The Robertson Building

From May 31 to June 2, the University of Toronto hosted The Natural City conference that helped participants "rethink how urban and natural environments can be integrated to promote sustainability." Several of our tenants were invited to speak including, Chris Winter, Executive Director of the Conservation Council of Ontario (CCO, Suite 132) who reminded participants that any time is a good time for conservation.

Launched in 2005, CCO's Doors Closed program gained significant media attention, community support, and business participation from across the country. With summer upon us, the time has come again to ask retailers to keep their shop doors closed while the air conditioning is turned on. The CCO has some other bright ideas up their sleeves and you can check them out at: www.weconserve.ca

I did a talk that featured heritage buildings as an ecological alternative reviewing some of the natural and sustainable practices occurring at Urbanspace. From heritage protection and conservation to green roofs, green walls, recycling, and energy retrofits: existing projects at 215 Spadina and 401 Richmond were profiled. Chris Wolnick, Executive Director of the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2, suite 134) introduced the work of the Centre and their mandate to help municipalities and organizations minimize the creation of pollution and waste, and promote actions that foster a healthier, sustainable society. Chris outlined an evolving program at C2P2 called Community Environmental Certification. As human health issues become increasingly attributed to environmental contaminants, it is becoming more important for organizations and municipalities to demonstrate, through certified independent third-party audits, that they are safeguarding the environment.
www.c2p2online.com

The Natural City conference was book-ended by two powerful and passionate environmental advocates: a keynote address by Stephen Lewis, UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan's Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. And closing remarks by Elizabeth May, Sierra Club of Canada past Executive Director, and now a candidate for the leadership of the federal Green party of Canada.