Ontario Recognizes Outstanding Achievements in Environmental Protection

Province Announces Winners of the Minister’s Award for Environmental Excellence

Ontario is recognizing the outstanding efforts of local champions doing their part to protect the environment and helping Ontario achieve its commitment to transition to a zero-waste, low-carbon and growing economy.

Each year, the Minister’s Award for Environmental Excellence recognizes individuals, advocacy groups, companies, municipalities and post-secondary institutions in outstanding work and innovation in environmental protection.

Recipients of the 2016 award are taking action to reduce pollution, fight climate change and protect Ontario’s environment for generations to come by:

• Promoting waste reduction and resource recovery by recycling computer parts and using cutting-edge technologies to recharge batteries
• Reducing greenhouse gas pollution by using innovative tools to conserve energy and increasing energy efficiency in the building sector
• Helping prepare for the negative impacts of climate change by increasing the resilience of infrastructure and natural landscapes in cities.

These efforts support the province’s move toward a circular economy, which reuses and recycles valuable materials destined for landfills, protecting the environment while creating new jobs and investment opportunities.

The work of these organizations and individuals also supports the government’s own actions to combat climate change, including putting a cap on pollution and investing all proceeds from the province’s carbon market into programs like energy efficient home retrofits, electric vehicle incentives and new cycling infrastructure to help families, communities and businesses reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

Protecting our environment and fighting climate change is part of our plan to create jobs, grow our economy and help people in their everyday lives.