QUÉBEC CITY, July 10, 2019 – The Réseau des SADC et CAE is proud to share the success of its pilot Carbon Credit project, which kicked off in December 2017 with a cohort of 74 SMEs and organizations from around Quebec. The results: cohort members reduced greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 1,978,476 tonnes, generating an equal number of carbon credits now for sale on the voluntary carbon market.
“We are very pleased with these results,” said Réseau president Daniel Dumas. “For a number of years now, SADC et CAE have been coaching and financing businesses to help them adopt sustainable practices, so it seemed only natural for us to take the lead in supporting their activity on the voluntary carbon market. Concerted action combined with the expertise and support of SADC et CAE proved to be the key to making a complex process accessible to these small-scale greenhouse gas emitters at long last.”
Businesses and organizations interested in purchasing the carbon credits to offset their GHG emissions are encouraged to contact the Réseau des SADC et CAE. “These certified carbon credits are the only credits that will support small businesses and organizations in Quebec as they strive to reduce their emissions,” said Dumas. “The economic impact will be felt right here. Not only do these credits help fight climate change, but they provide financial recognition of cohort members’ efforts and solidify their position as leaders in sustainable development.”
Cohort members employed multiple strategies to reduce their emissions, including diverting landfill waste, converting buildings to run on green energy and renovating buildings to improve their energy efficiency. The participating SMEs and organizations are from areas all across Québec and operate in a number of sectors.
For instance, Récupère Sol, a Sainte-Ambroise business that is part of the first cohort, was financially rewarded for selling carbon credits. The company invested 1.4 million dollars in a project to exploit petroleum residue recovered in contaminated soils, which prevented the emission of approximately 43,050 tonnes of GHG.
“This first cohort made some impressive efforts,” said the president of the Réseau. “As front‑line players in local economic development, SADC et CAE aim to create healthy living environments and help build a more responsible economy. Given that 72% of GHG emissions in Quebec are produced by small businesses, organizations and people, they should be rewarded for their efforts. And that’s exactly what we’re able to do with this innovative project.”
The 74 small businesses and organizations, steered by SADC et CAE, reduced their emissions using the Sustainable Community pooling approach, developed by Will Solutions, a Certified B Corporation that specializes in managing, creating and selling carbon assets. Sustainable Community comprises 150 members and has 3.5 million tonnes of quantified, verified GHG, which are available for sale as carbon credits. Will Solutions helps with the technical aspects of the process, such as quantification, and ensures that carbon credits are verified by a third party certified by VCS (Verified Carbon Standard), the world’s largest voluntary program.
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About the Réseau des SADC et CAE
The Réseau des SADC et CAE is a network of 57 Sociétés d’aide au développement des collectivités (SADC) and 10 Centres d’aide aux entreprises (CAE), not‑for‑profit organizations that have been working in economic development in the regions of Quebec for the nearly 40 years. It has over 1,400 professionals and volunteers who support projects and innovative businesses for prosperous communities. They help and finance over 10,000 Quebec businesses and local projects every year.
www.sadc-cae.ca
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