Canada Energy Regulator – 2022–23 Departmental Plan

Plans at a glance

The CER identifies priority areas that strategically focus program activities. These Strategic Priorities^Footnote 9 extend beyond the outcomes of any one program. They require cross organizational focus and leadership to drive a systematic shift in the way the CER works. The CER is in year two of implementing its four interdependent Strategic Priorities:

Trust and Confidence

The Canadian Energy Regulator Act (CER Act) mandates and empowers the CER to do more to build the trust and confidence of Canadians in the organization’s work and the country’s energy regulatory system.

The CER will accomplish this by increasing efforts to raise awareness of and involvement in the different types of work it does. The CER intends to build respectful relationships with the Indigenous peoples of Canada, foster an engaged and empowered workforce, and build an increased connection to the people it serves.

In 2022–23, the CER will accomplish this by:

• increasing the effectiveness of its communications, transparency, collaboration, and inclusive engagement efforts across all programs;
• using new approaches, technologies, and straightforward communications to have more two-way conversations with Canadians;
• enabling its diverse team of experts and Canadians to participate in the important energy conversations taking place, share data and analytics more openly, and improve early engagement and public participation tools;
• involving staff in implementing the Strategic Plan and in co-designing desired organizational culture; and
• ensuring an integrated and strategic human resources plan that positions the regulator for success for years to come.

The CER also developed a Diversity and Belonging Roadmap (Roadmap) this past year that included recommendations to support building a diverse and inclusive workplace. Years two and three will see the Roadmap's implementation by:

• continuing to foster an environment where CER staff can feel valued and respected;
• establishing accountabilities and setting metrics for gauging progress, and helping inform future organizational change and culture work; and
• committing to make sure that this organizational change is both transformative and sustainable.

The CER’s greatest strength is its people, and recognizes that an inclusive, engaged, and empowered workforce is fundamental to its success.

Reconciliation

The CER is committed to the ongoing process of reconciliation with the Indigenous peoples of Canada and is taking meaningful actions in that direction. The organization’s efforts towards advancing reconciliation are supported by new tools in the CER Act that will help transform the way it works. The CER has made progress in this area and recognizes that there is more work to be done.

The CER is renewing its relationship with Indigenous peoples based on the recognition of rights, respect, co-operation, and partnership. The organization is also changing how it works with Indigenous peoples, with a commitment to implementing the UN Declaration, and the applicable Calls to Action of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission. Guided by the strategic advice of the IAC, the CER is moving forward on this commitment by:

• building individual and collective cultural understanding of the Indigenous peoples of Canada;
• strengthening relationships with all Indigenous peoples, and applying learnings to improve how work is done;
• driving meaningful change in the requirements of regulated industry to improve environmental and safety outcomes through the protection of Indigenous rights and interests; and
• increasing a sense of belonging for Indigenous colleagues, filling gaps in representation, and improving advancement opportunities.

More specifically, the CER has embarked on a three-year Reconciliation Strategic Priority with concrete deliverables in 2022–23 including:

• continuing to develop approaches for implementing the UN Declaration, aligned with, and as part of, the federal government’s commitment to implement the UN Declaration;
• delivering on the commitments made as part of our partnerships with the two IAMCs, and increasing Indigenous involvement in regulatory oversight;
• implementing the CER’s Indigenous Cultural Competency Framework, including training and supports, and an Elders in Residence program;
• articulating the CER’s approach to Crown Consultation, including the incorporation of the federal Indigenous knowledge policy;
• initiating an Indigenous Recruitment, Retention and Advancement Strategy with training, supports, and guidance for managers;
• implementing an Indigenous Procurement Strategy that is aligned with the Government of Canada’s mandatory requirement for federal departments and agencies to ensure a minimum of five per cent of the total value of contracts are awarded to Indigenous businesses;
• establishing a National Indigenous Engagement Framework, with guidance tools that will support all CER program areas with Indigenous engagement activities; and
• developing targeted Indigenous pipeline information and energy information products and services.

2022–23 will also see the launch of the review of the CER’s Onshore Pipeline Regulations^Footnote 10, which will include a focus on protecting Indigenous rights and interests, and other opportunities to work with Indigenous communities on updates to the CER’s regulatory framework, including the CER Filing Manual^Footnote 11.

Competitiveness

The CER is committed to the Government’s goal of enhancing Canada’s global competitiveness. Making timely and predictable decisions, facilitating innovation, and enabling sound projects into operation and through their lifecycle, are all areas where regulatory oversight can impact global competitiveness.

The Competitiveness Strategic Priority focuses on improving transparency, predictability, and efficiency of lifecycle regulation; enhancing and innovating in regulatory approaches and researching new ways for a regulator to contribute to Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy.

In 2022–23, the CER will progress towards its commitment in this area by:

• engaging regulated companies, Indigenous organizations, and stakeholders to explore and implement new regulatory approaches, and identify and eliminate non-value-added methods and exploring how to guide new assessment factors effectively;
• continuing to provide governments, the public, and industry with access to energy information and data related to current topics and trends in the energy sector, including modelling net-zero scenarios in Energy Futures^Footnote 12;
• clarifying how the CER will approach new elements in its oversight pursuant to the CER Act;
• using data to examine and streamline processes, eliminating regulatory requirements that do not deliver useful regulatory outcomes; and
• continuing to enhance regulatory process transparency by providing clarity to regulated companies, Indigenous peoples and stakeholders through improved filing guidance.

Data and Digital Innovation

The CER’s Data and Digital Innovation Strategic Priority will create a sustained focus and culture throughout the organization for using data and information in a meaningful way for staff, industry, Indigenous peoples, and the public. By investing in data-focused skills, solutions, and systems, the CER will enable staff to deliver competitive regulatory services for the twenty-first century.

In 2022–23, the CER will continue to create a culture driven by data and digital innovation to best deliver on its mandate, and to advance data and digital innovation and improve access to reliable data and energy information. This will support more informed decision-making, better process transparency and efficiency, increased digital engagement and more meaningful public participation in CER processes. The CER will also support increasing data skills enterprise-wide to accelerate data and digital innovation across the CER.

More specific concrete deliverables in 2022–23 for this priority will be carried-out by:

• advancing CER OneData – extracting and cleaning data from multiple regulatory systems to create a "one-stop shop for data" to facilitate data analysis and systems modernization;
• advancing CER Portal – the CER’s digital regulatory filing system; and
• adopting GCdocs^Note 1 and modernizing the CER’s Information Management (IM) platform to increase findability and to integrate with other IM content.

For more information on the CER’s plans, see the “Core responsibilities: planned results and resources” section of this plan.

Corporate risks and related response strategies affecting the delivery of the CER’s outcomes can be found on its website.^Footnote 13

Date modified:

2023-11-27