PortsToronto is committed to sustainability and protecting the environment. Whether it’s the Billy Bishop Airport, the Outer Harbour Marina or the Port of Toronto, we conduct our operations in a manner that is consistent with protecting the environment, building and preserving natural habitats and ensuring that we give back to the communities that we serve.

PortsToronto’s environmental mandate is to keep Toronto Harbour clean and its environmental strategy is to reduce energy costs, protect natural habitats and promote the use of renewable resources.

Some of PortsToronto’s key initiatives include:
 

Sustainability Report
Since it began recording its progress in annual Sustainability Reports more than seven years ago, PortsToronto has woven environmental best practices into the fabric of its operation and has proven its dedication to preserving and protecting Toronto’s waters, supporting its community, and innovating for a sustainable future.

The seventh edition of its Sustainability Report focuses on the areas in which the organization demonstrates a high level of environmental performance, highlighting what makes PortsToronto stand out among its industry peers. To read the report, click here.

Renewable EnergyGreen footprint
PortsToronto is one of the top users of Bullfrog Power in the country and has chosen 100 per cent green electricity since 2010, meaning its Scope 2 emissions have been 0 for more than a decade. PortsToronto and Billy Bishop Airport are the only port authority and airport respectively in Canada to choose Bullfrog Power green electricity across all of its operations and facilities.

Since joining the bullfrogpowered community, PortsToronto has displaced more than 28,252 tonnes of CO2 — the same amount of CO2 emissions produced by the consumption of 11,977,885 litres of gasoline. This is the equivalent of taking 6,131 cars off the road for one year or diverting more than 9,606 tonnes of waste from the landfill.

PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program 

Researchers estimate that 10,000 metric tonnes of waste enter the Great Lakes annually, and plastic litter can harm wildlife and contaminate drinking water. Trash trapping technology, like Seabins, can play an important role in capturing floating plastics and microplastics and removing them from the water. In fact, Seabins in the PortsToronto network have the capacity to remove 230,000 small pieces of plastic from the Toronto Harbour per season.

The PortsToronto Trash Trapping Program employs trash trapping technology and solutions-based research to tackle plastic pollution and protect Toronto’s waters for future generations. It is led by PortsToronto and the U of T Trash Team, in partnership with the Waterfront Business Improvement Area (WBIA) and the City of Toronto BIA Office Innovation Grant, Nieuport Aviation, the Toronto Zoo, Harbourfront Centre and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). Click here to learn more about the program.
 

Billy Bishop Airport's Marilyn Bell I, Canada's First Truly Electric, Zero-Emission Ferry 
The Marilyn Bell I ferry at Billy Bishop Airport is the first completely electric, lithium-ion ferry in Canada, powered by 100 per cent renewable wind and solar energy through PortsToronto's partnership with Bullfrog Power. Its new electric propulsion system, entirely devoid of fuel components, will eliminate GHG emissions from the ferry operation – reducing the airport’s Scope 1, or direct, emissions by an estimated 530 tonnes per year.

The retrofitted ferry will also greatly reduce operational noise in the area, building on Billy Bishop Airport's award-winning Noise Management Program and signalling PortsToronto’s commitment to invest in, and act on areas of improvement within its operation. A cleaner, greener, quieter operation benefits our community, our business and most importantly, the environment in which we operate. Learn more about this project here

Sustainability Best Practices at Outer Harbour Marina 
The OHM has a reputation for excellence, including as it relates to environmental stewardship. In 2021, the OHM earned the Green Anchors Gold rating in the Clean Marine Eco-Rating Program from the Ontario Marine Operators Association for the 11th year in a row – one of the highest rankings attainable for marinas that follow environmental best practices.

Keeping Vehicles Off Toronto’s Roads and HighwaysCargo ship
Shipping bulk cargo through the Port of Toronto reduces traffic congestion on Toronto’s roads and highways and is a more efficient way to transport goods.

In fact, one tonne of freight can travel 240 kilometres on a single litre of fuel by ship, vs. only 30 kilometres by truck. The cargo delivered to the Port of Toronto took approximately 57,000, 40-tonne trucks off Toronto’s already congested roads and highways in 2021.

In addition, with the expansion of Toronto’s urban landscape, construction materials based at the Port of Toronto’s storage and staging areas travel shorter distances to get to the worksite, cutting down on construction costs, congestion and unnecessary fuel emissions.

Harbour Clean-Up Program and Hotline
Through its Harbour Clean-Up Program, PortsToronto protects water resources in Toronto’s Harbour by removing approximately 150 million pounds of material including debris, silt and driftwood from the Keating Channel and Toronto Harbour each year. As part of this commitment, PortsToronto also has a 24/7 Harbour Hotline (416-462-3937) to respond immediately to any reports on pollution, spills or debris in the Harbour.