Sustainability Initiatives

The following is a list of major projects that the hotel has initiated with sustainability in mind.  As well, we are continually responding to changes and needs that arise.  We are always open to new projects and new ways to reduce our carbon footprint.

Biosphere
The Oak Bay Beach Hotel has been Biosphere Certified as of February 2023. This certification aligns with 17 sustainable development goals of the United Nations in areas that include climate change, environment, social, economy and culture – and guarantees compliance and continuous improvement through a private, voluntary and independent certification system, evaluated on an annual basis.
Learn more about the Hotel’s Biosphere Certification here.

veritree
Every night that a hotel guest declines stay-over service of their room, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel will commit to planting 10 kelp in Hotham Sound, British Columbia, in partnership with veritree. Not only will these kelp forests act as carbon sinks, they will also help to restore our ecosystem and support wildlife habitats. The veritree platform tracks and verifies the planting and lifecycle of our kelp, which provides us with the assurance that our efforts are real, measurable and impactful.
Learn more about our partnership with veritree, and how many kelp we commit to plant, here.

BC Green Business
Since 2021, FARO Handcrafted Pizza and Tasting Room and The Boathouse Spa are Gold Level certified by the British Columbia Green Business (BCGB). This is a provincial certification program that recognizes the efforts of local businesses that are reducing their environmental impact. Businesses are scored based on the number of action points they receive, as Silver, Gold or Green.
Learn more about BCBG here.

EcoChit
From Front Desk to each of our restaurants, and our Boathouse Spa, we print every receipt on EcoChit paper, a phenol-free (no BPA or BPS), fully recyclable and sustainably sourced receipt paper. A BC female-led brand, Ecochit is partnered with veritree, with each receipt paper case sale resulting in the planting of either trees or kelp, traceable and verified. Since partnering with EcoChit, the Oak Bay Beach Hotel has eliminated 263 single-use plastic cores, planted 526 trees, averted approximately 3,200 lbs of waste, and increased environmental awareness with each receipt.
Learn more about EcoChit here.

Soap for Hope Canada
We are partnered with Soap For Hope, where we collect gently used or unused soap, hygiene products, linens and lost and found items that would otherwise be discarded and give them to Soap for Hope Canada volunteers who reprocess and distribute these items to those in need through local community facilities and internationally through organizations such as Compassionate Resource Warehouse.
Learn more about Soap for Hope here.

Other notable efforts

• Installation of BABOR large format amenities in each Guest Room and in the Spa bathrooms (removing single-use amenities)
• Comprehensive staff training to ensure awareness and adherence to hotel environmental policies and procedures
• The Hotel’s wine list is British Columbia winery-focused, with a particular focus on Vancouver Island wineries.
• Nespresso recycling program used by Housekeeping, featured in each guest room
• Added Water Bottle filling station to pool deck
• Paperless check-in process provided for all guests upon request
• Comprehensive recycling program for all areas of the hotel
• Installation of Bathing Suit Dryer at Boathouse Spa to reduce plastic waste
• Composting for all hotel Food & Beverage operations, including staff meals
• 8 Electric Vehicle charging stations for guests
• Hotel Electric Vehicle used for hotel deliveries
• Herbs are grown on-site in our own herb garden
• We recently participated in a food waste audit with BetterTable.ca to help us identify areas to reduce food waste and strategies to limit in the future
• 50-75% of food served in the hotel is organically grown or from local producers
• Individually packaged food & beverage items are eliminated wherever possible
• Transition hotel to LED lighting (98% complete)
• Hotel suppliers are screened to ensure their practices are in line with the hotel’s sustainability policies
• Environmentally friendly cleaners are used throughout the hotel whenever possible
• Low-flow taps, showerheads, and dual-flush toilets throughout the hotel to reduce wastewater
• Paper products with recycled content are used whenever possible
• Supporting non-profits with our seasonal Sunrise Yoga Classes, including the Surfrider Foundation, Indian Residential School Survivor Society, and veritree
• We offer bike racks to guests and staff, encouraging all to choose green modes of transportation
• Motion sensor lights installed throughout property in staff-facing areas

We encourage guests to…

• Open curtains during the day to take advantage of natural light instead of turning on multiple light sources
• Make sure the windows/balcony doors are closed if the air/heating system is on
• Conserving water by turning off taps when not in use
• Recycling bins are available in each of our guest rooms and meetings rooms