Short Title Short Title 1 This Act may be cited as the  Canadian Sustainable Jobs Act . Definitions Definitions 2 The following definitions apply in this Act. Council  means Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council established under subsection 6(1). ( Conseil ) equity-seeking group  means a group of persons who are disadvantaged on the basis of one or more prohibited grounds of discrimination within the meaning of the  Canadian Human Rights Act . ( groupe en quête d’équité ) Indigenous peoples  has the meaning assigned by the definition  aboriginal peoples of Canada  in subsection 35(2) of the  Constitution Act, 1982 . ( peuples autochtones ) Minister  means the federal minister designated under section  4 . ( ministre ) net-zero economy  means an economy in which any anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere are balanced by anthropogenic removals of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere over a specified period. ( économie carboneutre ) social dialogue  includes all types of negotiation, consultation and exchange of information between or among representatives of governments, employers and workers on issues of common interest relating to economic and social policy. ( dialogue social ) specified Minister  means a federal minister designated under section  5 . ( ministre responsable ) Purpose Purpose 3 The purpose of this Act is to facilitate and promote economic growth, the creation of sustainable jobs and support for workers and communities in Canada in the shift to a net-zero economy through a framework to ensure transparency, accountability, engagement and action by relevant federal entities, including those focused — at the national and regional level — on matters such as skills development, the labour market, rights at work, economic development and emissions reduction. Designation of Ministers Minister 4 The Governor in Council may, by order, designate any member of the King’s Privy Council for Canada to be the Minister for the purposes of this Act. Specified Ministers 5 The Governor in Council may, by order, designate one or more members of the King’s Privy Council for Canada, other than the Minister, to be the specified Minister or specified Ministers for the purposes of this Act. Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council Establishment 6 (1) A council is established, to be known as the Sustainable Jobs Partnership Council, whose mandate is — through a process of social dialogue — to provide the Minister and specified Ministers with independent advice with respect to (a) measures, consistent with the shift to a net-zero economy, to foster the creation of sustainable jobs; (b) measures to support workers, communities and regions in the shift to a net-zero economy, including through skills development, training and retraining; and (c) any matter referred to it by the Minister. Establishment of terms of reference (2) The Minister must, after consulting with the specified Ministers, establish the terms of reference of the Council. Amendments to terms of reference (3) The Minister may, after consulting with the specified Ministers, amend the terms of reference. Terms of reference made public (4) The Minister must make the terms of reference and any amendments to them available to the public. Responsibilities 7 The Council’s responsibilities include (a) advising the Minister and specified Ministers on strategies and measures to encourage growth in good-paying, high-quality jobs — including jobs in which workers are represented by a trade union — in a net-zero economy; (b) advising the Minister and specified Ministers on ways to address labour force impacts, support workers and create opportunities for workers in the shift to a net-zero economy; (c) advising the Minister and specified Ministers on the collection and overall quality of data related to economic growth and the labour market in a net-zero economy; (d) advising the Minister and specified Ministers on the effectiveness of relevant policies and programs; (e) engaging relevant partners and stakeholders in accordance with the terms of reference; and (f) addressing any matter or undertaking any activity provided for in the terms of reference or requested by the Minister under section  14  or  15 . Composition and appointment 8 (1) The Council consists of no more than 15 members, including two co-chairs, who are to be appointed by the Governor in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister, to hold office on a part-time basis and at pleasure for a renewable term of up to three years. Factors (2) When making a recommendation respecting the appointment of members, the Minister is to take into consideration (a) the importance of having members that reflect Canada’s diversity — including its regional diversity — and underrepresented groups; (b) the importance of having a balance of members who represent labour, Indigenous organizations and industry; and (c) the need for members who have knowledge, expertise or experience in one or more of the following: (i) the key sectors impacted by the shift to a net-zero economy, (ii) the types of issues facing workers in the shift to a net-zero economy, including issues related to industrial change and technological transformation, (iii) the representation of unionized workers, (iv) the Indigenous knowledge of Indigenous peoples, (v) climate change and climate policy at the regional, national and international levels, (vi) economic and labour market analysis and forecasting, (vii) skills development, training and retraining initiatives at the regional and national levels, and (viii) the governance of advisory boards or committees. Co-chairs (3) When making recommendations respecting the co-chairs, the Minister is to endeavour to recommend individuals who represent trade unions and industry. Remuneration and expenses 9 The