LONGUEUIL, QUEBEC—The Hotel Association of Canada (HAC) and the Corporation de l’industrie touristique du Québec (CITQ) announced that they have signed an agreement regarding the Green Key Eco-Rating Program, aimed at promoting environmentally friendly practices in the tourist accommodation industry. Under this agreement, HAC gives CITQ the mandate to visit and certify all establishments in Quebec participating in the Green Key program.
“Our agreement with the CITQ gives the Green Key program, launched by our association in 1997, unprecedented credibility, since the rating will now be based on regular inspections of participating establishments by an organization with recognized skills in classification and certification,” said Tony Pollard, president of HAC.
“The CITQ will be able to do two jobs at once, saving operators valuable time, since our classifiers will be able to conduct Green Key inspections at the same time as they carry out the visits required by the official Quebec classification program every two years,” says Michel Rheault, CITQ executive director.
Almost 100 Members in Quebec
HAC’s Green Key Eco-Rating Program looks at more than 140 criteria in evaluating the environmental performance of tourist accommodation establishments. Energy-efficient heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, biodegradable cleaning products and toiletries, water savers and energy-efficient appliances, recycling and recovery practices are some of the main evaluation criteria that CITQ classifiers will consider. At the moment, some 90 establishments in Quebec are participating members of the HAC Green Key Eco-Rating Program.
The Hotel Association of Canada is the national organization representing the lodging industry in Canada. Its membership encompasses the provincial and territorial hotel associations, the corporate hotel chains, independent hotels, motels and resorts and the many suppliers to the hotel industry. Its objective is to assist both national and international members as they endeavor to enhance their competitiveness and achieve their bottom line.
The Corporation de l’industrie touristique du Québec (CITQ) is a nonprofit organization that designs, implements and manages classification, certification and standardization programs for goods and services on behalf of public- and private-sector customers. It has the official mandate from the Quebec Department of Tourism to carry out the mandatory classification of seven classes of tourist accommodation, and from the Association maritime du Québec to handle the voluntary classification of marinas, harbors and small ports, and Eco-marina certification.
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