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Environmental Sustainability

Athletics is a sport rooted in the outdoors. From cross-country trails and community tracks to roads and fields, athletics depends on healthy, accessible and natural spaces. As these spaces are increasingly under pressure from a changing climate, Athletics Ontario recognizes that protecting them is inseparable from protecting the future of the sport. 

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This is a shared effort at every level, from clubs reducing waste at local meets to host committees measuring the carbon footprint of a national championship. Athletics Ontario is committed to fostering that culture of stewardship by providing resources, sharing knowledge, and working alongside our members to make sustainability a lasting part of our sport.

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The resources below are a starting point. We invite you to explore them and join us in building a more sustainable future for athletics in Ontario.

  • Athletics Ontario is introducing an Environmental Pledge to encourage greater awareness, action, and commitment to environmental sustainability across the athletics community. This pledge recognizes the two-way relationship between climate change and sport, including the ways in which our changing climate can affect athletes, events, facilities, and participation, as well as the responsibility of the athletics community to reduce its environmental impact and contribute to a more sustainable future.

     

    The pledge is open to everyone who is part of, supports, or contributes to the athletics community—including athletes, coaches, trainers, officials, clubs, teams, event organizers, volunteers, families, friends, and supporters. By signing this pledge, individuals are demonstrating their commitment to considering environmental sustainability in their decisions, practices, and conversations, and to taking meaningful steps toward a more environmentally responsible future for athletics.

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  • The first step to establish a sustainability plan is to evaluate where we currently stand on sustainability. This is a critical step in determining where to focus resources, which areas need the most improvement, what support our community needs from us, and simply getting as many individuals involved and thinking about sustainability.

     

    The 2026 Athletics Ontario Sustainability Survey aims to understand how climate change is impacting our athletes, coaches, officials, clubs, event organizers, and community members, and how we can best lead sustainable change within our community.


    In 2025, Canada’s Earth Overshoot Day was May 26. In 2026, it was March 8th. This means that if everyone around the world had the level of consumption of Canadians, we would surpass the Earth’s ecosystem’s capacity to regenerate what is demanded before making it halfway through the year. We all know that’s bad pacing. 

     

    The good news? The Athletics Ontario community is comprised of over 750,000 individuals, and it's a much easier race to run toward sustainability if we run it together.

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    Click HERE to complete the survey.

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  • Coming Soon: Links to documents for each venue that summarize pros/cons and important information. 

     

    • Toronto Track & Field Centre (Toronto)

    • Alumni Stadium (Windsor)

    • Track & Field Complex (St. Catherines)

    • Terry Fox Track & Field Stadium (Brampton)

    • Western Alumni Stadium (London)

    • Terry Fox Athletic Facility (Ottawa)

    • Laurentian University Stadium (Sudbury)

    • Canada Games Park Facility (Thorold)

    • Oshawa Civic Centre (Oshawa)

  • Sustainable Transportation Tips:

    • Active transportation

      • Active transportation--such as walking, cycling, or wheeling-- has proven benefits towards both physical and mental health, as well as the environment. Methods such as these do not produce greenhouse gas emissions, save money on fuel and parking, and reduce traffic congestion.

      • (source: Government of Canada)

    • Public transit

      • Travelling by public transportation when applicable helps to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, lowering air pollution and traffic jams. It is also a great opportunity to read, rest, or catch up on work while travelling to practice or meets.

      • (source: David Suzuki Foundation)

    • Carpooling to practice and competitions

      • Carpooling to training has numerous societal and environmental benefits. Carpooling helps relieve traffic congestion, as well as cut down on travel and parking costs. It also allows athletes to save time by driving in dedicated High-Occupancy-Vehicle (HOV) lanes. Benefits of carpooling go beyond the environment; travelling with others helps reduce the mental fatigue of driving, and allows athletes to strengthen connections with training partners.

      • (source: UC Berkeley Transportation Sustainability Research Centre

     

    Sustainable Training Tips:

    • Use trails and parks responsibly

      • Athletes can practice the Leave No Trace principles when training outdoors. This includes:

        • Staying on marked trails

        • Properly collecting and disposing of waste

        • Leaving rocks, plants, and other items where they are

        • Watching animals from a distance and never feeding them

      • (source: Leave No Trace)

    • Bring reusable water bottles

      • Millions of single-use bottles end up in the trash or in the ocean each year. Using reusable bottles cuts down on waste and energy usage, saves money, and reduces exposure to harmful chemicals like BPA and microplastics. Consider using a good-quality reusable bottle that can last for years and years.

      • (source: Clean Water Action)

    • Eliminate single-use plastics

      • Single-use plastics do not break down, and instead sit in landfills or oceans for hundreds of years, releasing toxic chemicals and microplastics into the environment. Consider packing food in reusable containers and choosing to purchase snacks and drinks that are not individually packaged.

      • (Source: Ontario Nature)

    • Choose sustainable athletic wear

      • Fast fashion causes severe global harm through massive carbon emissions and water usage, toxic dyes, and microplastic ocean pollution. Consider restyling existing athletic pieces, choosing natural and durable fabrics, or purchasing second-hand. Plus, if you have old clothing that’s still in good conditional but you no longer wish to keep, instead of throwing it in the trash, donate it to a local thrift store or charity for someone else to enjoy.

      • (source: Earth.Org Global Commons)

    • Donate or recycle old shoes

      • Over 20 billion pairs of shoes are thrown away annually, with the majority of these ending up in landfills. Contact your local running store to see if they recycle old running shoes, or consider setting up an initiative in your community to collect and recycle shoes.

