Particular attention will be paid to building shared agendas with the departments of Finance, Industry, Foreign Affairs and International Trade, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Agri-Food, Fisheries and Oceans, Indian Affairs and Northern Development, Canadian Heritage, Health, and Human Resources Development. Provincial and territorial governments will continue to be essential partners in achieving sustainable development across Canada. Individual provinces and territories are developing regional and local examples of sustainable development. The Canada-Wide Accord on Environmental Harmonization, through which federal, provincial and territorial governments are working in partnerships to achieve the highest standards of environmental quality across the country, will also provide a solid foundation for a cooperative and coordinated effort to achieve sustainable development. Effective partnerships with municipal governments have been established and should be strengthened.
Business is a vital partner in ensuring that development is sustainable.
This sector has taken a proactive role through its national associations, as well as through such national and international forums as the World Business Council on Sustainable Development, the National Round Table on the Environment and the Economy, and the International Institute for Sustainable Development. All of these are bringing together diverse interests in working towards sustainable development. With the settlement of land claims and the implementation of self-government, Aboriginal people are taking on an increasingly large role in the environmental management of their lands. EC will need to build new partnerships and strengthen linkages with Aboriginal people to assist them in achieving and maintaining a clean, healthy and productive environment on these lands. NGOs and other community groups contribute to the attainment of sustainable development in many ways.