Greenest City, an Ontario environmental non-profit, develops air pollution, climate change, energy consumption, and other environmental pollution mitigation programs that enable diverse and multicultural communities to take action to build healthy, livable urban environments. We are an innovative organization passionate about our work, and are not afraid to take on the hard challenges.

We believe there are sustainable ways to live in our urban communities, and we are dedicated to social justice and working collaboratively to make a difference. We work in partnerships with schools, businesses, government, and other nonprofit organizations.

In 1996, Greenest City initiated the first Active and Safe Routes to School (ASRTS) program in Canada, with participation from three Toronto Public schools. ASRTS is a strategy to regain the healthy and sustainable practice of walking to school in Ontario. ASRTS raises awareness concerning climate change and air pollution, effectively contributing to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions mitigation. As well, ASRTS works with schools and local communities to encourage safer routes for students to walk or cycle to school, which in turn helps to increase physical activity for improved health, and repopulates neighbourhood streets. The participation in this incredibly successful program has grown from its humble beginnings to include more than 2,000 schools across Ontario. Today the program is managed by Green Communities Canada. For details on the program please visit www.saferoutestoschool.ca.

In 2001 Greenest City's ASRTS program won the Ministry of the Environment's Award of Excellence for outstanding achievements in anti-smog and climate change initiatives. In 2002 the partnership that steers up the International Walk to School Day event was awarded the prestigious Stockholm Partnership Award for Sustainable Cities for innovative solutions for sustainable development in metropolitan areas.

Greenest City founded the Cool Shops program in 1999. This program works closely with small retailers to help them make their stores more energy efficient. To date, we have completed approximately 60 energy audits, certified nine official Cool Shops. The program avoided over 26,970 kWh of electricity use, and prevented the release of more than 35.7 tonnes of greenhouse gases in its first year alone.

Greenest City has helped 18 communities start community gardens across the GTA since 1996, as part of the Multicultural Greening Project. This project has involved more than 300 gardeners of Korean, Chinese, Portuguese, Jamaican, Trinidadian, Somali, Tamil, Indian, Caribbean, Sri Lankan, European, Arab, Phillippino, and Pakistani decent, male and female, young and old. These gardeners have learned sustainable urban agriculture practices and helped the environment by growing their own food rather than buying food that has been grown using pesticides and chemical fertilizers and shipped long distances emitting many tonnes of GHGs in the process. The gardeners have also slowed the overflow of landfills by composting their food scraps on-site. Gardening helps participants get exercise, healthy and affordable food, and fresh air, while relieving stress. For the older participants, gardening helps stave off conditions such as arthritis and stiffness while maintaining muscle strength.