remote and environmentally important areas within Canada. It is also continuing to implement the Environmental Response Equipment Life Cycle Management Program that will ensure preventive and corrective maintenance measures are in place to keep environmental response vessels, equipment, and other assets in proper working order and ready to be deployed when required. Work in these two areas will further enhance the Coast Guard’s ability to limit the environmental, economic, and public safety impacts of marine pollution incidents on Indigenous and other coastal communities, and supports work under the Oceans Protection Plan. Milestones for 2021-22 include the procurement of large offshore and ice skimmers and sweep systems as well as delivery of Mobile Incident Command Posts. Specific milestones for the Coast Guard’s Search and Rescue (SAR) program include ongoing development of SAR stations on Canada’s west coast at Victoria, Tahsis, and Hartley Bay. The Coast Guard anticipates these SAR stations will be completed in 2021-22.

The Coast Guard and Pacheedaht First Nation continue to work collaboratively to build a multi-purpose marine response facility in Port Renfrew. Port Renfrew is strategically located at the entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, which serves as the Salish Sea’s outlet to the Pacific Ocean - the international boundary between Canada and the United States is located in the centre of the Strait. Accordingly, this Port and surrounding maritime area are becoming increasingly important as marine traffic and activities are expected to increase.

In support of the new Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act (WAHVA), the Coast Guard will implement a comprehensive, national vessels of concern program. Under WAHVA, vessels of concern are wrecked, abandoned, derelict, or hazardous vessels, which may pose a range of risks to the environment, public health and safety, Indigenous and other coastal communities, and local industries. Building on work completed in 2020, the Coast Guard will complete the development of the vessels of concern program. The focus will be on training to ensure personnel are appropriately trained in vessel assessment and enforcement activities. In addition, the program will focus on conducting risk assessments of hazardous vessels, including technical assessments of the highest priority cases including the sunken wreck, Arrow, off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador. This work, which allows for the authentication of the full spectrum of risks posed by problem vessels or wrecks, will support other government departments as Canada takes proactive action on hazardous vessels and on the preservation and restoration of marine ecosystems. For more information on the program, see Core Responsibility 1: Fisheries.

The Coast Guard has begun work on implementing an Environmental Response Equipment Life Cycle Management Program that includes both preventive and corrective maintenance measures to keep environmental response vessels, equipment, and other assets in proper working order and ready to be deployed when required. Full implementation of the program is expected by early 2022-23. This will contribute significantly to the integrity and on-site readiness of the Environmental Response program and support the Coast Guard’s capability to deploy new mobile command posts to respond to environmental threats.

In line with the National Security Policy and the Oceans Act, the Coast Guard will continue to work with the defence and security community to build timely and relevant maritime domain awareness and provide ships, aircraft, and other marine services in support of other federal departments, boards, and agencies responsible for national security. These efforts position the Coast Guard as a credible and reliable partner in the inter agency maritime security domain, and are key enablers towards the exercise of Canada’s national security efforts. As maritime security continues to evolve internationally, the Coast Guard has expanded its reach to include capacity building operations abroad in support of Canadian foreign policy and international development priorities.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

A consultation process for the redesign of uniforms began in winter 2020 to take into account various GBA+ and comfort elements with an aim to develop a new uniform. The modernized uniform will reflect design changes for gender, diversity, and functionality. The goal of the redesign initiative is to ensure that the Coast Guard uniforms respect the organizations cultural diversity.

United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

For additional information on how the Department is advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, please refer to DFO’s 2020-2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Experimentation

The Coast Guard College has been a “Centre of Maritime Training Excellence” since 1965, and was established to ensure a reliable source of professional marine officers and crew for the Coast Guard. As such, the College has been training qualified and professional Coast Guard marine officers and operational personnel for over 55 years. As the national training organization for the Coast Guard, the College has taken steps to broaden the perspective on training and learning as it relates to Coast Guard operational needs by establishing clear priorities and commitments to move towards a more modern, inclusive and responsive training/learning organization.

With the onset of COVID-19, the College was faced with an unprecedented challenge in continuing to deliver training to students, and as such, the College accelerated the development of course content for online delivery. In Summer 2020, the College implemented an online learning management system (OnCourse) to support the asynchronous delivery of training from coast to coast to coast, to support a range of programs. The College also adopted a Coast Guard-developed Student Information System, which will consolidate student academic records such as courses taken and grades.

Key Risk(s)

The key risk for ensuring safety on Canadian waters and responding to incidents is related to the age of the Canadian Coast Guard’s fleet. The Canadian Coast Guard is currently mitigating this risk by reinvigorating existing vessels through the Vessel Life Extension program, while also procuring new vessels. The condition of the shore-based infrastructure that supports the fleet also poses a risk and to rectify this issue, the Coast Guard is actively working with DFO Real Property under Fleet Capability Development to complete initial assessments of key marine infrastructure that could support the fleet of the future. In addition, the Canadian Coast Guard will continue to work closely with Public Services and Procurement Canada; Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada; and the Department of National Defence to ensure proper risk mitigation in a timely manner.

Note: N/A indicates that the performance indicator was not in effect at that time, and therefore, historical data may not be available. In cases where historical data is available, past results are presented in the “Actual Results” column.

Financial, human resources and performance information for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans’ Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

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Internal Services: Planned Results

Description

Internal Services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of Programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal Services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct services that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the Internal Services delivery model in a department. These services are: Management and Oversight Services; Communications Services; Legal Services; Human Resources Management Services; Financial Management Services; Information Management Services; Information Technology Services; Real Property Services; Materiel Services; and Acquisition Services.

Planning Highlights

The Department’s Internal Services support all programs and activities, and ensure that they have the resources needed to provide effective services to all Canadians. The Department also needs a complement of staff that is well-trained, whose mental and physical wellbeing are supported, and whose diversity is celebrated, and Internal Services will continue to focus on these priorities. The thousands of staff members require strong technical tools to support their work, and Internal Services will support this through improvements like the Digital Transformation Agenda. Internal Services also ensure that the work that is done by the Department is done in a fiscally responsible manner that effectively manages Canadian taxpayers’ dollars, and in a sustainable manner that supports Canada’s environment. As in 2020-21, the Department will continue to support employees and, as needed, allow them to work remotely, prioritizing health and safety during the COVID-19 pandemic, while continuing to deliver on programs and services.

The Department will continue to leverage online tools to seek efficiencies in the recruitment process and implement innovative initiatives to recruit top talent such as leading consultations on an executive-level job-swapping program and implementing a new talent mobility tool. Shifting towards talent scouting and talent sourcing to attract passive candidates is how we will acquire top talent. The Department will continue to develop consistent onboarding programs and tools, putting emphasis on the employee experience from intake to departure.

In support of the Government of Canada’s commitment to increase diversity and foster inclusion within the public service, the Department will implement targeted measures to recruit and retain employees who identify as Indigenous, persons with disabilities, visible minorities, and women in non traditional occupations. It will continue to support timely identification, development, and retention of high performing employees and integration with succession planning and leadership development considerations through a more robust Talent Management Strategy and leverage the use of technology and innovation to ensure the Department has the right people with the right skill sets at the right time to meet current and emerging operational requirements. The Department will also continue to support the Government of Canada’s HR-to-Pay Agenda and work with stakeholders to address systemic pay issues and backlog of pay cases. To advance reconciliation, the Coast Guard aims to reduce employment barriers and create job opportunities in Northern communities through the establishment of a DFO/Coast Guard Indigenous Recruitment Strategy, which will recruit more First Nations, Inuit, and Métis in leadership, business, and operational positions.

Legislative changes to the Canada Labour Code (Bill C-65), which came into effect January 1, 2021, will require the Department to amend the harassment and violence process. As such, the Department will develop a new directive, policy, and process map to align with the new legislative requirements and will provide training internally to raised awareness on policy and process requirements.

