Warning: Undefined array key "HTTP_REFERER" in /homepages/6/d125890587/htdocs/Client/HuffStrategy/MediaManager/ReadRelease.php on line 34
Corporate Knights magazine releases Canada's first Green Provincial Report Card - Environmental Communication Options/Huff Strategy

Corporate Knights magazine releases Canada's first Green Provincial Report Card

Apr 22nd, 2009 4:27 AM

Attention: News/National/Business Reporters and Assignment Editors Canada's First Green Provincial Report Card BC claims title as Greenest Province; Ontario is #2; Nunavut is #3; PEI pulls up the rear; Alberta edges out Quebec (Toronto, Canada, April 22, 2009) Corporate Knights released the first comprehensive environmental report card today for all of Canada's provinces and territories. The Green Provincial Report Card, which considered environmental performance across ten equally weighted categories-including greenhouse gases, organic food, green energy, green jobs, water use, biodiversity and car dependency-ranked BC at the top of the class with an overall score of 69 per cent for being tops in green jobs, green buildings, organic food, and energy efficiency. Although the survey methodology adjusted for size of population and economy, Prince Edward Island pulled in at the bottom of the class due to poor energy efficiency, high car dependency, extreme paucity of protected land, and a dearth of certified green buildings. Contrary to the dirty and clean image that contrasts Alberta with Quebec, the Wild Rose Province edged out La Belle Province. While Quebec's abundance of large hydro dams powered it to the pinnacle of carbon efficiency per unit of economic output, in the areas of biodiversity, water use, and biodiversity protection, Alberta scored twice as high as Quebec. NATIONAL REPORT CARD PROVINCE TOTAL GRADE BEST BC 69% C+ ON 67% C+ NT 66% C+ YT 57% C- NU 56% C- AB 55% C- NS 53% D SK 50% D FAIL QB 49% F MB 46% F NB 40% F NL 38% F PE 32% F While significant efforts have been made to comprehensively grade the environmental performance of Canada as a country against other OECD countries, the Corporate Knights Green Provincial Report Card is the first attempt to present a comprehensive eco-grading for Canada's provinces and territories. "Our hope is that this clear presentation of provincial eco-performance will be seized upon by leaders across Canada looking to ramp up their region's eco-resiliency," said Toby Heaps, editor of Corporate Knights. "There are only two letters of difference between a green society and great society but they have more in common than just semantics. The ability to seize green economic opportunities will be the fundamental driver for which societies rise and fall in the 21st century," Heaps said. The survey was based on Government of Canada web sites and reports, and data from surveys carried out by independent environmental organizations including Friends of the Earth, Canadian Energy Efficiency Alliance, Ecojustice, Eco Canada, Global Forest Watch, LEED Canada, and the Organic Agriculture Centre of Canada. The full results of the Ranking, including a full methodology and flash display, are available at www.corporateknights.ca/greenprovinces and are summarized in the Earth Day issue (Vol. 7.4) of Corporate Knights, distributed in the Globe and Mail today. -30- To schedule interviews with Toby Heaps, Editor-in-Chief, contact: Don Huff, 416-972-7404, huffd@ecostrategy.ca About Corporate Knights: Founded in 2002, Corporate Knights Inc. is an independent Canadian-based media company focused on promoting and reinforcing sustainable development in Canada.