Woodbine Entertainment Group Sponsors Earth Rangers

Partners in Project Green launches Kids in Nature Corporate Challenge and brings Nature Closer to the classroom

In a recent Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) survey of 631 teachers, 81 per cent of respondents identified cost or funding as a significant barrier to student participation in field trips. To help give students the opportunity to experience wildlife inside or outside the classrooms, TRCA and Earth Rangers, through Partners in Project Green, have launched the new Kids in Nature Corporate Challenge.

The challenge is designed to encourage corporations to make a difference by sponsoring local schools in need. Through the Earth Rangers “Bring Back the Wild” live animal show, the program brings the wonder of wildlife into schools to educate students about the threats facing the environment. The program also includes a class visit to the Kortright Centre for Conservation to experience nature first hand.

“Woodbine Entertainment Group was eager to take up the The Kids in Nature Corporate Challenge. As the Partners in Project Green Founding Business Partner, we are prepared to lead by example and become a gold sponsor.” stated Jane Holmes, Vice President Corporate Affairs. “The company is committed to being a leader in environmental sustainability and, as a strong community partner, we invest in programs which develop youth to become tomorrow’s leaders. This program achieves both objectives.”

The goal is to bring this program to 50 schools in priority neighborhoods in and around the Pearson Eco-Business Zone. The zone consists of12,000 hectares of industrial and commercial land surrounding Toronto Pearson, including land from the municipalities of Mississauga, Toronto and Brampton.

The first business leaders to rise to the challenge include Woodbine Entertainment Group, the Greater Toronto Airports Authority and Enersource Hydro Mississauga. "Enersource is excited to support the Kids in Nature Corporate Challenge," said Dan Pastoric, Executive Vice President & COO, Enersource. "This program complements our commitment to preserving the environment, while also providing local youth with a valuable educational experience – right in our own backyard!"

“For more than two decades, teachers have been bringing classrooms to Kortright Centre for Conservation, to experience nature first hand,” said Darryl Gray, Manager, Education, TRCA. “It’s unfortunate that many students can’t afford to participate in field trips, especially when this kind of hands-on learning and exploration helps children to not only understand nature but appreciate it better. Thanks to Partners in Project Green business leaders, students will now have an opportunity to discover the amazing environment at Kortright.”

A per school sponsorship fee of $2,000 includes: Full day field trip to TRCA’s Kortright Centre for Conservation for 6th grade class (includes all teaching, transportation, games)
School visit from the Earth Rangers Bring Back the Wild Program
Teacher resources and Classroom activities

• Business benefits:
  (1) A charitable tax receipt for the value of your support
  (2) Letters from the class you have supported
  (3) Recognition as a Kids in Nature Class Sponsor
  (4) Opportunity to send representatives to attend annual clean-up event

“Earth Rangers is excited to collaborate with the TRCA and Partners in Project Green for the Kids in Nature Corporate Challenge. The program will enable us to reach audiences that were previously inaccessible due to funding. Earth Rangers goal is to engage and enable children to become directly involved in wildlife conservation and this program is a collaborative way for corporate sponsors to get help,” Peter Kendall, Executive Director and Co-CEO of Earth Rangers.

Sponsors can select from three sponsorship tiers: Platinum Level (10+ schools), Gold Level (5-10 schools) and Bronze Level (1-5 schools). For more information about this program please go to www.trca.on.ca/kidsinnature.

Partners in Project Green Establishes Sustainable Hospitality Consortium

Partners in Project Green Establishes Sustainable Hospitality Consortium
-Six Leaders in Toronto’s Hospitality Sector Work Together to Find Sustainable Solutions -

(TORONTO – August 11) Partners in Project Green (PPG), an initiative led by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA) and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), has established a new Sustainable Hospitality Consortium. This is the first of its kind in the GTA. The Partners in Project Green Sustainable Hospitality Consortium is a facilitated team of organizations in the Pearson Eco-Business Zone that are committed to attaining World Class Environmental Sustainability Performance. A survey by the Hotel Association of Canada this year showed an increasing awareness of environmental issues among hotel guests and an increased importance to the promotion of eco-friendly practices to their guests. The hospitality sector in the Pearson Eco-Business Zone, 12,000 hectares in the Greater Toronto Area that includes the entire Toronto Pearson International Airport as well as portions of the Region of Peel, City of Toronto, City of Mississauga and City of Brampton, had a total energy consumption of 2,505,000 GJ in 2008. Members of the Hospitality Consortium are striving to reduce their consumption by leveraging each other’s strengths through sharing, learning and improving to achieve accelerated results in their sustainability programs.

Toby Lennox, Vice President of Corporate Affairs and Communications at the Greater Toronto Airports Authority stated that “The hospitality sector is an important and long-standing employer in the Pearson Eco-Business zone. This resource group will bring together hospitality companies to share best practices, learn from each other and drive down costs while accelerating sustainability initiatives for employers such as hotels and others in this sector located in the vicinity.” Mr. Lennox added, “The Partners in Project Green Sustainable Hospitality Consortium is another great example of how the Pearson Eco Business zone is creating a competitive advantage for business through collaboration with the surrounding community.”

Members of the Partners in Project Green Sustainable Hospitality Consortium are committed to environmental sustainability for their organization. Members include: the Greater Toronto Airports Authority, Delta Toronto Airport West, Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport, International Centre, Sandalwood Suites Hotel Toronto Airport and Woodbine Entertainment Group.

"Woodbine Entertainment Group is committed to environmental sustainability throughout its operations,” said Jane Holmes, Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Woodbine Entertainment Group, Founding Business Partner and Ambassador of Partners in Project Green. “The PPG Sustainable Hospitality Consortium facilitates dialogue between like minded hospitality operators to share and develop best practices for our industry."

Each member of the consortium will have full ownership over the direction of the consortium through the creation of a vision and an annual strategic plan, while all administration for the team is the responsibility of Partners in Project Green. Sharing, learning and improving are facilitated through consortium events, individual member company coaching days, and facility assessments. Membership privileges include sustainability diagnostic for measurement and development of individual members, access to the High Performance Consortium Network (a national network) and access to specialized resources.
“The International Centre is committed to ‘greening’ our business and working with others to share resources and best practices,” said Michael Prescott, CEO, International Centre. “The PPG Sustainable Hospitality Consortium was conceived by our Director of Operations and Sustainability, Trevor Lui, who is engaging our partners in the community to ensure that the Pearson Eco-Business Zone receives international recognition.”

Each member of the PPG Sustainable Hospitality Consortium are already leaders in their sector when it comes to striving to be green and have accomplished the following:

o Between 2004 and 2008 the Greater Toronto Airports Authority saved approximately $13 million on electricity and $730,000 on heating and cooling through various energy saving initiatives

o The Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport is on track to become Canada’s first LEED Certified Hotel, which sets it as a flagship leader in green building

o The International Centre has implemented a vigorous Sustainability Program, and works with Ontario farmers to provide local food options for events

o Delta Toronto Airport West has successfully achieved a 4 key rating under the Hotel Association of Canada's Green Key Eco-Rating Program which is a direct result of the hotel's commitment to sustainability through its recycling and energy savings programs


o Woodbine Entertainment Group (WEG) has aggressive energy management practices in place, which included a $2 million dollar retrofit of their boiler systems, resulting in savings of approximately $500, 000 every year, and WEG was awarded the Recycling Council of Ontario’s Gold Minimization Award in 2009 for its commitment to sustainability

o Sandalwood Suites Toronto Airport has partnered with LiveClean to calculate their carbon footprint, find ways to reduce that footprint, and offset what they can't avoid


About Partners in Project Green
Partners in Project Green, an initiative led by the Greater Toronto Airports Authority and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, is a growing community of businesses working together to green their bottom line by creating an internationally-recognized Eco-Business Zone around Toronto Pearson. Through new forms of business-to-business collaboration, Partners in Project Green delivers programming that helps businesses reduce energy and resource costs, uncover new business opportunities, and address everyday operational challenges in a green and cost-effective manner. For more information, visit www.partnersinprojectgreen.com

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Media contacts for information and registration:
Rowena Calpito, Supervisor, Media Management, Toronto and Region Conservation
Tel: 416-661-6600 ext 5632, Mobile: 416-358-3446 E-mail: rcalpito@trca.on.ca

WEG Staff Join Partners In Project Green's Tree Planting in Support of Earth Week

An enthusiastic group of WEG employees showed up today at King's Park in Mississauga to show their support of Partners in Project Green's annual tree planting.

Special thanks to Michael Burns Jr. for all the fun photos.

Back Row:
(L to R) Karen DeRosa, Catharine Winkler, Crystal Richer, Wendy Loiselle, Glen Hales, Greg Winkler, Michael Eves

Front Row:
(L to R) Kasia Kuzinska & husband, Christina Barth & daughter, Karen's son Jaylen, Sandy Hawley and Lawrence Ong

PPG Spoofs the Office and their Green Team

Looking for a little chuckle, check out the Partners In Project Green's spoof of the Office and their Green Team http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TyHFV-SGZvg

Woodbine Entertainment Group Supports Earth Hour

Woodbine Entertainment Group announced today it will join thousands of organizations and almost a billion people around the world and participate in Earth Hour on Saturday, March 27.

Now in its third year, Earth Hour combines the conservation efforts of a wide range of corporate and government groups, as well as hundreds of millions of citizens, all of whom will turn off their lights and reduce their electricity consumption for 60 minutes from 8:30 pm to 9:30 pm.

"We continue to throw our full support behind Earth Hour and the awareness it will create," said Jane Holmes, vice-president of corporate affairs, Woodbine Entertainment. "We will do whatever we can to rein in whatever excess power we can find."

It may seem like business as usual during Saturday night's regular standardbred card under the lights, but nothing could be further from the truth. While the stadium lights remain on to conduct racing safely, behind the scenes, WEG's Director of Infrastructure & Energy Efficiencies, John Marhong, has mapped out a plan that will save about 500,000 watts of electricity.

Woodbine's Earth Hour initiatives will reach this level by eliminating lighting in certain areas of the grandstand and administration areas, and also by lowering air and water temperatures. Woodbine's exterior front sign, one of the two infield LED displays and any other non-essential lighting will also be turned off.

At other WEG properties, such as Greenwood, WEGZ, Turf Lounge and Mohawk, attempts also center around reducing non-essential lighting to a minimum.

Marhong credits Woodbine's Building Automation System for helping to optimize WEG's energy saving strategy. The technology is so intricate that Marhong has the ability to control electric, heating and air conditioning systems inside Woodbine from anywhere he can hook up his laptop computer.

"Earth Hour gives us the opportunity to test our Building Automation System to see what else can be shut down with minimal impact," added Marhong.

It's pivotal to find new ways to improve the system because it puts WEG in a stronger position to respond quickly in the event of a power curtailment.

Since 2006 WEG has invested approximately $1 million dollars a year on green initiatives. In 2009 WEG re-invested $2.3 million in Green Capital Expenditures to ensure responsible energy management and long term sustainability at both its Woodbine and Mohawk racetracks.

"We encourage our employees and customers to consider how their actions effect the environment. We challenge everyone to find ways of reducing the size of the ecological footprint they leave behind," said Holmes.

In upcoming Earth Day events, WEG employees will be showing their support for the environment on April 24, when employees are planting trees at the Partners in Project Green's second Annual Earth Day Tree planting event. On May 1, employees will be picking up trash along the roadways surrounding Mohawk Racetrack in support of the Nassagaweya Clean Up.

Celebrate Earth Day - April 24, 2010

Another Earth Day is upon us, and we would like to invite the employees of Woodbine Entertainment Group to celebrate at the Partners in Project Green 2nd Annual Earth Day Tree Planting event.

This fun-filled day will give you the opportunity to lend a hand in restoring the Etobicoke Creek along side other like minded companies in the Pearson Eco-Business Zone.

The event will take place on Saturday, April 24, 2010 along the Etobicoke Creek at Dixie and Derry Roads from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lunch will be provided.

WEG employees who are interested in volunteering should contact Wendy Loiselle at 416 675 3993 ext.2377 or via Email at wel@woodbineentertainment.com

Pearson Eco-Business Zone Hospitality Sector Consortium - Information Meeting

Pearson Eco-Business Zone Hospitality Consortium - Information Session

Is your business looking for ways to drive down costs and speed up your sustainability
initiatives?

If so the Pearson Eco-Business Zone Hospitality Consortium is the venue
for you. Come to this morning networking session to learn how this group
of hospitality peers can help everyone reduce costs, while greening the
airport hospitality strip.

This morning networking session will include:

An overview of the Pearson Eco-Business Zone Hospitality Consortium; Information on how your organization can become a member; Details on how you can reduce your costs; and,
highlights on local companies who are turning green into cost savings and
new clients.

• Highlights from Local Sustainability Leaders:
  
• Woodbine Entertainment Group's sustainability initiatives have saved them
  an estimated $475,000 annually in energy costs.
  
• Hilton Garden Inn Toronto Airport built Canada?s first new-build hotel
  through the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) green
  building certification program.
  
• The International Centre has developed a comprehensive Corporate
  Sustainability initiative which has resulted in hundreds of businesses
  aligning with its program and booking their events in its CSR-focused
  event venue.
  
  Event details are as follows:
  Date: Wednesday March 24, 2010
  Time: 8:30 a.m. ? 12:00 p.m.
  Location: International Centre, 6900 Airport Road, Mississauga
  Directions: http://www.internationalcentre.com/maps-and-directions
  
• For further information, please contact Jennifer Taves at 416-661-6600,
  extension 5570 or email jtaves@trca.on.ca.
  To register please visit:
  http://www.partnersinprojectgreen.com/
  
  
  
  

Partners in Project Green launches Cool Rexdale

Partners in Project Green launches Cool Rexdale - a program to boost the local economy and create green jobs


This article can be found on the Partners in Project Green website thru the following link http://www.partnersinprojectgreen.com/news-and-media/269-partners-in-project-green-launches-cool-rexdale-a-program-to-boost-the-local-economy-and-create-green-jobs

Partners in Project Green today announced the launch of Cool Rexdale, a new program that will help to improve the economic, social and environmental vitality of Rexdale, one of Toronto’s priority neighborhoods. The eco-roof program encourages local businesses to save energy and green their bottom line by installing green or cool roofs. In turn, the program will create the opportunity for local youth to start a career in the eco-roof industry.

Cool Rexdale provides full-service support including access to superior roofing systems, financial assistance through the City of Toronto’s Eco-Roof Incentive Program and discounted eco-building materials through the Clinton Climate Initiative Purchasing Alliance. Cool Rexdale is a partnership between Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA), Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), Woodbine Entertainment Group, City of Toronto, Semple Gooder Inc., and Sheet Metal Workers’ and Roofers’ Local Union 30.

The program also aims to connect Rexdale youth to green jobs. Together, Semple Gooder, Toronto Employment and Social Services, and other community partners will recruit and train new pre-apprentice roofers, while the Union will provide safety training and help to integrate youth into the roofing industry. An information session for youth will be held on February 8 at 6 p.m. at Elmbank Community Centre, 10 Rampart Road.

“This partnership is a wonderful example of the difference we can make when we all work together,” says Toronto Mayor David Miller. “Rexdale has a high concentration of large flat roofs that tend to absorb sunlight and heat, which is a particular concern as global temperatures rise. By encouraging businesses to go green, we can address this challenge, create green jobs, reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions, and beautify our city.”

Cool Rexdale builds upon the City of Toronto’s Eco-Roof Incentive Program that is designed to promote the use of green and cool roofs on Toronto’s commercial, industrial and institutional buildings. Cool and green roofs can help businesses reduce their heating and cooling costs and extend the life of their roofs. Green roofs, which support rooftop vegetation, also help clean our air, enhance biodiversity and retain storm water and its pollutants.

“We are very excited to be associated with Cool Rexdale”, said Jane Holmes, Vice President Corporate Affairs, Woodbine Entertainment Group, a key partner in providing funding to get the program started. “We’re proud to be involved with such an elite partnership group, and such a unique program that not only champions environmental sustainability, but does so in a way that helps the youth from this community get valuable hands-on job training in the green economy. To further support our commitment to Cool Rexdale and the emerging eco-roofing industry, I’m pleased to announce that Woodbine will include cool roof specifications in all its future roofing tenders.”

The community of Rexdale is a natural partner for the program because it is a priority neighbourhood situated next to the Pearson Eco-Business Zone and is also home to the Rexdale Business Park which features more than 1,400 businesses employing more than 46,000 workers.

