The modern concept of sustainable development is derived mostly from the 1987 Brundtland Report, which defines Sustainable Development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. Sustainable Development is a key priority for the Government of Canada, which can only be achieved with robust engagement at all stages of policy and practice and at all levels of government – federal, provincial/territorial and municipal. The Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) identifies the Government of Canada’s sustainable development planning and reporting commitments. The FSDS fulfils the requirement of the Federal Sustainable Development Act (FSDA) to develop and table every three years a federal strategy that makes environmental decision making more transparent and accountable to Parliament.
To support the core principle that effective sustainable development results from a coordinated approach across the government, Veterans Affairs Canada (VAC) is committed to the FSDS and is doing its part to support Canada’s vision for sustainable development. As required by the FSDA, every three years VAC prepares its own Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy (DSDS). This strategy describes the Department’s contributions to the FSDS, including a sustainable development vision for VAC including departmental decision-making.