Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) Releases Highlights from 2017 North American Environmental Report

TORONTO, ONTARIO, February 13, 2018 –  With the ultimate goal of creating a net positive impact on the environment by 2050, Toyota has worked hard to contribute to widespread, meaningful change in 2017. Today, Toyota released its 2017 annual North American Environmental Report, highlighting the progress the company has made over the past year.

As part of Toyota’s Environmental Action Plan, the company set out several ambitious goals in Canada – and throughout the continent – to make improvements in the areas of carbon, water, materials, biodiversity, and outreach activities.  The 2017 North American Environmental report accounts for the actions taken to achieve these goals.

“At Toyota, we believe that being a leader in the future of mobility means striving to make sustainability a core part of everything that we do – from reducing CO2 emissions in new vehicles and manufacturing processes, to making dealership operations energy efficient and sharing sustainability practices with others in the community,” said Stephen Beatty, Chief Environmental Officer, Toyota Canada Inc. “In Canada, we are committed to doing our part to create a better, more sustainable future.”

In 2017, Toyota established itself as the number one seller of electrified vehicles in Canada, thanks to the company’s Toyota and Lexus hybrid lineup. Since the launch of the Toyota Prius in 2000, Toyota Canada has sold close to 160,000 hybrid electric vehicles in Canada.

*Electrified vehicles: Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), Fuel Cell Electric Vehicles (FCEVs), Hybrid Electric Vehicles (HEVs), Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicles (PHEVs).

In mid-2017, Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) launched a real-world market trial of the Toyota Prius Prime plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in Quebec and the overwhelming success of that experience has set the stage for expanding the vehicle to the rest of Canada in 2018.  TCI also introduced a test fleet of fuel cell electric vehicles to Canada, and worked with government partners in Quebec to ensure the introduction of hydrogen fueling infrastructure in the province. TCI will expand to early commercializations of its fuel cell electric vehicle - the Toyota Mirai - in Canada in 2018.

Toyota affirmed its commitment to meaningful environmental contributions through a television commercial showcasing iconic moments in Olympic and Paralympic history. The commercial, titled “Frozen,” aims to further spark the conversation on global warming and the imminent impact that it may have on the beauty, hope and heroes of the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games.

Toyota in Canada: 2017 North American Environmental Report Highlights

• As of November 2017, the Wildlife Habitat Council (WHC) awarded Conservation Certifications to both assembly plants in Canada (certification tier is in parentheses):

  • Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Cambridge plant - certified since 2013 (Certified)

  • Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada, Woodstock plant - certified since 2013 (Gold)

• In 2017, Toyota Canada team members participated in World Wildlife Fund’s (WWF) CN Tower Climb for Nature, which brings out thousands of supporters and raises essential funds to support WWF’s conservation priorities. Participants are challenged to climb the 1,776 stairs of Toronto’s tallest tower. Toyota Canada’s team of 33 associates raised $8,354, putting them in ninth place among participating groups.

• In March 2017, the Automobile Journalist Association of Canada named the Toyota Prius ‘Canada’s Green Car of the Year’ and the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid ‘Canada’s Green Utility Vehicle of the Year’. This is the first time the same manufacturer has won both categories.

• As of July 2017, six Toyota and Lexus dealerships in Canada have been LEED® certified. Toyota and Lexus continue to lead the industry with more dealership facilities certified to LEED® standards in North America than any other auto manufacturer.

• Since 1994, Toyota Motor Manufacturing Canada (TMMC) has helped team members and surrounding communities recycle and properly dispose of household waste that is difficult to dispose. In April 2017, Toyota’s assembly plants in Cambridge and Woodstock, Ontario, hosted their fifth electronic waste drop-off for team members and collected over 6,600 pounds (3,000 kilograms). Team members also donated work boots, which were distributed to Habitat for Humanity. Toyota Canada’s head office in Toronto held its 10th annual event in June 2017 and collected 4,400 pounds (1,996 kilograms) of electronic waste.

• Toyota Canada executives and associates dedicated their lunch time during Earth Week to cleaning up the outdoor area near the organization’s head office in Toronto. In 2017, they collected 50 bags of garbage.

• Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) named the following five Toyota/Lexus vehicles as best-in-class for fuel efficiency for the 2017 model year:

  • Toyota Prius c (compact car)

  • Toyota Prius (mid-size car)

  • Toyota Prius v (mid-size station wagon)

  • Toyota RAV4 Hybrid AWD (small SUV)

  • Lexus RX 450h AWD (standard SUV)

• Toyota associates and team members were further inspired by Sherry, age 11, from British Columbia. Sherry was selected as one of the Canadian winners of Toyota’s global “Dream Art Car Contest,” a company initiative to foster the imagination of children all over the world through art. Sherry’s winning artwork was called the “Plastic Reducer” as it’s a vehicle that collects plastic waste and turns it into functional objects.

To view the complete 2017 North American Environmental Report, please click here.   

About Toyota Canada Inc.

Toyota Canada Inc. (TCI) is the exclusive Canadian distributor of Toyota and Lexus vehicles. Toyota has sold over 5 million vehicles in Canada through a national network of 287 Toyota and Lexus dealerships. Toyota is dedicated to bringing safety, quality, dependability and reliability in 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 seven million vehicles, popular Canadian models built at these facilities include Toyota RAV4, Toyota Corolla, Lexus RX 350 and RX 450h hybrid.

-30-