Ngā mahi tiakina me ngā whakaritenga taiao
We’re an environmental regulator managing the use of air, soil, water, and land. We work with mana whenua, stakeholders, and communities to protect and sustain our natural environment.
There are eight services in Environmental Regulation and Protection:
18
Service measures
15
Achieved
2
Not achieved
1
Not measured
Service measure 1: Notify and then make operative the Canterbury Regional Policy Statement (RPS) and targeted amendments to the Land and Water Regional Plan (LWRP), and undertake a review of the Regional Coastal Environment Plan (RCEP), as part of developing an integrated planning framework.
Target: Notify RPS and targeted amendments to the LWRP.
Result: Notifying the RPS and targeted amendments to the LWRP were not achieved for 2024/25.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. The target in 2023/24 was to prepare the draft Canterbury Regional Policy Statement and Section 32 report, and this target was achieved. In November 2025, decisions made by the Council in response to amendments to the Resource Management Act meant we paused our work on the RPS and Plan Change 8 and the target was not achieved.
Service measure 2: Percentage of resource consent applications processed in accordance with statutory timeframes.
Target: 50% of applications processed.
Result: We achieved 62.1% in 2024/25, exceeding our 50% target. This was a strong improvement on the 26.1% result in 2023/24.
This measure reflects the statutory requirement to process resource consent applications within defined timeframes. The improvement from 2023/24 is a result of addressing a backlog of applications and improved systems and processes.
Service measure 3: Ratio of the number of resource consent applications in process at the start of the financial year compared to the number in process at the end of the same financial year.
Target: Ratio of ≥1.
Result: We achieved a ratio of 1.55 in 2024/25, exceeding the target of ≥1. This is a strong improvement on the 2023/24 result of 1.07 (unaudited result).
This is a new measure for 2024/25. We monitor the number of applications in process at any point in time and a ratio >1 indicates that we are not building up another backlog of consent applications. No comparison result is available for 2023/24 as tracking of this data began in late 2023. The unaudited result for Jan – Jun 2024 (1.07) was positive. The number of applications in process continued to drop throughout 2024/25, giving an increased ratio of 1.55.
Service measure 4: Audit score for quality of processing of a sample of consent applications where decisions were issued.
Target: Not measured in 2024/25.
Result: The audit of the quality of our work was not measured this year. We undertake this audit every other year. The most recent results for 2023/24 was 93.5% (very good).
Service measure 5: Percentage of resource users improving their compliance status in a set of targeted categories.
Target: Identify categories and establish baselines.
Result: In 2024/25, we focused on identifying targeted categories and establishing baselines to support future measurement of compliance improvements.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. We have identified six categories of resource use and a small subset of resource users within each category. We have determined their compliance status. This has created a baseline for us to compare against at the end of 2025/26. Refer to page 40 of the Annual Report <<< link to report>>> for details.
Service measure 6: Percentage of instances of significant non-compliance where we take action.
Target: 100% of instances.
Result: In 2024/25, the target was 100%, and we achieved 100%.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. It provides visibility of our approach to ensuring action is taken when our staff identify significant non-compliance, so that environmental risks and harms are mitigated.
Service measure 7: Percentage of reports of elevated environmental harm incidents assessed and assigned within two hours of receipt of report.
Target: 75% or more.
Result: 82.9% of elevated environmental harm reports were assessed and assigned within two hours, exceeding the target of 75%. The result for 2023/24 was 81.9% (unaudited result).
This is a new measure for 2024/25. It provides an overview of how we respond to reports of environmental harm incidents that are categorised as elevated, rather than standard. The 2024/25 result is consistent with the previous unaudited result from 2023/24.
Service measure 8: Percentage of reports of all environmental harm incidents assessed and assigned within 24 hours of receipt of report.
Target: 90% or more.
Result: 93.2% of all environmental harm reports were assessed and assigned within 24 hours, exceeding the target of 90%. The result for 2023/24 was 95.3% (unaudited result).
This is a new measure for 2024/25. It provides an overview of how we respond to all reports of environmental harm incidents. The 2024/25 result is consistent with the previous unaudited result from 2023/24.
Service measure 9: Percentage of Tier 2 marine oil spills responded to in accordance with our Marine Oil Spill Response Plan.
Target: 100% Tier 2 marine oil spills responded to.
Result: 100% of Tier 2 marine oil spills were responded to in accordance with the Environment Canterbury Marine Oil Spill Response Plan, meeting the target. This was the same for 2023/24 (unaudited result).
This is a new measure for 2024/25. It is a subset of environmental harm incidents and relates to marine oil spills within the waters of the Waitaha Canterbury region or any oil spill that has the potential to enter marine waters of the region.
Service measure 10: Percentage of known active sites where Eradication or Progressive Containment Pests are controlled to prevent pest reproduction (excluding wilding conifers).