members of the Council are to be paid the remuneration that is fixed by the Governor in Council and are entitled to be reimbursed, in accordance with Treasury Board directives, for the travel, living and other expenses incurred in connection with their work while absent from their ordinary place of residence. Deemed employment 10 The members of the Council are deemed to be employees for the purposes of the  Government Employees Compensation Act  and to be employed in the federal public administration for the purposes of any regulations made under section 9 of the  Aeronautics Act . Reports Annual report 11 (1) The Council must submit to the Minister and specified Ministers an annual report (a) in the case of the first report, no later than the date that is fixed by the Minister; and (b) in the case of each subsequent report, no later than October 15 of each year. Contents (2) The annual report must include the advice of the Council and a summary of its activities (a) in the case of the first report, since the coming into force of this Act; and (b) in the case of each subsequent report, since the previous report. Report made public 12 The Minister must make public the annual report within 30 days after the day on which the Minister receives it. Minister’s response 13 (1) The Minister must, after consulting with the specified Ministers and other relevant federal ministers, prepare a response to the Council’s annual report and must make public the response within 120 days after the day on which the Minister receives the annual report. Contents (2) The response must address the Council’s advice included in the annual report. Report on particular matter 14 At the request of the Minister, the Council must research and report on any particular matter specified by the Minister and the Minister may make public the report. Progress report 15 At the request of the Minister, the Council must provide the Minister with a progress report on the activities specified by the Minister within 30 days after the day on which the request is made. Sustainable Jobs Action Plan Sustainable Jobs Action Plan 16 (1) The Minister must prepare a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan no later than December 31, 2025 and must prepare a new Plan no later than December 31 of every fifth year after that. Tabling of Plan (2) The Minister must cause each Plan to be tabled in each House of Parliament (a) in the case of the first Plan, no later than the fifteenth sitting day of that House after December 31, 2025; and (b) in the case of each subsequent Plan, no later than the fifteenth sitting day of that House after December 31 of every fifth year after that. Contents (3) Each Plan must (a) outline how the federal government will facilitate and promote economic growth, the creation of sustainable jobs and support for workers and communities in the shift to a net-zero economy over the following five-year period; (b) set out the measures that the Minister, specified Ministers and other relevant federal ministers have identified to be implemented, the milestones to be achieved by the federal entities for which they are responsible and the ways in which those ministers will implement those measures; (c) include a summary of available data related to economic growth and the labour market in a net-zero economy; and (d) in the case of subsequent Plans, describe the progress made towards achieving the milestones under the previous Plans. Amendments 17 (1) The Minister may amend a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan at any time. Tabling (2) The Minister must cause the amended Plan to be tabled in each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the amended Plan is prepared. Consultation 18 The Minister must, when preparing or amending a Sustainable Jobs Action Plan, (a) take into account advice from the Council; and (b) consult the specified Ministers and other relevant federal ministers. Progress reports 19 (1) The Minister must prepare a progress report no later than June 1, 2028 and additional progress reports no later than June 1 of every fifth year after that. Tabling of progress reports (2) The Minister must cause each progress report to be tabled in each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the report is prepared. Contents (3) Each progress report must describe the progress made towards achieving the milestones under the most recent Sustainable Jobs Action Plan. Consultation (4) The Minister must, when preparing a progress report, (a) take into account advice from the Council; and (b) consult the specified Ministers and other relevant federal ministers. Sustainable Jobs Secretariat Establishment 20 (1) The Minister must establish a Sustainable Jobs Secretariat to support the Minister in the implementation of the Act. Role (2) The Secretariat’s role includes (a) enabling policy and program coherence in the development and implementation of each Sustainable Jobs Action Plan, including by coordinating the implementation of measures set out in those plans across federal entities, including those focused — at the national and regional level — on matters such as skills development, the labour market, rights at work, economic development and emissions reduction; (b) supporting the preparation of the Plans and tracking progress on them; (c) coordinating specific federal-provincial initiatives related to the Plans; and (d) providing administrative and policy support to the Council.  General Review of Act 21 (1) Within 10 years after the day on which this Act receives royal assent and by the end of each subsequent period of 10 years, the Minister must cause a review of this Act to be conducted. Tabling of report (2) The Minister must cause a report of the review to be tabled in each House of Parliament on any of the first 15 days on which that House is sitting after the report has been completed.