Sustainability Solutions Group

SSG is a pioneering, federally-incorporated workers cooperative created specifically to develop solutions to societal issues using a holistic sustainability lens. SSG is at the forefront of sustainability in Canada working with leading projects in all sectors. The following examples highlight the breadth of our experience:

• Development of an open source GHG tool to enable small and medium sized communities to develop realistic targets to achieve the Bill 27 requirements for CMHC and the Fraser Valley Regional District;

• The first LEED-certified building in Canada, the Vancouver Island Technology Park;

• The Vancouver Convention Centre Expansion Project, LEED Platinum-certified;

• Dockside Green, the first LEED Platinum community in Canada;

• Participatory community economic development strategy for the Village of Slocan;

• Developing LEED Canada for Homes;

• Algonquin College’s sustainability strategy integrating curriculum and operations;

• Discovery Channel’s Wa$ted Series; and

• Greenhouse gas emissions inventory for Co-operators Insurance company.

SSG understands sustainability as a process, rather than a static outcome. With this view, our projects entail elements of adaptive management to allow an organization to continuously increase performance on major societal challenges including climate change, economic and social inequities, human health, ecosystem decline, and sustainable community development.

Among SSG’s 6 members and 24 associate members are:

• Community and land use planners

• Green building professionals

• Sustainability assessment experts

• GHG modellers

• Sustainability management systems experts

• Social scientists

• Community economic development specialists

• Energy planners

• Legal advisors

• Engineers

• Economists

SSG’s services include greenhouse gas (GHG) assessments and community energy plans; integrated sustainable community planning; public engagement processes; green and sustainable buildings; sustainable development research; development and delivery of education and training programs; sustainability assessing, indicator development, and implementation of sustainability management systems toward organizational transformation; food security; and social enterprise development.