On February 17th, 2021, the Hon. Ahmed Hussen and Hon. Karina Gould released "Moving Forward Together", Canada's National Strategy for the Sustainable Development Goals. The strategy recognizes Canada's important role in paving a path for the country and the world in the SDGs, and the importance of the Global Goals as a global blueprint for a more inclusive, prosperous world.
The 2030 Agenda National Strategy sets out an approach to:
- build an inclusive enabling environment that supports achievement of the SDGs
- motivate Canadians to do their part as global citizens
- accelerate progress toward meeting the SDGs in Canada, and contribute to their achievement internationally
Some notable highlights from the new strategy include:
- A plan to localize the SDGs to provinces and municipalities across Canada
- Acknowledging the importance of committing to reconciliation with Indigenous people
- Fostering innovation and collaboration among those in academia and civil society groups
- Recognizing commitments to gender equality, a healthy environment, peace, justice and human rights
- Investment in the SDGs through policy, governance, leadership, and a combination of private and public funding
This strategy is a follow-up to the Government of Canada's Towards Canada’s 2030 Agenda National Strategy released in June 2019. It proposed 30 federal government actions to advance progress on the 2030 Agenda. Of those, the 23 that are on track pertain mainly to actionable items toward the SDGs, while the 7 that require attention pertain mainly to reporting strategies on the SDGs, whether that be reports, advisory committees, or other federal reporting mechanisms.
The Government of Canada's next step will be a Federal Implementation Plan to advance the National Strategy. This plan will focus on closing gaps among marginalized communities, incorporating commitments to diversity into domestic and international partnerships, and sharing lessons learned at home and abroad.
Read the full brief to find out how Canada is renewing its commitment to the Global Goals! (Version française ici)