In 2021-22, DFO will implement Departmental Guidelines for Security Screening interviews and decisions in accordance with the Treasury Board Secretariat Policy on Government Security, which aims to ensure that people and government information and assets are safeguarded. The new guidelines will help to ensure that security screening within the Department continues to be effective, rigorous, consistent, and fair, while respecting the rights of individuals. Anchored on the principle that all individuals have the right to fair and impartial decision making and providing guidance to ensure that even the possibility or perception of bias is avoided, the guidelines will also ensure that security screening activities are aligned with the Department’s commitments to GBA+ and help foster fair outcomes for diverse groups of women, men, and people with other gender identities.

DFO's Digital Transformation Agenda is a multi-year initiative that aims to leverage digital technology and data to improve the delivery of the Department’s programs and services to Canadians and mariners, with the goal to develop a digital workforce with modern and accessible workplace tools, devices, and infrastructure. In 2021-22, DFO will begin work on delivering on key activities within the strategy. For example, the delivery of a higher security Cloud environment will allow DFO and the Coast Guard to use the Cloud for many of their digital needs, such as IT applications, collaboration, storage, and high power computing, while protecting the security and privacy of data and operations. Another example is the delivery of the Data Management Platform, providing a common repository and associated tools to manage data at DFO. These tools provide support to acquire, process, catalog, store, search, analyze, and share the DFO data.

This work will also contribute to the Government of Canada’s commitment to continue to raise the bar on openness, effectiveness, and transparency in government as well as to the implementation of the Policy on Service and Digital. DFO will improve decision making and the service to Canadians by focusing on innovative solutions in the delivery of programs and services, by using data centric approaches and by implementing new technologies.

The DFO Data Strategy provides critical support to the Digital Transformation Agenda and is a major step along a path to transforming the Department into a data-driven organization. The Data Strategy positions DFO to more effectively manage and use departmental data in support of better decisions, better evaluation of performance, and better delivery of services to Canadians. The COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated that access to timely data is mission critical for responding to fast-moving crises and understanding the associated environmental and socio-economic impacts. The Data Strategy modernizes how the Department manages its data so that valuable environmental, ocean, aquatic ecosystem, climate change, fishery, and other data sources are more readily available to the Canadian public, organizations, and other interested stakeholders. Key Data Strategy actions in 2021-22 will include cataloguing departmental data assets so that these assets can be found and become available to those who need them and improving the management of departmental data to protect data quality, privacy, and security, and in support of more modern and digital service delivery.

Leveraging the digital strategy implementation, the Department will continue to modernize the Access to Information Act and the Privacy Act (collectively referred to as ATIP) request process. This modernization initiative has so far resulted in a department wide shift from a paper based process to an electronic process when transmitting records relating to ATIP requests. Implementation of additional enhancements is envisioned to increase productivity and improve the overall process for treating ATIP requests and meeting proactive publication requirements across the Department, including increased efficiency and quality when retrieving and transmitting records, significant cost savings in both human resources and material costs, and a reduction in the Department’s overall paper consumption.

DFO is undertaking an ambitious multi-year initiative to overhaul its capital and investment expenditures processes. By developing a fully-costed projection of all capital and investment costs that DFO will require over the next 25 years, accrual budgeting will allow for better planning of capital and investments within a self-managed envelope of funds which will provide a long-term, stable source of capital funding for the Department’s infrastructure requirements. Accrual budgeting will enable DFO to apply a more strategic lens to investment planning by shifting from a project-based approach to longer-term investment planning based on the useful life of each asset. The transition to accrual budgeting will enable DFO to apply a more strategic lens to investment planning by shifting from a project-based approach to longer-term investment planning based on the useful life of each asset. For example, the long term planning horizon provided by accrual budgeting will enable the Department to develop a long term plan to replace the majority of its aging IT infrastructure and applications and develop a multi-year investment plan for replacements to the Canadian Hydrographic Services’ systems, including migrating systems to cloud computing. This initiative is expected to improve both the governance and stewardship of public funds and the maintenance and replacement of capital assets that are crucial to achieving results for Canadians, such as harbours, scientific equipment, ships, and aids to navigation.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada will transform its financial and material management business processes by implementing the next generation of Enterprise Resource System, SAP S/4HANA in the cloud on April 1, 2021, bringing unprecedented innovations and simplification to users. In 2021-22, the emphasis will be placed on completing key post-implementation activities such as decommissioning the existing financial system, operationalizing improved business processes, and institutionalizing a continuous learning program.

