6.3 Governance for Implementation of Recommendations

The role of the GoC, when it comes to Life Cycle Approaches, has an engrained dichotomy attached to it – it is an adopter of Life Cycle Approaches within its own operations and decision making; and it is an enabler in supporting the private sector use of Life Cycle Approaches within the private sector’s processes and operations.

The government’s response to the recommendations should be carried out in collaboration with the private sector and involve other stakeholders such as NGOs and academics (see Figure 8). We do not see this as the sole responsibility of the federal government. We are equally mindful of the current financial capacity of government and its ability to invest in new ventures at this time. Nevertheless, there is a clear role for government to protect and advance Canadian economic and environmental interests. But it should and can do so in a way that leverages private sector investment and commitment, prioritizes key action areas rather than seek to address wholesale reform, and makes choices about the application of scarce government resources from across departments and agencies. As government downsizes in some areas where its role is no longer needed, it should upsize in key areas where the opposite is true.

We suggest that the government create a more immediate institutional presence in order to send a clear signal that it is engaged in the serious development and application of Life Cycle Approaches in a systemic manner. This institutional presence could very well be a temporary, start-up measure until the knowledge, expertise and procedures are disseminated, established, and supported as core activities across the federal government.

As a short-term measure and to kick-start progress, the NRT recommends the establishment of a Life Cycle Approaches Task Force within the public service with a 24 to 36 month mandate. During this period the task force could identify key policy areas where Life Cycle Approaches could be used and initiate the building blocks that will develop longterm actions that need to be sustained. Its job would be to set priorities and build collaborative linkages across departments and with the private sector and universities. Given the current environment of fiscal restraint and austerity, we do not suggest creating new positions. Rather, the task force would comprise staff from various departments and agencies that are already involved in initiatives focusing on Life Cycle Approaches or that already have a role in fostering their application.

The task force would need to include key officials from at least the following departments and agencies: Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Industry, Statistics, Natural Resources, Environment, Infrastructure, Public Works and Government Services, Agriculture and Agri-Food, and Treasury Board Secretariat. In order to get the necessary political buy-in and ensure alignment with multiple government priorities, it is advised that this task force could be visibly supported by a central agency. Policy Horizons Canada, whose mandate is to provide advice to the Deputy Ministers community, could help further prioritize and implement the activities of the task force. The NRT could use its own research and convening expertise and authority to bring diverse stakeholders together on behalf of government to find policy options and solutions. This would be similar to the European Union model, where the Joint Research Centre (JRC) provides policy input into priority setting.

The Life Cycle Approaches Task Force would serve the purpose of coordinating the government-wide implementation of Life Cycle Approaches in internal operations, policy development, regulatory development, and overall institutional shifts. It would act as a cross-government resource for building capacity, training, raising awareness, and providing guidance for officials in various departments across the public service. It would also provide the conduit through which it would be able to share best practices and guidelines that are emerging in Life Cycle Approaches within the private sector and in other jurisdictions domestically, regionally, and internationally.

As recognized earlier, any initiative on Life Cycle Approaches would require broad stakeholder involvement to share knowledge, expertise, data, and experience, particularly from the private sector. For that purpose, we recommend the creation of an External Advisory Panel including representatives from the GoC, the private sector, academia, NGOs and other stakeholder groups. The Panel, funded by private and public money, would act as an integrated advisory body performing the key role of recommending and acting on future priorities for the development of overall structural requirements to further address the emerging gaps related to Life Cycle Approaches in Canada. The Panel would oversee three Working Groups focused on the key building blocks for developing and applying Life Cycle Approaches. With representation from multiple stakeholders, these Working Groups would be mandated to create and develop future partnership models for the development of a Life Cycle Inventory database, standards and SME capacity building. Figure 9 shows how the Task Force, External Advisory Panel and Working Groups could be established.

FIGURE 8. GOVERNANCE FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS

FIGURE 9. SUGGESTED TIMELINE FOR IMPLEMENTATION