From IISD's SDG Knowledge Hub
15 March 2019: The Canadian Government is asking its citizens to share their ideas and to contribute to the development of Canada’s national SDG strategy. The Government’s SDG Unit launched an online portal through which people can share their ideas online and respond to questions around Canada’s challenges in implementing the SDGs, ensuring that no one is left behind and partnerships.
In April 2018, the Commissioner of the Environment to Canada’s Auditor General released a report that found, that Canada needs stronger Federal leadership for SDG implementation. In July, in its first voluntary national review, the Canadian Government committed to filling this gap. The national SDG unit was established in the fall of 2018 as part of Canada’s Employment and Social Development Department (ESDC). The SDG Unit’s tasks include the development of a national SDG Strategy and indicator framework to support national SDG implementation.
The online portal allows Canadians to submit their views on what should be done to make Canada more sustainable and equitable and what actions are necessary to achieve the 2030 Agenda. The website offers several ways to engage, including:
- A section on Canada’s biggest challenges and strengths in achieving the SDGs, including questions on ways to empower Canadians to get involved in advancing the Goals and Canada’s biggest challenges in ensuring no one is left behind;
- A section focusing on input to the national strategy asking for views on priorities, ways to build awareness about the SDGs, potential leaders on the 2030 Agenda, and ways to track and report progress on the SDGs;
- A section on leaving no one behind, with questions about what leaving no one behind means to people, how Canadians at risk of being left behind can be included in SDG implementation, and what data and approaches are needed to ensure no one is being left behind;
- A section on partnerships inquiring what partnerships are needed to advance the 2030 Agenda, how Canada can best support the SDGs, and how innovation, learning and research towards sustainable development solutions can be advanced; and
- A section titled “show you colors blog” where users can share stories create connections and provide meaningful information regarding the SDGs.
The engagement platform was launched together with an information page on the 2030 Agenda and the SDGs providing links to national and international resources on the SDGs and policies and actions supporting their implementation in Canada.
The online portal will be open until 15 May 2019. [Government of Canada News Release] [Call for contributions] [Online consultation platform] [Government of Canada SDG portal]