Metro Toronto Convention Centre Wins TIAO Sustainable Tourism Award

Monday, November 2, 2020

The Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) is proud to announce that it has been honoured with the 2020 Tourism Industry Association of Ontario (TIAO) Award of Excellence for Sustainable Tourism. This award recognizes the MTCC for making an outstanding contribution to the practice and promotion of sustainable tourism in Ontario.

Sustainability is embedded in the MTCC’s corporate culture. Every year, the facility redirects 90% of event waste from landfill by recycling and donating food and materials to local charities. The centre’s charity partners, including Scott Mission, Margaret’s Housing and Community Support Services and the TDSB’s student nutrition program, support the most vulnerable in Toronto. In fiscal year 2019/20 alone, the centre diverted the equivalent of 35 garbage trucks of waste from landfill.

The MTCC offers every event the opportunity to go green. The facility was the first convention centre in Canada to offer events clean renewable power and the first in North America to use the app Voyage Control to reduce CO2 emissions during event move-in and move-out.

Additional innovative sustainable practices at the MTCC include the upkeep of rooftop beehives, a rooftop Chef’s garden, and a robust local food program. Approximately 65% of all food and beverage items procured by the facility are locally sourced. This reduces the traveling time for products and reduces the environmental footprint of procurement. MTCC employees also actively participate in sustainability initiatives throughout the year, including a spring cleanup, textile recycling, and creating departmental sustainability checklists.

“We are very pleased to be recognized for operating a world-class facility that is committed to sustainability”, said Lorenz Hassenstein, President and CEO at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. “At the MTCC, we help our customers plan successful events – and we believe success also means operating ethically, reducing our environmental footprint as much as possible, and making a positive impact in our community. We would like to thank TIAO for working hard to support tourism during this challenging time and our customers for contributing to the success of our sustainability programs.”

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• Lorenz Hassenstein Appointed as President & CEO of Metro Toronto Convention Centre