Around here, we love where we live. And we don’t just mean just Victoria. We don’t even necessarily mean only British Columbia, or even Canada. 

We mean Earth. 

Our planet is full of life, beauty and wonder; it’s a magical place that has surprises and delights in equal abundance. And because we love our planet so much — and we only get one — The Parkside Hotel & Spa is committed to doing everything we can to preserve and protect it so that it can continue to produce such abundant levels of joy and grace. 

Here are just some of the ways our dedication to sustainability makes your stay here even better. 

Carbon Neutrality

Excess levels of carbon-based pollution have the unfortunate effect of building up in the atmosphere and depleting the ozone layer. This, in turn, has negative effects on climate change. Our property has embraced a policy of carbon neutrality, and we’re only the second hotel in British Columbia to adopt this practice. What does that mean? Via a partnership with Canada’s leading carbon management solutions provider Offsetters, our carbon reduction efforts benefit amazing eco-conscious collectives such as the Great Bear Forest Carbon Project, Quadra Island Forestland Conservation Project, and Uganda Efficient Wood Cookstove Project. Care to learn more about what this means and how we’re minimizing our footprint? Click here for more information. 

Goodbye, “Greenhouse Gases”

Climate-changing “greenhouse gases” have been an unfortunate side effect of doing business at least since the Industrial Revolution. Still, the more we’ve learned about these dangerous pollutants, the more we understand about how to mitigate their effects. We’ve been working since 2009 (when we were first certified as a 5 Green Key Hotel) to both understand and lessen the impact of our greenhouse-gas output. Here’s what we’re doing.

Everyone Does Their Part

The entire team at the hotel works hard to make sure that we’re not taking out more than we’re putting in. To start, well over half of our staff members commute to work by low-emission methods (e.g., walking, cycling and mass transit). We’ve added beehives to our rooftop gardens in order to promote green growth and bolster the declining bee population. In addition, we donate all the revenue from our recycling efforts to Our Place Society — a local non-profit that helps Victoria’s most vulnerable. 

Green Construction

Even from the hotel’s inception, we knew we wanted to operate as sustainably as possible. So we built the property itself from the ground up with an eco-conscious mindset. We used natural, renewable and reclaimed materials whenever and wherever possible. Our landfill waste diversion sits at more than 75% annually. We’ve collected tens of thousands of gallons of rainwater in our grey-water tank in order to offset our water usage, using it to  irrigate our grounds, and plants around the property. We even diverted more than 90% of our construction waste away from local landfills. The property was built using LEED Platinum guides as a standard, and was audited by Stantec. 

Community Efforts

The Parkside Hotel & Spa is always looking for environmentally responsible ways to give back to the community. As host of the holiday Gingerbread Showcase, we’ve helped raise nearly $145,000 for Habitat for Humanity. We’ve been a proud sponsor of the Impact Conference since 2017. Our gently used linens and furniture find their way to many local charities to enjoy a second life helping those in need.. And through our Spa’s retail partnership with Eminence Organics Skin Care, we’ve helped plant more than 7,000 trees.  

Rest, Comfort and Peace of Mind

So, what does it all mean? Ultimately, our guests may never be aware of our efforts to help preserve the environment; all they experience is unparalleled hospitality, superior rest and stellar service. But to us, giving back and doing our part is a big component of our raison d’être. Our green initiatives are just as important to us as offering our guests a wonderful visit. So when you stay with us, you can rest assured that your choice to stay with us means you’re also doing your part to safeguard the planet we all call home.