York Region welcomes first network for businesses to reduce carbon footprint

YorkRegion.com
Sept. 27, 2016
Lisa Queen

The first of its kind in York Region, a new network will help businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

Aiming to be the hub for the region's low-carbon economy, the ClimateWise Business Network focuses on helping businesses set targets for reducing their greenhouse emissions.

Businesses will also reap the benefits through cost-savings, improved efficiency and increased profitability, Brent Kopperson said at the network's launch at Aurora's Aw Shucks Oyster Bar and Bistro.

Kopperson is the executive director of the Windfall Ecology Centre, which is running the network in partnership with Sustainability CoLab.

"This whole story started three years ago when we realized that we needed to find new and better ways to engage the business community," he said.

"We all knew that the business case for sustainability had never been stronger, but the trick was getting the business community on board and for that we needed a new model of engagement."

The four founding members of the network are the City of Vaughan, the Lake Simcoe Regional Conservation Authority, PowerStream, York Region.