Natural Resources Canada Science and Technology Strategy 2025

March 2025

On this page

• Foreword
• Science and technology enterprise
• Purpose of our science and technology
• Strategy for science and technology
  • Mission
  • Strategy pillars
  • Directions
  • Guiding principles
• Path forward
• Bibliography
• Annexes

Foreword

Natural Resources Canada’s (NRCan) science and technology (S&T) efforts are centered on the sustainable management of Canada’s forests, metal and mineral deposits, and many sources of energy. Our work is about discovering new resources and developing new methods and technologies to extract and replenish them. It is about monitoring our environment to better understand and predict changes. It is about innovation and the creation of new data, information and knowledge to help make evidence-based decisions.

Canada's North is home to vast metal and mineral deposits, fragile and valuable ecosystems, and an area of vital strategic importance to Canada and its allies. The Arctic is also disproportionately affected by climate change and warming at three to four times the global rate. Guided by Canada's Arctic and Northern Policy Framework, NRCan plays an increasingly important role in a strong and secure future for the Arctic, including through building relationships with northern and Indigenous communities and organizations.

Keeping pace with rapidly advancing technology fields, such as artificial intelligence and quantum technology, means collaborating strategically both within Canada and with our international partners, establishing an “all-of-government” approach to major investments and building the skills and capabilities to generate impactful results.

As we advance our scientific agenda, we must uphold research security imperatives, recognizing that these environmental and technological trends are occurring within an increasingly complex and evolving geopolitical landscape.

Inclusive science has also become critically important as a guiding principle to the work we do. To help achieve scientific and technical excellence, we need a diversity of talent and collaborators that reflects Canada’s population and values.

We need the wisdom and science of those that have been stewards of the lands since time immemorial. The department has renewed its commitment to reconciliation by braiding Indigenous science and traditional knowledge into our science programs, policies and operations.

The NRCan S&T Strategy (Strategy) is a collaborative effort. It is the result of extensive consultations across the department, with hundreds of individuals providing input and guidance. It articulates the nature and value of NRCan’s S&T enterprise, provides a cohesive vision for science and research, identifies our research priorities and reinforces our core values as an organization.

The Strategy advances federal science through robust collaborations with both internal and external partners to drive scientific advancements that support Canada's transition to a future of alternative sources of energy and fuels and enhance the country's global competitiveness.

Michael Vandergrift
Deputy Minister of Natural Resources Canada

Jeff Labonté
Associate Deputy Minister

Science and technology enterprise

NRCan is a federal science-based department with a mandate to develop policies and programs to ensure that our natural resources are developed sustainably, providing a source of jobs, prosperity and opportunity, while preserving our environment and respecting our communities and Indigenous peoples. The department leads research across disciplines, institutions and borders to benefit Canadians. Our extensive and highly specialized scientific expertise calls upon a wide variety of technical and professional skills.

NRCan plays a unique role in conducting cutting-edge research; developing new technologies; supporting codes, standards and regulations; and providing scientific and technical leadership to support government decision-making and a wide range of industry and academia-led innovations that benefit Canadians.

Our research experts and infrastructure enable NRCan to quickly respond to new and emerging priorities and some of Canada’s most pressing challenges, including sustainable and competitive resource management; climate change mitigation and adaptation; energy innovation and transformation; environmental conservation; and data-driven decision-making.

Canada is well positioned to face global economic challenges partly because of the strength of its natural resources sectors. Natural resources are key drivers of the Canadian economy, directly and indirectly accounting for 17.8 percent of GDP in 2023 (10 Key Facts on Canada’s Natural Resources – 2023). NRCan is at the forefront of the Government of Canada's efforts to support the creation of sustainable jobs in a low-carbon economy. The department collaborates widely with numerous stakeholders in areas such as Arctic science, clean growth, climate change, energy and mineral security, as well as alternative sources of energy and fuels. These collaborators include other Government of Canada science-based departments and agencies, Indigenous partners, provinces and territories, municipalities, private sectors, academia, and non-governmental and international organizations. Consequently, we remain committed to sharing knowledge to stimulate Canada’s economy and contribute to the public good.

NRCan’s work continues as we foster and advance a culture of inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility. Together, our diverse perspectives are at the heart of NRCan’s mission today and into the future.

Purpose of our science and technology

NRCan is a world-class research organization providing excellent fundamental and applied research, supplying scientific information, knowledge and inventions for Canada’s economic competitiveness, environmental stewardship priorities and the safety and security of communities. This work is supported through many legislated and regulatory S&T roles.

