At Canada Building Materials, sustainability is part of our way of thriving because we believe that evolution and growth should be ethical, adaptable, and considerate of the communities where we live and work. Our VC Way principles of Lasting Results and Sustainable Legacy shape the products we innovate, the way we operate every plant, and the relationships we build with customers and communities alike. Guided by Our VC Way, we focus on achieving Lasting Results, the solutions that perform today while supporting our long‑term vision for a lower‑carbon future.
Each of us plays a role in creating a Sustainable Legacy, contributing to the development of people, the environment, and the local communities where we live and work. We are proud of the progress we have made on our journey toward more sustainable concrete solutions, and we remain transparent about the work that continues.
CBM is part of Votorantim Cimentos, a global leader in building materials, that prioritizes sustainability as a fundamental principle. This dedication to our environment and Canadian communities is a significant part of Our VC Way. We are focused on the kind of tangible, day-to-day changes that work to reduce our impact across Ontario:
Operational Efficiency
We are always looking for ways to optimize energy use and logistics so we can minimize the environmental footprint of every cubic metre we deliver. This includes improving fuel efficiency, streamlining truck routes, and reducing idle time to use resources more wisely across our operations.
A Roadmap with Results
We have built a strategy focused on reducing clinker and transitioning our energy use. You can view our specific milestones and progress in our 2030 Sustainability Roadmap.
Data-Driven Accountability
We have traded in the “eco-jargon” for clear, verifiable data. Through our Environmental Product Declarations (EPDs), we provide accurate, transparent information you need to feel certain about your project’s environmental impact.
Each year, Votorantim Cimentos publishes an Integrated Report covering economic, environmental, social, and governance performance across its global operations, including Canada Building Materials. The report documents where we are meeting our targets, where further work is needed, and the context behind both.
We make this available because transparency is part of how we hold ourselves accountable. Our employees live in the communities surrounding our operations – their families do too. That makes the work of doing better feel more personal, not just professional.
At Canada Building Materials, environmental responsibility is part of how we think, plan, and operate. We have built a strong record in land rehabilitation, restoring aggregate sites to farmland and naturalized landscapes as operations advance.
Across all operations, we monitor emissions and participate in industry programs that work to advance responsible resource use. At the plant level, we continue to identify opportunities to reduce material waste and improve energy management. The work is ongoing, but we approach it with openness and accountability, guided by Our VC Way principle of Acting with Ownership to achieve Lasting Results.
Our environmental efforts follow the Votorantim Cimentos Global Environmental Policy, which sets consistent standards for how we manage energy, water, emissions, biodiversity, and materials. These standards keep us aligned with our global network while ensuring local action remains meaningful and measurable.
The Use and Reuse Initiative
Through our Use and Reuse Initiative, we have transformed retired uniforms into backpacks and toiletry bags, keeping fabric out of landfills and supporting local sewing associations in the communities where we operate. This small but purposeful idea reflects our Sustainable Legacy in action, combining environmental care with opportunities for local employment and economic growth.
Giving Land a Second Life
A powerful example of our commitments is the transformation of the McMillan Pit in Aberfoyle, Ontario. After decades of aggregate extraction, the site was carefully rehabilitated into a thriving aquaculture project in partnership with Izumi Aquaculture. The once‑industrial pit is now a lake that nurtures young fish hatchlings, which are then grown, harvested, and distributed to local retailers. This Aquafarm initiative reflects our broader environmental stewardship, where the lands we operate on are reconditioned to support diverse forms of life and continue to benefit the community long after extraction ends.
Cleaner Energy
Through renewable energy agreements, CBM is advancing toward our 2030 targets and contributing to a more resilient energy network.
Across our global family of companies, Votorantim Cimentos has already achieved a milestone of more than 48% renewable energy consumption, and we are applying those same industrial strategies in Ontario.
Maintaining Open Dialogue with our communities is central to how we operate. Across Ontario, we build trust through site visits, community meetings, and direct engagement whenever neighbours have questions or concerns. We explain what we do, what governs how we do it, and, most importantly, we listen. This spirit of sincerity and transparency reflects Our VC Way.
