FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Attn: Business, Finance, Human Resources & Business Travel Editors
Toronto, ON – pointA is officially launching the Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) program in Canada with the announcement of the City of Toronto, Yorkdale Mall, and York University as the first three workplaces in Canada to receive the Best Workplaces for Commuters designation. They join a select group of workplaces in North America that have achieved the Best Workplaces for Commuters Standard of Excellence by providing exceptional commuter benefits.
The Best Workplaces for Commuters designation was developed by the US Environmental Protection Agency and Department of Transportation in 1999 as the Commuter Choice Initiative. Over 600 workplaces have received this designation in 2023 across the United States. pointA is the sole partner to offer this designation in Canada.
The City of Toronto has been recognized as Canada’s first Best Workplace for Commuters. They offer their employees several commuter benefits, such as:
- Remote work
- Emergency Ride Home program
- Healthy initiatives to encourage cycling and walking via the Smart Commute program
Read the City of Toronto’s announcement of their designation.
Yorkdale Mall has been recognized as Canada’s first Best Site for Commuters – a designation created for commercial and retail developers, shopping malls, business campuses, and other multi-employer developments. Yorkdale Mall offers their employees and tenants several commuter benefits, such as:
- Shower facilities for active commuters
- 100+ bicycle parking spaces including an indoor bike storage room
- Enhanced access to transit, including TTC, GO, and YRT connections
York University has been recognized as Canada’s first Best University for Commuters – a designation specific to post-secondary institutions which offer their employees and students exceptional commuter benefits. York University offer their employees and students several commuter benefits, such as:
- Student shuttle between Keele and Glendon campuses
- Carpool ride matching
- Electric vehicle charging
Read York University’s announcement of their designation.
“Being nationally recognized as Canada’s first Best Workplaces for Commuters signals how truly serious these organizations are about their employees and their environmental stewardship. We hope that other workplaces across Canada who also invest in employee commuting will join the City of Toronto, Yorkdale Mall, and York University in becoming Best Workplaces for Commuters,” said Kelly Bray, Associate Director, BWC at pointA.
“BWC supports employee commuting by providing the knowledge, resources, and incentives employee commuting, from carpooling and remote work to transit so that both employees and employers have more choices as they navigate the current work environment. It also recognizes employers for their investment in employee commuting,” said Dorinda So, Executive Director at pointA. “We look forward to working with organizations across the country to bring a new standard of employee commuter benefits to Canada.”
With the Best Workplaces for Commuters designation, member organizations get access to web-based tools and webinars, staff trainings, and forums to promote a wide variety of commuting options. pointA offers full support to organizations that want to achieve the designation, from doing an employee commuter assessment, to helping them set up commuter programs, to submitting the BWC membership application.
To learn more about Canada’s first Best Workplaces for Commuters and how to make your workplace a Best Workplace for Commuters, register for a webinar hosted by Best Workplaces for Commuters on Thursday, September 28, 2023 from 3:00-4:00 pm EDT.
For more on the program, visit www.pointa.ca/bwc.
Read the Best Workplaces for Commuters (BWC) announcement by the Center for Urban Transportation Research (CUTR) who manages the BWC program in the United States.
