There are no nationally adopted or mandated green building certifications in Canada; however, federal, provincial and municipal governments encourage a number of certifications. Below are examples of private and non-profit green building certification programs in Canada, as well as examples of other standards and policies promoting green buildings.

Private and non-profit green building certification programs

The most commonly used rating and certification systems are as follows:

1. The rating system of the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) is based on the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) system established by the United States Green Building Council. Projects pursuing LEED certification may qualify for four possible levels of LEED rating levels (i.e., certified, silver, gold and platinum). In addition to levels, the LEED rating system is further classified into the following categories:
   • Building design and construction
   • Interior design and construction
   • Operations and maintenance
   • Recertification
   • Homes
   • Cities and communities
   • Neighborhood development

    

   In October 2022, the CaGBC announced that Canada ranked third globally on the annual list of "Top 10 Countries and Regions for LEED in 2022." The CaGBC further revealed that Canada certified 248 projects in 2022, representing more than 5.3 million gross square meters (57 million square feet) of LEED space.

    

2. The Building Owners and Managers Association of Canada ("BOMA Canada") manages the Building Environment Standards or BOMA BEST Building Certification Programs, which are voluntary national programs to assess environmental performance and management of existing commercial buildings across Canada. There are five levels of certification: baseline, bronze, silver, gold and platinum. BOMA Canada offers two programs that are both certifications and building management tools: the BOMA BEST Sustainable and BOMA BEST Smart. The BOMA BEST Sustainable program focuses on six areas of environmental performance, sustainability and management, namely the following:
   • Energy and carbon
   • Water
   • Custodial and waste
   • Accessibility and wellness
   • Indoor air quality and hazards
   • Resilience and site

    

   The BOMA BEST Smart program is focused on smart features in buildings, such as security, operations, monitoring and tracking, and considers security and safety, operations and management, network and integration, end-user experience, and reporting and analysis. To date, BOMA Canada reports that there are over 3,100 members in the industry, representing over 2.1 billion square feet of certified BOMA office space in Canada.

    

3. Green Globes is an online green building rating and certification tool licensed for use by BOMA Canada. It provides modules for the following:
   • New constructions
   • Sustainable interiors
   • Existing buildings
   • Core and shell

    

   Depending on the module, the program assesses up to six areas of environmental performance, including the following:

   • Energy
   • Water efficiency
   • Materials
   • Project management
   • Site
   • Indoor environment

    

   Green Globes has its own rating system that ranges from one to four "Green Globes."

    

4. Natural Resources Canada ("NRCan") does not have a green building certification program, but it supports ENERGY STAR®, which addresses the energy aspects of green commercial and institutional buildings, including among others, hospitals, hotels, retail stores, offices, museums and libraries.

    

   In 1982, the Government of Canada implemented "R-2000" to promote improved energy standards in new home construction. R-2000 particularly aims to increase energy efficiency and promote sustainability of homes. It employs the EnerGuide rating service, an official mark of the Government of Canada, which is associated with labeling and rating the energy consumption or energy efficiency of specific products. The service is available across Canada and allows parties to measure and rate their homes' performance. Regional initiatives include ENERGY STAR® for New Homes, Built Green Canada, Novoclimat, Green Home, Power Smart New Home and GreenHouse.

    

5. Some municipalities have adopted voluntary green building standards. For example, the City of Toronto's Better Buildings Partnership (BBP) encourages energy conservation in new buildings. The BBP has adopted the Toronto Green Standard, which focuses on sustainable site and building design for new private and public development in the City of Toronto. To be eligible for incentives from BBP, a project must meet the Toronto Green Standard.

    

6. The Heating, Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Institute of Canada is a non-profit national trade association that represents more than 1,150 member companies in the heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration industries and manages several programs relating to energy conservation and environmental practices. Among these programs are the following:
   • The Refrigerant Management Canada Program for the collection, transportation and disposal of ozone-depleting refrigerants
   • The Thermostat Recovery Program, focused on recovering and recycling thermostats that are no longer in use