Sustainability initiatives
Concordia demonstrates sustainability through many initiatives that involve the university community on both campuses. Discover LEED-certified buildings, our new low-waste office program, student-run greenhouses and cafes, and more groundbreaking projects.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is an internationally recognized sustainability rating system for buildings. There are currently three LEED-certified buildings at Concordia University, reflecting our commitment to best practices in construction on campus.
Food
We strive to provide food on campus that improves the health of our students, employees, communities and the environment by increasing access to fresh, healthy, local and seasonal food, and purchasing food that promotes ecologically sound, economically viable and socially responsible agricultural practices.
Waste refers to any type of discarded material that can be sent to landfills. Reducing waste reduces our impact on the environment: Find out how to dispose of packaging, food, electronic waste, construction materials, and more.
Energy
Faced with the global and local challenges of climate change, there is an urgent need for more efficient and cleaner energy consumption. At Concordia, the focus is on ensuring that all buildings are as energy efficient as possible.
Water
Water is essential in supporting life and providing food. Through different initiatives, Concordia strives to reduce water consumption and conserve this precious resource especially in consideration of the University’s highly urbanised location.
Transportation
As Concordians, we have many options when it comes to getting to and from the university. We cycle, carpool, car share and take public transport. Find out how you can take advantage of any of these transportation services.
Sustainability hub
Concordia Sustainability hub workgroup is an open-door collective of motivated Concordians who aim to actively support each other, individuals and groups working towards creating a culture of sustainability.
At Concordia, sustainability has long been driven by a diversity of student projects, initiatives and passions. Meet the student groups that have laid the foundation for a sustainable campus and continue to drive sustainability at the University.
Café X
Cafe X is a student run, non-profit, Fine Arts café offering nutritious, affordable food to the Concordia community. They are located in the VA building on the second floor and on the 7th floor of the EV building. Coffee is only $1 when you bring your own mug and all foods are Vegetarian, many Vegan options and some Gluten Free options.
CEED Concordia
Community, Empowerment, Education, Development - CEED Concordia is a fee-levy association of Concordia University and a non-profit organization operating in Montreal, Canada and Gulu, Uganda. The organization is dedicated to social justice and community empowerment by supporting youth in our communities. CEED offers Concordia students an opportunity to contribute to sustainable community projects in northern Uganda for 3-month internships during the summer semester.
Centre for Gender Advocacy
The Centre for Gender Advocacy promotes gender equality and empowerment, particularly as it relates to marginalized communities. Along with a variety of programming and campaigns, the Centre provides respectful, confidential peer-to-peer support, advocacy and resources; houses a resource centre and libraries; and offers accessible spaces to facilitate community organizing and action.
Cinema Politica
Cinema Politica is a Montreal-based non-profit network of community and campus locals that screen independent political film and video by Canadian and international artists. Concordia’s local is Cinema Politica’s largest and longest-running one, and since 2003 it attracts between 300 and 700 people to their weekly screenings. Each semester they screen powerful independent documentaries and connect Concordia students to artists, activists and the Montreal community. To see their schedule for this year, please visit their website or just show up in H-110 for 7pm on nearly every Monday during the school year!
City Farm School
The City Farm School is an initiative to develop partnerships and expertise in urban agriculture on the island of Montréal. With the support of Concordia University, The City Farm School (CFS) offers seminars, discussions, internship placements, volunteer opportunities and popular education style teach-ins on permaculture, organic crop planning, producing seedlings, mushroom cultivation, composting, pest management, organic plant nutrition, rain water harvesting, and other topics of great public interest, promoting a strong focus on experiential learning and the cultivation of a can-do spirit.
Concordia Community Solidarity Coorperative Bookstore
A not-for-profit alternative to corporate bookstores, the Cooperative Bookstore is located on Concordia’s downtown campus at 2150 Bishop Street. Offering both new and used books, in addition to a wide variety of artisan consignments, we also boast the largest selection of sex and gender studies titles anywhere in Montreal. Textbooks and T-shirts are sold here as well.
Concordia Food Coalition
The Concordia Food Coalition (also known as Community Food Coalition / CFC) is a non-for-profit student-run organization concerned about the economic, ecological, and social implications of the food system at Concordia University. The CFC brings together students, faculty and staff to promote and facilitate a transition to a more sustainable food system at Concordia.
Concordia Greenhouse
The Concordia Greenhouse Project is a collectively run, consensus-based, non-profit organization. It uses the Henry H. Hall Building rooftop greenhouse as an all-organic space geared towards community, education and sustainable horticulture. The Greenhouse is a year-round green space that hosts workshops, projects and events raising awareness around food issues and alternatives to mainstream consumerism.
