Sustainability & Stewardship at the Edge:
Northern Edge Algonquin was created as a place to slow down, reconnect, and spend meaningful time in nature — while caring for the land and community that make that experience possible.
Sustainability and stewardship have always been woven into how we operate. From the way our buildings are powered, to how our food is sourced, to the limits we place on growth and guest capacity, our focus is on practical choices, long-term thinking, and care over time. It’s no question that’s why we’ve been recognized by TripAdvisor as a PLATINUM LEVEL GreenLeader: our operations, facilities and staff aim to prove to the world that responsible travel experiences which honour our connection with the earth, local communities, local food producers can be economically viable.
Below, learn how sustainability and stewardship are reflected across our energy systems, land care, food sourcing, water use, waste management, purchasing decisions, community relationships, and guest experience. Where possible, we include concrete metrics, examples, and costs to show how these choices show up in practice.
Energy & Power
As an off-the-grid centre, Northern Edge operates primarily on solar power, and our facilities and programs are intentionally designed to live within the limits of that system.
Our current energy system includes:
- 32 solar panels with a combined capacity of up to 17.5 kW
- Lithium-ion battery storage of approximately 800 amp-hours at 48 volts
- On most operating days, our electricity needs are met entirely by solar energy
- A generator is used only as a back-up or emergency power source, most often during extended periods of low sun combined with unusually high demand
Energy use is reduced through both design and behaviour:
- No air conditioning or high-draw personal appliances such as hair dryers or heat-generating devices
- 100% LED lighting across the property (no incandescent bulbs)
- Motion-activated lighting in indoor spaces and along pathways
- Clear expectations for staff and guests to turn off lights when leaving rooms
Current and upcoming energy metrics include:
- Estimated annual solar generation: TBD kWh/year
- Estimated annual electricity use: TBD kWh/year
- Generator fuel use: approximately 250 litres of diesel per year
- Estimated portion of electricity supplied by solar vs. generator: TBD%
While we look forward to reporting our estimated annual solar generation and electricity use, these metrics should be taken with a grain of salt. Solar production is very high during the summer—our busier season—and very low in the winter—our slower season—so the numbers will naturally be skewed.
Regenerative Stewardship & Facility Development
Northern Edge is located on 10 acres of forested, lakeside property near Algonquin Park. Approximately 7 acres (about 70%) remain undeveloped and forested, with the remaining 3 acres (about 30%) used for buildings, paths, and clearings.
Our approach to land stewardship prioritizes restraint, restoration, and long-term care. Practices include:
- No clear-cutting and a cap on new development
- (any future construction will replace existing structures or use already cleared areas)
- Trees are removed only when necessary for safety and are reused on site as firewood or mulch
- Trails and forests are maintained carefully to balance access with protection
- Shoreline protection practices include no salting and no intentional reed clearing
- A former driveway and service road were intentionally re-wilded, leaving a narrower access trail for vehicles
- Wildlife is not fed, with the exception of bird feeders
- Pesticides and chemical herbicides are actively avoided
Native & invasive species: Native trees are planted every spring in targeted areas where additional wind shelter or habitat support is needed. Saplings are gathered from overabundant or disturbed locations such as road allowances or crown land that would otherwise be cleared for maintenance or logging. The property is surveyed regularly for invasive species. When identified, invasive plants are removed manually. Recent examples include the removal of invasive mustard and clover introduced through vehicle traffic.
Facility Development: Our buildings were developed with the goal of minimal impact on the land and its resources, designed to exist in harmony with the natural environment that surrounds them. From Points North, which originally was designed as a state-of-the-art piece of eco-friendly architecture complete with a living, green roof, to the Highlander House—crafted from the repurposed timbers of a century‑old log cabin that once stood in Loring—to our zero‑powered walk‑in refrigerator, each structure reflects our commitment to thoughtful, sustainable design.
Sourcing Note:
Across all food, product, and equipment sourcing — from kitchen ingredients and guest amenities to cleaning supplies, furnishings, and programming materials — we prioritize:
- Local suppliers whenever possible
- Canadian-made products over imported alternatives
- Natural, low-toxicity, and chemical-free options
- Bulk purchasing and refillable systems to reduce packaging
When multiple options exist, we research and compare local, Canadian, and environmentally responsible suppliers, balancing quality, guest experience, cost, and the long-term sustainability of sourcing.
Food Systems & Sourcing
Food is central to the guest experience at Northern Edge, and sourcing decisions are made with care for farmers, ecosystems, and long-term resilience.
Our working definition of “local” is relational: we know the farmers and producers by name and have built direct relationships with them. Most are located within approximately 100 km, which we consider “hyper-local”. Based on current purchasing:
- Approximately 35% of our food spend is hyper-local
- Approximately 70% of our food spend is Ontario-based (including hyper-local)
- The remaining 30% is sourced through Ontario-based distributors such as Ontario Natural Food Co-op and North Ontario Food Sales or direct with suppliers.
