McGill is launching an air travel offsetting program to help it achieve its goal of being carbon neutral by 2040.
Beginning May 1, air travel charged to FOAPALs beginning with the number one (Type 1 unrestricted funds) will be offset by a mandatory fee charged to the fund.
Air travellers charging to all other fund types, including research funds, will be encouraged to voluntarily offset their air travel emissions and request reimbursement through Workday Expenses.
While McGill will continue to encourage staff, faculty and students to make low-carbon choices – such as video conferencing, travelling by train and combining trips – the new program is intended to compensate for unavoidable air travel related to University activities.
“Launching this program is an important step in advancing McGill’s commitment to carbon neutrality,” said François Miller, McGill’s Executive Director of Sustainability. “It allows us to address unavoidable air travel emissions while continuing to promote lower-carbon alternatives wherever possible. This is a collective effort, and everyone has a role to play.”
Air travel accounts for approximately 13 per cent of the University’s greenhouse gas emissions; establishing an air travel offset program is one of the flagship initiatives outlined in McGill’s Climate & Sustainability Strategy 2025-2030.
How it works
Purchasing carbon offsets, which fund projects such as renewable energy initiatives, helps compensate for the negative environmental impact of our air travel.
McGill’s offsetting program is being led by the McGill Office of Sustainability in collaboration with Financial Services and Procurement Services.
Once it takes effect, unrestricted funds, or those that have a FOAPAL beginning with the number one, will be charged a quarterly offset fee based on the airfare entered in Workday Expenses. The fee is estimated to be approximately two per cent of their spend on flights and will be applied automatically. Funds collected through the program will be used to purchase carbon credits through McGill’s vetted provider, Planetair.
Travellers who pay for flights using any other fund will be encouraged to offset the negative environmental impact of their travel by purchasing carbon credits directly through Planetair. Carbon offsetting is an eligible expense where the airfare is deemed to be eligible.
The table below shows examples of emissions and costs for popular flights taken by McGillians:
| Destination | Carbon dioxide equivalent | Flight cost | Offset cost |
| Boston | 0.1 metric tonnes | $500 | $2.50 |
| Vancouver | 0.6 metric tonnes | $500 | $16 |
| London | 0.9 metric tonnes | $900 | $22.50 |
All offsets will be tracked centrally in Workday Expenses and reflected in McGill’s annual greenhouse gas inventory, providing transparent reporting on the University’s progress toward carbon neutrality.
Why Planetair
Centre Planetair, a Quebec-based not-for-profit organization, develops portfolios of carbon offsetting projects that are Gold-Standard-certified, ensuring a high level of environmental integrity. These projects include energy efficiency, methane recovery, renewable energy and community-led initiatives.
The organization has been recognized for the quality of its carbon offset offerings by the David Suzuki Foundation and by Protégez-Vous, a consumer protection magazine.
“Given the urgency of climate action, McGill is adopting the Oxford Offsetting Principles. That means we are prioritizing offsets that support meaningful climate benefits in the near-term,” explained Divya Sharma, Climate & Biodiversity Officer at the Office of Sustainability. “Working with Planetair allows us to do that while supporting a Quebec organization.”
Support from the McGill community
The new program already has the enthusiastic support of Prof. Elena Bennett, a full professor in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences and the Bieler School of Environment.
Bennett is Canada Research Chair in Sustainability Science as well as Director of NSERC RESNET, a network of researchers who monitor, model and manage Canadian ecosystem services for sustainability and resilience.
“I’m thrilled about this program,” said Bennett. “It’s clear evidence that McGill is committed to climate leadership.”
Although RESNET’s researchers are required to travel, Bennett has long advocated for low-impact methods, such as carpooling to conferences, taking the train and purchasing travel offsets.
“McGill stepping in with a University-wide program makes offsetting easier for individuals for whom this has long been standard practice,” she said. “As professors, we know we have to travel for work, but we should be doing everything we can to minimize its impact on the planet. I’m so glad to see McGill taking steps to help us all do that!”
Further details on the program are available at www.mcgill.ca/offsetting.