Federal assets and services at risk as climate resilience actions lag

Press Release

2026 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development to the Parliament of Canada on behalf of the Auditor General of Canada

Ottawa, May 4, 2026—A report from Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Jerry V. DeMarco, on behalf of the Auditor General of Canada, concludes that Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat’s oversight of the Greening Government Strategy to strengthen the climate resilience of federal assets and services had significant gaps. The audit also found that National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada had been slow to take action to improve their climate resilience.

Climate resilience refers to the ability to prepare for, adapt to, and recover from climate change and extreme weather. Limited progress in this area increases risks to federal assets—such as bridges, roads, buildings, and harbours—as well as services Canadians rely on.

Early versions of the Strategy included commitments for departments and agencies to assess and reduce climate change risks by 2022. After these commitments were not met, they were replaced in 2024 with long-term commitments for 2035 and beyond, without any interim targets to guide implementation and corrective action.

The audit found that Treasury Board Secretariat had a weak system to measure and track progress. Despite repeated commitments, the secretariat failed to report publicly on climate resilience during the strategy’s first 8 years.

The audit also examined National Defence, Public Services and Procurement Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, which together manage 67% of the value of the federal government’s physical assets. While these departments assessed climate change risks, they made limited progress in translating these assessments into meaningful action.

“As Canada warms at twice the global average, accelerating efforts to protect federal assets and services will sustain communities and save taxpayers’ money over time,” Mr. DeMarco said. “For example, some small craft harbours, which directly support more than 45,000 jobs, are vulnerable to the impacts of climate change and require immediate repairs and reinforcement.”

The 2026 Report of the Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development, Climate Resilience of Federal Assets and Services, is available on the Office of the Auditor General of Canada website.

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