Press release
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
becomes the first carbon neutral board of trade in Quebec
Montréal, January 28, 2011 – The President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal, Michel Leblanc, is pleased to announce, with the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks, Mr. Pierre Arcand, and the President of ZEROCO2, Mr. Sébastien Léonard, in attendance, that today the Board of Trade is becoming the first such body in Quebec and the second in Canada to go carbon neutral.
“This announcement advances the Board of Trade’s sustainable development policy established in 2008,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade. “Our partnership with the organization ZEROCO2 has allowed us to make a new practice part of our policy, and we are proud to be considered a leader in Quebec. We want this initiative to inspire our members and the Montréal business community by demonstrating that every effort counts when it comes to fighting climate change.”
“The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is showing environmental leadership,” said the Minister of Sustainable Development, Environment and Parks, Pierre Arcand. “This initiative reflects the vitality of entrepreneurs who endeavour to be good corporate citizens by applying principles of sustainable development in their businesses. We encourage the business community to follow the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal’s example.”
“This agreement, according to which we commit to offsetting twice the Board of Trade’s greenhouse gas emissions by planting trees in urban settings and buying carbon credits, will allow our organization to promote solutions available to companies that want to first reduce and then offset their greenhouse gas emissions to fight climate change,” said Sébastien Léonard, president of ZEROCO2.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
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Sources:
Sarah Shirley
Press Officer
Cabinet of the Minister of Sustainable Development, the Environment and Parks
418 521-3911
Sylvie Paquette
Coordinator, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
514 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca