September 29 to October 1, 2021

The Fairmont Banff Springs

Banff, Alberta

WEDNESDAY, September 29

  • 9:00 am - 2:00 pm

    Conference Registration / Welcoming Refreshments

    Sponsored by Sponsored by Dillon Consulting and Oakdene Hollins

  • 10:29 am - 2:30 pm

    Exhibit Set-up

    in Van Horne C

  • 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

    PLENARY SESSION: Off with Their Heads - Regulatory Update

    in Van Horne Room

    2020/21 have seen updates in Alberta to regulatory waste issues, at both provincial and national levels. This session will tackle some of these pending updates.

    Moderator: Ken White (ABCRC Board Chair)

    • Jaclyn Schmidt (Alberta Environment and Parks) – Alberta’s Recycling and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
    • Chelsea Rochman (University of Toronto) – Federal Policy Updates – CEPA, Plastics and Single Use Items
    • Heidi Sanborn (National Stewardship Action Council) – US Updates

    Sponsored by Strathcona County

  • 10:30 am - 12:00 pm

    Unpredictable Chaos: Nature Walk / Fire Smart Tour

    Led by Peter Duck

    Need some fresh air? Join a local naturalist and resource recovery specialist for a walk in the woods of Banff. We’ll stretch our legs on the trails leading from the hotel and through the woods on the edge of town. We’ll talk about the nature of Banff and show you how a town that is integrated with the forest is being protected from wildfire. We can talk nature, or we can talk trash, its up to you. Just enough up-hill to get you breathing in the mountain air.

    **this tour is tentatively full – additional people may be accepted on-site if spots become available**

  • 11:00 am - 3:00 pm

    Down the Rabbit Hole Golf Tournament

    9-Hole Tunnel Course – The Fairmont Banff Springs Golf Course

    More details at: https://2021.recycle.ab.ca/info/golfing/

    Sponsored by GFL Environmental Ltd.

  • 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

    Tours

    Meet in Van Horne Foyer

    Tour 1: A Walk Through the Garden – Banff Springs Environmental Programs Tour
    Banff Springs’ Executive Chef Robert Ash will walk delegates through the hotel’s waste management/diversion programs.

    Tour 2: Curiouser and Curiouser – Banff Waste & Environmental Tour
    Stops include the Waste Transfer Site (biomass district heating, Reuse It Centre, drop-off yard waste site) and the Library of Things
    **Tour 2 is tentatively full – additional people may be accepted on-site if spots become available**

  • 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm

    Exhibit Viewing & Refreshments

    in Van Horne C

    Sponsored by Call2Recycle Canada

  • 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

    CONCURRENT SESSION: The Hatter and the Hare - Waste Less Fare

    in Van Horne Room

    With approximately 2.2 million tonnes of organic waste sent to Canadian landfills each year (Love Food Hate Waste), food waste reduction and alternative management options are high priorities for municipalities and the public. This session will explore strategies from leaders in the field including food rescue, reduction and composting projects.

    Moderator: Jeannie Bertrand (Dillon Consulting Limited)

    • Barbara Swartzentruber (City of Guelph) – Food Circular Economy
    • Heather Ramshaw (Highfield Farm) – Highfield Regenerative Farm: transforming a brownfield site into a productive urban farm through composting and community
    • Sarah Bruinsma & Brianne Fredell (High River Food Rescue) – Capturing Food Waste, Conquering Food Insecurity
    • Jeff Taylor (ATCO Energy Solutions) – Future Fuel

    Sponsored by City of Lethbridge

  • 3:00 pm - 4:30 pm

    CONCURRENT SESSION: Sense and Nonsense - Defining Waste Reduction

    in President’s Hall

    As we advance policies and implement the circular economy, we need to critically examine the definition of recycling. For many years, recycling has elicited thoughts of positive environmental outcomes and warm fuzzy feelings for those who participate in programs in their community. With more recent challenges to accessing international markets and changes to policies on transboundary shipping, we have become aware of the challenges of recycling and the need to improve our existing systems. What does it really mean to recycle, what are the processes and systems that enable it, and how do we design systems for the best possible outcomes?

    Moderators: Dave Schaaf and Mark Parker

    Sponsor Intro: Isabelle Faucher (Carton Council Canada)

    • Usman Valiante (Cardwell Grove Inc.) – CSA Definition of Recycling
    • Michael Cant (GHD) / Susan Thoman (Compost Manufacturing Alliance) – Compostable plastics in the real world environment
    • Kelly Cramer (How2Recycle) – The How2Recycle program clarifies packaging recyclability
    • Anthony Peyton (PREP Design) – Overview of PREP and the PREP Label

    Sponsored by Carton Council of Canada

  • 5:00 pm - 6:00 pm

    We're All Mad Here - RCA AGM

    in President’s Hall

  • 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

    Finding the Jabberwocky - Banff Zero Waste Trail Scavenger Hunt

    Meet in Van Horne Lobby

    Participants will team up for a fun scavenger hunt that will feature Banff’s Trailblazers – businesses that are leading the way on zero waste initiatives.

