Sustainability - The JUNO Awards

CARAS / The JUNO Awards, CBC, the Halifax JUNO Host Committee and the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) are making this JUNO Awards the most sustainable, ever. 

Multiple initiatives are being executed with many partners as outlined below covering Local Transportation, Lead Up and JUNO Week events, the JUNO Awards Broadcast and Carbon Offsetting.

Local Transportation

One of the primary focuses of sustainability initiatives for the JUNO Awards revolves around transportation. This year, the JUNO Awards have introduced several sustainable transportation initiatives including:

Nissan ARIYA fleet: Five all-electric vehicles will be used as music industry shuttles and Red Carpet drop vehicles during JUNO Weekend from March 21 to 24.

“FREE JUNO Express” Transit Program: Complimentary hop-on/hop-off buses will be running free of charge throughout JUNO Weekend. Buses will rotate through a route that covers the downtown and JUNOfest venues:

  • Friday 17:30-00:00
  • Saturday 12:00-00:00
  • Sunday 12:00-00:00

Extended Ferry Service: HRM Ferry service from Dartmouth (Alderney Landing) to Halifax will be extended by 1 hour on both Friday through Sunday. Schedule HERE.

Airport Transport: Complimentary motor coaches from the airport to downtown Halifax will be offered to JUNO attendees on Friday, March 22nd. Anticipated departure times from the airport are every quarter to the hour, every hour between 9:45 am and 6:45 pm (ie. 9:45 am, 10:45 am, 11:45 am, etc.). 

Park and Ride Shuttles: Shuttles from Lower Sackville and Dartmouth (Portland Hills) will be available to allow event attendees from major HRM districts to travel to JUNO activities without the use of their vehicles. Shuttles will be operating:

  • Saturday (both locations) – 15:00 – 00:00 (last trip leaving downtown at 00:00)
  • Sunday (both locations) 15:00 – 00:00 (last trip leaving downtown at 00:00)

Bike Racks: Nine new commemorative bike racks will be installed near JUNO venues on March 18 as well as other strategic locations to encourage active transportation:

  • David Byrne designed “showcase” piece by Gate B at Scotiabank Centre
  • Light House Arts Centre
  • Marquee Club (2)
  • The Carleton
  • Halifax Central Library
  • St. Andrews Church
  • Rebecca Cohn
  • The Sanctuary Arts Centre
  • New Scotland Brewing

Lead-Up and JUNO Week Events

Beyond transportation, sustainability efforts extend to various lead-up and JUNO Week events, including:

JUNO Opening Night Awards presented by Music Canada 

  • The dinner provided to guests will be made using locally sourced ingredients (200km radius)
  • A digital program will be offered to reduce paper usage

JUNO Week

  • Digital signage is being utilized wherever possible
  • Reusable water bottles will be supplied to volunteers, event participants, and artists
  • Digital ticketing is utilized across all events

JUNO Red Carpet

  • Shuttle buses from the Red Carpet to Broadcast will be offered to all nominees, partners, and VIPs

Road to the JUNOS

  • CBC has worked with the Music Declares Emergency (MDE), CARAS and Marquee Ballroom / Seahorse Tavern to encourage concertgoers to take alternative means of transportation to the venue. Those who did were entered into a draw each night (5 nights) to win a pair of JUNOfest wristbands.  
  • No single-use plastics were used for the production of the concert series 
  • MDE donation boxes were located at the venue where people were encouraged to donate old music shirts to be recycled into other products.

HaliFACT Climate Stage 

The HalifACT team is providing four days of free, family-friendly music at Halifax Central Library with the HalifACT Climate Stage, which will be powered entirely by pedal and solar power. The stage will feature a two-hour concert on Thursday and Friday from 5-7 p.m. and afternoons of live music on Saturday and Sunday from 2-5:30 p.m

  • Bicycle power will be provided by Music Declares Emergency/Halifax Bicycle Music Festival
  • Solar power provided by Star Power Atlantic 

Sustainable Merchandise Boxes

Twelve Host Committee branded donation boxes will be at various JUNO venues where people can donate old music shirts to be recycled into other products.

JUNO Awards Broadcast – Insight / Show Production

CBC, CARAS and Insight Productions support and promote sustainability initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of our productions. These include:

  • To offset carbon emissions from the crew and cast travel, the JUNOS has partnered with Bullfrog Power and Less Emissions (more below)
  • To minimize paper consumption Insight is now using digital contracting for crew and suppliers as well as digital distribution of widely shared production documents such as contact lists, rundowns, and schedules
  • To reduce the amount of single-use plastics where possible compostable take-out containers and cutlery are offered and the use of personal refillable water bottles and coffee/tea mugs is strongly encouraged
  • To reduce emissions in pre-production, Insight’s office team works from home two days per week.
  • To encourage walking over the use of vehicles, during JUNO Week accommodations are booked as close to the venue as possible.

Carbon Offsetting

Since 2008, CARAS and The JUNO Awards have worked with Bullfrog Power / Less Emissions / Strategic Solutions to offset the carbon impact of the JUNOS.

Since 2013, 6,489 total tonnes of CO2E have been avoided. This is equivalent to: 

  • 1,447 cars taken off the road for 1 year
  • 245,916 lightbulbs switched to LEDs
  • 3,151 hectares of forest growing for a year

Travel: GHG Emissions (tCO2e) in 2024 

In 2024, our partner Less Emissions will provide CARAS with Gold Standard-Certified carbon offset credits valued at an amount of $10,231.20. This value, calculated by Stragin Solutions and utilizing the Albert Calculator, offsets an estimated 426.30 tonnes of Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emissions resulting from travel by CARAS and its designates, e=mc2, CARAS Delegates, travel by Insight and its designates, attendee travel to and from events, and venue heating/cooling.

Events: Energy Consumption (MWh) in 2024 

Bullfrog Power will provide CARAS with Certified Renewable Energy Certificates for $12,091.06 to power the CARAS office as well as 2024 events and accommodations with green energy. 

The 2024 total calculations for energy consumption for all events (MWh) including The 2024 JUNO Nominee Announcement, all JUNO Week events, The 2024 JUNO Awards Broadcast, all staff & member accommodations, and the CARAS office in both Toronto and the host city for each year are: 

  • Total energy consumption (MWh) = 483.6425
  • Total emissions offset (tCO2e) = 76.05

CARAS Sustainability Partners

Bullfrog Power
Bullfrog Power, Canada’s leading green energy provider, offers renewable energy solutions that enable individuals and businesses to reduce their environmental impact, support the development of green energy projects in Canada and help create a cleaner, healthier world. As a Certified B Corporation, Bullfrog Power meets higher standards of social and environmental performance, transparency, and accountability. Thousands of individuals and businesses in Canada are doing their part to address climate change and air pollution by choosing green energy with Bullfrog Power.

Less Emissions
Less Emissions helps individuals and organizations mitigate travel emissions quickly, effectively and with the highest quality offsets in Canada. You’ll lessen your environmental footprint, support innovative emissions reductions projects and ultimately make the responsible decision for our planet when you need to travel. Less’ international-based offsets are derived from Gold Standard-certified projects, as endorsed by leading environmental groups including WWF International. Less’ Canadian-based offsets are sourced from projects that have achieved certification under the CSA Standard. Less, a Bullfrog Power company, is ranked as the highest quality offset provider by the David Suzuki Foundation and the Pembina Institute.