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Canadian Planning for a Sustainable Future

Bringing Civil Society, Government and Business to the Table

Canadian Round Tables

A round table as convened in Canada -- at the federal, provincial, or territorial levels -- is simply a special forum in which a variety of interests are represented in a non-hierarchical setting. As an advisory board to their government or municipality, the round table is a preliminary step toward decision-making. As an independent group of concerned people, a round table can focus on action. The main idea is to bring together people with vastly different backgrounds, experiences and views in order to reach a consensus on a vital issue or issues that affects all of them. [... from the Global Tomorrow Coalition Sustainable Development Tool Kit.]

  • National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy

    "The National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy (NRTEE) is an independent agency of the federal government that seeks to provide objective views and information regarding the state of the debate on the relationship between the environment and the economy." Their Web site provides NRTEE background, summaries of publications and links to related sites.

  • The Provinces and Territories of Canada

    Provincial Round Tables, Commissions and provincial government departments. The work of many provincial Round Tables has been concluded and their findings published. In a number of jurisdictions, government departments and new commissions have been tasked with follow up and implementation of recommendations.

Projet de société

From the fall of 1992 to the spring of 1996, the Projet de société brought together the leaders in business, government, and civil society to review Canada's commitments to Agenda 21 and to bring forward the choices that Canadians face in making the transition to sustainable development. Out of this process came several benchmark documents:

Canada and Agenda 21

A Guide to Sustainability

Canadian Sustainability Initiatives, a database of government, NGO and private sector efforts initiated in the immediate days after Rio; available from IISD on the diskette version of Canada and Agenda 21

Canadian Choices for Transitions to Sustainability, available in print from the National Round Table of the Environment and the Economy (see above).

Historical note. In its start-up phase, Projet de société was supported by the following five of Canada's sustainability organizations.

Canada's Sustainable Development Organizations



  • International Institute for Sustainable Development
  • International Development Research Centre

    "Research for sustainable and equitable development". IDRC's Agenda 21 unit reviewed the role of the Centre as a lead Canadian agency in the implementation of Agenda 21.

  • Environment Canada

    This site is known as Canada's Green Lane on the Information Highway. A focal point for sustainable development in the department is the National Conservation Programs Branch, Environment Canada. The Branch holds an inhouse database, "SIMSys" (Sustainable Information Management System, under development) of federal department plans and initiatives related to the framework of Agenda 21.

  • Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment

    CCME is the major inter-governmental forum in Canada for discussion and joint action on environmental issues of national and international concern. The Council is made up of environment ministers from the federal, provincial and territorial governments. Its work is supported by a permanent secretariat, based in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

  • National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy

Sustainable Development and the Government of Canada

Sustainable Development and Agenda 21: planning and implementation around the world