With Prince George and northern BC hosting the 2015 Canada Winter Games, the region is presented with a unique opportunity to support and promote key sustainability priorities.

A series of community consultations, including a summit at UNBC in October 2013, were designed to determine community sustainability priorities for the 2015 Canada Winter Games and beyond.

The 2015 Canada Winter Games are the first Canada Games and the first sporting event in Canada to be guided by International (ISO) and Canadian (CSA) standards pertaining to sustainable event management. This allows the 2015 Games to institute initiatives that will foster enduring legacies, while reducing undesirable environmental impacts and issues.

A sustainability manager has been hired at the University to mobilize UNBC expertise to identify and support sustainable initiatives for the 2015 Games and establish meaningful legacies for the region. Emily Harrison brings expertise in International Development to this unique position, including experiences working in Tanzania engaging diverse stakeholders in sport and community development, as well as working at the University of Central Asia, a development initiative building campuses in the region’s most remote mountainous communities of Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, and Tajikistan.

Emily Harrison, Sustainability Manager. Download the high resolution image.

“The 2015 Canada Winter Games provide the opportunity to initiate key sustainability initiatives such as carbon reduction, sustainable procurement, waste reduction, and social inclusion,” says Harrison. “It also provides a foundation for these initiatives to be adopted after the 2015 Games and contribute to community health for years to come.”

“We are excited to work with UNBC and Emily on this new position to meet our core value of delivering a sustainable 2015 Games,” said Stu Ballantyne, 2015 Games CEO. “With a sustainability manager as part of our team, we know we can make great strides in exemplifying Prince George as a leader in sustainable events management.”

“UNBC has a strong history of integrating both teaching and research with community partners,” says Philip Mullins, an assistant professor in Outdoor Recreation and Tourism Management. “We have the opportunity to strengthen this tradition and build local capacity by connecting researchers with the Games, and providing students with hands-on learning and skill development in an exciting recreation, sport, and tourism event.”

The sustainability manager position was developed thanks to support from a number of stakeholders, including UNBC, Integris Credit Union, the Fraser Basin Council, the Province of BC-Climate Action Secretariat, Prince George Community Forest, the City of Prince George, and the 2015 Canada Winter Games.
Integris Credit Union was the first stakeholder to commit funding to the initiative.

“The Integris Mission is to enhance the well-being of members, staff and communities,” adds Dan Wingham, Manager, Partnerships and Business Development. “This investment demonstrates our commitment to sustainable communities while building upon our partnership with UNBC.

We are thrilled that sustainability has become part of the Canada Games Knowledge Transfer Process for the first time and are excited to be part of that! We want to ensure that North-Central BC maximizes the benefits from this uniquely Canadian multi-sport and cultural event; Integris Members can be proud that their financial institution is making great (and sustainable) things happen in our region. C.U. at the Games!”