The strategy, launched under the banner Building a More Sustainable Future Through Sport, reflects a growing recognition that major sporting delegations have both a responsibility and an opportunity to reduce their environmental footprint while inspiring wider behavioural change.

“Representing Canada means striving for excellence in everything we do,” said Claire Carver-Dias, President of Commonwealth Sport Canada. “For Glasgow 2026, that includes competing at the highest level while embracing opportunities to reduce our environmental impact and inspire others to do the same.”

Three Pillars for Change

At the heart of the strategy are three interconnected pillars: Action & Accountability, Advocacy, and Education & Capacity Building. Together, they provide a framework that combines practical environmental management with athlete engagement and long-term learning.

The Action & Accountability pillar focuses on reducing Team Canada’s environmental footprint through responsible planning, greenhouse gas measurement and verified Canadian carbon offsetting. Advocacy aims to harness the influence of athletes and the wider Team Canada brand to promote environmental stewardship, while Education & Capacity Building seeks to equip athletes, coaches, staff and partners with the knowledge and tools needed to make more sustainable choices.

This balanced approach reflects an increasingly mature understanding of sustainability in sport, recognising that meaningful progress requires awareness, action and long-term cultural change.

Aligning with Glasgow’s Green Ambitions

The strategy also aligns closely with Glasgow 2026’s ambition to deliver “A Greener Games”. The event itself has been designed around existing world-class venues and a compact footprint, helping to minimise infrastructure demands and travel-related impacts. Renewable electricity, refillable water stations, reduced single-use plastics, reuse and recycling initiatives, and a zero-waste-to-landfill ambition all form part of the organising committee’s sustainability vision.

For Team Canada, the objective is to complement these event-wide initiatives through targeted actions that reduce emissions wherever possible, measure impacts accurately and offset unavoidable emissions through verified Canadian nature-based climate solutions.

Reduction measures include optimising travel and logistics, limiting single-use materials and integrating sustainability considerations into Games-time operations.

Empowering Athletes to Lead

A notable feature of the strategy is its emphasis on athlete and staff engagement. Throughout the Games, Team Canada participants will be encouraged to carry reusable water bottles, minimise food waste, recycle correctly, make efficient use of official transport and participate in reuse initiatives. Athletes will also be encouraged to share their experiences and use their platforms to inspire others.

“Our sustainability strategy is about more than reducing emissions,” said Ryan Pelley, Program Manager for Sport for Development and Environmental Sustainability at Commonwealth Sport Canada. “Sport depends on healthy natural environments, and we all have a responsibility to protect them. By creating awareness, encouraging action, and empowering every athlete, coach, manager and volunteer to make sustainable choices, we can leave a positive legacy for future generations.”

A Legacy Beyond the Games

What makes Team Canada’s approach particularly significant is its focus on legacy. Rather than treating sustainability as a Games-time initiative, CSC is seeking to strengthen the connection between sport, nature and community in ways that extend well beyond Glasgow 2026.

As major sporting organisations increasingly recognise their role in addressing environmental challenges, Team Canada’s strategy offers a practical example of how national teams can combine performance ambitions with purpose. Success in Glasgow may ultimately be measured not only in medals, but also in the lasting impact created through education, advocacy and sustainable action.