Toyota Releases 2019 North American Environmental Report

TORONTO, Ontario (Jan. 14, 2020) – Toyota is committed to supporting and fostering a more inclusive and sustainable society. To achieve that goal, the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 was developed to address the major environmental issues facing the global community, such as climate change, water scarcity, resource depletion and habitat loss.

Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050’s first three challenges focus on carbon and call for reducing greenhouse gas emissions from new vehicles, operations and supply chain activities. The fourth challenge addresses water availability and quality, while the fifth and sixth challenges seek to move closer to contributing to a recycling-based society and protecting nature.

Progress on each of those challenges is outlined in the 2019 North American Environmental Report. Some of the highlights from 2019 include the first phase of the Zero-and-Near-Zero Emission Freight Facilities Project (ZANZEFF) that will reduce GHG emissions by 500 tons, recycle of over half a billion gallons of water at manufacturing facilities and achieve a 93% recycling, reuse or composting rate of waste at all North American facilities.

“From product development to infrastructure, emissions to waste reduction and beyond, Toyota is committed to ‘walking the walk’ and achieving the goals we’ve set forth as part of our global Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050,” says Stephen Beatty, Vice President, Corporate, Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI). “These standards are engrained in our culture, and we stand beside our valued partners in our collective efforts to create a more sustainable future for our planet.”   

Additional highlights from the 2019 North American Environmental Report include the following:

CARBON

• Toyota is committed to offering an electrified version of each Toyota and Lexus model by 2025.
   
• Toyota is entering into Virtual Power Purchase Agreements (VPPAs), which will be used to reduce GHG emissions from our North American operations by up to 40 per cent over the next three years.
   
• Toyota Canada has been investing in and to encouraging the development of hydrogen fueling infrastructure in Canada.
   
• The Toyota Mirai fuel-cell electric vehicle became available for fleet purchase in both Quebec and British Columbia.
   

WATER

• Toyota’s North American manufacturing plants recycled or reused 565 million gallons of water last year.
   

MATERIALS

• Toyota’s assembly plant in Cambridge, Ontario developed a new cleaning agent that saves 11,300 gallons of solvent and cuts the number of defective bumpers in half.
   
• Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) is helping to convert low-end plastic scrap into beautiful, durable outdoor furniture.
   

BIODIVERSITY

• Across North America, including at TCI and TMMC, Toyota has 17 sites with pollinator gardens supporting monarch butterflies along their migration path.
   
• Toyota has 13 sites engaged in conservation programs certified by Wildlife Habitat Council®.
   

OUTREACH

• We are pleased that 67 Toyota and Lexus dealerships in Canada, the U.S. and Mexico have become LEED®-certified. Achieving LEED® certification illustrates our dealerships’ commitment to sustainable construction and remodeling.
   
• For the fourth consecutive year, Toyota Canada associates participated in the WWF CN Tower Climb for Nature, challenging participants to climb the 1,776 stairs of Canada’s tallest tower. Toyota Canada’s team raised more than $5,000 to support WWF.
  
   

AWARDS

• For the second year in a row, Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) won a Green Award of Excellence from East Penn Canada. The award recognizes TCI’s commitment to vehicle battery recycling.
   

###

About Toyota Canada Inc.

Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota has sold over eight million vehicles in Canada through a national network of 287 Toyota and Lexus dealerships. Toyota is dedicated to bringing safety, quality, dependability and reliability to the vehicles Canadians drive and the service they receive. TCI’s head office is located in Toronto, with regional offices in Vancouver, Calgary, Montreal and Halifax, and parts distribution centres in Toronto and Vancouver. Toyota operates two manufacturing facilities in Canada. Having produced more than eight million vehicles, popular Canadian models built at these facilities include Toyota RAV4, Toyota RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid. Recent investments at its facilities in Ontario will allow for increased production of the top-selling Toyota RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid models.

About Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada:

TMMC currently manufactures the Toyota RAV4 and RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h vehicles at three manufacturing plants in Ontario, Canada and was the first plant outside of Japan to build a Lexus vehicle. In addition to receiving two plant awards in 2019, the Lexus RX was also honoured with the J.D. Power Award for the top vehicle in its segment category.

Media Contact
Gemma Todd
Toyota Canada Inc.
gemma_todd@toyota.ca