Target: 95% or more.
Result: 84.2% of known active sites had Eradication or Progressive Containment of Pests controlled to prevent reproduction, below the target of 95%.
This is a new measure for 2024/25.
This measure covers our work to eliminate key pests listed as Eradication or Progressive Containment Pests in the Canterbury Regional Pest Management Plan, where the locations are known. Annually, we inspect those areas that are active (i.e. areas where pests have been found within the past 10 years) and eliminate any pests found.
We did not achieve the target for 2024/25, with 96 of 114 sites (84.2%) covered, short of the 95% target. Sites with a known risk of pest spread were prioritised. Those sites that were not inspected this year had a low risk of pest spread and will be prioritised for inspection in 2025/26. There are no environmental implications expected to arise from this delay.
Service measure 11: Percentage of known areas at high-risk of immediate spread of Eradication or Progressive Containment pests that are searched (excluding wilding conifers).
Target: 95% or more.
Result: 95.5% of high-risk areas were searched for Eradication or Progressive Containment pests, exceeding the target of 95%.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. We measure our work to visit and search locations where there is a high risk of Eradication or Progressive Containment Pests being present, but not yet been recorded, to eliminate these pests if present. This replaces previous, non-comparable pest management targets from 2023/24.
Service measure 12: Number of natural inland wetlands physically assessed for extent and values.
Target: 50 or more assessed wetlands.
Result: 55 natural inland wetlands were physically assessed for extent and values, exceeding the target of 50.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. We report on wetland extent and condition as part of a new rotational monitoring programme. After approximately 10 years, repeat assessments of sites will begin, enabling trends in wetland condition at a regional scale to be understood. This replaces previous, non-comparable wetland targets from 2023/24.
Service measure 13: Number of braided rivers monitored for extent and values of terrestrial aspects.
Target: 2 or more braided rivers monitored.
Result: 2 braided rivers were monitored for terrestrial aspects, meeting the target.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. The braided river monitoring programme covers 25 rivers, and the aim is to monitor all over the course of approximately 10 years as part of a rotational monitoring programme, with at least two monitored each year. We monitor the degree of indigenous vegetation cover, indigenous species diversity, the degree of weediness and habitat diversity. This replaces previous, non-comparable braided river targets from 2023/24.
Service measure 14: Percentage of biodiversity projects being delivered in priority areas.
Target: 100% of projects delivered.
Result: 100% of biodiversity projects were delivered in priority areas, meeting the target.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. We measure whether we are prioritising our investment in biodiversity through the protection of priority areas, as defined in the Canterbury Biodiversity Strategy, and also the national priorities for protection identified in the Regional Policy Statement. This replaces previous biodiversity targets from 2023/24.
Service measure 15: Percentage of annual mahinga kai targets achieved on projects established through programmes delivered in partnership with ngā Papatipu Rūnanga.
Target: 80% or more mahinga kai targets achieved.
Result: 82% of annual mahinga kai targets were achieved on projects delivered in partnership with ngā Papatipu Rūnanga, exceeding the target of 80%.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. Annually, mahinga kai targets are set by the respective Rūnanga, Environment Canterbury and any other programme partner. In 2024/25, five targets were set under the Whakaora Te Waihora and Whakaora Te Waikēkēwai work programme. The extent to which mahinga kai targets are effective in delivering on ngā Papatipu Rūnanga and Environment Canterbury expectations is evaluated.
Service measure 16: Percentage of Environment Canterbury State of the Environment monitoring programmes from which data are updated and published throughout the year.
Target: 100% data updated and published.
Result: 100% of Environment Canterbury State of the Environment monitoring programmes had data updated and published throughout the year, meeting the target.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. We measure whether we have made our State of the Environment monitoring data and information on water, land, air, and coastal environment publicly available. This replaces 2023/24 targets, including a target to ‘collect and publish data on our and Land Air Water Aotearoa websites’, which was met in 2023/24.
Service measure 17: Percentage of State of the Environment monitoring data that meet technical standards and are quality assured.
Target: 100% of data meets technical standards and is quality assured.
Result: 100% of State of the Environment monitoring data met technical standards and were quality assured, meeting the target.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. This measure provides assurance on our State of the Environment monitoring programme data quality against associated technical standards and other requirements, using standards set by external agencies and by us.
Service measure 18: Percentage of applicants satisfied/very satisfied with Environment Canterbury’s contestable funding allocation processes.
Target: 80% or more applicants satisfied/very satisfied.
Result: 87.5% of applicants were satisfied or very satisfied with Environment Canterbury’s contestable funding allocation processes, exceeding the target of 80%.
This is a new measure for 2024/25. We measure satisfaction with the clarity of information provided, transparency of decision-making, and how well we are communicating by asking all applicants to complete a short survey after funding rounds have been completed.
For paper copies of the full Annual Report, please contact our advisory team.