    Sponsored by Merlin Plastics

  • 6:30 pm - 10:00 pm

    Meeting Tweedle Dee & Tweedle Dum - Drop-in Reception Networking

    in Van Horne C

    Sponsored by CasCell Trading Group Inc.

THURSDAY, September 30

  • 12:00 am - 11:59 pm

    Orange Shirt Day / National Day for Truth and Reconciliation

    To recognize and commemorate the tragic history and ongoing legacy of residential schools, Thursday, September 30 has been declared the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation by the Government of Canada.

    September 30 coincides with Orange Shirt Day, which began in 2013 to honour Indigenous children forced to leave their families to attend residential schools. Orange Shirt Day recalls the experience of residential school Survivor Phyllis Webstad, a member of the Stswecem’c Xgat’tem First Nation, who at six was stripped of her shiny new orange shirt on her first day attending the St. Joseph Mission Residential School near Williams Lake, BC.

    On Thursday, September 30, we invite all conference attendees to wear an orange shirt to reflect on the history and ongoing legacy of the Indian residential school system, to remember those who lost their lives and to commemorate survivors. Orange Shirt Day is a time for us all to come together in the spirit of truth and reconciliation and honour the experiences of Indigenous peoples and just as importantly, their continuing strength and resilience.

  • 7:45 am - 8:15 am

    Exhibit Viewing Over Breakfast

    in Van Horne C

    Sponsored by Integrity Waste Solutions

  • 8:15 am - 8:30 am

    Welcome to Wonderland - Conference Opening and Welcome

    in Van Horne Room

    Corrie DiManno (Mayor of Town of Banff)

  • 8:30 am - 10:30 am

    PLENARY SESSION: "Every adventure requires a first step" (The Cheshire Cat) - Innovation

    in Van Horne Room

    Despite living with the challenges of a climate crisis and global pandemic, groups and individuals are rising above adversity with new and innovative ways to adapt and evolve. Join us as we feature innovative organizations and individuals that are challenging the status quo.

    Moderator: Mikhael Metauro (Cascades Recovery+)

    • Kirk Zembal (Blindman Brewing)
    • Sarah Janzen (Blenderz)
    • Corey Saban (Re-Waste)
    • Lauren Nottebrock (Red Leaf Pulp) – Wheat Straw Pulp Mill
    • Anne Auriat (Edson & District Recycling Society) – Recycling Depot provides emergency shelter
    • Benjamin Stone (Curbtender) – Is my fleet ready to electrify?
    • Katrine Gouron (Nespresso Canada) – The positive cup: Because coffee can be a force for good
    • Shane Price (Green Circle Salons)
    • Victor Cheng (Alberta Agriculture & Forestry) – How bioplastics can be integrated into the plastics circular economy

    Sponsored by Claystone Waste Ltd.

  • 10:30 am - 11:00 am

    Exhibit Viewing & Refreshments

    in Van Horne C

    Sponsored by Alberta Environmental Rubber Products and General Recycling Industries Ltd.

  • 11:00 am - 12:00 pm

    KEYNOTE: The Cheshire Cat’s Perspective - Peter von Tiesenhausen

    in Van Horne Room

    Moderator: Jason London (City of Calgary)

    Peter von Tiesenhausen is a multidisciplinary artist based in Demmitt, Alberta. Over the course of his more than thirty years as a full-time artist, his practice has continuously eluded categorization.

    von Tiesenhausen’s work contends with diverse matters including time, the spirit, birth and death, nature and artifice, decay and regrowth, and the environment. His methodology is characterized by an intent pursuit of ecological sustainability, and an attempt to understand time and substance. Though often large in scale and sometimes imposing in form, von Tiesenhausen’s artworks yield varied meanings, and undermine the singularity often associated with interpretations of the monolithic.

    Site-specificity and site-responsivity play integral parts in the production of meaning in von Tiesenhausen’s practice; the materials he employs often engineer decay rather than impose permanence, transforming over time and in conversation with their environment. von Tiesenhausen’s subtle interventions on the land where he lives formed the basis for his 1996 copyright claim over that land, a claim which has since protected it from resource exploration by extractive industries and forced pipeline developers to do expensive rerouting around it.

    From 2007 to 2011, von Tiesenhausen spearheaded the construction of a LEED platinum-equivalent timber frame community centre in Demmitt, Alberta, which now hosts community and performing arts events. This work within his community reflects an interest in unpretentious dialogue about art in general, and a respect for the manifold experiences and perspectives of his audience.

    von Tiesenhausen has presented numerous lectures on his work and ideas in museums, universities, and public institutions throughout Canada, as well as in the United States, Mexico, and Europe. He has had over fifty-two solo exhibitions and has participated in over sixty-five group exhibitions. von Tiesenhausen was the 2015 recipient of the prestigious Lieutenant Governor of Alberta Distinguished Artists Award.

