Recent Collaborations

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME)'s Extended Producer Responsibility Task Group is developing a framework for a Canada-wide strategy for sustainable packaging. As a stakeholder, My Sustainable Canada provided feedback on the CCME's draft set of sustainable packaging initiatives, definitions and guidelines.

The Canadian Standards Association is funding a scoping study to explore the need for national standards for sustainable products. As part of this scoping study, several stakeholders and thought leaders including My Sustainable Canada have been approached to provide informed opinions on sustainability attributes of products.

My Sustainable Canada is working with Natural Resources Canada's Office of Energy Efficiency to develop strategies to help healthcare facilities implement ENERGY STAR purchasing practices. Results from a pilot ENERGY STAR benchmark questionnaire at University Health Network revealed the need amongst healthcare purchasing decision makers for additional guidance and encouragement to implement energy-efficient purchasing policies and practices. Potential next steps include the development of a national ENERGY STAR purchasing program that will assist healthcare officials in choosing the most energy efficient products in the marketplace. Such product choices not only save money from less energy consumption, but reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality.

As chair of the Ontario Snow Resorts Association's Environmental Best Practices Taskforce, My Sustainable Canada is responsible for developing innovative initiatives that promote sustainable consumption behaviours amongst the ski and snowboard community. With the support of Natural Resources Canada's FleetSmart Program, the Taskforce has recently developed a program that offers ski resorts the opportunity to improve air quality, save fuel, reduce noise and reduce climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions by undertaking initiatives that reduce engine idling practices amongst ski resort staff (i.e. vans, trucks, snowmobiles and other fleet) and visiting drivers (i.e. vans, highway trucks, school buses, motor coaches and other fleet).

Together, My Sustainable Canada's Tania Del Matto with the University of Waterloo's Dr. Daniel Scott, has co-authored a paper entitled: "Sustainable Ski Resort Principles, an Upward Journey" for publication in the Elsevier, Advances in Tourism Research Series.

As an advisor to the Region of Waterloo (ROW), My Sustainable Canada provides its research, policy, training and community outreach expertise on the development, promotion and education aspects of the ROW's Environmental Sustainability Strategy. This collaborative effort seeks to develop sustainable consumption related options, indicators and targets that will help the Region's transition towards a more sustainable community.

Measuring sustainability is an important means of evaluating a municipality's progress towards a more sustainable community. My Sustainable Canada serves as an advisor on the City of Pickering's Responsible Consumption Working Group. This group has been instrumental in helping to develop indicators and targets related to responsible consumption for the City of Pickering's Measuring Sustainability Initiative.

   Past Accomplishments of our Management Team

For the first time in Canada material on the topic of sustainable consumption has been compiled specifically for youth between 14 and 18 years old. "Consume This:  Buying That Matters" is a 40 page guidebook intended to help raise awareness among youth about the effects that their choices have on the environment. By illustrating simple ways to reduce personal environmental impacts the booklet empowers youth to participate in sustainable consumption activities in their own lives and in their communities.