On October 7, 2014, the Auditor General of Alberta released a report and recommendations on the first year annual report (2012-2013) of the three-year implementation of the Joint Canada-Alberta Implementation Plan for Oil Sands Monitoring (JOSM).
The scope of the 2012-13 annual report covers the first year of a three-year plan during which the project was co-led by Alberta Environment and Sustainable Resource Development on behalf of the Government of Alberta and Environment Canada on behalf of the Government of Canada.
The Auditor General directed the recommendations in its report to the Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Agency (AEMERA), as it assumed provincial responsibility for JOSM upon the proclamation of the Protecting Alberta’s Environment Act, establishing the agency, on April 28, 2014.
As the recently appointed provincial lead responsible for the project moving forward, AEMERA accepts all the Auditor-General’s recommendations and is taking action to address the issues identified.
Taking Action
The Auditor General’s report includes recommendations on public reporting and planning and monitoring during the initial year of the three-year project.
In a Management Letter to AEMERA’s Finance and Audit Committee, the Auditor-General has requested a formal implementation plan outlining how AEMERA will address the recommendations be submitted by October 30, 2014.
The following is an overview of the actions that have been taken or are underway, which will be included in the implementation plan.
Public Reporting
Auditor-General’s Recommendation
We recommend that the Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Agency work with the Government of Canada to ensure that public reporting on the joint plan is timely, accurate and transparent.
AEMERA Actions
AEMERA accepts the Auditor-General’s recommendations.
The following actions are being taken to address these issues moving forward:
- Annual formal contractual agreements with stated deliverables and accountabilities, including timely reporting, are now in place for the organizations performing the environmental monitoring.
- Data is released as it becomes available, and a summary report of the cumulative effects and science results will be provided on an annual basis.
- Beginning with the 2013-2014 Annual Report, the annual report will consist of two documents: a direct report on progress on implementation; and a separate summary of the technical and science results. This action ensures any delays related to the validation of the science do not impact the timeliness of reporting on implementation. The 2013-2014 annual report on implementation will be released early October 2014, with the summary science report schedule for release in February 2015. The 2014-2015 annual report on implementation will be prepared for release in June 2015. The annual reports on implementation will include reporting on both key commitments for the program and individual project as outlined in the annual work plans.
- Component Advisory Committees (CAC) were established in April 2013 to provide both direction and oversight to ensure accuracy and scientific integrity to the data collection and science reporting.
- Annual work plans are now developed to better track, manage and ensure reporting and accountability of all projects funded under the program.
- Through the work plans and specific project agreements, specific reporting protocols have been established to ensure information-sharing between the Government of Alberta and Government of Canada on a timely basis to meet the needs of the program, addressing the challenge of different reporting practices at systems at the provincial and federal level.
Planning and Monitoring
Auditor-General Recommendation
We recommend that the Alberta Environmental Monitoring, Evaluation and Reporting Agency:
- Implement effective processes for monitoring project status.
- Develop and implement work plans, with role and responsibilities, timelines, deliverables, for implementing all key commitments under the joint plan.
- Clarify what needs to be done to implement any joint plan commitments remaining after March 2015.
AEMERA Actions
AEMERA accepts the Auditor-General’s recommendations.
The following actions are being taken to address these issues moving forward:
- A detailed annual work plan tracking all projects was established for 2013-2014 and for 2014-2015 outlining defined roles and responsibilities, and measurable timeline and deliverables for all projects.
- Individual work plans and progress reports are required for each project.
- AEMERA has instituted quarterly reporting requirements to track project status for external organizations.
- Component Advisory Committee (CAC) leads are now responsible to monitor status of all projects and report to senior management.
- Formal discussion began in Fall 2014 between AEMERA and the Government of Canada on the approach to managing the program, and around future desired outcomes and commitments.