Evidence of meeting #46 for Environment and Sustainable Development in the 41st Parliament, 2nd session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was habitat.
A recording is available from Parliament.
Executive Director, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environmental Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
We're still going through our quarterly reporting and taking stock of what any free balances might be in the departmental budget. It's not yet the end of the fiscal year, so I'm not in a position to answer that question.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Environment Canada lapsed about $376 million over the last few years. Can you advise us as to the areas from which it lapsed those moneys? Did it include biodiversity, habitat, species at risk, those sorts of things?
Executive Director, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environmental Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
Your question speaks to the entire budget of the department, and I'm not involved in most parts of that budget.
Again, perhaps you would permit me to get back to the committee following this meeting.
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
We haven't looked at that. That's not something we would look at in terms of an audit, so we can't comment.
Liberal
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
Not that I'm aware of, no. The type of audit we do is called a performance audit. We look at objectives and commitments that the government has made. Then we indicate whether or not, and we advise you whether or not, the government's actually meeting its own objectives.
There's a whole other side of the Auditor General's office that does look at the financial statements. That's not part of what the commissioner's office does. That would be over to the financial side of—
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
Is that out of your bailiwick, so to speak, as commissioner of the environment?
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
I don't think anything is completely out of my bailiwick. I can, I believe, if I'm interested and want to, pursue that. I would bring some people from the financial side over into our group to do that, but we haven't made that decision.
Liberal
John McKay Liberal Scarborough—Guildwood, ON
It's kind of curious, though, that in a budget of roughly $1 billion, give or take, over the last number of years nigh on $400 million has been lapsed money. It does strike me as an area of interest, or potential interest, on the part of the commissioner when you are doing your audit in a normal fashion: these are the objectives, these are the standards, this is what was achieved.
If the government's not actually putting up the money, then I don't know how you achieve anything.
Conservative
The Chair Conservative Harold Albrecht
We'll have to leave that as a rhetorical question. You're well past your time.
We'll go now to Ms. Moore, for five minutes, please.
NDP
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
My question is for the commissioner for the environment.
Commissioner, in your fall 2013 report you said:
As of 31 March 2013, there were 518 species in Canada listed as at risk in Schedule 1 of the Species at Risk Act. Many factors can contribute to the decline of a species, placing it at risk. The most common is the loss and degradation of habitat....
Listing them by level of impact on habitat loss, what are those factors that lead to degradation of habitat?
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
Are you asking what affects habitats and what makes them less useful?
NDP
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
A number of factors can lead to habitat degradation, the first being outright habitat destruction. If a habitat is being used for something other than its intended purpose and it is changed, it can be almost destroyed.
A habitat can be degraded in a number of ways, such as pesticide application and air pollutants. If all-terrain vehicles are driven everywhere, they can degrade habitats. So there are a number of factors that can contribute to habitat degradation and make habitats less useful.
NDP
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
How much impact does industrial development have on habitats?
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
Any kind of development can degrade a habitat. Even farming operations can lead to habitat degradation. A natural habitat exists prior to the arrival of humans. Once humans start using a habitat, its quality becomes affected. Every time humans are introduced into a habitat—be it in a city or a village—and they use it for agricultural, mining or foresting activities, they change that habitat.
NDP
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
In your opinion, what portion of responsibility does industrial development have in habitat destruction compared with other factors?
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
I couldn't answer that because we haven't considered the issue. I don't know whether Bob can answer you.
Executive Director, Canadian Wildlife Service, Environmental Stewardship Branch, Department of the Environment
No.
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
Urbanization and farming are important factors.
NDP
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Okay.
What role does climate change play in the destruction of natural habitats?
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
Once again, we have not looked into that aspect, but it's clear that climate change has repercussions on all habitats. It leads to all sorts of changes, such as the amount and timing of rainfall. All climate change has an impact on all habitats, including ours.
NDP
Christine Moore NDP Abitibi—Témiscamingue, QC
Are migratory birds struggling to adapt to climate change? Can the usual time when species return to their natural habitat be disrupted by climate change, either because the temperature is already too high or too low when they normally return?
Commissioner, Office of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development
According to our report on migratory birds, insectivores—birds that feed on insects—have experienced a major population decline ranging from 40% to 60%. Scientists have a theory on this phenomenon. According to them, when migratory birds return to Canada, the insects are not yet out because of climate change. As a result, the birds have nothing to eat, and that leads to a decline in their numbers. That's one scientific theory, but I am not sure whether it has been proven.
There is another explanation. The change in the birds' habitat in the south may have an impact. That's not clear, but it's a theory.