Our employees also give back in ways that matter locally. Through health and wellness initiatives, education, and support for emergency services and law enforcement, our people strengthen the social fabric of the places we call home. Programmes like Cops and Fishing show how genuine connection grows over time. Across all VCNA business units, more than USD $1.6 million has been contributed to community causes over the past five years.
Our social‑impact journey focuses on areas where we can make the greatest difference: education, housing, and local collaboration. Together, these efforts help create stronger, more equitable communities and leave a sustainable legacy for future generations.
Empowering the Future: Education and Professional Growth
Education is the foundation of sustainable development and the key to lasting results. Through our Youth Apprenticeship and Co‑op Programmes, we partner with Ontario colleges to provide hands‑on, site‑based learning that prepares the next generation of builders and technicians for real‑world challenges.
This commitment extends to the families who power our business. The VCNA Scholarship Award supports employees’ children in achieving their goals, whether in engineering, trades, arts, or sciences. By investing in people, we build both professional capability and personal confidence that endure well beyond a single project.
Foundations for Dignity: Housing and Innovation
CBM contributes to the creation of safe, affordable housing using the very materials that define our work. Since 2017, our partnership with Habitat for Humanity has provided strong foundations for families across Ontario.
Globally, our 100,000 Floors to Play On initiative replaces dirt floors with concrete to improve health, safety, and climate resilience for vulnerable families. We also advance affordable housing innovation, exploring and supporting sustainable housing models that show how technical expertise can support social equity. In every effort, we Act with Ownership by turning our knowledge into tangible benefits for people and communities.
More Than a Presence: A Partner in Times of Need
When our neighbours face hardship, we show up. CBM continues to support regional hospitals, healthcare infrastructure, and key medical services across Ontario. Beyond funding, we contribute through what we do best: materials, logistics, and teamwork. From donating aggregate for community park trails and accessible pathways to sponsoring youth sports and local festivals, each effort reflects our belief that care is built through consistent action.
Transparency and Rapid Response
Openness and action define our community relationships. Through our Open Doors programme, we welcome students, researchers, and residents to see our operations firsthand, encouraging Open Dialogue and understanding.
That same transparency guides our response in times of crisis. When emergencies arise, we match employee contributions to support recovery by donating heaters and food to local food banks during harsh winters and providing aid following earthquakes and floods abroad. Guided by Our VC Way, our doors and our hearts remain open to those we serve.
One of the most effective ways we provide lower-carbon concrete is by reducing clinker content through the use of Supplementary Cementitious Materials (SCMs). Our team collaborates directly with engineers and project teams to develop mixes that incorporate SCMs where the application and specification support it. The suitability depends on project conditions, placement method, and performance requirements – not every situation calls for them, but when they fit, they deliver real value for projects where sustainable concrete solutions are a stated goal.
EkoCrete is a CBM ready-mix product formulated with a higher proportion of supplementary cementitious materials in place of Portland cement. It is designed to meet structural performance requirements for suitable applications while reducing the overall cement content of the mix.
For project teams looking to demonstrate lower-cement concrete options to owners or specifying engineers, EkoCrete offers a documented solution. A CBM representative can confirm whether EkoCrete is appropriate for your specific application, placement method, and specification requirements.
For projects with material diversion goals or specifications that allow for reduced virgin aggregate content, CBM incorporates recycled aggregates into certain concrete mixes. This material, sourced from processed concrete, substitutes for a portion of the virgin aggregate in appropriate mix designs.
Our team will confirm suitability before recommending this option. Where structural or durability requirements make recycled aggregate content unsuitable, we will say so directly. Where it fits, it is a practical way to support project-level sustainability goals without compromising mix performance.
Environmental Product Declarations give project teams a verified, standardised basis for understanding the environmental profile of the concrete they specify. For engineers, owners, and contractors working on projects that require material transparency documentation – including LEED submissions – EPDs provide credible, third-party verified data at the product level.
CBM produces EPDs for our ready-mix concrete products. If you need EPD documentation for a specific mix design or project submission, a CBM representative can provide the relevant materials and confirm product coverage.
