About Us

Performance Measurement and Management Framework

Measuring performance is a key element of modern public management. It helps us to determine the effectiveness and efficiency of key strategies and programs well as to improve departmental performance. General information and references on performance measurement can be found in the following websites: Treasury Board Secretariat ; Office of Auditor General - OAG.

Determining the Effectiveness of our Strategies and Programs

Performance measurement is particularly challenging for a science based department. Changes may take decades to become visible and the connections between fundamental research and environmental change may be indirect. The Department works with many partners, and changing behaviors, patterns and present harms of occurring make it difficult to measure impacts or attribute results solely to the Department. The Department responds to these challenges by continuing to track long term changes in the state of the environment and to the reduction of harm to human health, safety and economic prosperity (see : State of Canada's Environment Infobase). As well, we are developing indicators of behavioral change and short term environmental changes to demonstrate the nearer term effects of our activities, products and services.

The department is building its capacity to measure performance by providing advice and support to managers. Tools such as the Manager's Guide to Implementing Performance-Based Management have been developed and are being applied to strategic and operational levels of management.

Reporting on our Performance to Parliament

Performance indicators are identified annually in Environment Canada's Report on Plan and Priorities, which is tabled in Parliament at the beginning of each fiscal year. The performance made towards these goals and objectives is reported by the Department to Parliament eighteen months after the RPP is tabled.

• Environment Canada's Performance Report for the period ending March 31, 2003
• Environment Canada's Performance Report for the period ending March 31, 2002
• Environment Canada's Performance Report for the period ending March 31, 2001
• Environment Canada's Performance Report for the period ending March 31, 2000
• Environment Canada's Performance Report for the period ending March 31, 1999 (.pdf format)
• Environment Canada's Performance Report for the period ending March 31, 1998 (.pdf format)

Links:

• Environment Canada's Management Framework - Performance Measurement Strategy
• Treasury Board site on Results-based Management