      • (source: Circular Economy, Environment and Energy, Sustainability)

     

    Sustainable Event Management:

    • Reduce energy consumption

      • If possible, retrofit facilities with energy-efficient lighting, HVAC systems and appliances. Facilities should schedule HVAC systems, lighting and equipment usage to avoid wasting energy during non-peak hours.

      • Provide reusable or solar-powered options for attendee needs (e.g., water stations or portable solar chargers).

      • Facilities can use smart meters to track energy usage across venues and identify inefficiencies. Monitoring energy data allows facilities to make immediate adjustments during events.

      • Partner with local renewable energy providers to power event operations or offset event emissions. Organizers can also collaborate with vendors, suppliers and sponsors to align on energy-saving practices. 

    • Adoption of renewable energy sources (when applicable)

      • When renting or purchasing equipment like generators, opt for machines that use renewable energy sources such as solar.

    • Choose facilities with sustainable infrastructure and operations

      • When selecting a venue for an event, search for ones with sustainability features such as uses renewable energy sources (e.g., solar panels), has energy-efficient systems, and green building certifications such as LEED, Energy Star, and BOMA certification.

        • LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) - The most widely used green building certification, focusing on energy efficiency, water savings and overall sustainability in construction and operations.

        • ENERGY STAR - This certification distinguishes the most energy efficiency buildings by comparing them to countless buildings across Canada.

        • BOMA BEST - This is one of Canada’s leading sustainable certification programs for existing buildings. It assesses a building’s energy use, water conservation, waste management, indoor air quality, environmental management systems and more.

        • Zero Carbon Building Standards - provide a framework to assess a building’s carbon performance. This framework assesses a building’s carbon performance, and is aimed at decarbonizing Canada's buildings. 

        • ISO (International Organization for Standards) - Standards like 14001 for environmental management and ISO 50001 for energy management systems, help facilities improve energy efficiency and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    • Prioritize sustainable transportation

      • Where possible, select venues that are accessible by public transit and active transportation (e.g. walking, biking).

      • Encourage the use of carpooling, public transit and low-emission vehicles to reduce transportation emissions. Consider partnering with local public transit providers to enhance access to the event and offer discounts for attendees.

      • Provide clear information about public transit routes, cycling routes, walking routes, and carpooling options before the event. Allocate priority parking for low-emission vehicles near the venue entrance and provide secure bicycle parking where possible.

    • Use sustainable procurement practices

      • Consider the entire lifecycle of the product, including production, transportation, use, and disposal. When selecting suppliers and products, always check whether suppliers have credible sustainability policies or practices. Once you have found acceptable options, consider product durability and expected lifespan and whether it can be reused. Wherever possible purchase recycled or responsibly sourced materials, choose minimal or reusable packing, and support local suppliers that have shorter transportation distances and thus fewer associated emissions.

      • When refurbishing facilities and equipment, choose eco-friendly and upcycled materials, such as plastic waste that has been reprocessed into sports equipment, stands, benches, and more.

    • Reduce printed materials and signage waste

      • Move information online whenever practical. Registration information, schedules, maps, participant instructions, results, and other frequently updated information can often be provided digitally.

      • For physical signage, use standardized signs so they can be adapted for multiple events and reused in future years by avoiding printing event dates directly onto materials.

    • Implement a waste management strategy

      • The most effective waste-reduction strategy is to avoid creating unnecessary waste in the first place. When purchasing new items or materials, explore alternatives to single-use items, opt for products with minimal packaging, and buy in bulk when possible. 

      • Implementing recycling and composting programs to help divert materials away from landfills. Establish clear systems for waste separation, with designated bins for recyclables, organic waste, and general waste. Use signage and interactive displays to guide visitors on proper waste disposal and recycling. Additionally, implement a waste tracking system to document waste generation and disposal.

      • Set specific waste reduction goals for your event, such as achieving a certain percentage of waste diversion from landfills. Share these goals with event staff and facility managers to ensure alignment.

      • Embrace circular economy principles by exploring opportunities for reuse and repurposing of materials.

      • Engage with the community and educate them about the impact of waste and the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling at sports facilities. 

      • Build partnerships with waste management organizations and environmentally conscious suppliers.

      • Work with local local food suppliers and choose lower-impact food options such as plant-based meals. Where possible, avoid unnecessary individual packaging and donate surplus food to local food recovery organizations (where food-safety requirements permit). As well, provide reusable serviceware where practical.

    • Encourage sustainable water-use practices

      • Implement water conservation measures, such as low-flow toilets and fixtures, and efficient irrigation systems. If possible, capture rainwater for landscape irrigation to ensure fields do not deteriorate due to a lack of water in extreme heat or drought conditions.

      • Promote responsible water-use practices to visitors and raise awareness of changing climate conditions.

    • Choose sustainable landscaping

      • Use native and drought-tolerant plant species in landscaping to support local wildlife and reduce water consumption. When possible, avoid mowing grass areas not in use to allow wild flowers and grasses to help support pollinators. As well, minimize the use of pesticides and herbicides that can harm biodiversity.

  • We would like to highlight fun or inspiring things that our community is doing to improve their sustainability. Whether it's riding your bike to training, participating in a tree-planting activity, trash clean-up, or even listening to a talk on sustainability, every action counts.

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    If you know of an athlete who we can consider, please email environment@athleticsontario.ca

     

    • Link to Instagram posts (when posted)

    • Link to podcast (when available)

  • If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Athletics Ontario at environment@athleticsontario.ca

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Track and Field Practice
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