Sustainable development is striving to "meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs," (World Commission on Environment and Development, 1987). For Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development Canada (AANDC), this means considering how decisions impact the social, economic and environmental long-term well-being of Aboriginal and Northern communities.

Vision Meets Reality

Each First Nation, Inuit and Métis community is unique and the definition of sustainable development varies from one group to another. AANDC has defined its own sustainable development vision and principles in order to guide the Department in the creation of policies, programs and tools that support communities effectively.

What Information is Available?

Find out how AANDC is applying sustainable development principles to its decision-making process to ensure that its decisions are beneficial to present and future generations. Learn more about the Department's plans for conservation in Canada's three Northern territories.  Consult our sustainable development strategies and progress reports as well as our list of links to other useful resources outside of AANDC.

For a list of current initiatives supporting the environment pillar of sustainable development, check out AANDC's contribution to the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS).

AANDC regularly posts resources on sustainable development and community planning on the First Nations in British Columbia (FNBC) website, an open forum that contains the sharing of experiences, tools and resources including key documents and plans created by First Nations communities and organizations in British Columbia. For more information or to access these resources, please refer to the First Nation in British Columbia  website.

Additional Information

• AANDC's Sustainable Development Strategy and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy
• Supporting Sustainable Communities
• The Evolution of Sustainable Development
• Reports and Engagement Sessions
• Useful Links

Contact Us

If you have any questions, please contact the Sustainable Communities Directorate at:
sd-dd@aadnc-aandc.gc.ca. We will respond to your queries as soon as possible.

Phone: (toll-free) 1-800-567-9604
Fax: 1-866-817-3977
TTY [ 1 ]: (toll-free) 1-866-553-0554