Hospitals across the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN) marked Earth Day 2026 with a wide range of sustainability-focused events and initiatives, bringing staff, patients, students, and community members together to promote environmental stewardship, climate action, and sustainable healthcare practices.
Baycrest marked Earth Day 2026 with an interactive staff event focused on sustainability, featuring Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle stations, e-waste collection, an office supplies swap, and other engaging activities to build awareness and encourage everyday green practices. The event also marked the launch of a new Sustainability page on the organization’s intranet, providing a central hub for environmental initiatives, practical tips, and ways for staff to get involved.
Holland Bloorview engaged the community through interactive initiatives, including a “Touch-a-Truck” event with a waste collection vehicle from GFL, and a campus clean-up to promote local environmental stewardship. These activities were anchored by the launch of a new staff learning module on planetary health & sustainability care, alongside a week of sustainability challenges and plant-forward dining options. Holland Bloorview was proud to partner with neighbours Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto French School and York University (Glendon Campus) to cross-promote 2026 Earth Week activities.
Michael Garron Hospital’s (MGH) Earth Day event brought hundreds of staff together to explore sustainability initiatives across the hospital. Ten stations hosted by MGH departments and vendor partners showcased work underway across the hospital – from reducing single-use plastics in the operating room and cutting hydro consumption through engineering upgrades, to clinical stewardship initiatives in the lab and pharmacy that are reducing waste while maintaining excellent patient care. Staff made personal sustainability pledges, and we were joined by students from R.H. McGregor Elementary School, who brought a pledge tree filled with their own commitments to a greener future.
Scarborough Health Network’s (SHN) Green Team brought staff together for a “Clean Up the Hospital” event on April 22 at all three hospitals. Daytime and evening staff rolled up their sleeves to collect litter from hospital grounds, helping keep their spaces clean, safe, and welcoming for everyone. Events like this highlight the important work of SHN’s Green Team in advancing sustainability, reducing waste, and empowering staff to make environmentally responsible choices every day.
SickKids marked a very important milestone during Earth Week this year, coinciding with the launch of their refreshed 2026-2030 Sustainability Strategy. Various activities included a Sustainability Strategy Booth, hospital grounds waste pick-up event, collaboration with the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF) on patient and family engagement, walking/running group events, and a presentation from Bee Ambassadors Canada.
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre staff, community members, and students from the Toronto French School gathered at Sunnybrook’s Indigenous Wellness Garden to hear from Clay Shirt, an Indigenous knowledge keeper, who spoke about what Indigenous knowledge can teach us about the relationship between people and plants. Participants were also invited to plant strawberries and tour the garden with the team from Miinikaan Innovation and Design.
Unity Health Toronto marked Earth Day with a range of thoughtful initiatives designed to inspire staff to be more environmentally conscious in their daily work and everyday lives. Across the network, teams found creative and hands-on ways to highlight how small, everyday actions can contribute to a healthier planet.
- At St. Joseph’s Health Centre, the Food Services team sparked curiosity and conversation by handing out sustainability-themed word and image puzzles. The activity encouraged staff to pause and reflect on simple, planet-friendly habits such as recycling properly, conserving water, and choosing active transportation options like cycling when possible.
- At Providence Healthcare, staff embraced the spirit of Earth Day by heading outdoors for a grounds clean-up. Working together in the fresh air, participants helped remove litter and debris that could otherwise harm the surrounding environment, reinforcing the connection between environmental stewardship and community well-being.
The Collaborative Centre for Climate, Health & Sustainable Care Serves as the Secretariat for the Toronto Academic Health Science Network (TAHSN) Sustainable Health System Community of Practice, which was formed to collaboratively address the challenge of climate change in the health sector. The Community of Practice spans across all 14 TAHSN Hospitals and aims to share leading practices and foster ambition and innovation towards achieving greater collective impact for the health of our communities and the planet. To learn more about the leadership of TAHSN on sustainability and climate action, read the TAHSN 2025 Climate & Sustainability Report.