SWR and Explore Waterloo Region Collaboration

Sustainable Waterloo Region (SWR) and Explore Waterloo Region have collaborated to promote sustainability across tourism sectors including business events, sport, group tours, and leisure sectors in Waterloo Region. This partnership aims to foster a culture of sustainability, support emissions reduction through measurement and reporting, and provide resources to build capacity and expand sustainability knowledge among members.

Program Details

Explore Waterloo Region members who join SWR through this collaboration will have access to all the support services available. These services include access to a tool to track and measure emissions, access to expertise and resources, a network of peers and professionals, and much more. 

Within the first year, members will have completed a baseline inventory of their operational emissions and determine emission reduction opportunities through action planning.

Full program details of the Impact Network can be found here.

Program Members

Meet the members who have joined the Impact Network through this collaboration.

City of Waterloo

City of Kitchener

Conestoga College

Delta Hotels Waterloo

DoubleTree and Home2 Suites by Hilton Kitchener

Fields Trips

Homewood Suites by Hilton Cambridge/Waterloo

Impact Events Group

K-W Oktoberfest

Langdon Hall

The Walper Hotel

Township of Wilmot

Township of Woolwich

University of Waterloo

Program Goals

There is a growing understanding and demand for sustainable operations in this sector. Our work together will develop the following areas:

• Culture of sustainability: We envision this sector of our community having a culture that encourages sustainability and moving forward together. Make sustainability the norm for how this sector operates through sharing knowledge on sustainability practices, reporting on the work being done, and organizing collaborations.
  
• Measuring and reporting emissions: The Impact Network program will support members in measuring and reporting their emissions. From here, members can set voluntary reduction targets for greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and water. Developing reports and action plans will bring transparency and real action on emissions reduction.
  
• Resources and capacity-building: Through this program, we will work to develop resources to build capacity in growing the knowledge of sustainability in the tourism sector including hosting sustainable events, reducing travel emissions, and best practices.