Emissions, Waste, and Water Reductions
We are a network of York Region organizations leading the way in sustainability
I want to know how my organization can take real action on climate change. Tell me more about joining ClimateWise
I want to support York Region business taking action on climate change. Tell me more about ClimateWise members
Save the date! Green Economy Canada is hosting their second webinar on the Sustainable Development Goals on February 25. This is a great opportunity to learn how your business can set targets, measure progress, & report on your Sustainable Development Goals.
An exciting initiative just launched! Green Economy Canada has launched the SME Net-Zero Pathways: Manufacturing pilot project in partnership with Pembina Institute. ClimateWise members Riverside Natural Foods Ltd. (Home of MadeGood and GOODTO GO) and Reesor's Market & Bakery join the first cohort of businesses to explore how they can get to net zero emissions.
Registration for the 2021 ClimateWise Challenge is now open! If you are a building owner, manager, or tenant, you can take part in this exciting opportunity to take action on climate change while reducing costs and increasing asset value. Register one or more of your buildings today!
Joining us today is Wayne Emmerson, Chairman and CEO for The Regional Municipality of York. Wayne announces his endorsement and support for the ClimateWise Challenge and speaks to the steps York Region has taken to tackle the climate crisis.
Joining us today is Steven Costa, the National Solutions Developer of Energy Storage and Distributed Energy at Ameresco, Inc. Steven will discuss understanding and improving your building's existing energy infrastructure and facility use profiles.
Joining us today is Graham Seaman, P.Eng., LEED AP, CEM, the Director of Sustainability and Asset Management for the City of Markham. Graham will discuss the municipal energy plan and long-term vision to reach net zero by 2050.
Jeff Ranson, Regional Director for the Greater Toronto Area chapter of the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC), joins us today for day two of the ClimateWise Building Challenge virtual preview.
Kicking off our weeklong virtual preview and celebration of the ClimateWise Challenge is Mayor John Taylor from the Town of Newmarket, Ontario and Brent Kopperson, Founder and Executive Director of Windfall Ecology Centre. Mayor Taylor speaks on the importance that municipalities in York Region place on energy reduction practices invites all York Region Mayors and commercial business to participate in this initiative as we collaborate in the transition to a low carbon economy.
Join in on the fun! A virtual preview introducing the ClimateWise Building Challenge, hosted by ClimateWise Business Network, will begin on November 30. The weeklong preview will include presentations with messages from key industry and municipal figures in York Region.
We're thrilled to be working alongside BOMA Toronto to deliver the ClimateWise Building Challenge to achieve economic and environmental benefits.
On November 5, 2020 BOMA Toronto held their 2020 race2Reduce Commercial Real Estate Trailblazers (CREST) awards event virtually. The event was a big success that we were proud to be part of. During the awards, Brent Kopperson, the Founder and Executive Director of Windfall Centre was honoured to provide a congratulatory statement to the winners and participants of the race2race program. The success of the program paved the way to bring a building challenge to York Region under our ClimateWise Business Network program.
The Atmosphere Fund (TAF) announced a $40 million Canada fund in partnership with the Federation of Canadian Municipalities, City of Toronto, and the Government of Canada, bringing the total assets to $90 million. The significant green impact fund will drive further collaboration with cities across the GTHA community as well as Canada on bold new climate actions.
Financial assistance is available to help commercial and institutional building owners and operators implement the ISO 50001 energy management system standard. Implementing ISO 50001 within your organization will result in energy and cost savings and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The third episode of the Getting to Net Zero webinar series will seek to better understand the challenges and opportunities through a panel discussion with local business leaders who are pursuing a net zero strategy. Save your spot today!
ClimateWise Business Network founding member, the Regional Municipality of York, has been named one of Canada's Greenest Employers for 2020 by Mediacorp Canada Inc. Mediacorp is Canada's largest publisher of employment-related periodicals.
In 2019, Maple Leaf Foods became the world's first major carbon neutral food company. Patrick Huynh of Maple Leaf Foods will join Stephen Boles of AET Group Inc. to discuss the company's carbon management journey and its benefits.
In the second episode of our popular Getting to Net Zero webinar series, we will present the what, why, and how of carbon offsets. Space is limited and the first webinar in this series filled up fast.
For the 2020 reporting year, the Government of Ontario will accept the submission of data to the Energy and Water Reporting and Benchmarking (EWRB) initiative until October 1, 2020. This is intended to be a one-time relief extension due to COVID-19. The Benchmarking Help Centre remains open to help with Portfolio Manager questions.
ClimateWise founding member Alectra Utilities was selected by The Electricity Distributors Association (EDA) for its 2020 Environmental Excellence award. One of Alectra's signature accomplishments is reducing almost 1500 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions since 2016 - representing a 15% decrease in emissions. Congrats!
Officially launched by Newmarket Mayor John Taylor, the Mayors' Energy Challenge sets up a friendly competition between York Region municipalities to aid commercial building owners in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Charting the path for SMEs to reach net-zero emissions
Article taken from Green Economy Canada
Canada has set a goal of achieving net-zero emissions by 2050. Yet, how small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) — the backbone of our economy — can be leveraged to reach this necessary and ambitious goal has been largely overlooked. To help address this gap, Green Economy Canada, in partnership with the Pembina Institute, has launched the SME Net-Zero Pathways: Manufacturing pilot project.
This pilot project has three phases.
We are currently working with the first cohort of businesses which include: Almac Industrial Systems, Heeman’s, London Brewing Co-operative, Reesor’s Markets, Riverside Natural Foods, and Rodlin Instruments. These businesses are seeing a growing awareness of net-zero targets from customers, suppliers, competitors and regulators, but have indicated they need more guidance on how their own operations can reach net-zero and the business case to do so. This pilot will help them develop a net-zero roadmap and give them an opportunity to identify the supports they need to carry out the changes like specific policies from the government, green lending rates from financial institutions, peer-learning from similar businesses, and guidance to leverage and communicate their net-zero commitment to customers.
There are two types of eligible recipients for the funding:
The funding will be used to reimburse eligible project costs as follows:
Eligible project expenditures include salaries and benefits, professional, scientific and technical fees specific to the energy management system, fees for data collection, benchmarking and analysis services, metering equipment, as well as other expenditures directly related to the project.
For more information, refer to Financial assistance for commercial and institutional buildings.
There are two types of eligible recipients for the funding:
The funding will be used to reimburse eligible project costs as follows:
Eligible project expenditures include salaries and benefits, professional, scientific and technical fees specific to the energy management system, fees for data collection, benchmarking and analysis services, metering equipment, as well as other expenditures directly related to the project.
For more information, refer to Financial assistance for commercial and institutional buildings.
ClimateWise Business Network follows the principles laid out by the GHG Protocol Corporate Standard.
York Region Business Energy and Emissions Profile (BEEP) provides insight into York Region's carbon emissions.
Brain Power is a leader in after-school enrichment, with environmental sustainability and social justice embedded in its innovative curriculum. Creating an eco-build location with a paperless learning environment, Brain Power is also spearheading efforts to improve waste diversion within the Schwartz/Reisman Lebovic Campus Community Centre. Integrating park clean-ups, tree-planting expeditions, and Earthship construction into its experiential learning, Brain Power encourages students to engage in transformative projects related to the environment and climate change.
ClimateWise and Green Economy Canada members speak up on climate change and business sustainability:
