Doing better, together.
Do you want your next event to leave a positive impact? Together, we can make the events industry a sustainable industry. Whether you’re giving back, offsetting your carbon emissions or aiming to understand your event’s footprint, hosting a responsible event at the Edmonton Convention Centre is easier than ever.
The Edmonton Convention Centre is a certified Climate Smart business, a BOMA Best certified facility that achieved Road to Zero Waste recognition as well as the first venue in Canada to receive Green Key level five certification.
Below, you will find additional resources for making your meeting more environmentally sustainable when you’re at the Edmonton Convention Centre.
Embarking on the Zero Waste Express
The Edmonton Convention Centre is endeavoring to be a Zero Waste Facility.
“Zero Waste: the conservation of all resources by means of responsible production, consumption, reuse, and recovery of products, packaging, and materials without burning and with no discharges to land, water or air that threaten the environment or human health.”
- The Zero Waste International Alliance (ZWIA)
Why Zero Waste?
The Edmonton Convention Centers brings over 500,000 guests each year to learn, innovate, trade, and celebrate. Such a huge number of visitors results in a high volume of waste production in all streams, (reaching almost 200,000 kg/year); thus, having a significant impact on the environment. Leading the way in the sustainable events industry, we are redefining our methods to reduce the impact on our environment by becoming a zero-waste facility.
Edmonton Convention Centre is adopting a holistic approach to our operations. From diverting waste from landfill to avoiding waste production in first place, we aspire to be a ‘Zero Waste Facility’. As zero waste is not just about managing the waste, but to rethink our consumption habit.
With this Zero Waste Facility certification, we are creating best practices and resources to lay a stronger foundation for the future of the event industry.
Our Journey towards the Goal
We are striving for an ambitious goal of keeping 90% of our facility waste out of the landfills by 2025.
To achieve the goal, the Edmonton Convention Centre is:
- Conducting waste audits to understand our waste generation points and the composition of our facility waste.
- Utilizing aerobic digestion technology eliminates the production of methane gas and reduces emissions related to the transportation of waste.
- Phasing out single use plastic items and bringing reusable items in use; using recyclable signage.
- Donating left-over food to the food bank and unused items post event and much more…
Waste Management
- In 2023, the Edmonton Convention Centre successfully diverted 62% (108,588 kg) of waste generated from hosted events from landfill. We have a goal to reach 90% waste diversion by 2025.
- In 2023, our venue donated 2,312 kg (over 4,000 meals) to the Edmonton Food Bank through the Second Helping Program.
Our waste management program includes compost, recycle, paper and waste bins located in both front and back-of-house areas. We conduct event waste audits for clients interested in minimizing the waste generated at their events. Ask our Sales team or your Event Manager for more information.
Sustainable Permaculture
Connecting you to North America’s largest urban parkland, the Edmonton Convention Centre contributes to our city’s urban biodiversity. Our property features an indigenous medicine wheel garden on the rooftop of our Riverview Room, an herb and vegetable garden that is kept by kitchen staff and a monarch butterfly preservation garden.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan
The Edmonton Convention Centre has committed to implementing operational and behavioral changes that will reduce its greenhouse gas emissions 15% by 2025 and 30% by 2035 (from 2018 levels). View the complete 2020-2035 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Plan HERE.
