Toronto Metropolitan University
PA-2: Sustainability Planning

TMU's 2020-2025 Academic Plan aims to advance the ambitious vision and significant successes of its predecessor, Our Time to Lead. By building on this foundation and ensuring alignment with our Strategic Research Plan, International Strategy and Campus Master Plan, we will continue to deliver innovative, career-oriented education that disrupts the status quo on local, national and international stages. Additionally, the Climate Change and Sustainability Advisory Committee has published a Sustainability Action Plan that incorporates sustainability into the various aspects of university life, including academics and research. The academic goal of the sustainability action plan with a goal to embed sustainability into all relevant programs with opportunities for foundational sustainability education to all undergraduate degree students. In addition, the action plan highlights the importance of interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary sustainability research, elevating sustainability as a central thematic strength of our reputation and identity.

The Climate Change and Sustainability Advisory Committee has published a Sustainability Action Plan that incorporates sustainability into the various aspects of university life, stating community engagement and partnerships as one of the five areas of impact. The action plan also emphasizes the importance of public engagement and commitment.

"By 2028, improve sustainability awareness and action within the campus community. We will leverage our position as an anchor institution and community partner to collaborate with a wide range of partners at local, regional, national, and international levels. This includes the City of Toronto, private companies non-profit organizations, and other higher-education institutions to amplify and scale solutions, learn from others and collectively share knowledge."

Specific tasks included in the plan include (but are not limited to):

1. Establish a Sustainability Action Fund to fund campus projects related to environmental or social sustainability in collaboration with internal and external community partners


2. Develop interactive D2L training modules for all incoming students and employees.


3. Develop eco-allied solutions e.g. community garden access for TMU community members.

The Climate Change and Sustainability Advisory Committee has published a Sustainability Action Plan that incorporates sustainability into the various aspects of university life. The Sustainability Action Plan highlights three long-term goals, including: Goal #1: Platinum STARS sustainability rating by 2035 Goal #2: Zero waste by 2035 Goal #3: Net Zero scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2045

One of the goals of the Sustainability Action Plan is to facilitate governance structures to ensure the integration of sustainability into business practices across the university.

Sustainability, one of the values defined in TMU’s Academic Plan 2020 – 2025. As stated in our TMU Campus Master Plan, “the university set out to explore the following themes throughout the course of consultations to inform the vision, goals, principles and recommendations for the concept plan: - Campus experience - Quality of space - Partnerships and city building - Campus branding - Centre of gravity - Community inclusion - Indigenous placemaking - Sustainability - Community and personal safety - Health and wellbeing

Within our Sustainability Action Plan, we define sustainability as 

"Living harmoniously within the limits of natural resources, so that all living systems can flourish indefinitely. This requires improving the quality of the environment and human relationships with it in a manner that promotes equity, wellbeing and justice for every community member."

True sustainability involves a forward-thinking, interdisciplinary approach that advances and safeguards the economy, social progress and the environment holistically. Our definition of sustainability calls for new ways of thinking and organizing ourselves for the enduring prosperity and wellbeing of future generations.

TMU is committed to a more sustainable future and supports the Ontario Universities Committed to a Greener World Pledge. The Council of Ontario Universities produces an annual environmental report highlighting the progress made by university campuses in environmental sustainability which demonstrates how universities’ environmental sustainability initiatives support students, communities, the province – and beyond. Sustainability initiatives are one way that universities are collectively taking action and responding to the needs and priorities of Ontarians. By greening campuses through efficiency projects, educating students for the greener workforce, or sharing knowledge and best practices both at home and abroad, they are instrumental in building healthier communities. TMU also signed onto the City of Toronto’s Green Will Initiative and has committed to take steps to significantly reduce ghg emissions. Info here: https://www.toronto.ca/business-economy/business-operation-growth/green-your-business/better-buildings-partnership/green-will-initiative/

View the Equity Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan here: https://www.torontomu.ca/content/dam/research/documents/crcallocation/CRCEquityActionPlan_final_12.15.2017.pdf View Energy Conservation and Demand Management Plan: https://www.torontomu.ca/content/dam/facilities-management-development/sustainability/docs/energy-conservation-demand-management-plan-2019.pdf View the Multi-Year Accessibility Plan here: https://www.torontomu.ca/accessibility/plans-policies/multi-year-plan/#:~:text=The%20Access%20TMU%20multi%2Dyear,Access%20TMU's%20principles%20and%20values.