The Federal Department of Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) just completed its 120-day consultation on Canada’s sustainable development goals. This consultation, a legislative requirement, was based on a draft strategy scheduled to go to Parliament in November. As per c. 33, s. 5(a) of the Federal Sustainable Development Act (2008), conversations on sustainable development typically focus on “the efficient use of natural, social and economic resources and the need for the Government of Canada to integrate environmental, economic and social factors in all its decisions.” Oftentimes, these conversations focus most heavily on natural and economic resources, but for the first time Canada is proposing to include cultural resources.

This inclusion in the draft 2026-2029 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) demonstrates the success of international governance bodies and civil society efforts to build consensus towards policy issues. However, to understand the significance of this proposed cultural goal for sustainable development, one must be aware of the international policy context surrounding it. This article will review that context.

Consulting on sustainable development

The first section of Canada’s draft 2026-2029 FSDS commits to building an inclusive and resilient society through seven goals, including “Goal 1.2: Reinforce Canadian culture and identity.” This goal recognizes, as stated in the draft, “global consensus that culture is critical to sustainable development because of the many ways it shapes our identity, influences how we interact with others, and supports mental and physical health and well-being.” The inclusion of “Goal 1.2: Reinforce Canadian culture and identity” is a welcomed addition to the FSDS. Yet, as written, stands to reproduce isolation of arts, culture and heritage away from other economic and political activities due to its inadequate interpretation of the international policy context.

Organizations that typically engage on these issues on behalf of Canada are the Coalition for the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (CDEC), International Federation of Coalitions for Cultural Diversity (IFCCD) and the International Federation of Arts Councils and Culture Agencies (IFACCA). While these organizations are well-respected, more can be done to engage additional arts, culture and heritage interest holders in government policy making. This is why this article will consolidate the international policy context. In doing so, this writing helps those looking to better understand arts, culture and heritage in the context of sustainable development.

Why include culture?

As stated in the draft strategy, “In a globalized world, Canadian content is becoming harder to find, so targeted efforts are needed to maintain its appeal, competitiveness, and pivotal role in bringing Canada’s culture, identity, and values to Canadians and the world.” Canada's cultural and creative industries are comprised of a high variety of arts, culture, heritage, non-profit and charity organizations that, together, provide the means for participating in and enacting Canadian life. These organizations are essential to building trust, belonging and unity between the diverse peoples residing in Canada. They reflect the legitimacy of institutions that seek to re-define Canadian national identity and preserve narratives about our shared history and hopes for the future.

The 2025 Progress Report on the 2022 to 2026 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy shows positive progress toward 44% of targets (17 rated as on track and 5 targets achieved). However, 14% (7) of targets required acceleration to meet commitments and 32% showed negative progress, rated as either deteriorating (9) or limited progress (9). Furthermore, two targets could not be assessed (tracking single-use plastic and self-reported rates of intimate partner violence) and one target was not achieved (federal public service workforce equity). There was a total of 50 targets included in the progress report.

Structural equity and wellbeing outcomes continue to lag. There were no explicit cultural goals in Canada’s last FSDS.

The progress report shows the strongest performance across economic targets with the most challenges and fragility among environmental and social goals. Structural equity and wellbeing outcomes continue to lag. There were no explicit cultural goals in Canada’s last FSDS.

Global consensus on culture and development

As stated in the public document, “The draft 2026–2029 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy (FSDS) outlines the Government of Canada’s sustainable development priorities, establishes corresponding goals and targets, and identifies federal plans to achieve them.” This is a whole-of-government framework for fostering transparency, accountability and continuous improvement. The FSDS aligns all departments with shared priorities for dealing with climate change, building a strong, resilient economy, advancing reconciliation and inclusion, and improving the quality of life for everyone. It also aligns federal government actions with the 17 United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. 

Documented in declarations made at MONDIACULT 2022, and again in 2025, UNESCO Member States agree that culture is foundational to sustainable development. A statement from Civic Agora explains, “Culture is not an ornament or a luxury: it is a driving force of active citizenship, diversity, democratic participation, and social transformation.” Such declarations call for the integration of culture and heritage with all policy and development areas. This global consensus is enabled by multilateral policy frameworks stewarded by UNESCO.

