The Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce is proud to be Canada’s first Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Centre to receive a sustainability certification
Their silver certification was made official on April 19th,2016. The organization is proud to show their commitment to environmental sustainability and to promote Salt Spring Island’s reputation as an eco-friendly destination where business and nature work together in harmony.
In the fall of 2015, the Chamber Board of Directors decided to look into ways that seek a green tourism accreditation so that the organization could show its commitment to the environment. “People are drawn to this region because of our scenic beauty, connection to nature, fresh air and water, and for our environmentally sustainable community”, says Janet Clouston, Executive Director. “We wanted to ensure that our business practices aligned with our values.”
“We are thrilled to bring on our first Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Centre in Canada” says Angela Nagy, CEO of GreenStep Solutions. “The Salt Spring Chamber has set an example not only for other Chamber and Visitor Centres across the country but for tourism businesses as well. They are literally ‘walking the talk’ by focusing on their sustainability performance, and have taken a leadership role for other business on the island to follow, helping to boost sustainable tourism on Salt Spring Island.”
Salt Spring Island Chamber members will be encouraged to get involved in this program to promote Salt Spring as an eco-friendly destination. Members, like Jason Griffin of Tour Salt Spring, who was also recently accredited, can join Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce in raising awareness on the differences they can make to lower their carbon footprint, energy use as well as reduce waste.
The good news is that these practices have also been shown to save money!
About the Chamber of Commerce & Salt Spring Tourism
The Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce has been supporting small, local businesses since 1948. Made up of 300 members who are entrepreneurs, local enterprises, individuals and non-profit groups, the Chamber has been long been a voice for a sustainable local economy. Run by community based volunteers and a small staff, the organization also looks after Salt Spring Tourism as well as the Visitor Information Centre. They welcome close to 40,000 people a year through the centre, and offer advice to newcomers and visitors to the island and regional travel information to nearby locations. Learn more about Salt Spring Island Chamber of Commerce by visiting their website www.saltspringchamber.com or Salt Spring Tourism’s website www.saltspringtourism.com.
*This post was updated in July 2019 to reflect the launch of the new Sustainable Tourism 2030 initiative and certification program in Canada.