Question Period Note: ECCC Departmental Spending Decrease

The Departmental Plan 2025-2026 outlined a decrease in planned spending over the 2025-26 to 2027-28 planning horizon. This is the result of sunsetting initiatives with temporary funding and variations in funding profiles for other initiatives.

• The department remains confident in its ability to deliver on its mandate, achieve meaningful outcomes for Canadians and the environment, and strengthen its resilience and adaptability as an organization.
• ECCC is committed to transparency and responsible stewardship of public funds while driving operational efficiencies, ensuring long-term sustainability, and maintaining our commitment to delivering high-quality services.
• Through permanent funding, ECCC continues to deliver on key mandates—decarbonization, pollution prevention, climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and weather services.

• ECCC continues to realign departmental resources to deliver on priorities for Canadians in an evolving fiscal context.
• ECCC remains committed to ensure the most effective use of public funds, focusing on priority activities and eliminating inefficiencies and non-essential expenditures, ensuring long-term financial sustainability. The well-being of ECCC staff remains our priority, and every effort is being made to minimize the impact on our employees.
• There is a decrease in planned spending over the 2025-26 to 2027-28 which is the result of sunsetting initiatives with temporary funding and variations in funding profiles for other initiatives.
• Initiatives that will sunset between 2025-26 and 2027-28 include:
o Enhanced Nature Legacy
o Canada’s International Climate Finance Program
o Chemicals Management Plan
• The decrease in planned spending also reflects the one-time up-front multi-year payment for Our Land for the Future Trust – Northwest Territories Project Finance for Permanence issued in 2025-26.
• ECCC may explore opportunities to renew sunsetting programs that are core to ECCC’s mandate and that align with current Government of Canada priorities, while continuing to ensure responsible, cost-effective spending that delivers results for Canadians.

Non-applicable