Concordia Student Union (CSU)
As the representative body of all Concordia undergraduate students, the CSU is dedicated to deepening understanding of sustainability issues on campus, while encouraging sustainable practices off-campus and advocating for environmental protection and social justice in our provincial and federal politics.
Engineers without Borders – Concordia Chapter
Having a chapter at Concordia, Engineers Without Borders is a non-profit organization, supported by professional engineers, students, and volunteers in Canada and abroad. Working primary in rural Africa, we believe that the next generation of Africans should have the opportunity to improve their own lives, and we realize that there are areas where we can help.
Le Frigo Vert
Frigo Vert is Concordia’s student non-profit health food store. It offers a variety of organic and bulk foods, as well as quick snacks, coffee and environmentally friendly household products at affordable prices.
The Hive Café Solidarity Cooperative
The Hive Café Solidarity Cooperative consists of a downtown and a Loyola café that offers locally & ethical sourced, healthy, affordable, and delicious food options. The downtown Hive Café is located in the Hall Building Mezz level and the Loyola café can be found on the 2nd floor of the Student Centre building. The Hive Café Solidarity Cooperative rents out their spaces for events and their delicious catering service is on the Concordia approved caterer list.
John Molson Sustainable Business Group (JMSBG)
JMSBG's mission is to build responsible business leaders by instilling a clear understanding of the viability and value of sustainable business practices within JMSB graduate students, which they will apply throughout their careers.
John Molson Sustainable Enterprise Committee (JSEC)
JSEC strives to deepen ideas concerning durability, responsibility, and opportunity in business environments by facilitating conversations about sustainability’s role in firms. We endorse the concept of ‘a living laboratory,’ where individuals are encouraged to use the University’s resources at their disposal to enhance personal growth and knowledge, as well as to discover new experiences. JSEC is always present for Concordia’s undergraduate community to discuss and collaborate on meaningful projects and events.
Le Petit Vélo Rouge (LPVR)
LPVR located in the PS Building at Loyola Campus has a mission to promote sustainability and active transportation by fixing and selling refurbished bikes and through educational outreach (workshops, events, resources). LPVR strives to create an anti-oppressive, inclusive space where students and non-students alike are empowered to fix bikes, share resources and build community.
People’s Potato
The People's Potato is a collectively-run soup kitchen that offers vegan meals to students and community members on a by-donation basis. The Potato serves more than 400 meals daily to students and community members with the help of dedicated volunteers and it is dedicated to educating about healthy cooking and food politics.
Quebec Public Interest Research Group (QPIRG)
The Quebec Public Interest Research Group at Concordia is a resource centre for student and community research and organizing. We strive to raise awareness and support grassroots activism around diverse social and environmental issues.
Queer Concordia
Queer Concordia is an on-campus resource centre and safe space for all students identifying outside the cissexist heteronorm and for their allies. We provide free safer sex products, an extensive lending library, and plan a multitude of events throughout the school year. We’re always looking for the new volunteers and love meeting new community members.
Right to Move
Right to Move is a non-profit organization that believes bicycles are a form of transportation that should be available to all. They have a drop-in, do-it-yourself bicycle shop where members can fix their own bicycles with the help of volunteer mechanics and hands-on workshops.
Sustainability Action Fund
The Sustainability Action Fund (SAF) is fee-levy granting organization for Concordia University students who want to develop, coordinate and foster high impact sustainability projects at Concordia University. SAF provides students with support and resources within a supportive environment to encourage project success and autonomy. Unique among sustainability groups on campus, SAF provides significant financial support to a diversity of sustainable projects in an active effort to increase the sustainability of Concordia University.
Sustainable Concordia
Sustainable Concordia (SC) is a nexus that engages students, staff, faculty, and administrators to work together in non-hierarchical, consensus based decision-making processes to address issues of sustainable development on campus. We are founded in the belief that our community stakeholders must communicate and work together to create viable solutions to sustainable development challenges on campus. Bringing the perspectives of each stakeholder group together in dialogue allows us to see the University as a system where solutions reach across sectors and departments.
Sustainable Engineering Concordia
Sustainable Engineering Concordia is a newly formed student group that educates future engineers about sustainability so that they may apply their technical skills and innovative thinking towards this cause.
These sustainability initiatives are part of a very active and broad student community at Concordia (diagram created through a collaboration of the following student groups: Sustainability Action Fund, Sustainable Concordia, Concordia Student Union, Graduate Students Association).
If you would like your group to be added to the list, please contact sustainability@concordia.ca