For example, the Department of Natural Resources Act enables the department to make a wide range of natural resources management and land-use decisions. We conduct environmental assessments under the Impact Assessment Act, collect and publish data to support mineral exploration and management of land, water and infrastructure under the Resources and Technical Surveys Act, test energy products and develop technical standards under the Energy Efficiency Act and foster research and development (R&D) under the Forestry Act.

NRCan S&T is also committed to reconciliation through the implementation of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act.

Additionally, NRCan S&T activities for conservation, innovation and resource management are foundational to Canada’s international commitments, such as the Paris Agreement target to reduce emissions by 40 to 45 percent from 2005 levels by 2030 (net-zero emissions by 2050). Similarly, to respond to Canada’s commitments to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations Agenda, the department also has created the 2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy, in which NRCan’s S&T plays a substantial role.

In the coming years, NRCan’s leadership in these areas will increasingly be called upon to support innovation as social and economic transformation continues to accelerate. By leveraging cutting-edge S&T, NRCan can help to drive innovation in natural resource industries, enhancing their competitiveness by improving operational efficiencies and creating new market opportunities. These efforts can ensure that Canada’s natural resource sector remains resilient and globally competitive in the face of evolving economic and environmental challenges.

Strategy for science and technology

The Strategy responds to new opportunities and evolving priorities in mitigating and adapting to climate change, ensuring public safety and driving innovation and competitiveness in natural resource sectors.

Mission

Our S&T directly serves the public interest by:

• Providing scientific and engineering research, technical advice and information; enabling services and infrastructure; developing new tools, models and technologies; supporting impact assessment processes and the establishment of codes and standards
• Ensuring that NRCan attracts and retains highly qualified S&T experts
• Leveraging knowledge and innovations from research that further enables scientific discoveries and competitive Canadian industries
• Collaborating widely and wisely to leverage the value of our many stakeholders and to develop solutions together that improve the lives of Canadians and build stronger communities
• Building the foundations for modern lands governance that support Canada's economy, sustain the environment, help keep Canadians safe and advance the standard of living
• Investing in clean technology developers and manufacturers; supporting and de-risking innovation and the use of clean technologies and solutions in our natural resources sectors; bringing cleaner, renewable energy onto a smarter electricity grid
• Maintaining public trust through strong stewardship of public S&T resources

Strategy pillars

There are three foundational pillars that shape NRCan’s science, research and technology activities: (1) mitigating and adapting to climate change; (2) keeping Canada safe from natural hazards and disasters; and (3) driving innovation for competitive and sustainable resource sectors.

Our approach to addressing these challenges, using NRCan’s S&T expertise, is founded on collaboration and is deeply integrated with local, national and international efforts.

NRCan’s S&T community will pursue work under these pillars by focusing on the following S&T directions – earth sciences, energy, forestry and mining.

Directions

S&T directions reflect NRCan’s core areas of responsibility and expertise while highlighting our broad, mandate-driven scientific and research priorities.

Energy

Goal: Support a secure, innovative, sustainable and globally competitive energy sector by advancing scientific knowledge and innovative solutions, and the capacity to integrate them into existing energy systems.

Priorities:

• Support innovation and the development and market access of clean fuels and new clean energy technologies and those that reduce, capture, store or use greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions
• Advance scientific knowledge and understanding to inform the development of energy-related codes, standards and regulations, including for offshore electricity generation, and to provide expert advice on preventing and responding to accidents and malfunctions
• Improve building energy efficiency, energy systems, power generation and transportation to lower costs and reduce emissions
• Accelerate electrification and maximize the benefits of renewable energy, including heat and power
• Deliver enabling technologies, including advanced materials, manufacturing processes and platforms (e.g., artificial Intelligence/machine learning for accelerated materials discovery)

Forestry

Goal: Maintain resilient forest ecosystems for an innovative, sustainable forest sector

Priorities:

• Provide world-class forest data, monitoring and reporting to better understand forest ecosystem dynamics and services
• Assess and mitigate risks from wildfires, pests, land use changes and a changing climate
• Foster ecosystem science to optimize the economic, social and environmental value of our forests
• Improve forest management practices to enhance environmental performance, forest resiliency, and competitiveness of the forest sector
• Develop higher performing and sustainable forest products and processes to transform Canada’s forest sector and access international markets
• Understand and improve wood fibre attributes in a changing climate

