What are the SDGs?

What are the SDGs?

In September 2015, all the member states of the United Nations - including Canada - adopted 17 goals: the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The goals aim to address social, economic and environmental challenges. By bringing together both developed and developing countries, the SDGs are a roadmap to achieve better and more sustainable futures for all. The timeline for achieving the goals is 2030 – less than nine years away.

The SDGs have been criticized and praised (see here section on intersectional critiques) for a variety of reasons. While imperfect, these goals are among the best global frameworks for guiding action we have. For those working towards systemic change, the SDGs represent objectives to which we can hold our governments accountable, provide a yardstick for progress, and act as a common ground as we work for change in partnership with actors across sectors, departments, and levels of government. 

With close knowledge of the needs in communities as well as the levers for change, civil society organizations are uniquely poised to help Canada meet these goals.

Some of this work is funded by the Government of Canada's Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Funding Program. The opinions and interpretations on this page are those of Food Secure Canada and do not necessarily reflect those of the Government of Canada.