PortsToronto Releases Sixth Annual Sustainability Report

Toronto (May 11, 2021) — PortsToronto is proud to present its sixth-annual Sustainability Report, which offers a comprehensive look at the organization’s efforts in the past year with respect to its longstanding mission to protect Toronto’s waters, support its community and innovate for a sustainable future. 
 
In this report, for the first time, PortsToronto has aligned its environmental initiatives with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs). The UN-SDGs are 17 specific goals intended as a universal call to action to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The framework has been adopted by government bodies around the world including the Canadian federal government in its Federal Sustainable Development Strategy for Canada.
 
PortsToronto’s priorities focus on the areas in which the organization can have the greatest impact and influence in building a sustainable future, namely Climate Action; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Life on Land; Partnerships for the Goals; Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure; and, Decent Work and Economic Growth. The report also features a comprehensive performance summary, which provides a detailed overview of the organization’s achievements to date, and clearly defines PortsToronto’s future goals in sustainability as well as areas for improvement as the organization continues to assess the impacts of its efforts.
 
“In this report, we have put our organization through its paces in identifying projects and initiatives that we are proud of as well as areas in which we need to improve in order to reach our future targets,” said Geoffrey Wilson, Chief Executive Officer, PortsToronto. “We also acknowledge that the year 2020 looked much different than we had originally planned. However, thanks in no small part to the perseverance and grit of our team, we took these challenges in stride and did what we could to continue working toward our goals. From implementing infrastructure improvements in the vicinity of Billy Bishop Airport as part of the City of Toronto-led Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Plan, to supporting the University of Toronto Trash Team’s innovative plastic pollution-fighting research through the award-winning PortsToronto Seabin Program and progressing our effort to convert our airport ferry to electric power, we continued to prioritize projects and initiatives that benefit our community and the environment.”

In 2020, PortsToronto continued to implement sustainable practices, support its community and the wellbeing of its employees, and invest in programs and infrastructure that protect the environment and grow Toronto’s economy.
 
Some of these initiatives include:
  • Converting Billy Bishop Airport’s Marilyn Bell I passenger/vehicle ferry to electric-power, which will significantly reduce noise associated with ferry operations and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 530 tonnes. This project is expected to be completed in 2021;
  • Completing the Billy Bishop Airport Cityside Modernization Project, an important component of the City of Toronto-led Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Plan which included the complete reconstruction of the Eireann Quay roadway and sidewalks, as well as climate resiliency measures including permeable paving to reduce storm water runoff and urban heat island effect;
  • Completing the build of a new space at the Port of Toronto tailored to the needs of the Works and Environmental Services team – an essential team that ensured the safe continuation of many of PortsToronto’s signature projects throughout 2020, including dredging, flood protection and wetland creation;
  • Continued to support leading research on plastic and microplastic pollution in our waterways, and incorporate the use of innovative trash-trapping technology in our harbour cleaning efforts as part of the PortsToronto Seabin Program; and,
  • Continuing to choose 100% green electricity from Bullfrog Power—the only port authority and airport in Canada to do so.
The PortsToronto Sustainability Report was prepared in consultation with Delphi Group, a pioneer in sustainability and environmental risk management with more than 25 years of experience helping some of Canada’s best-known companies improve the sustainability of their organizations.
 
To read PortsToronto’s full sustainability report, click here or visit www.portstoronto.com.

About PortsToronto
For more than 100 years PortsToronto has worked with its partners at the federal, provincial and municipal levels to enhance the economic growth of the City of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area. PortsToronto owns and operates Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport; the Outer Harbour Marina, one of Canada's largest freshwater marinas; and, Marine Terminal 52, which provides transportation, distribution, storage and container services to businesses at the Port of Toronto. PortsToronto is committed to fostering strong, healthy and sustainable communities and has invested more than $12 million since 2009 in charitable initiatives and environmental programs that benefit communities along Toronto's waterfront and beyond. PortsToronto operates in accordance with the Canada Marine Act and is guided by a nine-member board with representation from all three levels of government.
 
About Delphi Group
The environmental priority areas detailed in the Billy Bishop Toronto City Airport Sustainability Report were assessed by Delphi Group. As a pioneer in sustainability and environmental risk management, the Delphi Group has more than 25 years of experience helping some of Canada’s best-known companies improve the sustainability of their organizations — as well as the local and global communities in which they operate.
 
 
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Media Contact:
Jessica Pellerin
Media Relations and Public Affairs Specialist
PortsToronto
Cell: (647) 298-0585
E-mail: jpellerin@portstoronto.com