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Clean Air Day Awards 2006 – Our Inaugural Year
Congratulations to all the winners!

About The Clean Air Day Awards

The Clean Air Day Awards were established in 2006 by the Clean Air Day National Steering Committee to celebrate outstanding contributions to clean air issues in Canada . Clean air issues affect all Canadians. And all of us -- from individuals, to governments, to the private sector -- have an important role to play in improving air quality. The Clean Air Day Awards help focus recognition where it is due, and help provide inspiration for others to follow.

Clean Air Day Award nominations were submitted by the National Steering Committee members, and were divided into six geographical regions: (1) National, (2) Pacific-Yukon, (3) Prairie and Northern, (4) Ontario , (5) Québec and (6) Atlantic . The nominations were judged using the following criteria:

• Tangible impact on air quality:
• Long-term impact on air quality
• Long-term commitment of nominee
• Innovation / foresight
• Influence (on the public, business community, education)
• Technological importance

The Clean Air Day National Steering Committee is an informal group of like-minded voices from Canada 's clean air community. Made up of environmental, health and transportation groups from across Canada , the committee helps shape the general path forward of Clean Air Day and helps articulate its main goal: to increase awareness and action on clean air issues. Clean Air Day is held annually on the Wednesday of Environment Week.

Clean Air Day Awards 2006 – Summary of Winners

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National Winners | Pacific-Yukon Region Winners | Prairie & Northern Region Winner | Ontario Region Winner | Québec Region Winner | Atlantic Region Winner

National Winners

Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC)

Outstanding Contribution to Clean Air by the Private Sector

Mountain Equipment Co-op has shown outstanding leadership in the private sector through its promotion of sustainable transportation and its participation in the Commuter Challenge. Their comprehensive internal campaign includes Web-based information for their employees and hands-on help by a national coordinator for their branches in Canada . Since 2002, these efforts have made MEC first in their category in the Commuter Challenge, with an average +90% participation

MEC is an outdoor gear and clothing co-operative. It has stores across the country, from Halifax to Vancouver .

Dr. David Suzuki

Outstanding Contribution to Clean Air through Education

Dr. Suzuki’s numerous educational activities have helped raise awareness and increase environmental action in Canada and around the world. He has targeted air related issues like sustainable transportation and greenhouse gas reduction, and has followed this up by practical example -- for example, the David Suzuki Foundation finished first in its local category in the 2005 Commuter Challenge. Mr. Suzuki’s scientific credibility and long-term approach to education give him considerable influence nationwide.

Dr. Suzuki is a well-respected scientifist and environmentalist working to raise awareness and increase action on numerous environmental issues.

 Pacific-Yukon Region Winners

Vancity Credit Union

Outstanding Contribution to Clean Air by the Private Sector

Since 1995, Vancity Credity Union has won in the largest category of the Commuter Challenge almost every year, consistently getting over 90% participation from their large employee base. On Clean Air Day 2004, Vancity employees conducted a “faux protest” in downtown Vancouver marching for clean air. And in 2005, they launched a year-long “Commitment to Carbon Neutrality by 2010” campaign.

Vancity Credit Union is Canada’s largest credit union. It has 42 branches throughout Greater Vancouver, the Fraser Valley and Victoria. Vancity built its head office on top of a skytrain station so it would be accessible by sustainable transportation for its staff and customer. It also has programs to encourage business partners to invest in clean-air technology.

City of Prince George

Outstanding Contribution to Clean Air by a Rural Community

In 2005, the City of Prince George took serious action on air pollution within its own jurisdiction: the mayor decreed that the City fleet was to be idle-free, and the City celebrated Clean Air Day by focusing on alternative transportation and encouraging participation in the Commuter Challenge. Local actions included sponsoring advertisements to increase driver awareness of cyclists on the road, and encouraging the use of public transit by offering 25cent fares on Clean Air Day.

The City of Prince George , through its various actions on clean air, has a positive influence on its citizens and on other communities in Canada .

Resort Municipality of Whistler

Outstanding Contribution to Clean Air through Community Engagement

Since 2001, the Resort Municipality of Whistler has promoted the use of sustainable transportation all year round. In 2005, with the collaboration of volunteers and other community groups, Whistler organized two full-scale Commuter Challenge events (Spring and Fall) and it achieved the highest percentage of participation for a community in Canada during the national event in June.

The Resort Municipality of Whistler, through its promotion of sustainable transportation, has a positive influence on its citizens and on other communities in Canada .

Prairie & Northern Region Winner

Ecology North

Outstanding Contribution to Clean Air through Community Engagement

Ecology North developed a partnership with the Wha Ti Charter Community, the Arctic Energy Alliance, an Elders' Advisory Committee and a team of local youth to facilitate the development of a Community Energy Plan. This helped build the capacity of Wha Ti to work towards having a sustainable community. The organization engaged citizens in home and transportation-related greenhouse gas reduction activities, including an Energy Star appliance rebate and a fridge buy-back program.

Based in Yellowknife , Ecology North has engaged a wide variety of audiences on sustainable living activities.

Ontario Region Winner

Nortel

Outstanding Contribution to Clean Air by the Private Sector

Nortel’s GreenCommute Program was launched in 1999 in association with the municipal government in Ottawa . Its goal is to provide resources and support to encourage the use of sustainable modes of transportation by Nortel employees. The program includes an intranet site that highlights alternative commuting choices, a self-serve ride matching system, and infrastructure changes at their building sites.

The GreenCommute Program is the most comprehensive of its kind in Canada . And Nortel previously won the 2004 “Best Workplace for Commuters” award from the US Environmental Protection Agency.

Québec Region Winner

Bruce Walker (STOP)

Outstanding Contribution to Clean Air through Personal Achievement by a Member of the Public

Since the 1970s, Bruce Walker has been actively involved in the Montréal-based environmental group STOP and in multiparty working groups on water, soil quality and air. He has contributed to many air quality related debates, and has worked to bring about rigorous environment regulations on clean air in Montréal, in the province of Québec and in Canada . In particular, he is noted for his contributions to the Canada-United States Air Quality Agreement and the Canada-wide Standards for Particulate Matter and Ozone.

Bruce Walker’s commitment and integrity have garnered him wide-spread respect from governments and industries alike.

Atlantic Region Winner

Judy Leblanc

Outstanding Contribution to Clean Air -- Personal Achievement by a Member of the Public

For much of their lives, Judy Leblanc and her friend Cynthia Marino (a severe asthma sufferer) were housewives. But in 1987 they became clean air activists and founding members of the Saint John Citizens Clean Air Coalition -- a group that works with the public, industry, and local governments to improve air quality in Saint John and the Province of New Brunswick . Mrs Marino eventually passed away due to her asthma, but Mrs Leblanc carried on their fight and succeeded in laying the ground work for the province’s Clean Air Act. She continues to work or clean air and was appointed by the Minister of Health to sit on New Brunswick ’s first Public Health Risk Assessment Committee.

Judy Leblanc is a Saint John area resident who, due to her affliction with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and her son’s asthma, committed herself to improving air quality for her fellow citizens.

Clean Air Day National Steering Committee – Members (alphabetical)

Clean Air Day National Steering Committee – Observers (alphabetical)