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Canada’s Top Sustainability Projects Honoured during Earth Week - Environmental Communication Options/Huff Strategy

Canada’s Top Sustainability Projects Honoured during Earth Week

Apr 20th, 2021 9:37 AM

Media Release Canada's Top Sustainability Projects Honoured during Earth Week "There is no vaccine for climate change - but these remarkable Canadian projects prove what's possible …" says award's founder. Toronto, April 20, 2021 - The 2021 "Canada's Clean50" list, released yesterday, celebrates the accomplishments of 50 individual sustainability leaders in 16 widely different categories and also identifies 20 Emerging Leaders and 5 Canadian business and climate heroes with Lifetime Achievement awards. The Canada's Clean50 Awards program also recognizes the remarkable impacts of individual projects, on the Clean50 Top Project list, released today. All can now be viewed at www.clean50.com . To be considered, Clean50 Executive Director Gavin Pitchford explains, "All ‘Top Projects' must demonstrate the 4 "I"s: be Innovative, Informative, Imitable, and above all, be Impactful. Each of the twenty-four on our list of 2021 Clean50 Top Projects exemplifies all four characteristics". "These Projects, selected from many nominees, have achieved measurable success in fighting climate change in very different and innovative ways, while helping Canada make the necessary transition towards a lower-carbon economy, building a more prosperous future for the country. "There is no vaccine for climate change - but the remarkable Canadian ingenuity demonstrated by these leaders provide some hope we can find ways to slow it down, and also ensure Canada is positioned for the low-carbon economy" says Pitchford, who founded the Clean50 awards 10 years ago. "The 2021 Projects are sometimes of significant scale, representing world or Canadian firsts", he continues. "This year they include the world's first major food company to become carbon neutral; the largest off-grid solar installation in the country, located in a remote First Nation community; the first multi-jurisdictional power purchase agreement in Canada; and the creation of a global regenerative soil conference that drew participants from 20 countries". And others are solutions to large, long standing critical problems: A First-Nation-led partnership that will connect 17 remote First Nations to the power grid - weaning all of them off diesel couldn't come a moment too soon. "But they also include unique solutions to smaller problems that many organizations can learn from, and imitate: For example, a company that vacated a million square feet of executive offices and manufacturing space, had 5.8 million pounds of unwanted "stuff", and found a plethora of unique ways to repurpose 5.4 million of those pounds. A College in Alberta that put solar panels everywhere - and are now getting over 60% of their energy from the sun - saving them significant sums of money, which is being used to improve and enrich students' lives. There are two projects every transit company in North America could imitate. One taught high school students how to use a bus - and increased transit ridership phenomenally. The other connected first-mile / last-mile solutions to the transit grid, enabling riders to use their transit pass to leverage bike or car share vehicles and then leave their car at home. The pilot worked so well, 60% of those trying the program kept using it. "These sometimes seemingly obvious solutions are driven by out-of-the-box thinkers - and can scale anywhere. Their potential impact is huge. And it's why we focus on amplifying the great work these organizations are doing". A record number of nominations were considered before the 2021 Honourees were selected. Pitchford, who Is also CEO of primary award sponsor Delta Management Group observed, "While the contribution of some winners are more high profile, every project on the Clean50 Top Project list released today has made substantial and significant contributions to fighting climate change". On September 30th, 2021, (assuming COVID permits), over 120 Clean50 incoming and alumni members will gather in Toronto for the Clean50 Summit 10.0. During 30 Working sessions throughout the day, 10 different groups of 12 thought leader participants will propose and discuss transformational responses to climate change. Cross-sector collaboration in the implementation of innovative solutions is vital if Canada is achieve net zero carbon emissions in transportation, from buildings and by consumers, fast enough to save humanity. The Clean50 Summit provides both the inspiration and the forum. The all-day sessions are followed by dinner and awards. The winners, their affiliations, locations and related information will be available, post 9:00 a.m. April 20th, 2021: go to https://www.clean50.com for more information. Media contact: Gavin Pitchford gpitchford@deltamanagement.com 416-925-2005 / 774-330-6606 The Canada's Clean50 award program and Summit were founded in 2011 by Canada's leading clean tech and sustainability executive search firm, Delta Management Group, and CEO Gavin Pitchford, in response to a trend the firm noted when performing executive searches on behalf of clients: While there was growing acknowledgement that climate change was real, and that broad solutions were needed, most were working within industry silos and not sharing information with anyone. Having identified the issue, Delta created the Clean50 award as a way to identify leaders from every sector, and then hosted the Summit as a way to bring those same leaders together. 98% of each year's honourees attend in person, and numerous past winners come back to continue to play a role in deliberations, learn new things, and get inspired one more time. Including small teams and Emerging Leaders, The Clean50 now numbers over 700 of Canada's climate-change-fighting rock stars, and the Summit has led to numerous cross-sector and within-sector collaborations. In addition, the Honourees' stories have inspired hundreds of Canadians to do more, and in many instances, simply take the inspiration and copy what the honourees had already proven could be done. "Period Underwear for Our Planet and All People": Aisle International (BC) "Pioneering Solar Power Purchase Agreement": Bullfrog Power, a division of Spark Power & Royal Bank of Canada (CA) "Decommissioning HQ & Manufacturing Operations": Celestica (ON) "Building Bridges - Nova Scotia Salt Marsh Restoration": Clean Foundation (NS) "Next Ride - E-Vehicle Awareness Initiative": Clean Foundation (NS) "Deep Lake Water Cooling Delivers Sustainability & Resilience to Major Hospital": Enwave Energy, University Health Network (ON) "SIRP - Edmonton's Stormwater Integrated Resource Plan": EPCOR (AB) "Opportunity Report - 22 Ideas for a Sustainable Future": Foundation for Environmental Stewardship (CA) "Alutasi Battery Powered Boat Conversion Project": Glas Ocean Electric, Sterling PBES, CDN Marine Engineering (NS) "Data Driven Solar Insights": Google Canada (AB) "SEMECS Varennes Anaerobic Digestion Project": Greenfield Global (QC) "Fort Chipewyan Off-Grid Solar Project": Hitachi ABB Power Grids, ATCO & 3NE (AB) "Kingston Transit High School Bus Pass Project": Limestone District School Board & Kingston Transit (ON) "World's First Major Carbon Neutral Food Company.": Maple Leaf Foods & Enviro-Stewards (CA) "Shared Mobility Compass Card": TransLink, movmi, Modo Co-operative, Evo Car Share, Mobi by ShawGo (BC) "Smart Grid Demonstration & Deployment Program": Natural Resources Canada (CA) "Zero Carbon Headquarters Renew + Refresh": Ontario Association of Architects (ON) "Alberta College Shifts to 60%+ Alternative Energy": Red Deer College (AB) "The Living Soils Symposium": Regeneration Canada (QC) "ALTRA Proven Resilient Water Main Technology": SANEXEN (QC) "Rethinking Construction Innovation Project": Scius Advisory, BC Housing & BC Construction Association (BC) "Prototype Energy Savings Performance Agreement ": The Atmospheric Fund, Toronto Community Housing & Affecting Change (ON) "Wataynikaneyap Power Project - Connecting 17 First Nations": Wataynikaneyap Power & Fortis Ontario (ON) "FutureXChange - Translating Knowledge into Youth-Led Action": Youth Climate Lab & Gwich'in Tribal Council (CA)