UNESCO is the UN’s agency responsible for developing and implementing global standards on academic freedom, scientific ethics, cultural diversity, and heritage protection in alignment with the following frameworks:

  • World Heritage Convention (1972)
  • Universal Declaration on Cultural Diversity (2001)
  • Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (2003)
  • Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions (2005)
  • UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs, 2015)
  • UN Pact for the Future (2024)
  • Global Digital Compact (GDC) for digital cooperation and AI governance (2024)

In the inaugural Global Report on Cultural Policies – Culture: The missing SDG UNESCO finds that recognition of culture’s role in fostering inclusive and sustainable societies is not well reflected in international cooperation efforts as only 46% of countries in the Global North and 58% of countries in the Global South have incorporated culture into their development strategies. The Government of Canada could take a leading role in the Global North by including culture in its sustainable development goals.

Canada’s Sustainable Development Goals

The draft goal to reinforce Canadian culture and identity aims to support arts, cultural and creative innovation, Indigenous languages and official language minority communities; protect Canada’s natural and cultural heritage; and strengthen national identity to build resilient communities. The Minister of Canadian Identity and Culture would become responsible for reaching a target for 56% of Canadians to have a strong sense of belonging to their local communities on the Quality of Life Index by 2030—last indicated as down to 48.1% from 53.5% by Statistics Canada.

The Minister will also become responsible for reaching the target to increase the real gross domestic product of Canada’s cultural sector by 4% by 2030. Monitored by Statistics Canada, GDP provides a comparable and comprehensive indication of economic activity across industrial sectors. According to the most recent reports in The Daily, real GDP for the culture sector decreased 0.6% in Q3 2025 as goods-producing subdomains continue to face challenges and jobs decline.

I wonder if the intent to grow GDP share is welcomed? I think that this indicator demonstrates overall sectoral health, not strategic government actions. Further, in taking steps to transform global governance, the Pact for the Future includes steps to improve how we measure human progress. One of which is going beyond GDP to capture human and planetary wellbeing and sustainability.

Historical Advocacy

Arts, culture and heritage do more than simply increase individuals' sense of belonging or national GDP and this could be better reflected in the final strategy. Existing government policy and historical Canadian advocacy, for example the cultural exception within the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), demonstrate a desire to construct, promote and preserve cultural diversity and a unique, collective Canadian national identity. At the same time, existing policies seek to maintain control of what are perceived to be instruments of power in the (re)production of political and civil communities (Smith, 2025).

On the one hand, longstanding concerns about American cultural imperialism have resulted in policy action through CUSMA (Smith, 2025). These ideas are illustrated by Carole Conde + Karl Beveridge’s artistic work, Free Expression, 1989, depicting fear of foreign corporate influences after free trade agreements were first introduced. “Projects of national identity attach meaning to ideology, values, people, geography, artifacts and monuments in a manner that suggests a larger meaning, one that binds a group of people together emotionally, philosophically, and politically,” (Smith, 2025). Sarah E.K. Smith would invite more inclusive and deliberative construction of pluralistic Canadian national identity.

On the other hand, arts and culture have been used to build new connections with trading partners like Mexico and the United States. For example, the 49th Parallel: Centre for Contemporary Canadian Art/49e Parallèle: Centre d’art Canadien ran from 1982 to 1992 as a model for cultural exchange with the U.S.. Miriam Kramer, Executive Director, Government Relations & Public Policy, OCAD University, reflected on the potential of cultural trade saying, “As a middle power with a global agenda, Canada could be leveraging culture to push forward its diplomatic objectives. However, as they stand now, Canada’s policy and program mechanisms are not in place for it to do that.”

Next Steps

While the deadline for consultation submissions has passed, an updated version of the draft 2026-2029 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy will be considered by Cabinet and tabled in Canadian Parliament later this year. In the meantime, interested people in Canada and Canadians can engage with their elected officials and each other on the goals within the strategy. The inclusion of a cultural goal within the draft FSDS is significant, but more can be done to engage additional arts, culture and heritage interest holders in government policy making.

How might you let arts, culture and heritage inform your next policy consultation or program development process?

References

Smith, Sarah E. K. Trading on Art : Cultural Diplomacy and Free Trade in North America. 1st ed. University of British Columbia Press, 2025.p, 15-16.

Pierre, Danielle Nadine. “A Primer on the Draft 2026-2029 Federal Sustainable Development Strategy.” Cultural Policy Hub, May 2026.