Federal auditors say it’s “difficult” to determine what good came from a $59.8 million subsidy program created to promote United Nations policies and the so-called sustainable development goals. Blacklock's Reporter says the five-year program was launched in 2021 by then–International Development Minister Karina Gould, who at the time promised it would lead to “a brighter future for everyone.”“It was found each individual project funded by the program has its own expected outcome,” said an internal audit by the Department of Social Development. “However inconsistent tracking of outcomes especially in terms of raising awareness made it difficult to draw conclusions about the program’s ability to increase awareness about the sustainable development goals.”The Valuation Of The Sustainable Development Goals Funding Program 2025 report said the cabinet spent nearly $60 million to promote the UN’s Agenda for Sustainable Development — an international framework with 17 broad goals, including “gender equality,” “decent work,” climate action, peace and justice, and the elimination of poverty..Auditors criticized the program for vague objectives and a lack of measurable results. “Most funded projects were found to be broadly focused rather than targeting specific areas,” the report said. “Focusing on specific sustainable development goals would allow projects to be more targeted in their approach.”Many of the organizations that received grants claimed “awareness raising” as their main achievement, but auditors found few could prove any increase in public awareness. “Few tracked changes in awareness levels,” the report said. “There are inherent challenges associated with informing the performance of programs that aim to support a broad range of activities seeking to influence a framework like the sustainable development goals.”.At the time, Gould called the program ambitious. “The goals lay out a path for us, past the global pandemic, towards a healthier, more prosperous and inclusive world,” she said. “While the goals are ambitious, they remain our road map to a brighter future for everyone.”Recipients of the federal funding included $900,000 to the University of Laval, $849,368 to the Ocean Wise Conservation Association in Vancouver, $780,000 to Concordia University, $421,903 to the United Nations Association of Ottawa, and $200,000 each to the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians, the University of Calgary, and the University of Waterloo.Other grants went to Fanshawe College of London, Ont. ($198,000), the University of Sherbrooke ($196,000), the YWCA ($185,000), the Aga Khan Foundation ($100,000), Volunteer Canada ($100,000), the University of Winnipeg ($100,000), the Alberta Council for Global Cooperation ($99,945), the Atlantic Council for International Cooperation ($99,994), and Fleming College of Peterborough, Ont. ($99,760).