Mining

Goal: Accelerate the responsible development of critical mineral and metal resources, improve circularity, and develop value-added products

Priorities:

• Develop new mining and processing technologies to increase productivity and advance technology readiness up to commercial adoption
• Leverage the power of digital technologies to develop new tools and standards to improve environmental performance and worker safety in mining operations
• Extract critical minerals from primary ores and post-consumer waste to secure supply chains, support energy transition and enable a sustainable and digital economy
• Develop best practices, tools and technologies to reduce risks to the aquatic environment and use sound science to inform regulations in water management

Earth sciences

Goal: Support the discovery of mineral and metal resources; keep Canadians safe and inform land-use decision-making

Priorities:

• Use advanced technologies to predict and discover valuable resources, especially critical minerals, and map their locations
• Leverage multidisciplinary data and expertise, including Indigenous and traditional knowledge, to advance inclusive growth and empower decision-making
• Inform climate adaptation strategies for infrastructure, communities, permafrost regions and northern resources development
• Advance knowledge of hazards (e.g., earthquakes, volcanoes, permafrost thaw, space weather, flooding, landslides, and radiological and nuclear events) to model and guide decisions and develop warning systems and emergency plans
• Provide world-class Earth observation science and foundational geospatial data for Canada’s land, water, and infrastructure to inform evidence-based policy and planning with respect to natural resources and sustainable development

Guiding principles

Our guiding principles demonstrate our commitment to research and operations excellence as we strive to maintain a high-performing workplace and workforce.

Research excellence

Goal: Maintain excellence in all aspects of our research to ensure high quality positive impacts for Canada

Priorities:

• Maximize the impact of our research by prioritizing the effective transfer of knowledge and inventions to Canadian stakeholders
• Attract, develop, support and retain talent in the S&T workforce
• Leverage our lab assets and expertise across Canada to deliver collaborative S&T that meets the diverse needs of communities and economies across the country
• Advance scientific knowledge and contribute to the exercise of Canada’s sovereignty through Earth observation, energy innovation and Arctic research
• Foster collaboration across disciplines, research areas, sectors and jurisdictions
• Safeguard the department’s scientific research ecosystem from activities that could pose a risk to national and economic security or undermine NRCan’s principles of openness, transparency, merit and reciprocity

Operational excellence

Goal: Improve critical support functions to S&T through proactive planning and effective communication

Priorities:

• Optimize laboratory and facility investments, including multi-use infrastructure
• Collaborate with federal partners (e.g., to meet the increased demand for Arctic research)
• Build on cyber security initiatives for an efficient and secure digital science research environment
• Enhance science-policy integration to improve timely evidence-based decision-making
• Foster collaborations, develop capabilities, and improve asset management and identification of operational needs for better oversight of S&T activities
• Prioritize early collaborative planning between research groups and operations
• Identify, develop and implement solutions to help overcome horizontal operational challenges and gain efficiencies
• Establish a strong culture of research security; safeguard the integrity of research by protecting against threats to national and economic security

Inclusive science

Goal: Continue to cultivate a diverse workforce, inclusive and accessible workplaces, and collaborative practices to better represent and meet the needs of the S&T community and the populations we serve

Priorities:

• Foster a work environment where all staff feel welcomed and valued, are enabled to contribute fully and feel safe bringing their ideas forward
• Achieve progress towards the elimination of racism and discrimination to strengthen S&T research and help Canada build a more inclusive and equitable future
• Implement best practices in staffing S&T professionals with disabilities and increase accessibility in NRCan laboratories
• Promote the process of reconciliation and build capacity for Indigenous knowledge through scientific activities, dedicated programs and recruitment
• Empower diverse communities through cross-disciplinary science collaboration
• Advance our commitments under Many Voices One Mind: A Pathway to Reconciliation; Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service; and Nothing Without Us: An Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada

Values and ethics

Goal: Foster a culture of scientific integrity that builds trust in the department and our researchers

Priorities:

• Promote transparency, accountability and ethical conduct in all scientific activities, under the guidance of the Government of Canada’s Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector, NRCan’s Values and Ethics Code and Policy on Scientific Integrity
• Enhance the Health and Safety Management Framework with modern digital tools, new training and evergreen guidance on laboratory and field safety
• Facilitate a culture of scientific integrity, including the ethical conduct of, and best practices for, S&T research and management through regular communication and governance

Path forward

Inspired by the collaborative vision outlined in this Strategy, NRCan is committed to advancing toward its goals by:

Identifying priorities for actions:

• To ensure the Strategy's success, NRCan will identify key priorities for action. Current and emerging challenges in the natural resources sectors will be assessed and responses will be aligned with the Strategy's goals. By leveraging existing governance structures, NRCan will deliver these priorities and ensure that resources are allocated efficiently to achieve them.

