Policy Framework for Environmental Performance Agreements: chapter 2

What are Environmental Performance Agreements?

An Environmental Performance Agreement is an agreement with core design criteria negotiated among parties to achieve specified environmental results. Environment Canada may negotiate a performance agreement with a single company, multiple companies, regional industry associations, a sector association or a number of sector associations. Other government agencies (federal, provincial, territorial or municipal) and third parties (non-government organizations) may also be parties to such agreements.

Environment Canada, for example, has been engaged in several three-party agreements with industry groups and provincial environment ministries. These agreements benefit all parties (e.g., more comprehensive coverage of environmental issues, greater certainty for industry). Environment Canada will invite provincial ministries to participate, as appropriate.

For industry participants, an Environmental Performance Agreement will stipulate clear and measurable performance standards and include effective accountability mechanisms.

For its part, Environment Canada will assume certain obligations depending on the nature of the specific Environmental Performance Agreement. These will include supporting agreements by facilitating information exchange and performance monitoring, and may include providing incentives such as public recognition of good performance or relief for participating parties from other management and control tools see section 6 for more details. Similar undertakings may also be provided by other federal, provincial or territorial agencies that are parties to an Environmental Performance Agreement.