- Of this portion, approximately 5% is verified through supplier certifications as certified organic or ethically sourced, including organic coffee from Muskoka Roastery Coffee Co., which sources from Rainforest Alliance Certified farms
We also:
- Grow fresh herbs on site for guest meals
- Grow a small amount of vegetables on site, which are occasionally used for guest meals when quantities allow
- Produce maple syrup on site, which is served to guests and sold in our gift shop
When it comes to food storage, we partnered with the Canadore Innovations Lab to design and build a zero‑power walk‑in refrigerator that keeps our ingredients fresh without relying on conventional energy. This innovative system uses barrels of saline, the natural coolness of the earth, and smart insulation to maintain stable temperatures, making it both sustainable and reliable. The walk‑in was able to operate from March through to August with zero power, and we’ve since added a small AC unit to expand the capacity through to the end of October and into November.
Water Systems
Water stewardship is essential in an off-grid environment.
- All drinking, cooking, and cleaning water comes from a deep well
- Water is UV treated and tested monthly at Near North Labs
- All taps, showers, and toilets on site are low-flow
- Lake water is pumped exclusively for irrigating gardens in summer months
Accommodation-specific systems include:
- 6 accommodations with incinerating toilets (previously composting toilets)
- These systems were selected to improve the guest experience while balancing water conservation, safety, and regulatory requirements in an off-grid environment
- 3 accommodations that share a forest bathroom with a composting toilet
- Compost from this system is managed and buried on site in accordance with best practices
- Some cabins use gravity-fed hand-washing bladders intended for hand washing only
Guests are oriented verbally at the beginning of each retreat on water conservation and appropriate use of all systems.
Waste & Materials
We focus on reducing waste at the source and keeping materials in use for as long as possible.
- 100% of food waste is composted through a local partner farm (Stonemote Commons)
- This compost supports regenerative food production, some of which returns to Northern Edge.
- Some of this compost also returns to the Edge for our own gardens.
- Recycling is separated on site and transported approximately 30 km to the nearest municipal facility
- As non-residents, disposal costs average about $15 per load, plus an annual pass of approximately $200.
- Bulk purchasing is used wherever possible to reduce packaging
- Single-use plastics are minimized across operations
- Construction and maintenance materials are reused whenever safe and appropriate (for example, reclaimed wood repurposed into planter boxes)
- Spent materials are sold, donated, or given to community members rather than sent to a landfill (for example, old linens donated to shelters in North Bay).
- Our office has significantly reduced printing, paper, and ink use by prioritizing digital communication and record keeping, printing only for program-related needs to maintain our unplugged environment (3-4 pages per facilitator per retreat).
Guests are introduced to our Leave No Trace principles at the start of every program, ensuring everyone knows how to care for the land and minimize their impact during their on-and-offsite adventures.
Guest Experience & Design
Many of our most impactful sustainability choices are expressed through intentional engagement or limits to the guest experience:
- Minimum and maximum overnight guest capacity: 8–32
- Typical retreat size: 12–17 participants, plus facilitators
- One retreat hosted at a time, allowing the land, facilities, and teams to rest between programs
- Guests arrive and depart on the same day, allowing systems to power down outside retreat periods
We intentionally do not offer:
- Televisions, radios, or personal charging stations
- Air conditioning
- Extensive exterior lighting, preserving dark skies
- Motorized recreation (no jet skis, motor boats, ATVs, or ski doos)
- All activities are self-propelled and low-impact, including walking, paddling, cycling, skiing, and quiet reflection in nature.
- Animal-based recreation (no dog-sledding, hunting, or fishing)
- Alcohol (and as a substance-free centre, no plant-medicine programming)
- Single-use toiletry/food products or bottled water
- Wi-Fi or cell service (an emergency phone line is always available)
Local facilitators and staff walk gently on the earth and actively invite our guests to do the same — whether practicing “leave-no-trace” adventures in nature, pitching in with communal clean-up after dinnertime (recalling a time when the best conversations happened at the kitchen sink), or learning how to watch their energy use, our guests return home inspired and ready to make a difference.
Community & Social Impact
Sustainability at Northern Edge includes people, access, and community wellbeing:
- We prioritize local suppliers, tradespeople, and artisans whenever possible
- We offer scholarship programs to improve access to our retreats
- We maintain scent-free, substance-free environments
- We have contributed to regional tourism initiatives, including the Explore South River Project and developing the Explorer’s Promise.
- Our team has shared knowledge through eco-tourism education, mentorship, and sector leadership within sustainable travel and transformational tourism networks.
A Look Back . . .
Over the decades, our practices have evolved as technology, safety standards, understanding, and our goals for our guests’ experience have changed.
Past initiatives have included guest-rotated solar panels, multiple composting toilets, a living roof, skylights, and vegetarian meal programs. Some of these systems have since been replaced by new alternatives, while the underlying values remain unchanged.
We see sustainability as a process of learning, adaptation, and care over time — not a fixed destination.
Looking Ahead
As we move forward, we are committed to:
- Continuous Improvement: Our team meets twice yearly to consider the guest experience, sustainability, what’s working and how it can get better than this; and to take actionable steps forward
- Continuing to prioritize design-based impact reduction over convenience, reviewing and refining our practices as we learn and evolve
- Checking back on our sustainability metrics every few years to ensure they remain aligned with our values and operational realities
We invite our guests to share in this responsibility — with care, curiosity, and respect for the land we all depend on.