Sustainability at HCA

Sustainability at HCA

The goal of the Sustainability Committee is to promote sustainable and environmentally sound solutions for internal HCA operations and practices.

The purpose of the Sustainability Committee is to provide guidance and undertake projects which:

  • Promote environmentally sustainable practices across the Hamilton Conservation Authority;
  • Promote these practices amongst conservation area users and the general public; and
  • Support projects outlined in HCA’s Corporate Climate Change Strategy

The HCA has been actively implementing sustainable practices for over 12 years and staff continue to find new ways to contribute and create a more sustainable future. 

  • no idling sign‘Please Turn Off Your Engine’ signage is installed at select parking facilities within HCA areas.
  • Staff are encouraged to reduce vehicle idling. A message is incorporated into our fleet vehicle training program.
  • HCA continues to purchase battery powered lawn equipment in place of gas/diesel powered equipment.
  • An electric vehicle (EV) was purchased to replace an internal combustion engine vehicle in HCA’s fleet. EV charging stations were also installed at the Woodend Main Office.
  • Motion detector lights have been installed in washrooms across several of our facilities including, Christie Lake, Valens Lake, Eramosa Karst, and the Main Office.
  • HCA continues to convert appliances to high-efficiency models. A high-efficiency furnace has been installed at Valens Lake, air conditioning unit at the Main Office, and refrigeration unit at Wild Waterworks.
  • Numerous energy conservation retrofits have been completed at Christie Lake, Fifty Point, Westfield Heritage Village, Millgrove Works Yard, Main Office, and the Central Workshop over the years.
    • The retrofits completed at Millgrove resulted in the entire facility being able to run on less power than just one of the light fixtures that was in place originally.
  • All programable thermostats at HCA facilities are set to a standard temperature of 22°C/72°F for weekdays, and 20°C/68°F for weekends during the colder months. As well as, 24°C/76°F for weekdays, and 25.5°C/78°F for weekends during the warmer months.
  • Wild Waterworks has implemented projects to reduce energy consumption over the years, including:
    • Ballasted and revamped all light fixtures, converting from T-12 to T-8 lights, as well as switching from incandescent to LED exit lights.  These measures resulted in a cost reduction of approximately 25%.
    • Replaced the wave-generating equipment and reduced the number of motors used to generate waves from 6 to 3.  This resulted in a reduction of energy usage by approximately 50,000kWj per year.
    • Replaced the filter motors with higher efficiency motors that use the same horsepower (40HP) as the previous motors but consume less energy.
  • A Habitat Restoration project takes place at Valens Lake, where a local school builds a variety of habitat boxes that are installed at Valens Lake, as well as other HCA areas.
  • HCA’s Stewardship and Invasive Species staff collect Christmas trees to be used in stream restoration projects. This helps to keep the trees out of landfills and gives them a new purpose.
  • Increased naturalized green space throughout Wild Waterworks.
  • Conservation areas have reduced the use of herbicides where possible.
  • Boot brushes are installed outside staff buildings at several of our area and offices, including Valens Lake, Hamilton Mountain, the Main Office and Central Workshop. Additional boot brushes are being installed near trailheads at some of our area to help reduce the spread of invasive species across the watershed.
  • HCA participates in propane cylinder recycling through the Resource Productivity and Recover Authority (RPRA) and recycles over 1,000 propane cylinders a year across all of our areas.
  • HCA has an internal battery recycling program, where batteries are collected and then properly disposed of for recycling.
  • HCA tries to reduce the use of harmful chemical storage at our facilities. This includes the use of natural cleaners at the Main Office and a reduction in chlorine usage at Wild Waterworks. By modernizing the controllers, we were able to reduce chlorine usage.
  • Several water fountains have been retrofitted to water bottle filling stations, as a way to help reduce the amount of bottled water utilized in our facilities. Retrofits have been completed at the Dundas Valley Trail Centre, Valens Lake, Christie Lake Beach Pavilion, and Wild Waterworks. Additional stations will continue to be installed during future improvements across our areas.
  • HCA tries to donate old lumber that can be re-used when possible. Examples of repurposed lumber include:
    • Confederation Beach Park staff donated old lumber to the Hamilton Naturalist Club to create a bird-viewing platform near Grimsby in 2023.
    • Fifty Point repurposes and donates old lumber where possible.
  • HCA repurposes building materials where possible, such as reusing flooring from the Maplewood Centre for the Fifty Point gate house.
  • The washrooms at Christie Lake have low flow/water conservation fixtures.
  • Part of the roof of the Main Office was replaced with steel roofing in 2014. This roofing does not require to be replaced as often and can be recycled at the end of its life cycle.
  • Commercial Carpet Tiling that is made from 100% recycled materials was utilized for the Main Office foyer and kitchen during the most recent renovation. The previous carpeting was 100% recycled.
  • HCA uses 100% post-consumer product (recycled) paper that is Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) Certified.
  • HCA uses an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT) option which provides all staff and vendors with the option to make and receive payments through automatic bank deposits.
    • Since 2018, a total of 11,500 cheques have been reduced by switching to EFT’s
  • Wild Waterworks has significantly reduced the amount of paper used by staff and visitors through the following initiatives:
    • As of 2022, the Season Splash Pass Program has been completely digitized. Instead, all passholder’s perks and benefits are stored on their reusable RFID Season Splash Pass wristbands.
    • Wild Waterworks no longer prints out Season Splash Pass marketing materials. As well, guests are no longer required to print their online admissions, as this is now redeemed directly on the customer’s phone.
    • Coupons and vouchers can be loaded on guest’s RFID wristbands, which reduces the need for printed coupons.
    • The all-day locker system is now self-serve and cashless; therefore, it does not require printed receipts.
  • Internally, HCA promotes a preference for electronic document management to reduce printing/paper usage.
  • Westfield Heritage Village sends out the majority of its correspondence electronically, including school confirmations and information packages, invoices, and the Village Chronicle.
  • Online HCA Membership Passes are now paperless, internally. All online passes are fulfilled through the Main Office, and the Finance Department no longer requires two additional copies.
  • Valens Lake and Fifty Point send out camping confirmation letters electronically, reducing all associated paper waste created from the previous method of mailing physical letters.
  • Ecology staff have transitioned to using tablets and digital collection sheets, where possible, to conduct field surveys. This is helping to reduce our paper consumption and improve record keeping.
  • Planning and Permitting staff are using digital formats to process application forms and requests, which is helping to reduce paper consumption.
  • QR codes have been placed throughout our areas at trailheads to reduce the usage of printed brochures and provide access to an electronic version.
  • HCA Workshop building previously installed two hand dryers to reduce waste of paper towel.
  • HCA recycles writing instruments through the Staples Canada and TerraCycle® recycling program. We collect and recycle old/empty pens, markers, highlighters, and mechanical pencils.
  • Westfield Heritage Village implemented a “boomerang” lunch initiative in the summer of 2016 that ensures every piece that arrives in a lunch bag is returned to its source by using reusable containers. All organic materials, recyclables, and waste are taken home at the end of each day for proper disposal.
  • HCA developed guidelines in 2016 to assist staff with the reuse or sustainable disposal of surplus materials to divert waste from landfills.
  • HCA has an internal ink/toner cartridge recycling program, through which staff can return empty laser jet, ink jet, and toner cartridges to our office supplies contractors for reuse or proper disposal.
  • ‘Help Keep Our Natural Areas Clean’ and ‘Pack Out What You Pack In’ signage is installed at our facilities to reduce littering and promote recycling.
  • HCA’s old electronics are either upcycled through McMaster University or recycled by an appropriate e-waste recycling facility.
  • The renewal of the Central Waste Station system at the Main Office and Conservation Area offices are used to help ensure the proper disposal of waste generated by staff.
  • Valens Lake’s centralizing waste station has resulted in a decrease in garbage being left by visitors.
  • Beach towels left behind at Valens Lake are reused as rags for cleaning.
  • Wild Waterworks has reduced waste and recycling amounts by 15%.
  • Wild Waterworks provides all staff with reusable water bottles to reduce use of single-use plastic.
  • Wild Waterworks has reduced the number of wristbands that were previously handed out for tube rentals. Instead, the information can be found on the customers receipt, which is later recycled.
  • Old and/or unusable tubes at Wild Waterworks are repurposed by keeping the tube handles as trophies/awards for staff members.
  • A uniform swap event was held in 2016 which allowed staff to exchange un-used or gently used uniforms to reduce textile waste.
  • A uniform recycling program was created in 2019 for staff, which helps ensure that any old or unwanted HCA-branded clothing goes to a textile recycling facility.
    • Old uniforms have also been repurposed by HCA mechanics for use in the workshop.
  • Fifty Point reuses and recycles the plastic shrink wrap used to store boats throughout the winter. The recycling company then uses the plastic for various construction materials.
  • Fifty Point Marina is a part of the Clean Marina Program and currently has a Diamond Level status.
  • The Fifty Point Marina Guide contains a section entitled Boating and the Environment. The guide outlines steps that customers can follow to protect the environment and their safety.