8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
Breakfast – Sponsored by Sustainable Generation
8:30 – 9:00 a.m.
Welcome & Opening Prayer
9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Always follow the money — Keynote Speaker
Discovering the Hidden Treasures of Genuine Happiness and Well-Being through Circular Economies
Investigate the Speaker: Mark Anielski
Mark Anielski is an internationally recognized economist specializing in measuring wellbeing and happiness, using his genuine wealth accounting model. Mark has adviser governments are around the world, including China, Singapore, and Tahiti on the development economies of well-being. Mark has become a trusted economic advisor to many First Nations across Canada grounding their seven grandfather teachings within a new economy of well-being. He’s currently focussed on developing the first Wellbeing Bank and financial investment trusts for First Nations.
Mark is the author of the award-winning book The Economics of Happiness: Building Genuine Wealth (2007) and The Economics of Well-being: Common Sense Tools for Building Genuine Wealth and Happiness (2018).
Mark lives in Edmonton with his wife Jennifer.
10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
Break – Sponsored by Crown Shred & Recycling
10:30 – 12:00 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions I
Elementary, My Dear — Plastics — Michelangelo Room
Sponsored by SK Recycles
Plastics are everywhere—and so are the challenges of managing them. This session dives into the role of plastics in a circular economy; including highlighting recycling realities, promising innovations, and the policy and behaviour shifts needed to close the loop.
- The Federal Plastics Circular Economy Agenda – Ryan Parmenter
Ryan Parmenter is the Director of Plastics and Marine Litter at Environment and Climate Change Canada where he leads the federal government’s horizontal initiative to advance a circular plastics economy for Canada. This includes developing domestic and international initiatives to reduce plastic waste and pollution. Ryan has held several positions in the federal public service working on a variety of environmental issues including climate change, energy and contaminated sites. He also worked at the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) on green growth and global relations. Ryan holds an undergraduate degree in geography and biology from Wilfrid Laurier University and a Masters in environmental science from the University of Calgary.
- Green Chemistry for the Design of Advanced Materials: Biocomposites to Bioplastics – Lee Wilson
Lee Wilson is a Métis scholar and professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Saskatchewan. His research program is internationally recognized and focuses on the chemistry of biopolymers and sustainable biomaterials and various fields of application: chemical separations to biomedical devices. The research addresses a range of fundamental scientific challenges that stem from the need to develop sustainable materials and sorption processes that support water, food, and energy security.
more about Lee
Wilson has numerous publications (>350) in the chemical sciences with an H-index of 65 and an i10-index ~242 with more than 15,000 citations. Wilson has served on various boards and as scientific advisor for governmental and non-governmental organizations. His role as an ambassador for STEM education has supported Indigenous youth across Canada and internationally for several decades through science outreach and academic programs.
- Microplastics from Science to Solutions – Chelsea Rochman
Dr. Chelsea Rochman is a Professor in Ecology at the University of Toronto and a founder and Director of the U of T Trash Team (a science-based community outreach organization). Chelsea is a scientific advisor to Ocean Conservancy and Research Fellow at the IISD-Experimental Lakes Area. Chelsea has been working on plastic pollution for nearly two decades and has published more than 100 scientific papers about the issue in peer-reviewed journals. Rochman has won awards for her research, including the Sloan Research Fellowship and NSERC Arthur B. McDonald Fellowship. Chelsea received her PhD in Ecology from UC Davis. Beyond the laboratory and U of T Trash Team, Chelsea routinely advises local, federal and international governmental bodies on plastic pollution policies.
- Unlocking the Mystery of Plastics Recycling – Kevin Andrews, Merlin Plastics
Kevin Andrews is the VP of Operations for Merlin Plastics. He currently plays an integral role in decision-making regarding Merlin’s Plants across Canada and the West coast of the United States. Kevin manages all aspects of four of Merlin’s plants located In British Columbia, managing close to 300,000 square feet of warehouse, and over 200 employees.
More about Kevin
Kevin has been involved with the Plastics Recycling since 1992. His story is a classic case of starting at the bottom and working his way to the top. Starting as a laborer for a summer job right out of high school, Kevin started with a small 20,000 sq. foot Plastics Recycling Facility Merlin Plastics. From 1992 – 1999 he worked his way up from Laborer, to Operator, Supervisor, Shipping Receiver, Shipping Manager, and Warehouse Manager.
In 1999 he was given an opportunity to manage one of Merlin Plastics newest recycling Plants, next door to Merlin. His job was to take on the task of supporting the other plants and start taking various other plastics. This plant quickly went from 5 employees to over 50. From there, he moved to VP of Operations.
Kevin has contributed significantly to the success and growth of Merlin Plastics. He owes all this to his friend and boss / owner of Merlin Plastics Tony Moucachen who has given him the opportunity to grow and succeed.
