Ontario and Quebec self-drive holiday, Canada

Planet

CARBON REDUCTION

One of the biggest strengths of this holiday is that it avoids domestic flights. After arriving in Toronto, the entire journey is completed overland by road, linking Ontario and Québec in a logical route rather than requiring additional internal aviation. Travelling this way also allows longer stays in each destination, reducing the need for constant packing and onward travel while giving visitors more time to explore each place properly.

Walking forms a natural part of the itinerary. Toronto, Ottawa, Québec City and Montréal are all explored largely on foot, while Algonquin Provincial Park offers walking trails and optional canoeing. Included food tours in Ottawa and Montréal are also pedestrian experiences, reducing reliance on motorised transport once you arrive.

Several of the hotels have published programmes to reduce their operational impact. Le Germain Toronto Mercer and Le Germain Montréal are part of Germain Hotels, whose properties are Green Key certified and follow company-wide commitments covering energy efficiency, greenhouse gas measurement, waste reduction, responsible purchasing and local sourcing. The group has also removed single-use plastic water bottles, introduced refill systems, adopted smart energy management technology and expanded electric vehicle charging across many of its hotels.

Your stay at Fairmont Tremblant is supported by Accor and Fairmont's wider sustainability programme, which includes science-based emissions reduction targets, measures to reduce food waste, responsible seafood sourcing, water conservation and the phased removal of single-use plastics. Fairmont hotels are also independently eco-certified through recognised sustainability programmes.

Vegetarian meals are readily available throughout the route, particularly in Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Québec City, where the food tours include independent producers offering a wide variety of locally made and seasonal products. Québec's agricultural regions, particularly Île d'Orléans, are known for farms, orchards and artisan food producers, giving travellers opportunities to support regional businesses rather than imported supply chains.

ENVIRONMENT AND WILDLIFE

Nature is central to this itinerary, with time spent in Algonquin Provincial Park, one of Canada's oldest protected landscapes. Visitor spending contributes directly to the continued management of the park, while marked trails and established visitor facilities help minimise disturbance to wildlife. Travellers are encouraged to observe animals from a distance and remain on designated paths, particularly in areas where moose, black bears and other native wildlife are present.

The route also includes Montmorency Falls and the Thousand Islands region, both protected landscapes where tourism helps support conservation, visitor management and environmental education. Rather than treating these places simply as viewpoints, the itinerary allows time to experience the wider natural environment through walking, interpretation and locally guided excursions.

Several accommodation providers have published environmental commitments as previously noted. These initiatives complement the itinerary's emphasis on spending time in Canada's protected landscapes rather than simply passing through them.

Throughout the holiday, travellers are encouraged to leave no trace, respect wildlife viewing distances and avoid feeding wild animals. Staying on established trails in Algonquin and following local guidance helps reduce unnecessary disturbance to sensitive habitats and limits the spread of invasive species between natural areas.

People

LOCAL ECONOMY

This itinerary spreads visitor spending across a wide range of communities rather than concentrating tourism in a single destination. Alongside major cities such as Toronto, Montréal and Québec City, the route passes through smaller towns including Huntsville, Gananoque and Kingston, where independent cafés, restaurants, shops and attractions benefit directly from visitor spending.

Several included experiences actively support local businesses. The guided food tours in Ottawa's ByWard Market and Montréal's Jean-Talon Market introduce travellers to independent producers, specialist food retailers and family-run businesses, while the excursion to Île d'Orléans includes visits to artisan producers whose livelihoods are closely linked to local agriculture and traditional food production.

Accommodation also contributes to local economies. Germain Hotels is a Canadian-owned hotel group that places particular emphasis on sourcing Canadian-made products, commissioning local artwork and working with regional food suppliers wherever possible. Their sustainability strategy includes commitments to creating employment and investing in the communities where they operate.

EMPLOYMENT, INCLUSIVITY AND DIVERSITY

The holiday relies on local guides for several included experiences, including the food tours in Ottawa and Montréal and the countryside excursion from Québec City. These experiences provide employment for people with local knowledge while giving visitors a more informed understanding of each destination beyond its headline attractions.

Large hotel groups featured on this itinerary, including Germain Hotels, Fairmont and IHG, all publish diversity, inclusion and equal opportunity employment policies covering recruitment, training and career development. Germain Hotels also places particular emphasis on creating long-term employment within the Canadian communities where it operates and encourages staff involvement in local community initiatives.

Canada is recognised as an inclusive destination for travellers of different backgrounds, and the cities visited on this itinerary are widely regarded as welcoming to LGBTQ+ visitors. Many of the hotels included also publish accessibility information, helping travellers choose accommodation that best meets their individual needs.