Sustainable Development

The Government of Canada agreed to the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development (2030 Agenda), a United Nations (UN) Resolution that was adopted in 2015. The 2030 Agenda calls on states to take action on 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as poverty, hunger, climate change, water and environmental stewardship. First Nations leaders and Indigenous organizations have been involved in the UN processes that led to the development of the 2030 Agenda and continue to participate internationally to advance Indigenous rights.

In the Spring of 2018, the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development released a report on the Government of Canada’s preparedness to implement the SDGs. The report provided a critique of Canada’s poor implementation of the SDGs. In response, the Government of Canada announced in 2019 that it would develop its own domestic strategy to implement the SDGs and also established the SDG Unit under Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC) to undertake this work.

In February 2021, the Government of Canada released the 2030 Agenda National Strategy: Moving Forward Together. This was followed by the Federal Implementation Plan for the 2030 Agenda Strategy. First Nations were not engaged in either process.

Getting First Nations Feedback on Implementing SDGs

Under Resolution 44/2021 – Support for a First Nations-led Pathway to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Water Sector advocates for First Nations leadership and participation in implementing the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda. In March 2022, the sector successfully hosted its first-ever virtual forum to discuss First Nations’ priorities for sustainable development.

Building on the forum, the sector also hosted two virtual dialogue sessions on October 14 and October 17, 2022. A survey is being prepared to gather input on:

• Perceived gaps in the current SDG framework
• Advice related to existing federal mechanisms around the SDGs
• First Nations’ own mechanisms and initiatives around sustainable development
• Environment, lands and water priorities under the SDGs.

Water Protection from Nuclear Waste

The Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) is responsible for Canada’s long-term nuclear waste management. Established under the Nuclear Fuel Waste Act (2002), the NWMO is mandated to develop and implement a strategy for managing Canada’s used nuclear fuel. In 2007, NWMO adopted Adaptive Phase Management (APM), which involves isolating used nuclear fuel in a deep geological repository (DGR) within suitable geology. A transportation system will be developed to transfer used fuel from current storage facilities to this site. The site selection process concluded in November 2024, with the Ignace area, within the territory of Wabigoon Lake Ojibway Nation (WLON), identified as the proposed host location for Canada’s DGR.

Between 2002 and 2005, the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) facilitated discussions with First Nations on the APM process. In 2005, the AFN produced a report outlining concerns, perspectives, and recommendations from First Nations.  The report emphasized that First Nations had not been adequately engaged in decision-making and highlighted the need for further discussions grounded in First Nations’ rights and jurisdiction. 

Under AFN resolutions (52/2023; 58/2022; 43/2021; 48/2017), the AFN is mandated to advocate for First Nations’ full participation in nuclear waste decision-making, ensuring they have access to information and resources to make informed decisions regarding nuclear waste on or near their lands. In 2024, AFN-led dialogue sessions gathered First Nations’ perspectives on the evolving landscape of nuclear waste management, reaffirming their inherent rights and the necessity of consent in all decision-making processes. The AFN produced a report summarizing First Nations’ concerns, priorities, and recommendations to NWMO.  The Final Report on 2024 Dialogue Sessions and Recommendations to the NWMO, along with dialogue session materials, is available on our website.

International Freshwater and Marine Biodiversity

Signed in 1992, the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) is an international agreement covering all aspects of biological diversity:

• Conservation of biological diversity
• Sustainable use of the components of biological diversity
• Fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the use of genetic resources.

The broad scope of the CBD is implemented domestically through multiple pieces of environmental federal legislation and policies, such as the Species at Risk Act, Pathway to Canada Target 1, the Fisheries Act and the Aquaculture Act.

The Water Sector is working with the AFN Environment Sector on international advocacy to drive Canada’s commitment to First Nations-led conservation at the Fifteenth Conference of Parties (COP 15), taking place in Montreal, Quebec in December 2022. COP 15 marks an important opportunity for the AFN to raise the profile of First Nations’ leadership in biodiversity conservation. Our efforts have focused on advocating for the respect and recognition of First Nations’ rights in the development of the new Convention on Biological Diversity’s (CBD) Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework.

The goals and targets set under this framework will guide global conservation efforts for the next decade and in turn, shape the Government of Canada’s biodiversity policies across a wide range of legislation and initiatives. Outcomes from COP 15 will shape discussions at IMPAC 5, especially regarding commitments to protect 30% of the world’s oceans by 2030. IMPAC 5 provides a significant opportunity to advance First Nations-led conservation in the marine and coastal environment, such as through the establishment of marine Indigenous Protected and Conserved Areas (IPCAs).