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Patrick Jones
Regional Director of Sustainability
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Fairmont Canada’s Western Mountain Collection
Hello! My name is Patrick Jones.
I am the Regional Director of Sustainability for the for Fairmont Canada’s Western Mountain Collection which is comprised of four world-renowned Fairmont resorts located in Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, and Whistler in addition to the iconic Rimrock Banff.
Every day is a new adventure!
What’s your job in a nutshell?
I have the honour of living on site at Lake Louise. The first thing I do when I wake up each morning is open up my blinds and look out at the stunning mountains. After getting ready, I walk a short 3 minutes from my apartment to the hotel, looking out at one of the most beautiful views in the world.
How do your workdays look like?
I work in the Engineering office, which means every day is a new adventure! Lots of contractors and visitors stopping by asking questions and requesting assistance to keep this massive historic hotel running seamlessly.
One of my favourite things about my job is that every day is different. On any given day, I could be training new colleagues, presenting our commitments to sustainability to sales clients, out in the field taking water samples of Lake Louise, working with the engineering teams to monitor energy and water consumption, or completing a food waste audit and completing extensive corporate ESG reporting.
What brought you into hospitality?
I also host monthly sustainability committee meetings with our internal teams, which bring voices from across the hotel to identify areas of opportunity for future evolution of our regional sustainability efforts. Some of my favourite events are the annual community cleanup in Lake Louise, which takes place each spring and involves dozens of our colleagues heading outdoors to remove anything unnatural left behind by the snow melt. Another meaningful event is our annual tour of the onsite water treatment plant for World Water Day. This engages colleagues in learning more about the glacier water of Lake Louise which supplies the hotel and staff residence. We have our own, unique water system here at the resort, which comes with much responsibility.
It's been quite a journey - from a dishwasher to regional director, the past eight years with Fairmont Hotels have been an incredibly rewarding experience.
…and what to your current job at Fairmont?
Fairmont Banff Springs has a special place in my family’s history – both my parents worked there in the 1980s and got engaged while canoeing on Lake Louise. So, these mountain resorts have always been close to my heart.
I’ve been visiting these places for years, and in 2016, I decided to try out a summer job as a dishwasher at Fairmont Banff Springs just to see what living in the Rockies would be like. I really enjoyed my experience, so I transferred to the Fairmont Palliser to work in Banquets while I was completing my degrees at the University of Calgary.
After a few years and lots of training in different roles, I got a chance to combine my sustainability education and hospitality career at Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. That opportunity quickly paved the way for me to step into a regional capacity to lead the Mountain Collection’s regional sustainability strategy. It’s been quite a journey – from a dishwasher to regional director, the past eight years with Fairmont Hotels have been an incredibly rewarding experience.
There are many ways that environmental stewardship has been carefully integrated into the guest’s experience.
How can you evaluate the impact of your work on your guests?
Measuring the impact of our work on guests involves assessing reductions in water and energy consumption, as well as minimizing plastic usage. We also monitor indicators like trail usage, water quality, and climate data.
Additionally, we actively seek guest feedback on our sustainability initiatives during their stay and through post-stay surveys, allowing us to continually refine and improve our efforts based on their input. Additionally, guests and clients frequently engage and request information on our regional commitments to sustainability across the properties and we are happy to highlight the many intersections their stay has with our initiatives. From sipping on a cocktail that’s been crafted with local ingredients and through partnership with EcoSpirits, to eliminating single-use plastic in the guest rooms, to investing in infrastructure upgrades to improve equipment efficiency and reduce utility consumption. There are many ways that environmental stewardship has been carefully integrated into the guest’s experience.
Sustainability and hospitality absolutely complement each other.
Sustainability and Hospitality: How can and do they work together?
Sustainability and hospitality absolutely complement each other, especially in destinations like Banff, Lake Louise, Jasper, and Whistler, as they are protected National Parks or revered natural alpine environments – and crucial to Canada’s hospitality and tourism industry. By integrating sustainable practices into every area of hospitality operations – such as eliminating plastic, minimizing food waste, conserving energy and water, sourcing local and ethical products, and promoting environmental stewardship – we can make a positive impact, respect and nurture the ecosystems we’re part of.
The good news is that reducing resource consumption in hotels not only benefits the environment but also results in long-term cost savings. Utilities and waste disposal are some of the largest expenses for hotels. Any measures taken to reduce these costs such as energy efficient lighting and plumbing fixtures, adjusting food preparation practices, and switching to reusable wherever possible typically also contribute to environmental protection.
Being among the fortunate few who live and work in this environment [...] is truly rewarding.
Living and working in National Parks. What are the pros and cons?
I’ve had the privilege of living and working in Jasper National Park and Banff National Park, two of Canada’s most stunning locations. Some of the highlights of living in the Canadian Rockies include being surrounded by wildlife, pristine lakes, majestic glaciers, and towering mountains. Being among the fortunate few who live and work in this environment, breathing fresh mountain air and drinking some of the world’s cleanest water, is truly rewarding – a priceless perk of working for this Mountain Collection is having the opportunity to call these places home. After work, I often unwind by hiking, canoeing on the lakes, or simply enjoying in the breathtaking views.
As a result of these efforts, traffic-related wildlife fatalities have been reduced by more than 90%!
One fact about sustainability you would like to share with our audience?
A really fun fact that many people don’t know until they visit Banff is that one of the most impactful local sustainability and wildlife protection initiatives in Banff National Park involved Parks Canada constructing a fence along the entire stretch of the park’s highway, complemented by six large wildlife overpasses. These overpasses provide safe crossings for wildlife over the Trans-Canada highway, seamlessly integrated with trees and local vegetation to maintain a natural environment for animals. As a result of these efforts, traffic-related wildlife fatalities have been reduced by more than 90%!
The best thing about the Rocky Mountains/ your favorite insider tip.
My favourite thing about the Canadian Rockies is the beautiful colour of the water. Going for a hike in the late fall and looking down at the turquoise blue water contrasted by the yellow larches and green pines is truly a stunning sight to see. My insider tip is to try and take local public transit wherever possible – there are buses to almost every major location and you will save time on trying to find parking.
