Text size
Adjust the text size as needed by clicking the buttons below.
Visual style of the page
Adjust the visual style of the site by selecting the one that suits you best from the choices available below:
The Palais des congrès de Montréal is pleased to officially launch its new eco-conditionality policy, conceived for its event organizers, its clients and its commercial tenants. Discounts of up to 10% will be offered to organizations that take tangible actions relating to sustainable development during their project, like hiring a Green Team for an event, sorting waste, choosing environmentally responsible corporate gifts or featuring local speakers or artists.
Eco-responsible events – Best practices
Background
The Palais des congrès de Montréal has made a commitment to sustainable development in several spheres of activity. The initiatives the Palais has taken have put it in the vanguard of sustainable development internationally. Since 2011, it has implemented several unique measures, and has acquired an enviable global reputation as an important actor in this area.
- Adhering to the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development;
- Developing Montréal’s largest green roof, in collaboration with the Laboratoire sur l’agriculture urbaine (AU/LAB), and Canada’s first urban rooftop vineyard (the first in the world in a northern environment);
- A greenhouse gas offset program for the Palais’ building, in partnership with Université Laval’s Montmorency Forest;
- Launch of the “Palais Boréal” in partnership with Planetair, a program that guides event organizers and participants through the process of offsetting their greenhouse gas emission locally;
- Collaborations that enhanced the social and community impact of the Palais, and the regular forging of partnerships with actors from the arts, education, and non-profit sectors in Montréal.
Definition – What is eco-conditionality at the Palais?
Eco-conditionality means giving preference to, and supporting, projects that align with sustainable development criteria.
Eco-conditionality is an economic tool which makes governmental financial support conditional on compliance with one or more sustainable development criteria, whether or not they have been established by regulation. This compliance with sustainable development criteria, which may be total or partial, can equate with a total or partial allocation of the financial aid in question. Eco-conditionality is thus an economic incentive that enables a government to distribute public funds by acting within a framework of coherent action. [1]
What is the goal of our policy?
- Place sustainable development at the heart of its partnerships and initiatives;
- Prioritize the integration of sustainable development activity into its business strategy;
- Help establish, through the use of economic incentives, a service and accompaniment offering that will make the Palais and Montréal stand out as destinations characterized by a harmonious environment;
- Enhance the level of sustainable development activity of the Palais and of organizers who use its infrastructures.
Who can be eligible to benefit from ÉcoPalais Incentives?
There are three categories:
- Commercial rental: A reduction of up to 10% of the rent when the lessee adopts sustainable development practices that qualify at the Palais. The practices are adopted on a voluntary basis.
- Optimisation and location for events program (POLE): Those who qualify will be encouraged to integrate sustainable development into their practices so as to optimize the funding of their event at the Palais.
- Exhibitions, conventions, conferences/gatherings/galas:
Organizers may be able to obtain a reduction of up to 10% in the rental fee for their event.
a) A reduction in rent of up to 10% may be attributed subsequent to an analysis of sustainable development actions undertaken by the organization. A list of relevant actions and undertakings will be available to organizers, and will also be placed on the Palais’ website.
b) When the project involves our partner Tourisme Montréal, the percentage of the discount offered by the Palais will be added to that offered by Tourisme Montréal, if the organization meets the sustainable development criteria established by both organizations.
Accountability: The organization will have to report on the sustainable development actions it undertook, once its event has taken place. It will have to provide all supporting documents (invoices, contracts etc.).
[1] Source : Ministère du développement durable, de l’environnement, de la lutte contre les changements climatiques. (2015). Guide de référence – L’écoconditionnalité dans les programmes d’aide financière gouvernementaux. Québec, Ministère du Développement durable, de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques. Direction des politiques agroenvironnementales et Bureau de coordination du développement durable. p.2 (Ministry of Sustainable Development, the Environment and the Fight Against Climate Change, Reference Guide, Eco-conditionality in government finacial aid programs)