In the same week, the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) received a LEED Gold certification from the Canadian Green Building Council (CaGBC) and a Sustainable Tourism Award from the Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO). The LEED Gold certification was achieved for the MTCC’s south building in the Existing Building: Operations & Maintenance category, making the facility one of the first Canadian convention centres to earn the recognition.

“Achieving LEED® Gold Certification and receiving the 2014 Sustainable Tourism Award are great accomplishments for the Metro Toronto Convention Centre,” says Barry Smith, MTCC President and CEO. “We believe MTCC’s sustainability imperative has not only been the right thing to do, it has also proven to be a sound business decision. The LEED® award confirms the investments we have made and the direction taken to promote green strategies, are the right ones.”

Sustainable initiatives and facility changes adopted by the MTCC include:

• Lighting retrofits and automation systems to reduce energy consumption by 20 per cent since 2011;
• Ongoing efforts to operate, as much as possible, during low usage periods;
• The implementation of a program to divert 90 per cent of waste from landfills; and
• A 23 per cent increase in hosting green events in 2013.