     

    Sponsored by The City of Calgary

  • 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm

    Lunch

    in Van Horne Foyer

    Sponsored by Alberta Recycling Management Authority

  • 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

    CONCURRENT SESSION: "It’s no use in going back to yesterday…" (Alice) - Making the Built Environment Circular

    in Van Horne Room

    There are many opportunities to advance a circular economy in the construction and demolition sector through reuse, recycling and deconstruction. Speakers at this session will highlight specific projects including a zero-waste building project in Calgary and policies and practices to help the sector advance circularity.

    Moderator: Dan Zembal (Alberta Waste & Recycling)

    Sponsored by Alberta’s Industrial Heartland Association

  • 1:00 pm - 2:30 pm

    CONCURRENT SESSION: Zero Waste Tea Party - Reusables

    in President’s Hall

    Hear first-hand how communities and businesses are tackling the growing issue of single-use packaging with reusable solutions. What barriers have they faced and where do they see opportunities to advance their reuse programs?

    Moderator: Isabelle Couture (Plastic-Free YYC)

    • Georgia Sherwin (Closed Loop Partners) – The Growth of Reuse: Case Studies
    • Clarissa Morawski (ReLoop Platform) – Reusable vs Single Use Packaging
    • Megan Takeda-Tully (Suppli) – Takeout without the waste
    • Luna Kawano & Audrey Pring – Banff Isn’t Disposable

    Sponsored by Tetra Tech Canada Inc.

  • 2:30 pm - 3:00 pm

    Exhibit Viewing & Refreshments

    in Van Horne C

    Sponsored by Canadian Electrical Stewardship Association

  • 3:00 pm - 5:00 pm

    PLENARY SESSION: It would be so nice, if something made sense for a change - Building a Plastics Circular Economy

    in Van Horne Room

    Plastics continue to be front and center on the policy agendas of international, federal and provincial governments. This session highlights the work of organizations who are advancing plastics circularity to reduce pollution and unnecessary plastics generation, while creating better management practices and innovative approaches to enhanced reuse and recycling.

    Moderator: Elena Mantagaris (CIAC)

    • Keynote Remarks: Hon. Dale Nally (Associate Minister of Natural Gas and Electricity)
    • Chelsea Rochman (University of Toronto) – The Story of Microplastic Pollution: from the distant ocean gyres to the global policy stage
    • George Roter (Canada Plastics Pact)
    • Brooke Donnelly (Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation) – Our Packaging Future
    • Anna Rajkovic (Nova Chemicals)
    • Tim Buwalda (Circular Matters) – The Complementary Role of Chemical Recycling
    • Lilly Woodbury (Surfrider Foundation) – Federal Break Free From Plastic Pollution Act
    • Barbra Korol (Alberta Energy)

    Sponsored by Chemistry Industry Association of Canada

  • 6:30 pm - 7:00 pm

    The Red Queen's Reception

    in Van Horne Foyer

  • 7:00 pm - 10:00 pm

    Mad Hatter Tea Party (Gala Banquet)

    in Van Horne Room

    Gala Banquet sponsored by Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation

    Wine sponsored by Quantum Lifecycle Partners

    Rs of Excellence Awards – presented by Hon. Jason Nixon (Minister of Environment and Parks)

    MC: Donovan Workun

    Dance Party featuring Bradley James EntertainmentSponsored by Cascades Recovery+

FRIDAY, October 1

  • 8:00 am - 9:00 am

    Exhibit Viewing & Breakfast

    in Van Horne C

  • 9:00 am - 10:30 am

    PLENARY SESSION: What an idea. A crazy, mad wonderful idea.

    in Van Horne Room

    As we build circular systems in Canada, it’s critical that we reflect and learn from leaders advancing the circular economy around the world.

    Moderator:

    • Clarissa Morawski (Reloop Platform) – European Commission Circular Economy Action Plan
    • Carlos Fiorentino (U of A) – Lessons from nature: biocentered reflexions on the pandemic
    • Rita Farkas (National Zero Waste Council) – Environmental and Economic Benefits of Waste Prevention
    • Gena McKinley (City of Austin) – Austin’s Circular Economy

    Sponsored by Beverage Container Management Board

  • 10:30 am - 11:00 am

    Exhibit Viewing & Refreshments

    in Van Horne C

    Sponsored by Nespresso Canada

  • 11:00 am - 12:30 pm

    PLENARY SESSION: If you don’t know where you are going, any road can take you there.

    in Van Horne Room

    Communities across Canada are increasingly implementing initiatives with the potential to build Circular Economy. This session will explore some of these progressive approaches.

    Moderator: Craig Bartlett (GFL Environmental Inc.)

    Sponsored by GFL Environmental Inc.

  • 12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

    Leaving Wonderland - Working Lunch

    in Van Horne Foyer

    Sponsored by City of Edmonton