Developing outreach and communication:

• Foster engagement and communication efforts and promote the department’s mandate to achieve greater openness, transparency and evidence-based decision-making
• Engage and collaborate with internal and external stakeholders, including Indigenous partners, industry and academic institutions in implementing the Strategy to increase public understanding of science, share recent scientific findings, influence the science community and inform public policy

Tracking and reporting on progress:

• Leverage mechanisms for collecting feedback on Strategy implementation from the NRCan S&T community and external stakeholders. Transparent tracking and reporting are vital for maintaining accountability and demonstrating the Strategy's impact.

With this S&T Strategy, NRCan sets the stage for a focused, coordinated approach to achieving public good R&D in natural resources that delivers impactful results for Canadians.

This Strategy is only one part of the Department’s approach. Integrating the forthcoming Mental Health and Wellness Strategy 2024–2026 with the S&T Strategy will ensure that NRCan's workforce remains resilient, innovative and productive. The S&T Strategy will advance the department’s efforts to be a trusted partner and a workplace of choice with an emphasis on accessible facilities with efficient infrastructure for natural sciences.

Let us embrace the future with confidence and determination, turning every challenge into a catalyst for positive changes. By fostering collaboration, prioritizing actions, engaging with stakeholders and maintaining transparency, NRCan will drive scientific excellence and technological innovations in the natural resources sectors, ultimately benefiting all Canadians.

Bibliography

• Canada's Arctic and Northern Policy Framework
• 10 Key Facts on Canada’s Natural Resources – 2023
• Open Science and Data Platform
• Department of Natural Resources Act
• Resources and Technical Surveys Act
• Forestry Act
• United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples Act
• Net-zero emissions by 2050
• Canada’s commitments to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals
• 2023 to 2027 Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy
• Government of Canada Passes Legislation to Seize the Enormous Economic Opportunity Offshore Wind Presents for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador
• Canada’s Critical Mineral Strategy
• State of Canada’s Forest Annual Report 2023
• Many Voices One Mind: A Pathway to Reconciliation
• Call to Action on Anti-Racism, Equity, and Inclusion in the Federal Public Service
• Nothing Without Us: An Accessibility Strategy for the Public Service of Canada
• NRCan’s Values and Ethics Code
• NRCan’s Policy on Scientific Integrity
• Government of Canada’s Values and Ethics Code for the Public Sector

Annexes

Annex 1. Government of Canada’s Open Science and Data Platform (OSDP)

An Open Government partnership and a single window to aggregated data and science otherwise dispersed across government systems.

As a key Open Government asset, the OSDP informs research and learning about cumulative effects. It supports NRCan’s S&T priorities by informing impact assessment and regulatory processes, enhancing knowledge-sharing, contributing to Canada's economy and energy transition, as well as improving prediction and responses to natural hazards.

Launched in 2021, it is a publicly accessible window to the scientific community, regulators, project proponents and Indigenous communities. It includes data and regulatory information from federal, provincial and territorial governments to support and enhance transparency in evidence-based decision-making:

• Content contributed by 30 federal, provincial, territorial government providers
• 150+ content collections by theme or region of interest
• 8,000+ datasets; 144,000+ publications
• 560+ monitoring stations
• 20,000+ impact assessment and regulatory records

Annex 2. Atlantic Canada Offshore Wind Marine Data Collection Campaigns

The offshore renewable energy sector offers a significant economic opportunity for Canada, with the global offshore wind market expected to attract $1 trillion in investment by 2040 (Government of Canada Passes Legislation to Seize the Enormous Economic Opportunity Offshore Wind Presents for Nova Scotia and Newfoundland and Labrador: news release). In 2023, Canada launched investment campaigns to gather essential offshore data for wind energy development on the East Coast. This data supports decision-making, environmental assessments and permitting, forming the basis for science-based recommendations on offshore wind energy suitability. These campaigns, in collaboration with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and Environment and Climate Change Canada, and provincial counterparts, have already begun to yield valuable geotechnical data.