To ensure the most effective use of real property funds, and given recent investments in the department’s virtual network, along with changes to the way that we work across the government, DFO will proceed with a review of its use of office and other physical space across the country, and will ensure that GCWorkplace standards are implemented wherever feasible. A more efficient use of space will not only allow the Department to meet new Government of Canada standards, it will also provide employees with a more modern and flexible workplace. A new project at 222 Nepean in Ottawa will be implemented using these standards, with initial occupancy planned for late 2021. The entire building will be retro fitted to provide Coast Guard national headquarters employees with a modern workplace in line with government standards. DFO will also proceed with several other projects, smaller in scale, which will either meet the new standards or incorporate elements of it across the country, including projects at 200 Kent in Ottawa, the Murray Building in Dartmouth, and a new location in Burlington. The Real Property team is also working towards becoming a modern corporate real estate organization. Significant work and effort are well underway in transforming the organization with the goal to provide more consistent and effective service to clients from coast to coast, and to better serve the needs of real property employees. The end result will transform DFO’s real property function from an organization with project driven regional operations to a strategically coordinated national portfolio focused on performance.

DFO will develop a climate risk and vulnerability assessment framework which will support the development of a comprehensive resiliency plan for key assets. In its Real Property Risk Profile for 2021-22, the Department has identified a risk that a climate change event may lead to permanent or complete failure at one or more DFO sites or trigger new infrastructure needs. As a mitigation measure for this risk, DFO will establish a framework for completing climate resiliency assessments at sites deemed to be of greater risk and developing clear resiliency measures as needed.

In support of the Greening Government Strategy and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy, DFO will implement energy efficiency infrastructure improvements and clean energy infrastructure projects such as solar panel installations. The Department will prioritize future action based on recommendations established in the departmental Carbon Neutral Portfolio Strategy to better plan for future installations. DFO will also install telematics modules in on road fleet vehicles, which can track a vehicles usage pattern, in real-time, to promote motor vehicle operator behavior changes and fuel savings. These measures will support the government’s efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The Your Professional Network (YPN) will continue to deliver career development and networking opportunities for all employees and contribute to key departmental initiatives and priorities, such as promoting diversity, inclusion, respect, and workplace wellness. The YPN will continue cultivating a community of motivated employees and provide them with professional development, networking, and learning opportunities to foster and promote individual growth and to create a vibrant, successful workplace.

Gender-based Analysis Plus

The Department will continue work to identify key positions within sectors and programs that may require mandatory GBA+ training. This will expand GBA+ policy expertise in the Department, and will increase its data holdings on socio-economic and demographic indicators for GBA+.

DFO will also continue to integrate GBA+ analyses into its results reporting by considering different identity groups and their intersections on outcomes for DFO programs when reviewing and supporting the development of program performance measures. This will contribute to an enhanced understanding of the results the Department achieves for different identity groups and their intersectionality, ultimately leading to better outcomes for Canadians of all identities.

In support of its staff, the Department will ensure accessible gender-neutral washroom consideration and implementation in construction and reconstruction work on DFO and the Coast Guard’s properties. In 2021-22, DFO will examine the facilities in the new Ottawa headquarters for the Coast Guard and the Conservation and Protection offices in Moncton, New Brunswick; will build a gender neutral washroom for the Canadian Coast Guard College; and will explore the possibility of having some washrooms become permanently gender neutral at the Gulf Fisheries Center.

DFO will continue its efforts towards achieving a representative and inclusive public service that reflects the population it serves. From entry level through to the ranks of senior leadership and across occupational groups, DFO will foster culture change, address systemic issues, and achieve measurable efforts in advancing diversity and inclusion objectives within the Department. This will include:

• enhancing connections between workplace wellbeing and national initiatives and volunteer networks, such as Your Professional Network and Positive Space Initiative and other interdepartmental partners; and
• developing and implementing strategies and evaluation techniques to assess progress made towards greater inclusion with respect to recruitment, retention, engagement, and career development.

