The Hotel Association of Canada’s Green Key Eco-Rating Program reached a milestone yesterday as the signing of a group of properties brought program participation to just over the 1,000 member mark. Earlier this month Lakeview Hotels & Resorts, a hotel company based in Winnipeg, MB, began enrolling all their properties in the Green Key Eco-Rating Program.  Today, with their final few hotels in the system, program participation has officially tipped the scales over into the thousands.

“This is a landmark day for the Green Key program and a testament to our industry’s commitment to improving their environmental performance,” stated Tony Pollard, HAC President. “We are so pleased that Lakeview Hotels & Resorts, our newest corporate member, was an integral part of this exciting announcement.” 

“As a Canadian owned, community focused company, Lakeview Hotels & Resorts is committed to identifying ways to lessen the environmental impact that our business activities have on the communities where we conduct business, as well as the global community as a whole,” said Keith Levit, President of Lakeview Management Inc.  “Adoption of the Green Key program is a first step in our commitment to developing a portfolio wide environmental program.  We will be working in close partnership with the Hotel Association of Canada and with our hotels across the country to identify and implement eco-friendly practices for improved environmental performance.”

This announcement is the icing on the cake in a busy year for the Green Key program.  Not only did participation grown by the hundreds in 2008 but a number of new initiatives were also launched including: The Green Scene, an e-newsletter exclusively for program members; inclusion of Green Key Ratings in the AAA/CAA travel guides; partnerships with the Green Meeting and Green Travel Guides; as well as expanding interest throughout the United States.