Pickering, ON – November 4, 2009 – Today, Pickering Town Centre announced their recent success in the 2009 Recycling Council of Ontario Waste Minimization Awards. The centre was awarded a coveted Gold Award in the Facilities category.

"We are delighted to receive such an esteemed industry award”, said Marcel Ethier, Operations Manager at Pickering Town Centre. "We are committed to meeting the challenges of waste diversion and reduction.”

The Recycling Council of Ontario's Waste Minimization Awards celebrate waste diversion excellence in Ontario. Award winners are measured and scored according to their achievements in reducing the wastes they generate and divert from disposal to recycling. Each is scored on their ability to prevent wastes through consumption and purchasing habits, their success in sorting and tracking generated materials to recycling, and minimizing the wastes their products contribute to the wastes stream.

In 2007, Pickering Town Centre initiated a "Be Seen Be Green” reusable shopping bag program that has received numerous awards including a 2007 Ontario Waste Minimization Platinum Award from the Recycling Council of Ontario, a Maple Leaf Award in the 2007 Canadian International Council of Shopping Centres Awards program and a Maxi Silver in the 2007 Worldwide International Council of Shopping Centres Awards program.

Earlier this year, the Building and Owners Managers Association of Canada (BOMA) certified Pickering Town Centre with a BOMA BEST Level 3. This certification stipulates that all of the BOMA Go Green Best Practices in environmental management have been met, and that the score of 80-89% was achieved on the Go Green Plus assessment. Pickering Town Centre received an 88% score.

Pickering Town Centre recognizes and supports sustainable business practices and participates in local initiatives and organizations including Durham Sustain Ability's Eco Business and Sustainable Pickering Day in partnership with the City of Pickering's Office of Sustainability.