Fairmont Royal York is committed to reducing food waste by 60% by 2030, through a host of initiatives which incluce using Orbisk technology to sort and track food waste with AI and leveraging Intuitive AI to help our team separate food waste properly and efficiently.
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sustainable RESPONSIBLITY
Fairmont Royal York takes our role as a city-defining destination very seriously. As the world and Toronto move toward a more sustainable future, it’s our responsibility to lead that movement.
And so, our landmark hotel is evolving for the zero-carbon century ahead. A historic heritage decarbonization project, now complete. Tackling food waste with AI. Better balance with the natural world. Reducing plastic. Supporting the social fabric.
Together, it’s a crowning achievement for a sustainable city. And it’s only just begun.
Sustainable Certifications
Reducing Carbon Emissions
Reducing Plastics
Reducing Food Waste
Corporate Responsibility
The Zero Carbon* Century Begins
In pursuit of zero carbon future, Fairmont Royal York has completed the largest heritage hotel retrofit in North America – achieving a *Zero Carbon Building - Performance Standard™ certification by the Canada Green Building Council. This transformative project will reduce our building’s carbon emissions by over 7,000 tonnes every year the equivalent of taking 1,558 cars off the road.
How did we do it? Cooling is provided by cool water from deep in Lake Ontario, through connection to Toronto’s Deep Lake Water Cooling system, replacing centrifugal chillers. Heating and hot water comes from an electric heat pump installation plant; legacy steam systems have been decommissioned. Other innovations in energy management systems optimize efficiency.
The project removes 80% of direct emissions from building operations (the remaining emissions will be addressed with offsets certified by Carbon Zero). This crowning achievement is proof of concept: even large legacy buildings can transition for the sustainable century ahead. It’s a major boost of confidence for the skyline, our city, and our industry.
Our sustainable engagements
We’re reducing plastic waste with the elimination of single-use plastics across the guest experience; tracking plastic waste and managing recycling more efficiently; and using new circular systems for coffee, aēras water bottles, and other vital material streams within the hotel.
Fairmont Royal York draws from local, organic farms whenever possible. We focus our sourcing on producers within 100km of the hotel. All for pure cuisine, less waste, and the health of Ontario’s famed Golden Horseshoe agricultural region. Our seafood is OceanWise certified and sustainably sourced. Our in-room water, aēras, is pure spring water from Ontario.
In partnership with Civil Pours, our dining venues have diverted more than 1,303 kg of citrus waste in 2025. The peeled fruits and juices that remain from our cocktail garnishes are collected and upcycled into fresh distillates, which are in turn used in our cocktails.
Leading the Way in Sustainable Hospitality
Sharing Space with Nature
Our rooftop garden delivers a pocket of lush green, high up in the skyline. It’s a connection to the natural world, and a moment of natural calm in the booming centre of the city.
Established in 2008, our rooftop apiary was the world’s first home for honeybees atop a city hotel. These hives teem with 600,000 honeybees – a supportive home for the pollinators crucial for the health of crops, flowers, and biodiversity.
The rooftop herb garden produces 45 different varieties of herbs – fresh flavours ready to be harvested by our chefs for kitchens and cocktail experiences in the hotel.
Our Corporate Responsibily
The social dimension of sustainability is crucial. Ensuring that people have equal and just access to community opportunities, resources, and safe spaces to live and connect is paramount.
A progressive commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, including a strong focus on developing and promoting women leaders.
Land Acknowledgement
We acknowledge the land on which Fairmont Royal York stands is situated on the traditional territory of many nations including the Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples, and is now home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit and Métis people.
PARTNERS
Fairmont Royal York is proud to collaborate with like-minded partners who share our vision for a brighter future. Together with our local partners, we continue to innovate and implement sustainability initiatives that protect our natural surroundings and support our community.