This will be achieved through focus groups, consultation and discussion fora, sponsored events, and training and educational tools for employees of all levels of the organization.

In support of indigenous recruitment, DFO will launch a National Indigenous Student Recruitment Initiative, which is the first of its kind in the organization. In 2021-22, DFO will also continue to implement its new Arctic Region and will specifically target the recruitment of indigenous employees, including executives, to staff key positions in the Arctic.

United Nations’ 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

For additional information on how the Department is advancing the UN Sustainable Development Goals, please refer to DFO’s 2020-2023 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.

Experimentation

DFO will initiate changes in its staffing processes, including the increased use of technological opportunities and new methodologies to identify the best talent for our organization. DFO will also create a repository of internal candidates ready for career advancement or promotion and collaborate with other departments to identify and nurture talent, focusing on various employment equity groups. As a Department, we will promote the implementation of alternative methods to traditional recruitment (e.g., online job fairs, speed networking, Student Bridging Portal, LinkedIn Recruiter), explore the use of artificial intelligence (AI) to facilitate talent acquisition, automate various steps in the recruitment process, and improve time for staffing processes. This is expected to lead to a shift in culture which will include the more frequent use of a variety of staffing options at a manager’s disposal. Increased communication on the success of experimentation and best practices across the organization will lead to the wider use of staffing innovations. Timely staffing will also encourage the best talent to remain interested in employment opportunities with DFO/Coast Guard, increasing retention of our most appealing candidates and placing DFO/Coast Guard in a position to identify the strongest talent for our organization.

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Spending and Human Resources

This section provides an overview of the Department’s planned spending and human resources for the next three consecutive fiscal years, and compares planned spending for the upcoming year with the current and previous years’ actual spending.

Planned Spending

Departmental Spending 2018-19 to 2023-24

The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory) spending over time.

The variance between the 2020-21 forecast spending and the 2021-22 through 2023-24 planned spending is mainly attributable to Supplementary Estimates and operating and capital budget carry forwards, which have been included in the 2020-21 forecast spending but are not yet known for the 2021-22 through 2023-24 fiscal years.

Spending Analysis

The $147 million decrease in expenditures from 2018-19 to 2019-20 is primarily related to the purchase of three icebreakers in 2018-19. This is offset by planned changes in funding as projects, such as Indigenous reconciliation and small craft harbours, progress and meet completion.

The $1,320 million increase from the 2019-20 expenditures to the 2020-21 forecast spending is primarily related to incremental funding received for:

• Programs related to COVID-19;
• Renewing the Canadian Coast Guard fleet;
• Indigenous programs; and
• Addressing the Big Bar landslide.

Spending Plan for 2021-22 to 2023-24

The decreasing trend is attributable to planned changes in the funding profile as projects near and meet their completion.

The $73 million decrease in planned spending from 2020-21 to 2021-22 is primarily related to:

• Planned changes in funding for Canadian Coast Guard fleet renewal as the programs continue to progress;
• Planned changes in funding for the Oceans Protection Plan as the program progresses;
• Carry forward funding that was brought into the department during 2020-21. The equivalent funding carried forward to 2021-22 is still to be determined; and
• Planned changes in funding for the ongoing response to the Big Bar landslide as the program continues to progress.

The $1,272 million decrease in planned spending from 2021-22 to 2022-23 is primarily related to:

• Planned changes to Indigenous programs as they continue to progress;
• Planned changes to the Canadian Coast Guard fleet renewal as the programs continue to progress;
• Planned changes in funding for the Oceans Protection Plan as the program continues to progresses; and
• Planned changes in funding to support fish harvesters affected by COVID-19 as the program reaches completion.

The $360 million decrease in planned spending from 2022-23 to 2023-24 is primarily related to:

• Planned changes in funding for Canadian Coast Guard fleet renewal as the programs continue to progress;
• Planned changes in funding to modernize the Fisheries Act as the program reaches completion; and
• Planned changes in funding to protect Canada's nature, parks and wild spaces as the program continues to progresses.

