One + February 2011 - (Page S19)

MONTRÉAL ..................... Montréal is an easy sell when it comes to promoting green meetings. Montréalers think, breathe and see green. Surrounded by the rolling Laurentians to the north and embraced by the ancient St. Lawrence River, the island city is in close proximity to quaint hamlets, many of them part of the agri-tourism movement there. The pedestrian-friendly city practices eco-friendly initiatives, among them an easily walkable underground RESO path connecting to the 12,180 available hotel rooms and meeting spaces. The path is also part of an efﬁcient public transit system. Cyclists love the ambitious Bixi bike-sharing program, which provides 3,000 bicycles across Montréal, and the lively open-air markets bustling with organic farmers. Architecture is big, too. Many Montréal buildings proudly display their green status, including La TOHU, the circus arts center (awarded a LEED gold certiﬁcate and constructed on one of the largest urban landﬁll sites in North America), the pavilion of the Sciences biologiques of the Université du Québec à Montréal, as well as the Mountain Equipment Coop store, whose hybrid ventilation system reduces energy consumption by 70 percent. In total, more than 80 of the city’s commercial buildings were awarded Go Green certiﬁcation, a national environmental award and certiﬁcation program for existing commercial buildings offered by the Building Owners and Managers Association Canada (BOMA). The Fairmont Queen Elizabeth is the only hotel in Québec to have all restaurants certiﬁed Ocean Wise, serving only sustainable ﬁsh and seafood. Environment Canada’s Biosphere helps educate guests on green living. The Sheraton Montréal has its own initiatives, including a green committee. The planning and staging of green events at the Palais des congrès de Montréal is a popular choice. The venue has published the Organizing a Green Event Guide for planners. QUÉBEC CITY ............................ Many North Americans consider Québec City as Paris without the jetlag. You get cobblestone streets, French cuisine, fabulous public art and plenty of historic sites without having to leave North America. But the vibe also blends the new with the old as tour operators offer an eclectic mix between city and nearby country sights, many of them tipping their hats to eco-friendly activities. Ideally situated along the banks of the St. Lawrence River, la belle ville de Québec’s (“beautiful Québec City”) historic district is a UNESCO World Heritage Site teeming with galleries and sidewalk cafes. No stranger to green events, Québec City played host to the International Symposium on Sustainable Tourism in 2009, and in January 2011 a sustainable gala dinner with Dr. David Suzuki was held at the jewel in this city’s crown, the legendary Fairmont Chateau Frontenac. This Fairmont property has adopted two beluga whales in the St. Lawrence River and a soon-to-be-adopted polar bear at the Aquarium of Québec. The BOMA-Best certiﬁed Québec City Convention Centre, currently under LEED consideration, plays host to green meetings and has a comprehensive sustainable development policy with an onsite eco-advisor ready to share a green team and other initiatives. Planners can start their green meeting plans by visiting the Canadian Tourism Commission at www.corporate.canada. travel. ILONA KAUREMSZKY is the former editor of Corporate Meetings & Events and is the co-producer of Mycompass. ca. Follow her @mycompasstv on Twitter and YouTube. SUPPLEMENT mpiweb.org 19 http://www.corporate.canada.travel http://www.corporate.canada.travel http://www.mycompass.ca http://www.mycompass.ca http://www.mpiweb.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of One + February 2011

One + February 2011
Contents
Energy of Many
Impressions
The Productivity Cloud
Overheard
Agenda
MPIWeb Connect
Thoughts+Leaders
Events for Life
Gateway to the Future
Top Spots
It Was Not Interesting
Irrelevant
The Wrong Words
Up to Snuff
That’s Enough Facebook
Super Foods to the Rescue
Shoring Resources
Jack and Smoke
Accidentally on Purpose
Staying on Top of Tech
The Joy of Work
Plan to Run
Productivity on the Go
Angel of the Favelas
Your Community
Making a Difference
Until We Meet Again
MPI’s 2011 Meeting Guide to Canada
Contents
Banff Centre
Ottawa Tourism
Tourisme Montréal
The Buzz
InterContinental Canada
Caesars Windsor
Vintage Hotels
The Great Green North
Whistler, British Columbia
Meetings and Conventions Calgary
Scotiabank Convention Centre

One + February 2011