Focus of the annual report

The purpose of this annual report is to inform Parliament and Canadians about the number, nature, and status of petitions and responses received between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019, as required by section 23 of the Auditor General Act.

Petitions and responses

Petitions received

The Office of the Auditor General of Canada received 12 environmental petitions between 1 July 2018 and 30 June 2019. The petitions, numbered 418 to 429, originated from 5 provinces: British Columbia, Manitoba, Newfoundland and Labrador, Ontario, and Quebec (Exhibit 3.1).

Performance and responses of departments and agencies

This reporting year, 10 departments and agencies responded to 9 petitions submitted during the current (2018–19) and previous (2017–18) reporting periods. All of the petition responses were provided within the 120-day statutory deadline.

Administration of the environmental petitions process

• Changing our approach to submitting and publishing petitions on our website

• Communicating the petitions process to Canadians

• Improving how we help Canadians

• Improving how we help federal organizations

Why this report is important

The environmental petitions process is a unique way for Canadian residents to bring their concerns and questions about environmental issues to the attention of the federal ministers responsible and to obtain responses from them. It offers Canadians an opportunity to open a dialogue with their government. The Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development administers the environmental petitions process on behalf of the Auditor General of Canada.

For more information

Media Relations
Telephone: 1-888-761-5953
Email: infomedia@oag-bvg.gc.ca