Concert Properties puts focus on ESG at North Harbour

BIZ  Real Estate, ESG, Social  •  Apartments, Condominiums  •  National, Metro Vancouver

To alleviate loneliness within a city known more for its beauty than its neighbourliness, the City of Vancouver launched a Hey Neighbour social pilot project three years ago for apartment residents. It was introduced at Concert Properties’ The Remington.

Dream Office receives WELL Health-Safety Rating

Real Estate  •  REMI Network  •  Business Wire

Dream Office is Canada’s largest commercial portfolio to earn the WELL Health-Safety Rating for 25 buildings across the country. Its office spaces across Toronto, Mississauga, and Calgary have implemented a wide range of solutions, including improving ESG performance.

$1-billion Oakville lawsuit focuses on flood risk

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

Roughly 10 per cent of Canadian homes are at high risk of flooding, according to an estimate by the Insurance Bureau of Canada. A $1-billion lawsuit in Ontario’s largest town, Oakville, portends what might happen as more citizens become aware.

Low-carbon world needs $1.7T in mining investment

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail  •  Mining.com

Mining companies need to invest nearly $1.7 trillion in the next 15 years to help supply enough copper, cobalt, nickel, and other metals required for the shift to a low-carbon world, according to consultancy Wood Mackenzie.

Can oil-rich Alberta capture a low-carbon future?

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

At a research site in rural Alberta, carbon dioxide is injected deep into the ground. Using remote sensors, scientists monitor its movement to ensure the planet-heating gas does not migrate upwards.

Sponsored by Skyline Group of Companies When it comes to corporate sustainability planning, “prize effort over perfection”

COVID-19 has caused abrupt and immense changes in corporate direction and operations across Canadian workplaces. However, it has not succeeded in diminishing the call for companies to accelerate their corporate sustainability or ESG (environmental, social, governance) responsibilities.

Is “net zero” much ado about nothing?

Energy  •  GreenBiz

The five questions below represent a sampling of issues surrounding what net zero means—and doesn’t. These questions and others will be central to the free upcoming VERGE Net Zero conference in August.

ESG BS detector: iShares Low Carbon ETF

ESG  •  Corporate Knights

Back in the day, only the most committed hunted down ethical investments. Today sustainable investment funds are going gangbusters, hitting a global record of US$1.65 trillion by the end of 2020.

Walmart sourcing beef from certified sustainable farms

Real Estate  •  Canada Newswire

Walmart Canada is sourcing beef from certified sustainable farms according to standards set by the Canadian Roundtable for Sustainable Beef (CRSB). Additionally, Walmart has been granted permission to include a sustainability certification label on its Your Fresh Market beef patties.

Joe Fresh replacing plastic hangers to reduce waste

Real Estate, ESG, Waste  • 

Five Joe Fresh locations in Ontario and British Columbia have been piloting wooden hangers while phasing out plastic ones. As part of Loblaw’s plastics strategy, Joe Fresh is committed to phasing out plastic hangers in all stores by 2023.

Decoding ocean plastic terminology for brands

Waste  •  Sustainable Brands

While the terminology soup of recycled plastic sourcing is daunting, every ton of plastic recycled and put back into a circular economy is part of the solution. The key is for brands to be clear and honest with customers.

Sault Ste. Marie approved for 1st Canadian Smart Grid

Real Estate  •  SooToday  •  SaultOnline

PUC Distribution announced that the Ontario Energy Board (OEB) has approved its application to build the $34 million Sault Smart Grid Project. This project is the first of its kind in Canada.

Univ. of Regina hub helps reach net-zero emissions goal

Real Estate  •  Regina Leader-Post

Achieving a 40 per cent reduction in the country’s greenhouse gas emissions by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050 will take more than just research. The University of Regina officially launched the Canadian Energy Transition Hub (CETH) on April 15.

Renewable energy grew at fastest rate in 20 years

Real Estate  •  Globe and Mail

Renewable sources of electricity grew at their fastest rate in two decades in 2020 and are set to expand even more rapidly over the next two years, with high-capacity renewables likely to account for about 90 per cent of global power capacity.

Leclanché to provide tech for CP locomotive project

Real Estate  •  Canada Newswire  •  Railway Age

Swiss-based Leclanché SA will provide its battery technology to Canadian Pacific for its Hydrogen Locomotive Program. The CP hydrogen-powered locomotive pioneering project will retrofit a line-haul diesel freight locomotive with hydrogen fuel cells and lithium-ion batteries.

HSBC launches Green Deposits to aid decarbonization

Finance  •  Environmental Leader

HSBC today announced the introduction of Green Deposits in the United States, giving businesses an option to put cash reserves toward supporting decarbonization. The funds that clients place in Green Deposits are used to finance environmentally beneficial projects.

GE shareholders back plans for GHG report

ESG  •  Corporate Secretary

An overwhelming percentage of General Electric (GE) shareholders have—with the backing of the company’s board—voted to approve a proposal seeking a report on its efforts to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to the resolution’s proponent.

Manulife announces journey to net zero

Real Estate  •  Environmental Leader  •  Canada Newswire

Manulife announced a net-zero emissions commitment to support climate goals worldwide, recognizing the important role 37,000 employees, 118,000 agents, and over a trillion dollars in assets under management and administration can play in global climate solutions.

Europe to clamp down on air and water pollution

Real Estate  •  Toronto Star

The European Union is aiming to step up its efforts to cut pollution from sectors like industry and agriculture as part of its biggest economic overhaul to date. The overarching goal is to eliminate all harmful contamination by 2050.