The GTAA was thrilled to be honoured by the Airports Council International – North America (ACI-NA) with an award for the Partners in Project Green and Pearson Eco-Business Zone program. Toronto Pearson is the first airport to win in the new Special/Innovative Projects category in the ACI-NA 2009 Environmental Achievement Awards.

Launched in October 2008, Partners in Project Green is the culmination of a partnership between Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) 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. As Canada’s largest employment area, the Pearson Eco-Business Zone is home to more than 12,500 businesses and 355,000 employees in major sectors related to transportation and logistics, automotive supply chain, food and beverage processing, as well as businesses directly related to the airport.

“We are extremely proud to receive this award from ACI-NA,” said Lloyd McCoomb, President and CEO of the GTAA. “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.”
“The TRCA congratulates the GTAA on winning the ACI-NA’s Environmental Achievement Award for our innovative Partners in Project Green initiative,” said Chandra Sharma, Senior Watershed Specialist for TRCA. “This international recognition not only strengthens the GTAA’s leadership in driving Canada’s largest employment area towards an economic and environmental renaissance, but is also evidence that our vision of creating an internationally-recognized ‘Pearson Eco-Business Zone’ is closer to becoming reality.”
In their release announcing the award, ACI-NA commends the GTAA for “showing significant leadership in moving this project forward.”

The goal of the program is to allow the GTAA and other businesses within the Toronto Pearson Eco-Business Zone the possibility of implementing projects and business initiatives that turn challenging environmental goals into practical, sustainable business opportunities. The project will transform the 12,000 hectares of industrial and commercial land surrounding Toronto Pearson into North America’s largest eco-business zone.