Yorkdale Shopping Centre

Yorkdale is committed to sustainability.

Yorkdale introduced its first recycling program in 1994, one of the earliest among Canadian shopping centers. Today, we recycle cardboard, paper, bottles, cans, and accepted plastics on-site, with annual waste diversion targets set and tracked to continually improve performance.

Yorkdale was among the first Canadian shopping centers to ban single-use plastic straws across all tenants since 2019. Our Dine on 3 tenants, for example, must all use compostable dishware. Yorkdale’s restrooms are furnished with the latest hands-free faucets and low-flow toilets to conserve water. Yorkdale is proud to host many first to market brands that align with our sustainability values.

Post and ring bicycle stands are located at the entrances of Holt Renfrew, Indigo and Shoppers Drug Mart. Bike Room is located on P1 at Parkade E. To obtain access to a bicycle locker, please visit our Security Office.

With a mission to build a healthier society by reconnecting people with nature and their food, Yorkdale and Microhabitat transformed an unused rooftop space into an urban ecosystem. The goal is to create greener and more resilient cities through urban agriculture. Experience the farm-to-table freshness at The Centre of Style.

Yorkdale is proud to be home to a beehive from urban beekeeping company, Aveole, that will live on the Yorkdale rooftop to support and help grow the bee population. Initially the hives housed 5,000 bees each, which will grow to over 50,000 by the end of the summer! The bees will travel up to 5 km, contributing to the greening in the Yorkdale neighbourhood and local gardens. We thank our neighbours for planting luscious gardens to help pollination.

Yorkdale’s rooftop solar panel installation contains 610 panels, spanning 20k sq. ft. with a direct current of 199 kilowatt capacity, making it a significant installation in the greater Toronto area. The panels produce approximately 234,140 kWh annually per hour, equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 40 residential homes. The energy produced by this installation helps supply the annual energy requirements of an average-sized Yorkdale store. The installation has marked Oxford’s first large scale solar project and builds on a decade of leadership firsts for Oxford’s Sustainable Intelligence program.

Yorkdale’s Urban Garden produces more than 30 varieties of seasonal vegetables and fruits each summer including green beans, tomatoes, cucumbers, eggplant, kale, lettuce, pea shoots, sweet peppers, hot peppers and more. Herbs such as basil, chives, mint, oregano, parsley, rosemary, and thyme are also grown. When it reaches its full capacity, all crops are donated to local food banks.

Yorkdale’s rooftop is covered in over 150,000 square feet of greenery. The living roof helps to save energy by reducing atmospheric heating, mitigating local air pollutants and managing surface water run-off.

Our landscaped areas are irrigated using collected rainwater. We have selected drought tolerant and native plants that support local biodiversity and pollinators.

Since launching our chopstick recycling program in 2024, Yorkdale has collected approximately 1,500 kg of chopsticks for recycling. Based on calculations provided by ChopValue, this diversion from landfill is estimated to avoid up to 25,000 kg of CO₂ equivalent emissions compared to conventional disposal methods.