April 22nd, 2025

Earth Day - Green Initiatives, Brighter Future!

"At the RA Centre, we believe that a healthy community starts with a healthy planet. This Earth Day, we’re proud to reaffirm that commitment through the completion of our green energy retrofit – an important step toward reducing our environmental impact.”

- Ian Fraser, CEO

In 2022, the RA received government funding to implement a three-phase retrofit, introducing newer, greener technologies to support our critical infrastructure. The first phase included the installation of boilers, allowing the RA Centre to create its own heat. The next phase was completed early this year with the help of Lightenco-Chargenco. The facility now boasts improved and sustainable lighting upgrades.

Today, we are thrilled to announce that the final phase of the retrofit is complete! The RA Centre now has a fully integrated building automation system (BAS), that allows for maximum efficiency in energy consumption - heating, cooling and lighting.

“But sustainability isn’t just about infrastructure,” insists Fraser. “It’s about inspiring everyday action in the community we serve."

The RA Fitness Centre has recently reintroduced cloth towels and spray bottles, and eliminated the sanitizer wipes and dispensers that were installed early in the pandemic. Guests and LifeFIT members are encouraged to bring their own towels, thereby reducing the environmental impact even further.

Guests can also avoid using single-use plastic water bottles and hydrate sustainably at one of our many water bottle refill stations found throughout the building. Plastic water bottles take approximately 450 years to degrade, so every bottle kept from landfills is a win.

“By making mindful choices”, says Fraser, “we can contribute to a healthier environment and reduce our impact on the planet – today and with future initiatives.”