Telus Unveils Toronto's First Corporate Urban Garden

Event coverage by Sonya Davidson

During National Environmental Week, Telus unveiled Toronto's first corporate urban garden to generate fresh, local, organic produce for charitable organizations in the Greater Toronto Area. The garden is located at the Telus House, a LEED Gold-certified office in the downtown core. 

As part of their corporate commitment to a healthier work space and ongoing commitment to the community, volunteer Telus staff will tend to the garden year-round and sell their harvest to the staff in exchange for donations to be made to local charities. 

As well, Telus plans to offer employees hands-on educational workshops in health & wellness and sustainability. The initiative launched this week with a donation of funds to Green Thumbs Growing Kids - a GTA based non-for-profit charity that works with underprivileged urban children, youth and their families to teach them about growing and preparing fresh foods in an environmentally sustainable manner. 

Telus has earned national and global recognition that includes  10 most enviro-corporate cultures in Canada and a global 100 most sustainable corporation.

Two other significant energy leading environmental designed spaces are underway at Telus Garden in Vancouver and Telus Sky in Calgary lead by Andrea Goertz, Senior Vice President, Strategic Initiatives, and Chief Communications and Sustainability Officer, Telus. 

"Our Telus Health community garden has a direct and meaningful impact on employee wellness," says Goertz.

"We all need fresh air, even the urban kind. Our community garden is just one of the ways we foster greener and more sustainable communities across Canada as we strive to be a global leading corporate citizen."