On June 16, 2009, at a special celebration in Prince Edward Island, the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME) presented the City of Toronto with a Pollution Prevention Award in the category of greenhouse gas reductions.
Councillor Paula Fletcher, Chair of the Parks and Environment Committee, celebrates the City’s Pollution Prevention Award with fellow committee members and senior City staff at a recent meeting.
This is the first time the City has received this prestigious honour from CCME, a group comprised of fourteen environment ministers from the federal, provincial and territorial governments. Since 1997, the CCME has presented the award annually to companies and organizations that demonstrate leadership in greening their own operations and preventing pollution at its source.
The City of Toronto is committed to protecting our air and building a cleaner, more healthy environment. CCME recognized City Council for its aggressive Climate Change, Clean Air and Sustainable Energy Action Plan, specifically its initiatives leading to a reduction in corporate greenhouse gas emissions by over 40 per cent against 1990 levels.
Noteworthy City-led initiatives contributing to this achievement include:
- The energy retrofit of 1,500 City-owned buildings;
- The conversion of 4,000 City-owned vehicles to more energy efficient models;
- The upgrade of over 1,900 traffic lights to LED lights; and
- The capture of methane gas at three City-closed landfills to generate new electricity.
Toronto’s Exhibition Place was also awarded an Honourable Mention in the same category for its leading efforts to reduce energy consumption and implement renewable energy technologies, such as solar and geothermal systems.
"It is an honour for the City to receive this award, and for our actions on climate change to be recognized on the national stage. As City Councillors we know how much Torontonians care about the environment. We know that they want to see action. This award shows that we are listening, and are leading by example through our operational efforts to combat climate change."
Councillor Paula Fletcher
Chair, Parks and the Environment Committee