Annex 3. Working alongside Inuit creators: Sharing geoscience knowledge via a mobile application that focuses on Indigenous knowledge

NRCan’s Geological Survey of Canada (GSC) collaborates with Indigenous communities through initiatives such as the SIKU: The Indigenous Knowledge Social Network app, developed by the Arctic Eider Society (AES). SIKU, with over 27,000 users, helps Inuit track land and ice conditions, monitor wildlife, and conduct research. The GSC provided geological content for SIKU to enhance geoscience accessibility, empowering communities to participate in local projects. This collaboration supports the Kivalliq Community Bedrock Mapping Project, aiding infrastructure development in Northern communities.

Annex 4. NRCan science sectors, offices, research centres, science and technology groups, and laboratories and facilities

Canadian Forest Service

Overview of the sector

• National and international voice for Canada’s forest sector
• Collaborates closely with provinces, territories, communities, and industry to ensure Canadian forests are sustainably managed and the sector is globally competitive

Atlantic Forestry Centre

• Location: Fredericton, New Brunswick with a satellite office in Corner Brook, Newfoundland
• Leads CFS operations in the Atlantic provinces and the CFS science program on forest pests
• Hosts the National Tree Seed Centre and Acadia Research Forest

Great Lakes Forestry Centre

• Location: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario
• Responsible for operations in Ontario
• Co-Leads the CFS science program on innovative forestry solutions, which focuses on tools and practices to adapt and improve forest management
• Manages the Petawawa Research Forest

Laurentian Forestry Centre

• Location: Québec City, Quebec
• Responsible for CFS operations in Quebec
• Leads the national science program on Integrated landscape dynamics and manages the Valcartier Forestry Research Station

Northern Forestry Centre

• Location: Edmonton, Alberta
• Responsible for operations in Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories
• Leads the national science program on wildfire

Pacific Forestry Centre

• Location: Victoria, British Columbia
• Responsible for operations in the Pacific region and in Yukon and leads the CFS science program on forest climate change

Planning, Operations and Information Branch

• Leads CFS activities related to corporate planning and operations, forest data, and information management, including the development of The State of Canada’s Forests annual report

Science Policy Integration Branch

• Provides horizontal policy analyses within CFS
• Hosts the secretariat for the Canadian Council of Forest Ministers
• Provides science-policy integration, advice as well as a coordination function for the CFS science programs
• Provides support for science partnerships and governance

Trade, Economics and Industry Branch

• Leads economic and technical analysis for Canada’s forest sector
• Provides expertise on policy, trade and markets, including on bioeconomy and softwood lumber
• Leads international engagement related to forests and wildland fire management policy
• Delivers innovation and Indigenous programming related to the forest sector, including bioenergy
• Leads the coordination of the Natural Climate Solutions Fund with Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada, which includes managing the 2 Billion Trees program

Energy Efficiency and Technology Sector

Overview of the sector

Responsible for developing the connection among energy efficiency and technology policies, programs and R&D in areas such as sustainable buildings

CanmetENERGY Devon

• Location: Devon, Alberta
• Provides fundamental knowledge and innovative solutions for the development of clean energy technologies that reduce GHG emissions as well as mitigate environmental impacts of resource development
• Focuses on research and technology development on biofuels and clean fuels (e.g., hydrogen, E-fuels, critical minerals); carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS); legacy land and water impacts from bitumen recovery operations; and spill science

CanmetMATERIALS Hamilton

• Location: Hamilton, Ontario
• Home to the largest research centre in Canada dedicated to fabricating, processing and evaluating metals and materials
• Researches and develops materials solutions for Canadian industry in the energy, transportation and metal-manufacturing sectors

CanmetENERGY Ottawa

• Location: Ottawa, Ontario
• Leads the development of energy science and technology solutions for the environmental and economic benefit of Canadians
• The research, development and demonstration (RD&D) covers CCUS, transportation, industry, renewables, oil and gas, built environment, bioenergy and northern and remote energy

CanmetENERGY Varennes

• Location: Varennes, Quebec
• Develops and implements solution pathways that create value, as well as a sustainable energy future for Canadians
• Its work covers areas including buildings, industry, renewable energy integration and the RETScreen® clean energy management software

Office of Energy Efficiency

• Leads nationally on policies, legislation and regulations to promote smart energy use in homes and businesses
• Delivers energy cost savings to contribute to Canada’s climate change targets
• Supports clean innovation and green infrastructure

Office of Energy Research and Development

• Leads the Government of Canada’s efforts to advance energy innovation and invests in the most impactful energy RD&D projects and related scientific activities that maximize environmental and economic outcomes

Energy Systems Sector

Overview of the sector

• Advises the government on federal energy policies, strategies, emergency plans and activities
• Promotes efficient energy use
• Ensures development of energy sources to meet Canada's domestic needs and export opportunities

Fuels sector

Overview of the sector

Develops a transformation to a net-zero future that supports energy security and affordability for Canadians including:

• driving down carbon intensity
• building the clean fuels sector
• supporting the decarbonization of the transport sector

Lands and Minerals sector

Overview of the sector

• Provides a centre of expertise on Canada’s land mass
• Contributes scientific knowledge for the economic growth of our country
• Helps Canadians stay safe and adapt to a changing climate

Canadian Explosives Research Laboratory

• Serves as the only Canadian government laboratory that offers testing, analysis, certification and research related to explosives and their components
• Clients include national and international public and private partners
• Accredited under ISO/IEC17025:2017 and features state-of-the-art capabilities

CanmetMINING

• Develops science, technologies, and tools to support the sustainable development of Canada’s mineral resources
• Leads NRCan’s critical minerals R&D programming
• Conducts research to advance climate-resilient mining and more efficient mining practices
• Informs regulation and policy decision-making to position Canada as the greenest, safest and most innovative mining jurisdiction in the world

Geological Survey of Canada

• Canada’s longest-standing national scientific organization, with facilities in Vancouver, Sidney, Calgary, Ottawa, Québec and Dartmouth
• Supports exploration and decision-making in the mining and energy sectors
• Assesses risks and protects Canadians from natural hazards
• Enables Canada to adapt to climate change
• Supports Canadian sovereignty
• Discovers and manages Canada’s mineral, energy, groundwater and marine resources

Hazards, Adaptation and Operations Branch

• Conducts monitoring, alerting and associated scientific research to protect Canadians from and helps them adapt to hazards such as earthquakes, space weather and radiation
• Collects and publishes Canada’s authoritative collection of mineral exploration, development and production data to meet the minister’s legislative requirements under Section 3 of the Resources and Technical Surveys Act

Surveyor General Branch

• Defines, marks and describes Canada’s legal boundaries including lands in the North, Indigenous Lands, Treaty Settlement Lands, national parks and provincial and territorial boundaries by maintaining the Canada Lands Survey System
• Houses the Canadian section of the International Boundary Commission responsible to preserve and maintain a visible boundary between Canada and the United States
• Through the Canadian Geodetic Survey, provides accurate measurement of latitude, longitude, elevation and gravity in Canada to underpin location-based data for a variety of economic and scientific applications

Nòkwewashk sector

Overview of the sector

• Combines the former Major Projects Management Office, Indigenous Partnerships Office-West, and the Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation sector
• Was gifted the sector’s name, which is Algonquin for Sweetgrass, through an Elder-led naming ceremony
• Aims to be at the forefront of the Government’s reconciliation agenda while also enabling the success of NRCan’s mandate commitments through meaningful scientific collaboration, partnerships and nation-to-nation dialogue with our First Nations, Métis and Inuit partners

Office of the Chief Scientist

Overview of the office

• Provides horizontal leadership, oversight, and strategic advice on cross-cutting science policy, capacity, communication and management issues to support a coherent, effective and modern NRCan S&T enterprise
• Champions issues of importance to NRCan’s science community
• Fosters inclusive and open practices in science and bridging Indigenous and Western knowledge systems

Strategic Policy and Innovation sector

Overview of the sector

Supports the minister and senior management by providing integrated and evidence-based policy advice on a range of economic, international, intergovernmental, geospatial and results-driven issues

Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation

• Offers geospatial information, services and analytics to support NRCan’s programs and policies
• Its innovation and digital tools inform NRCan files including climate change and adaptation, Indigenous reconciliation, cumulative effects and emergency management
• Using satellites and other methods, gathers an accurate, authoritative archive of geospatial data describing water and infrastructure
  • This data is standardized, harmonized and made accessible to the public
• As a leader in open geospatial data and artificial intelligence, the Canada Centre for Mapping and Earth Observation is a creator and steward of some of the largest datasets in government