INTERNATIONAL Sites, Cities, and Services

Metro Toronto Convention Centre

First in class, first in sustainability

Sustainable smarts The Metro Toronto Convention Centre takes special care to keep the facility as eco- conscious as possible. The convention center is the first in Canada to offer groups clean, renewable power, and currently diverts 88 percent of its waste.

The only facility to host both the G-20 and G7 summits, it’s no wonder the Metro Toronto Convention Centre (MTCC) was voted the No. 1 convention destination in North Amer- ica for its superior convention services. Earning several awards and certifications from well-regarded organizations including Building Owners and Managers Association International (BOMA) and the International Association of Conference Centres (IACC) for its sustainability initiatives, the MTCC has pio- neered forward-thinking concepts like the “Zero Waste Event” — an event that, quite literally, throws nothing away. From energy conservation to green space

to waste reduction, the MTCC team has examined every opportunity for lowering its environmental impact. Throughout the past eight years, the MTCC has reduced energy consumption by 20 percent, and in the last fiscal year, lowered its carbon footprint by 6 percent. The South Building’s seven-acre

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green roof both beautifies the space and conserves energy. So the venue earns high marks, but what

about the destination? The MTCC is a top pick for that reason, too. Toronto is a 90-minute flight or less away for more than 100 million Americans, and its downtown has a smor- gasbord of options within walking distance of the MTCC — including 10,000 hotel rooms and 1,300-plus shops, restaurants, and attrac- tions. Open-minded, multicultural, and cre- ative, Toronto is home to such major cultural events as the Toronto International Film Fes- tival and diverse neighborhoods filled with parks, local boutiques, and public art. Groups with a penchant for the performing arts will have it made — Toronto is the third-largest theater center in the English-speaking world, with more than 90 venues in the Greater Toronto Area.

AT A GLANCE

Convention facilities • The Metro Toronto Convention Centre offers 460,000 square feet of exhibit space, 66 meeting rooms, the 1,330-seat John Bassett Theatre, and two ballrooms.

Hotel rooms • 10,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the convention center

• 34,000 total hotel rooms in the Greater Toronto area

Nearby attractions • More than 7,000 restaurants, the Rogers Centre (home of the Toronto Blue Jays), and the world’s largest underground shopping complex, with 1,300-plus stores

For more information:Metro Toronto Convention Centre — (416) 585-8120;mtccc.com Tourism Toronto — (800) 363-1990 or (416) 203-2600; toronto@torcvb.com; seetorontonow.com

AUGUST 2012 PCMA CONVENE

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