SADC + CAE CARBON CREDITS
LOCAL SMEs REAP FINANCIAL REWARDS FOR REDUCING THEIR GHG EMISSIONS
We are pleased to announce that the first round of earnings have been distributed to participants of the SADC and CAE Carbon Credit program. A total of $300,000 was paid out to the 74 participating SMEs and organizations, who earned over 2 million carbon credits by cutting their GHG emissions. The credits were put up for sale on the voluntary carbon market.
The voluntary carbon market was formerly out of reach to smaller businesses, but by building a federation of 74 SMEs and organizations and coaching them through the complex process, SADCs and CAEs succeeded in opening access to the market to the little guy. The carbon credits from this project are the only certified carbon credits generated by small businesses in Quebec to date.
According to Vallier Daigle, President of the Réseau des SADC et CAE, these financial rewards are a tangible way to encourage businesses to reduce their GHG emissions. “While environmentally responsible business practices are already making a significant social, economic and environmental impact, these incentives are just one more tool in the box,” he said. “I would like to congratulate all the participants on their innovative and impressive projects.”
LOCAL IMPACT
Buy carbon credits here.
TESTIMONIALS
MSL fibre
After the SADC + CAE Carbon Credit project was launched at SADC de la MRC de Maskinongé, building soundproofing company MSL fibre responded to the call.
Patricia Batil, Vice-President of Finance and Operations, promptly submitted her proposal. “One of our projects was diverting urban biomass from landfills to use in our fibreboard panels,” said Batil. “That means that 100% of our raw materials come from recycled wood chips. We are so proud of what we’ve done and the fact that we earned money from the sale of our carbon credits.”
Lauzon Bois Énergétique Recyclé
Lauzon Bois Énergétique Recyclé submitted two major GHG reduction projects to SADC de Papineau. The first involved reducing the amount of methane produced from decomposing wood by recycling and transforming waste wood into storable wood fuel pellets. The second aimed to reduce the carbon footprint of commercial and residential oil, propane and natural gas heating systems by converting them to run on the company’s wood fuel pellets.
“Beyond the financial benefits, we are incredibly proud that we have contributed to government GHG emission targets with an 830,000 tonnes CO2 eq reduction over 20 years,” said François Mireault, Director of Operations and Procurement. “That’s like taking 180,400 gas-powered cars off the road.”
SADCS AND CAES: LEADERS IN SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT
As front-line players in local economic development, SADCs and CAEs aim to create healthy living environments and help build a more responsible economy. For nearly 15 years, SADCs and CAEs have been helping companies leverage sustainable development approaches to become more competitive.
We have a solid network, and to date nearly 1,000 businesses have benefitted from sustainable development coaching or participated in sustainable community projects through an SADC or CAE.
The numbers speak for themselves: the businesses improve their environmental and social impact and, at the same time, their bottom line.
Learn more about our sustainable development services (French only).
The 74 small businesses and organizations, guided by SADCs and CAEs, 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. 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.
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 40 years. It has over 1,000 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.
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INQUIRIES
Christine Pilote, Director, Communications | Phone: : 581 999-6363 | cpilote@ciril.qc.ca
