The City of Victoria is a pioneer for sustainability in British Columbia. The city has worked diligently to enact bans on single-use plastic products including shopping bags and drinking straws. While these bans are still in process, the majority of businesses and organizations are already on the ball, supporting sustainable practices by not having them available. For your upcoming stay at The Parkside Hotel & Spa, check out these fast facts on how eco you can expect to be when visiting downtown Victoria, BC.

Should I Bring My Own Shopping Bag?

Yes. The City bylaw outlying single use plastics, while not successful at appeal though the BC Court of Appeal, still has resulted in a large majority of stores throughout Victoria universally supporting the use of reusable shopping bags. Bring your shopping totes and use them at the stores you visit. You will not be charged if you use a shopping bag at a store in Victoria.

Can I Use a Plastic Straw or Do I Need to Bring a Reusable Straw to Victoria?

The city has also pushed for a plastic drinking straw ban and clearly supports use of reuseable straws. At this time, the city has not banned the use of plastic straws in restaurants and fast food establishments. However, as someone who wants to help the environment, you are more than welcome to bring your metal or glass straw when you visit downtown Victoria’s many local eateries.

Is Ridesharing Available? Which Companies Operate in Victoria?

Ridesharing is an excellent way to reduce your impact on the environment as ridesharing is greener transportation. The following rideshare services operate in the City of Victoria:

• Poparide
• Kijiji
• Share Your Ride
• Taxis

No Lyft or Uber just yet, but work is being done to legislate safe operation of these services. The legislation provides that ride-sharing companies will be able to place applications for business in the City of Victoria, BC at a date after  September 2019. You can anticipate that the city will fully support these two popular ride sharing services. 

Discover More Eco-Friendly Facts at The Parkside

Here at The Parkside Hotel & Spa, we are fully supportive of eco-friendly practices. Some fast facts about our sustainability:

• More than 65% of our employees commute daily to help reduce carbon emissions in the city.
• We have planted more than 7,000 trees with Trees for the Future and Eminence Organic Skin Care, which offsets carbon emissions by a whopping 91,000 pounds a year.
• Our location has diverted 76% of waste from the public landfill through recycling and single-use reduction programs

Stay at The Parkside Hotel & Spa to fully appreciate all of the eco-friendly practices and services we offer. We are a LEED approved Platinum hotel ready to cater to your stay. Get in touch today to book your stay!