Budgetary Planning Summary for Core Responsibilities and Internal Services (dollars)

The following table shows actual, forecast, and planned spending for each of Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s core responsibilities and Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

2021-22 Budgetary Planned Gross Spending Summary (dollars)

The following table reconciles gross planned spending with net planned spending for 2021-22.

Planned Human Resources

The following table shows actual, forecast, and planned full-time equivalents (FTEs) for each core responsibility in Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s departmental results framework and to Internal Services for the years relevant to the current planning year.

Note: Because of rounding, figures may not add to the totals shown.

Estimates by Vote

Information on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2021-22 Main Estimates.

Future-Oriented Condensed Statement of Operations

The future oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s operations for 2020-21 to 2021-22.

The amounts for forecast and planned results in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The amounts for forecast and planned spending presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.

A more detailed future oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations to the requested authorities, are available on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s website.

The Net Cost of Operations in 2021-22 is projected to be $3,670.4 million, a decrease of $102.2 million compared to $3,772.6 million in 2020-21. This decrease is mainly attributed to an overall decrease in authorities available for spending (excluding Capital vote) of $99.0 million ($3,227.4 million in 2021-22 compared to $3,326.4 million in 2020-21) and a net decrease of $3.2 million in the total estimates for items not affecting authorities, such as vacation pay and compensatory leave and employee future benefits offset by an increase in the estimated amortization expenses.

Total revenues are projected to remain stable at $40 million.

Authorities available for spending in 2021-22 do not include items such as Supplementary Estimates and carry forwards.

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Corporate Information

Organizational Profile

Appropriate Minister:

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan

Institutional Head:

Timothy Sargent, Deputy Minister

Ministerial Portfolio:

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

Enabling Instruments:

• Oceans Act
• Fisheries Act
• Species at Risk Act
• Coastal Fisheries Protection Act
• Canada Shipping Act, 2001 (Transport Canada-led)
• Fishing and Recreational Harbours Act

Year of Incorporation / Commencement:

1979

Raison d’être, Mandate and Role: who we are and what we do

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do” is available on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s website.

For more information on the department’s organizational mandate letter commitments, see the Minister’s mandate letter.

Operating Context

Information on the operating context is available on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website.

Reporting Framework

Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s approved Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory for 2021-22 are as follows.

Departmental Results Framework

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Supporting Information on the Program Inventory

Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Program Inventory is available in the GC InfoBase.

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Supplementary Information Tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s website.

• Sustainable Development Goals
• Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
• Details on Transfer Payment Programs
• Gender-Based Analysis Plus
• Horizontal Initiatives
• Up-Front Multi-Year Funding

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Federal Tax Expenditures

Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures that relate to its planned results for 2021-22.

Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance, and the Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures. This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis. The tax measures presented in this report are solely the responsibility of the Minister of Finance.

Organizational Contact Information

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Appendix: Definitions

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of a department over a 3 year period. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental priority (priorité ministérielle)

A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Departmental priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

experimentation (expérimentation)

The conducting of activities that seek to first explore, then test and compare, the effects and impacts of policies and interventions in order to inform evidence-based decision-making, and improve outcomes for Canadians, by learning what works and what doesn’t. Experimentation is related to, but distinct form innovation (the trying of new things), because it involves a rigorous comparison of results. For example, using a new website to communicate with Canadians can be an innovation; systematically testing the new website against existing outreach tools or an old website to see which one leads to more engagement, is experimentation.

full time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person year charge against a departmental budget. Full time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS+])

An analytical process used to assess how diverse groups of women, men and gender-diverse people experience policies, programs and services based on multiple factors including race, ethnicity, religion, age, and mental or physical disability.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2021–22 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities refers to those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2020 Speech from the Throne, namely: Protecting Canadians from COVID-19; Helping Canadians through the pandemic; Building back better – a resiliency agenda for the middle class; The Canada we’re fighting for.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

non budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)

The process of communicating evidence based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision-making, accountability and transparency.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead up to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all of the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.

result (résultat)

An external consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

strategic outcome (résultat stratégique)

A long-term and enduring benefit to Canadians that is linked to the organization’s mandate, vision and core functions.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an Appropriation Act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.

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