Environmental Services — April 13, 2009

Leading Companies in Canada Join Forces to Help Build Green Economy

    
    Over $40 Billion in Buying Power Will Create Demand for Green Products
    and Services, Green Jobs
    

    TORONTO, April 13 /CNW/ - Greening Greater Toronto, an initiative of the
Toronto City Summit Alliance (http://www.torontoalliance.ca/), today announced
the creation of a working group of over 25 senior executives from some of
Canada's most recognized organizations who will encourage and lead other
organizations to buy products and services that minimize environmental impact
and create green jobs. The working group, called the Green Procurement
Leadership Council, represents approximately $40 billion in annual buying
power.
    "Our goal is to harness purchasing power to help the environment, build
Ontario's green tech sector and create permanent jobs, and the formation of
the Green Procurement Leadership Council is a vital first step," said David
Pecaut, Greening Greater Toronto Co-Chair, Chair of the Toronto City Summit
Alliance, and Senior Partner and Managing Director, The Boston Consulting
Group. "In addition to helping the environment and the green economy, Greening
Greater Toronto has demonstrated that green procurement can also deliver
significant return on investment, and the Leadership Council will share these
best practices with others."
    According to Greening Greater Toronto's June 2008 report
(http://www.greeninggreatertoronto.ca/pdf/Report.pdf), commercial and public
sector organizations create 64% of the Toronto region's waste, over 70% of the
total waste going to landfill, and almost half of the region's carbon
emissions. However, green procurement has been inhibited by a lack of
accessible information for commercial and public sector buyers about best
practices and about how and where to find and assess green products and
services in Ontario.
    "Commercial and public sector organizations can significantly reduce
their environmental impact when they work together," said Eva Ligeti,
Co-Chair, Greening Greater Toronto, and Executive Director, Clean Air
Partnership. "Our collaboration has begun with the shared goal of making the
Greater Toronto Area the greenest city region in North America, and we look
forward to positive outcomes for the environment as the journey continues."

    Green Procurement Marketplace Event: May 11-12

    To help companies identify and purchase green technologies and services,
Greening Greater Toronto, with the Toronto Region Research Alliance, will
present the inaugural Green Procurement Marketplace on May 11-12, as part of
the Ontario Centre of Excellence Discovery '09 conference
(http://www.ocediscovery.com/). The unique Marketplace event will present
innovative green technologies and services that deliver environmental benefits
and positive business returns. Green technology firms, industry experts, and
corporate procurement leaders will join together to network, explore new
technologies, and develop strategies to integrate green purchasing for
sustainable practices. The Marketplace will be a highlight of Discovery '09, a
major two-day conference offering a compelling combination of keynote
speakers, green tech demonstrations, expert panels and a technology tradeshow
with far-reaching appeal for every participant. For more information on
Discovery '09 and how the Marketplace agenda is shaping up, please visit
http://www.ocediscovery.com

    
    Green Procurement Leadership Council member organizations include:

    - BMO Financial Group                 - Province of Ontario
    - Bullfrog Power Inc.                 - RBC
    - Celestica                           - Regional Municipality of Halton
    - CIBC                                - Sears Canada
    - City of Toronto                     - Social Housing Services
    - Deloitte & Touche LLP                  Corporation
    - Dupont Canada                       - Sustainable Development
    - Green Enterprise Toronto               Technology Canada
    - GTA-Clean Air Council (Clean Air    - TABIA
       Partnership)                       - TD Bank Financial Group
    - National Bank Financial Group       - TELUS
    - Ontario Centre of Excellence for    - Toronto Atmospheric Fund
       Earth and Environmental            - Toronto Community Housing
       Technologies                          Corporation
    - OCETA: Ontario Centre for           - Toronto Hydro Corporation
       Environmental Technology           - Toronto and Region Conservation
       Advancement                           Authority
    - Ontario Power Authority             - University of Toronto
    - Ontario Power Generation            - Waste Management of Canada
    - PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP

    In addition to creating the Green Procurement Leadership Council and the
Green Procurement Marketplace, Greening Greater Toronto's other green
procurement plans
(http://www.greeninggreatertoronto.ca/about_procurement.asp)include:

    -   Creating a Green Supplier Database - identifying high potential green
        technologies available in Ontario to support and promote
    -   Holding Strategy Forums - convene industry and business leaders to
        develop strategies to advance the profile and adoption of high
        potential technologies
    -   Promoting Green Procurement Principles - create a toolbox
        consolidating demonstrated best practices which other organizations
        can adopt
    -   Developing Procurement Portal - deepen buyer awareness of green
        technologies available through an online listing of green suppliers
        that will ultimately include economic and performance data for
        specific products and programs
    

    About Greening Greater Toronto

    Greening Greater Toronto (www.greeninggreatertoronto.ca) is an initiative
of the Toronto City Summit Alliance, a coalition of civic leaders who develop
and launch solutions to pressing social and economic challenges in the Toronto
region. More than 150 partners from corporations, industry, government, and
the non-profit sector have joined the Greening Greater Toronto initiative,
which aims to make the Greater Toronto Area the greenest city region in North
America, and are engaged in four initial programs to address the region's
environmental challenges, including: driving a large-scale retrofit of Toronto
region commercial buildings; creating a local emissions reduction fund;
developing a green procurement initiative; and building a network of public
education/demonstration centres.

For further information: To find out more or to get involved: Tamara
Balan, Greening Greater Toronto, (416) 955-4220,
Tamara.balan@torontocitysummit.ca; Media Inquiries: Chris Conrath, Environics
Communications, (416) 969-2716, cconrath@environicspr.com

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