Community
At the Inn, sustainability practices encompass more than our environmental consciousness. It’s also about teamwork and bringing people together for the social and economic long-term health of our communities.
West Coast Sustainable Tourism Association
As part of our commitment to accountability and transparency, the Wickaninnish Inn is a member of the West Coast Sustainable Tourism Association (WCSTA). The WCSTA is a member-based, not-for-profit organization that is comprised of accommodation providers, vacation rentals, campgrounds, RV parks and other businesses that rely on tourism for revenue.
In January 2023, the Association implemented the Sustainability Fee Program - a 1% charge on all visitor bookings to help fund the long-term, capital infrastructure projects necessary to sustain the large tourism base in Tofino. The first donation was granted in 2024 to the Clayoquot Sound Theatre.
Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Centre
Envisioned as a hub grounded in community values, The Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Centre is currently in development and will serve as a pivotal space for the communities of ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations), ʕaaḥuusʔatḥ (Ahousaht), hiškʷiiʔatḥ (Hesquiaht First Nation), Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ (Ucluelet First Nation), tukʷaaʔatḥ (Toquaht Nation), Ucluelet, and Tofino. The Centre will share the global significance of the Biosphere Region, fostering unity around climate action, reconciliation, youth empowerment, biodiversity conservation, and sustainable development.
We are excited to support this project with a $40,000 donation to the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust, the first in a total of $150,000 planned over five consecutive years.
Memberships & Support
In addition to the WCSTA and the Clayoquot Sound Biosphere Centre, we are supporters of several other important organizations in our community.
- The Pointe Restaurant is a founding member of the Tofino Ucluelet Culinary Guild, a non-profit organization that connects Vancouver Island farmers, fishermen, foragers and food producers to families, restaurants, groceries and businesses on the West Coast. Their goal is to make local food more accessible and affordable while providing a reliable market for small and passionate farmers.
- Raincoast Education Society delivers a broad range of high-quality educational and interpretive programs such as field school, speaker series, summer camps, school programs, and events focused on the natural environment, cultures, and communities of the Clayoquot and Barkley Sound region.
- Wildsafe BC is the provincial leader in preventing conflict with wildlife through collaboration, education and community solutions.
Local Fundraisers & Events
Tofino is brimming with talent, passion and creativity. We are a community that cares about our home and each other. Over the years, the Inn has sponsored many key events, primarily focused on the arts, health and environment.
- Starting in 2008, we led our first Earth Day clean-up on the Nuu-Chah-Nulth trail (multi-use path) inside the Pacific Rim Park. We have expanded to include beach cleanups as well, partnering with other hotels in the area.
- We have been a main supporter of the Queen of the Peak surfing event, since its inception in 2010.
- The Tofino Saltwater Classic takes place every July and raises funds for a host of community initiatives with an emphasis on children and youth programs, and largely supports the Wickaninnish School’s “Healthy Food Program.”
At the Wick, we offer our employees paid hours to volunteer with local organizations of their choice. We also contribute funds, donations and time to support additional initiatives in Tofino including:
Local Culinary Vendors
From succulent sablefish to hand-harvested kelp and chantrelles, we celebrate the bounty of the West Coast in our culinary program by showcasing seasonal ingredients and sourcing from local vendors, producers, foragers, fishers and suppliers.
Artisans, Suppliers & Partners
From the beginning, we have prioritized using local contractors and supporting the incredible talent and skill on Vancouver Island. From Henry Nolla producing the hand-adzed adornments to Robinson Cook refinishing the doors that Henry carved, we aim to embrace the craftsmanship within the community.
Local artists have always made up at least 90% of our artwork, and always will. Throughout the Inn as well as in the Carving Shed and Henry Nolla Gallery, guests will find pieces beautiful pieces from Vancouver Island artists, including:
We aim to source as much as possible from local artisans, including soap that is made here in Clayoquot Sound, soap dishes from a local potter, and wooden amenity boxes created by a wonderful woodworker from Port Alberni.
Our Ancient Cedars spa uses high-quality products that employ ecologically responsible practices including:
- Comfort Zone, developed in Parma, Italy, is a B Corp and is also certified through the Lifegate Zero Impact Project.
- Certified organic SeaFlora Skincare hand harvests nutrient-rich seaweed off our coast on Vancouver Island.
- Sangre de Fruta sources their ingredients from family-owned farms for their plant-based potions including pure helichrysum and lavender oils, as well as Pacific Ocean sea salt, from Salt Spring Island. Their signature blend of essential oil, Garden of Earthly Delight, is distilled from off-cuts of cedar greens, which would otherwise be wasted from the logging industry.
Within all of our areas of operations, we work to reduce our post-consumption waste through recycling or partnering with innovative organizations like Soap for Hope Canada. Soap for Hope is an incredible organization based in Victoria that collects and repurposes hotel hygiene products, linens, and lost and found products that would otherwise end up in landfills. In 2023, we diverted 1,415 pounds (65 bags and 21 bins) of products that were instead given to vulnerable communities in need.
