Environmental Sustainability

Since 1994, environmental protection, along with sport and culture, has been one of the three pillars of the Olympic Movement. For Canada, integrating environmental considerations into 2010 Winter Games decision-making processes is a natural demonstration of its commitment towards ensuring the Games deliver sustainable legacies for all Canadians.

Through innovative planning and design, Canada’s 2010 Winter Games facilities and supporting infrastructure will contribute to a foundation of sustainable development.

The Government of Canada and Sustainability

Source: Natural Resources Canada

In hosting the 2010 Winter Games, Canada is poised to demonstrate on the world stage its leadership in sustainable living while showcasing Canadian environmental technologies and best-practices.

Walking the talk includes implementation of green facilities, supply management and operations, and innovative, alternative energy technology and transportation networks.

The 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games offer the Government of Canada an opportunity to demonstrate to the world its leadership in sustainability.

Environment Canada and its partners are working to maximize sustainable legacies—environmental, economic and social—from the Games. Areas of focus include:

• promoting best practices for environmental sustainability and reducing environmental impacts;
• contributing to public education and awareness initiatives that will inspire action on sustainable living; and
• showcasing Canadian solutions and innovations that can be adopted worldwide.

The 2010 Winter Games will incorporate made in Canada solutions, and demonstrate what sustainability means for athletes, sponsors, and spectators.

Canada’s commitment to ensuring environmental benefits in the planning, delivery, and legacy of the 2010 Winter Games includes:

• Deployment of Environment Canada professionals in the provision of scientific and technical expertise for environmental assessments during the planning and design of facilities and venues.
• Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) principles being applied to new facilities to ensure that they use the least possible amount of energy for light, heat, refrigeration, and air conditioning. New venues will conserve water and materials, minimize waste, maximize air quality, protect surrounding areas, and provide environmental and community benefits over their lifetimes. LEED is the benchmark for high performance green building design, construction and operation.
• Careful selection of venue sites to avoid environmentally sensitive areas. Existing venues will be upgraded to highlight energy conservation and efficiency and to demonstrate alternative heating and cooling technologies. Where possible, renewable energy sources such as wind, solar, micro-hydro, and geothermal energy will be used to power and heat facilities.
• Sponsors, suppliers, contractors, and other partners are encouraged to follow sustainable procurement practices that comply with ethical sourcing guidelines.
• The Games’ public transit-based transportation systems will use strategies to reduce congestion, minimize local air pollution, and limit greenhouse gas emissions. Transportation will highlight the latest in low- and no-emission technologies, including maximizing the use of alternative fuels, and hybrid, electric, and propane vehicles in the 2010 vehicle fleet.

Walking the Talk

Copyright Government of Alberta, 2007

Source: Travel Alberta Image courtesy of Canadian Tourism Commission

Canadian Heritage is working with technical specialists at other federal departments including Environment Canada, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Health Canada, Transport Canada, Natural Resources Canada, and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency to ensure that potential environmental effects are being assessed of federal funded 2010 Winter Games venues. Those with potential effects are appropriately mitigated before the projects proceed.

Environmental Assessments have been successfully completed for the Whistler Sliding Centre, Richmond Oval, Whistler Alpine venue, Whistler Athlete’s Village, the Whistler Nordic Centre, the Cypress venue, and the Hillcrest Curling venue.

In addition to ongoing collaboration on the sustainability awareness and action campaign, Environment Canada partnered with the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Games and Industry Canada on a business case study to examine opportunities for improving the LEED certification level of the Vancouver 2010 Winter Games Curling Facility from LEED Silver to LEED Gold.

The Vancouver 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games will be remembered for Canada’s leadership in sustainability.