BC Hotel Association and GreenStep Renew Partnership to Drive Sustainable Tourism Leadership in British Columbia
The British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA) and GreenStep are proud to announce the renewal of their impactful partnership, reinforcing British Columbia’s position as a national leader in sustainable tourism through the EcoFund Verified program.
Since becoming the first industry association to champion the EcoFund program, the BCHA has played a pivotal role in advancing environmental responsibility within the hotel sector. With 70 EcoFund Verified properties and 457 tonnes of carbon (tCO2e) reduced across 32 projects to date, equivalent to removing 107 gas-powered vehicles from the road, BCHA members represent the highest impact of participating properties across Canada.
“We’re incredibly proud of the ongoing impact of the partnership between GreenStep and BCHA,” said Angela Nagy, CEO of GreenStep Solutions. “This renewal reflects the shared commitment to continuous improvement and measurable results in sustainability.”
Through this renewed collaboration, BCHA continues to support its members in reducing their carbon footprint, improving energy efficiency, and contributing to global climate solutions. The EcoFund Verified program enables properties to track emissions, reduce energy use, and invest in high-quality, verified climate projects.
“Elevating our strategic partnership with GreenStep allows us to bring sustainability practices and programs directly to our members in a meaningful, measurable way,” said Paul Hawes, President and CEO of BCHA. “We’re proud to see BC leading the country and to be part of this pioneering effort once again.”
The EcoFund program not only advances environmental stewardship but also provides tangible value to participating properties. Members receive verified carbon assessments, guidance on reducing emissions, access to green funding opportunities, and marketing tools to communicate their sustainability achievements to guests.
Across Canada, GreenStep’s EcoFund Verified program has successfully supported 43 carbon reduction projects, investing over $1.7 million to date, with several more projects planned for 2025. These initiatives have achieved impressive climate outcomes, cumulatively eliminating 803 tCO₂e – helping participating properties to demonstrate meaningful and measurable progress toward environmental sustainability. BCHA’s collective membership has had the greatest impact of any group in the country, demonstrating that industry collaboration can achieve powerful, measurable progress in sustainability and climate action.
About BC Hotel Association
The British Columbia Hotel Association (BCHA) is a non-profit organization that has advocated for the best interests of the province’s accommodation sector since 1917. Working closely with over 750 members, partner organizations, and all levels of government, the BCHA champions solutions to issues that affect the successful operations of accommodation businesses including the workforce shortage, labour mobility, affordable, available housing, immigration, the cost of doing business, and more. Through advocacy, education, and communication the BCHA promotes responsible and safe hospitality practices and drives economic, social, and environmental sustainability. For more information, visit BCHA.com.
About GreenStep
GreenStep is dedicated to empowering DMOs, industry associations, hospitality providers, and tourism operators with the tools and frameworks to meet the growing demand for sustainable tourism. GreenStep pairs technology with a team of sustainability experts to provide a wide variety of services, including carbon measurement, sustainability and net-zero strategy, action planning, certifications, and EcoFund, a decarbonization funding program.
GreenStep’s Sustainable Tourism Certification program is the only Canadian program that uses Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC)-recognized criteria; the program is also recognized by Travelyst, Booking.com, and Google. Since its founding in 2008, GreenStep has helped thousands of tourism businesses across North America identify opportunities to go green while attracting more trips and visitors. For more information, visit GreenStep.ca.