“The GTAA is proud to be partnering with the TRCA on this worthwhile initiative” says Toby Lennox, Vice-President of Corporate Affairs and Communications at the GTAA. “The Cool Rexdale program will allow other companies to easily gain the same advantages that the GTAA has in our Fire Emergency Services and Training Institute, which features a green roof. This program is excellent for all involved and we will look to partner with the Rexdale community on future eco-roof opportunities for our buildings.”

“The Cool Rexdale Program is exciting because it helps businesses realize the financial benefits of reduced energy costs, while having a positive impact on the environment, and ensuring that local residents share in the benefits of the emerging green economy,” said Brian Denney, CAO, Toronto and Region Conservation.

WEG Employees Lend a Hand at Pearson Eco-Business Zone's - Fall Tree Planting Event

Over 75 employees from Lovat, Woodbine Entertainment Group, Semple Gooder, Tremco, Unisourc, Camfil Farr, Green Energy Technologies, Kuehne and Nagel, Worley Parsons, Chrysler Canada, Molson, Lowe Martin Group, Bayer Inc, and Canadian Tire, as well as citizens, were there to lend a hand in restoring Mimico Creek while learning about the importance of watershed restoration.

Tree Planting Along Mimico Creek

Great big thanks to Horseplayer Interactive's Michael Eves, Glen Vales and Gurmeet Kajala who joined a spirited group of volunteers from the Partners in Project Green, at a tree planting event today.

Volunteers planted over 750 trees in the North Mimico Valley Park located at the corner of Disco Road and Carlingview Drive (directly across from Lovat).

The addition of these trees and shrubs is part of the Mimico Creek watershed restoration project lead by Chris Ricketts and his team from Toronto and Region Conservation Authority.

Thanks again Michael, Glen and Gurmeet for coming out today, representing Woodbine Entertainment Group and demonstrating your support of WEG's commitment to the Partners in Project Green.

Partners in Project Green - Fall Tree Planting

Join fellow businesses, their employees and families along the Mimico Creek for Partners in Project Green`s Fall Tree Planting Event.

This fun-filled event will give you the chance to lend a hand in restoring the Mimico Creek, while learning about the importance of watershed restoration in the company of other like-minded employees from the Pearson Eco-Business Zone.

The event will include:

Native tree and shrub planting along the Mimico Creek
Creek clean-up
BBQ and refreshments
Event details are as follows:

Date: Saturday, October 24th, 2009
Time: 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Location: North Mimico Valley Park (Disco Road and Carlingview Drive, Toronto – Park at Lovat located at 441 Carlingview Drive)
Cost: FREE

If you are interested in joining WEG's team of volunteers please contact Wendy Loiselle at 416 675 3993 ext.2377 or wel@woodbineentertainment.com

WEG Congratulates the GTAA's Partners In Project Green

The Mississauga News announced today that the organization that runs Pearson International Airport has been honoured for its efforts to make environmental sustainability a daily reality.
The Greater Toronto Airports Authority recently received Airports Council International-North America's Special/Innovative Projects award as part of the organization's 2009 Environmental Achievement Awards.
The honour recognizes the GTAA's Partners in Project Green and Pearson Eco-Business Zone program.
Partners in Project Green, launched in 2008, is a partnership between Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and the GTAA that "seeks to deliver programming to help businesses reduce resource costs, uncover new business opportunities and address everyday operational challenges in a green and cost-effective manner."
The GTAA said Pearson's "eco-business zone" is home to more than 12,500 businesses and 355,000 employees in sectors related to transportation and logistics, automotive supply chain, food and beverage processing, as well as businesses directly related to the airport. The goal of the program is to allow the GTAA and other businesses an opportunity to implement projects and business initiatives that turn challenging environmental goals into practical and sustainable business opportunities.
In a release announcing the award, ACI-NA lauded the GTAA for "showing significant leadership in moving this project forward."
Pearson is the first airport to earn the award.
"We are extremely proud to receive this award from ACI-NA," said GTAA president and CEO Lloyd McCoomb. "So much work has gone into the development of this program, which is significant because it doesn't just focus on energy and waste management issues, as important as they are, but it also looks at green space improvements, employee health and productivity and, ultimately, green jobs."

WEG is Partners In Project Green's Founding Business Partner. For more information on this project go to www.partnersinprojectgreen.com.