Ontario Sustainable Energy Association Announces Nominees of 8th Annual Powering for Prosperity Ontario Sustainable Energy Awards

Association to honour communities, businesses, institutions, and public and private sector organizations for their commitment in creating jobs, resilient communities and healthy environments.

TORONTO, ON (January 11, 2018) – On Thursday, February 8, 2018, hundreds will gather at the Fontana Primavera Event Centre (77 Woodstream Boulevard, Vaughan, Ontario) to celebrate nominees of the 8th Annual Powering for Prosperity Ontario Sustainable Energy Awards, hosted by award-winning comedian, actress and author Carla Collins. 

The annual event, hosted by the Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) highlights nominees in the areas of leadership, sustainable projects, community projects, non-profit organizations and sustainable enterprises (a full list of nominees can be found below).  Starting at 5:00 p.m., attendees of the gala will be treated to a networking reception and silent auction, followed by a formal awards ceremony, keynote address from CEO and co-founder of Corporate Knights magazine, Toby A. A. Heaps and a talk from honoured guest speaker Environmental Commissioner of Ontario, Dr. Dianne Saxe.

 The nominees for this year’s awards are:

LEADER OF THE YEAR

·        Joanna Osawe – Co-Founder and Chair, Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE)

·        Sonja Winkelmann – Director Net Zero Housing, Canadian Home Builders Assocation

·        Subhi Alsayed – Vice President of Sustainable Development, Mattamy Homes

·         Mikele Brack – Founder, Urban Living Futures

·         Matthew Britt – Co-Founder. SWITCH Energy

·         Shohreh Sabaghpour – CEO, Lumesmart Inc

·         Dana Decent – Manager, Intact Centre on Climate Adaptation, University of Waterloo

NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR

·         EcoBusiness Network (formerly Durham Sustain Ability)

·         TREC Education

·         Biomass North

·         Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE)

SUSTAINABLE ENTERPRISE OF THE YEAR

·         Windular Research & Technology Inc.

·         Enwave Energy Corporation

·         Greening Homes Ltd.

·         GM Canada

·         SWITCH Energy

SMARTNet Alliance’s SMARTpreneur OF THE YEAR

·         Warren Abar – iSolara

·         Jerri Rodrigs – Rumidifier

·         Matthew Jaglowitz – Exactus Energy

·         Herb Lagois – Lagois Drafting and Construction Inc

Enbridge’s COMMUNITY PROJECT OF THE YEAR

·         Just Food – Solar Energy Project (co-sponsored by Bullfrog and Beau’s)

·         Ottawa Renewable Energy Co-Op – Alfred Solar Energy Project

·         Ottawa Salus – Karen’s Place Renewable Energy Project

·         Mount Dennis Community Association – Metrolinx Energy Innovation Project

·         Lumesmart – Various Community Workshops

SUSTAINABLE PROJECT OF THE YEAR

·         Windular – Nungesser Lake Tower (co-sponsored by Bell Canada)

·         Sustainable Waterloo Region – Evolv1 Project (co-sponsored by The Cora Group)

·         Mohawk College – The Joyce Centre for Partnership & Innovation

·         Greening Homes – The Morse Street Retrofit

·         The Viessmann Group- Wood Biomass Boiler at Canadian Headquarters

“The Powering for Prosperity Ontario Sustainable Energy Awards are the industry standard in recognizing sustainable energy innovation and leadership throughout Ontario,” says OSEA Interim Executive Director Janis Wilkinson. “The individuals and organizations that will be recognized this year are significantly contributing to providing a sustainable future in Ontario through environmental stewardship, economic development, and social reform.”

Since it’s inception over 16 years ago, OSEA has been at the vanguard of the energy sector working with communities, businesses, institutions, and public and private sector organizations to champion it’s vision of a prosperous Ontario with thriving sustainable energy sector powered, heated, cooled and moved by portfolios of renewable energy, conservation and energy efficiency technologies, creating good jobs, resilient communities and healthy environments. With 2017 acting as a transition year, OSEA recently underwent a full strategic and tactical analysis of the association, in order to further drive communication initiatives for years to come.

OSEA is pleased to welcome an extensive group of sponsors in support of its 8th annual awards ceremony. Supporters include: Enbridge, SMARTNetAlliance.ca, Landmark Home Solutions, Polaron Solartech and Willms & Shier.

Tickets for this year’s event can be purchased at https://www.ontario-sea.org/powering-prosperity-awards, starting at $195.00 (OSEA members) and $295.00 (non-members).

About Ontario Sustainable Energy Association:

The Ontario Sustainable Energy Association (OSEA) advocates for its members and the public to provide education and promote sustainable initiatives through policy development, B2B collaboration and public awareness campaigns.

OSEA strongly believes, that sustainable development all starts with education. It recognizes that the current market is sceptical to transition to renewable sources of energy due to a lack of holistic understanding. The key role of OSEA is to provide public awareness by working closely with primary, secondary and post-secondary schools and institutions, establishing forums for the residential, industrial and commercial marketplace and facilitating a more in-depth collaboration between distributors and manufacturers within Canada, while simultaneously, closely working with advising decision makers, policy members and government officials.

Website: https://www.ontario-sea.org/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ontariosea

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ontariosea

For media accreditation, photos or interview requests, please contact:

Cory Stewart | Embrace Disruption PR

p: 647.638.1586 | e: cory@embracedisruption.com

About Carla Collins:

Named “The 2015 Comedian of the Year” by the Southern California Motion Picture Council, Carla Collins is an award-winning comedian, actress, television and radio host and author. She has appeared in numerous movies and television shows in both Canada and the US and performs comedy in clubs, theatres and festivals all over North America. Collins is also a highly sought after motivational and corporate speaker.

About Toby A. A Heaps:

Toby is the co-founder and CEO of Corporate Knights magazine. He spearheaded the first global ranking of the world’s sustainable corporations in 2005, and in 2007 he coined the term ‘clean capitalism’. He has been published in the Globe & Mail, Wall Street Journal, Financial times and the Toronto Star. Heaps works on developing business strategies that create value across the environmental, social, and economic spectrums. In 2008, he served as press secretary to Ralph Nader. He is a regular contributor to public debates in Canada and beyond about public policy and business responsibility, particularly related to environmental, developmental, and sustainable challenges.

About Dr. Dianne Saxe:

Dianne Saxe is the Environmental Commissioner of Ontario (ECO), a tough but fair watchdog over government compliance with the Environmental Bill of Rights. The ECO is a bridge between the public and the government on environmental issues.

Before her appointment, Commissioner Saxe was one of Canada’s most respected environmental lawyers, with 40 years’ experience in environmental and energy law and litigation. After 14 years in the Ontario public service, plus experience in two major Bay Street law firms, she ran one of Canada’s top environmental law boutique law firms for 25 years. A Certified Specialist, Commissioner Saxe was recognized in every Canadian and international legal rating service, and as one of the world’s top 25 environmental lawyers by Best of the Best, 2008. She was Canada’s leading author on environmental law, through her books, columns and envirolaw.com blog, and Toronto’s first Environmental Lawyer of the Year. She received numerous other tributes, including Ontario Bar Association Distinguished Service Award and Osgoode Hall Lifetime Achievement Gold Key.

•