First Capital Realty issues its fourth Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CRS) Report compliant with the Global Reporting Initiative™ (GRI)™

TORONTO, Aug. 27 2014 /CNW/ - First Capital Realty Inc. ("First Capital Realty") (TSX: FCR), Canada's leading owner, developer and manager of well-located, high quality, urban retail-centered properties, announced today the release of the Company's fourth Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability (CRS) Report that complies with the Global Reporting Initiative™ (GRI™) Sustainability Reporting Guidelines. First Capital Realty's 2013 CRS Report details the progress it has made in the previous year and includes comparative metrics to data provided in the Company's previous reports.  Key highlights from last year's performance include:

• The Sustainability Council developed and approved a 2013-2015 Sustainability Strategy to achieve our sustainability vision "to enhance the long-term value of the Company by minimizing our impact on the natural environment and positively affecting our people and the communities in which we live and work."
  
  
• Leaside Village (85 Laird) in Toronto, Ontario received a Gold Maple Leaf Award for Design and Development Excellence from the International Conference of Shopping Centres (ICSC). The Company transformed this former contaminated industrial property with an abandoned building, historically used as a railway locomotive maintenance shop, into a pedestrian-friendly community neighbourhood shopping centre.
  
  
• Fairview Mall in St. Catharines, Ontario was recognized with a Breaking the Barrier Award from the Ontario March of Dimes for the construction of a new pedestrian walkway from the main street to the mall entrance.  This award is given to individuals, businesses or organizations that have promoted the integration of equal access to persons with disabilities.
  
  
• 37 properties comprising 3.6 million square feet of GLA received Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) Building Environmental Standards (BESt) certification. 
  
  
• 15 projects comprising more than 400,000 square feet of GLA were certified to Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
  
  
• During the 2013/2014 school year, the Company expanded and incorporated the First Capital Realty Annual Sculpture Competition to Concordia University in Montréal, Québec and Emily Carr University of Art and Design in Vancouver, British Columbia.  

As of June 30, 2014, 56 projects comprising over 1.2 million square feet of GLA at 34 properties were certified to LEED standards. Another 74 projects comprising over 2.6 million square feet of GLA at 44 properties were under development, in the process of construction or awaiting LEED certification.

"We remain committed to engaging with our communities and maintaining our high standards of corporate responsibility throughout all aspects of our business," stated Dori J. Segal, President and CEO of First Capital Realty, and "we are pleased with the progress on our sustainability initiatives in 2013 as demonstrated by our sixth ranking in Corporate Knights Inaugural Future 40 Responsible Corporate Leaders in Canada.

The Company has self-declared its report to be a GRI™ Application Level B+.  This GRI™ application level requires a company to report fully on at least 20 performance indicators, including one from each category: economic, environment, human rights, labour, society, and product responsibility.  Furthermore, it requires external assurance.   Accordingly, the Company received independent assurance on six quantitative performance indicators included in its CRS Report for the year ended December 31, 2013 from Ernst & Young LLP.

To obtain a copy of First Capital Realty's 2013 CRS report, please visit our website at www.firstcapitalrealty.ca.

ABOUT FIRST CAPITAL REALTY (TSX: FCR)
First Capital Realty is Canada's leading owner, developer and manager of well located, high quality urban retail-centered properties. First Capital Realty currently owns interests in 163 properties, totalling approximately 24.5 million square feet of gross leasable area.

SOURCE: First Capital Realty Inc.

Dori J. Segal, President & CEO, or Kay Brekken, Executive Vice President & CFO, First Capital Realty Inc., 85 Hanna Avenue, Suite 400, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M6K 3S3, Tel: [phone], Fax: [phone], www.firstcapitalrealty.ca, TSX:FCR