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Victoria International Airport (YYJ) Releases New Sustainability Plan
Mar 16, 2021
Today, Victoria International Airport (YYJ) is pleased to release a new Sustainability Plan. The plan outlines goals and objectives for 2020-2024 in alignment with the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
Efforts to reduce environmental impact at the airport have been ongoing for over a decade. Since 2013, Victoria Airport Authority (VAA) has reduced its emissions by 22%, reduced emissions per passenger by 19% and has achieved the Airport Carbon Accreditation (ACA) Level 2 for emission reductions. The airport has restored over 1,500m of creek to date and water use is approximately 40% below the North American per passenger airport average. This new plan builds on the previous work within the 2016 Environmental Management Plan and expands the scope to include social impacts.
“This plan includes ambitious targets and actions that are aligned with our values and guiding principles, Strategic Plan 2020-2024, Airport Master Plan, and the Global Goals to ensure our areas of focus are forwarding the globe’s most pressing issues. While we have faced unprecedented challenges in responding and adapting to the COVID-19 pandemic, sustainability at our airport remains a top priority,” said VAA President and CEO, Geoff Dickson.
This new plan is the result of work throughout 2020 by the operations teams at the airport in collaboration with local environmental firm Synergy Enterprises to determine new targets and actions that will align with or exceed emission reduction targets at national and international levels.
Highlights of activities outlined within the plan include:
- Increase waste diversion rate to 90% by 2030 and 75% by 2025
- Reduce emissions by 50% compared to 2013 levels and become Carbon Neutral by 2030
- Achieve ACA Level 3+ (Neutrality) by 2030 and ACA Level 3 (Optimization by 2025)
- Optimize on-site carbon sinks such as forests, composting and soil building and restoring riparian areas
- Increase airport biodiversity by 20% by 2030
- Restore an additional 600m of creek by 2025
- Reduce water use per passenger by 25% by 2030 and 15% by 2025
- Contribute to advancing all 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals by 2030
- Work with non-profit, local government, industry, business and First Nations partners to develop projects that will advance the Goals
View our Sustainability Plan.
About Victoria Airport Authority
Victoria Airport Authority is a not-for-profit authority that has managed the safe and secure operations of the Victoria International Airport on behalf of the surrounding communities since April 1, 1997.
Media Contact Victoria Airport Authority
Ken Gallant, Vice President, Operations
Phone: (250) 953-7514
Media Contact Synergy Enterprises
Jill Doucette - CEO
Email: jill@synergyenterprises.ca
