Kelowna, British Columbia © Unsplash/Jeffrey Eisen
By Allie Murray
Canada is known for its bountiful beauty, and one thing is for sure: no province is quite like the other.
Finding sustainable destinations is made easy while traveling through the Great White North, especially with the abundance of provinces, territories, and cities themselves that are pledging to make the country a greener place.
With three coasts of beauty to explore, we’ve rounded up three must-visit destinations in different parts of the country that are sure to satisfy any kind of traveler.
Kelowna, British Columbia
Kelowna has long felt the effects of climate change—with flooding in the spring and dry summers that have contributed to wildfires and droughts, the transition to sustainability was a natural one for the western city. With a dedication to sustainability, the Thompson Okanagan Region became the first certified Biosphere destination in North America.
Biosphere is a certification by the Responsible Tourism Institute that is aligned with the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. With Kelowna receiving the designation, a collection of businesses around the area have also joined the pledge towards sustainability. Tourism boards in the area urge visitors to tour Kelowna responsibly to not further contribute to climate change.
One business that joined the pledge was the Okanagan Heritage Museum. The flagship museum displays the history of how the Okanagan Valley was formed and gives visitors a unique look into how the area supports biodiversity. Similarly, it includes a look into the Syilx/Okanagan people, the Central Okanagan Sports Hall of Fame, and so much more.
Ottawa, Ontario
The nation’s capital is moving towards putting sustainability at the forefront, working towards protecting conservation areas, Ottawa’s waterways, and much more. The Rideau Canal, which is a designated UNESCO World Heritage site, utilizes European slackwater technology and is the best-preserved example of a slackwater canal in North America.
The historic waterway not only attracts visitors to witness the unique lock system, but the canal boasts fun for tourists and locals. In the summer months, you can take a riverboat cruise through the canal, discovering the history of the region and taking in breathtaking views of landmarks and surrounding architecture.
In the winter, the canal turns into the world’s largest skating rink. With the frozen waterway, the skating rink totals 4.8 miles and attracts hundreds of thousands of skaters annually from January to March, depending on weather conditions.
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Along the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, Halifax has put sustainability at the forefront of its tourism. The Halifax Waterfront Marina flies the Blue Flag, which is an internationally recognized award for beaches and marinas that focus on environmental education, water quality, environmental management, and safety and services.
With a trip to Nova Scotia, visit the natural phenomenon of The Bay of Fundy, which is home to the world’s most extreme tides. The water levels rise and fall by as much as 48 feet every day, allowing tourists to kayak along the tides and walk on the ocean floor.
The Bay of Fundy is a UNESCO biosphere reserve, an accolade given to regions that promote solutions reconciling the conservation of biodiversity with sustainable use.
Twice a day, 160 billion tons of seawater pours in to fill the bay during high tide. And, during low tide, the water vanishes to leave behind a firm ocean floor to explore on foot.
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