We all know that every little bit counts when it comes to making sustainable choices to help reduce our footprint on the environment, which is why the CN Tower has made changes to how they operate, in order to help reduce their impact.
As a world-class attraction, they need to be a leader in sustainability and show that venues of all sizes can implement change, to make change. The CN Tower sees over 1.9 million guests and serves more than 350,000 diners in a year, numbers like that make a dramatic impact.
Compostable products
They have implemented small yet important changes like moving to paper straws and to products made with compostable materials for their cups, lids, takeout containers and disposable cutlery.
Onsite Gardens
While certainly not able to supply all of what they need in-house, their onsite gardens do make a difference.
Did you even know
the CN Tower had gardens?
Probably not, so they’re looking to change that. The Culinary Gardens’ main objective is education, as we highlight some of what can successfully be grown here in Toronto, including a range of herbs, fruits and vegetables. Much of what they grow does get used in 360 Restaurant.
Waste Diversion
In 2018 the CN Tower installed an ORCA, an innovative food waste solution system. ORCA technology simply mimics a natural digestion process. It works using the same principles that our body, and other living organisms are governed by. ORCA creates the perfect thermophilic biological environment for the microorganisms to digest food waste into a liquid. ORCA uses mostly air, along with water and microbiology to turn the food waste from the base kitchen for 360 Restaurant, into an environmentally safe liquid that goes down the drain and is disposed of using the existing sanitary sewer infrastructure. This reduces the amount of food waste that is stored onsite, which reduces the creation of fruit flies in the environment, and reduces the amount of food waste that needs to be picked up and transported.
Due to this technology their environmental footprint has been reduced in the following ways:
11.24 tons of food waste was diverted
6,350 litres of diesel fuel were not used
Reduced methane gas by 7.31kg
Reduced carbon dioxide by 9.89 tons
Food and Beverage Program
Another way they are making a difference is in their food and beverage choices.
The CN Tower undertook the task of reviewing all suppliers, and where possible made the change to a local supplier or had existing suppliers source local ingredients. From the Tower, you can see many of their suppliers or the regions where they are located. By listing a local supplier on their menu, they are showing their guests the trust they have in this partner, showing their commitment to being a leader in the local movement and encouraging their guests to go out and explore what these suppliers offer. By sourcing more local ingredients, 360 is making a major economic impact locally.
By making a conscious effort to be locally driven, they are providing their suppliers with a level of comfort they can be proud of. With that pride, comes the reassurance that makes theirpartners want to promote their connection with us. They encourage Ontario farmers, grape growers, wineries and breweries to continue to produce great products to share with us, so that they may share them with their guests. The CN Tower has the ability to purchase entire production runs which allows the supplier to feel confident in their product and their association with us, and to perhaps give them the opportunity to focus on growing other aspects of their business.
Several years ago, the CN Tower made the decision to feature Ontario craft beers only. 360 also instituted a wine mandate to feature more local, artisanal, limited supply, and hard to find Ontario wines. Each 360 menu item is paired with an Ontario VQA wine, and VQA wines account for 80% of their total wine sales. But they don’t stop at beer and wine, they have also developed a Canadian focused cocktail list with all cocktails being driven by a Canadian based spirit.
The result of these and a variety of other efforts, has been a FeastOn Certification for 360 Restaurant. 360 Restaurant also recently received the Greenest Choice TO award for a FeastON Certified Restaurant. They have also focused on choices available in sustainable seafood and are now Ocean Wise certified. Just another way in which they are being recognized for upholding the highest standards of environmentally-responsible foodservice. Through these changes they are showing their industry and guests that a 400-seat restaurant with clientele from around the world, can have a local mandate.
Sharing the amazing stories behind their local suppliers with their guests is key, so in order to ensure their staff are equipped with these great stories, they invite our suppliers to come onsite for an interactive Q&A with staff.