It’s a Disguise — Textiles — DaVinci Room
From overproduction to disposal, textiles are one of the fastest-growing waste streams. This session takes an honest look at the barriers to a circular textiles economy and what’s needed—across policy, design, and consumer behaviour—to slow the flow to landfill.
- The Waste We Wear: Scaling a Circular Textiles Economy – Claire Theaker-Brown
Presentation description
Briefing on the global textile waste challenge, integrated with Claire’s own evolution from brand owner to ecosystem researcher.
Opportunities for circular economy innovation in Canadian context
Defining textiles and their applications beyond apparel
- Explaining growth of industry and evolution of fast fashion
- Overview of social and environmental implications
- Summary of existing solutions landscape, including policy development – globally and in Canada
Claire Theaker-Brown Claire is a textile industry veteran with nearly 20 years’ experience creating profitable, data-driven circularity solutions in a uniquely complex sector. Her work connects Canadian academic, industry, and NGO stakeholders in service of practical policy development: She is currently researching the scalability of Canada’s repair economy, and works with public and private sustainabilty teams to put circular textiles strategy into practice. She maintains an advisory role at Unbelts, her award-winning, B Corp-Certified brand of made-in-Edmonton lifestyle accessories.
- The Circular Economy’s Quiet Accomplice: How Charities and Communities Drive Circularity – Charlotte Genge
Presentation description
A look at the origins of charity thrift retail, where we are today, a regional textile waste perspective from Nova Scotia, and opportunities for municipalities to increase diversion by understanding existing infrastructure (without spending a dime).
Charlotte Genge is the Owner & Principal Consultant at EnsembleCo Consulting Services and Senior Project Manager at National Association for Charitable Textile Recycling (NACTR). Her work focuses on textile circularity, reuse systems, waste diversion, and community-based approaches to the circular economy. Charlotte leads research and consulting projects across Canada related to textile waste characterization, donation behaviour, reuse systems, and end-use pathways for post-consumer textiles.
more about Charlotte
She is also the founder of The Great Swap and co-founder of By the Pound Thrift, initiatives aimed at reducing textile waste and increasing access to affordable clothing. Through her consulting and research work, Charlotte collaborates with municipalities, nonprofits, retailers, and industry organizations to develop practical, scalable solutions that advance textile recovery and circular economy goals.
- Circularity at Davey Textile Solutions: A Manufacturing Perspective – Lauren Degenstein
Presentation description
This presentation will cover circularity challenges of industrial textiles in both the design and end-of-life stages as well as some of the ways Davey Textile Solutions is working to address these challenges within their manufacturing processes.
Lauren Degenstein (she/her) is Sustainability, Training/Production Coordinator at Davey Textile Solutions Inc., a manufacturer of high visibility and flame resistant trim for protective garment applications. She holds a Master of Science in Human Ecology (Clothing & Textiles) from the University of Alberta, where her research focused on product stewardship in the textile industry. Lauren also chairs the Canadian Textile Industry Association’s Environment and Sustainable Development Committee. She has co-authored over 10 peer-reviewed articles and book chapters related to textile sustainability and consumer behavior.
12:00 – 12:45 p.m.
A Riddle, Wrapped in a Mystery, Wrapped in an Enigma — Lunch
Sponsored by Protex Environmental
12:45 – 1:15 p.m.
SWRC AGM
1:30 – 3:00 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions II
Leave No Stone Unturned — Construction/Demolition — Michelangelo Room
C&D waste is complex, with mixed materials, contamination, and limited end markets. This session takes an honest look at the barriers and opportunities for circular practices, while showcasing creative projects and construction techniques that reduce waste and extend material lifecycles.
- Diversion Isn’t Supply – What Circular C&D Actually Requires – Kirk Bentham
Kirk Bentham is Executive Vice President, Commercial at Northmark Materials, where he leads commercial strategy and business operations — turning recovered construction lumber into reliable, specified supply for industrial buyers.
- Advancing Circular Solutions in the Built Environment – Gil Yaron
Gil Yaron is the Managing Director of Circular Innovation at Light House focused on advancing regenerative design and circular economic policy and practice it the built environment. Gil brings more than three decades of experience in solid waste policy, extended producer responsibility, circular economics with a focus on construction, renovation and demolition materials.
more about Gil
Gil leads initiatives that drive systemic change toward more sustainable resource use and waste reduction in the built environment. Known for his strategic vision and collaborative approach, Gil works closely with governments, businesses, and non-profits to design and implement practical, high-impact solutions that close material loops and stimulate green economic development while also leading some of the most innovative CBE projects in Canada, including the Building Material Exchange (BMEx), Construction Plastics Initiative and Circular Construction Accelerator.
Most recently, Gil led a detailed market assessment for the City of Saskatoon investigating current and future capacity for diverting CRD materials. He is also leading an initiative with Ecowaste – BC’s largest private landfill – to establish a Circular Construction Campus, bringing together companies to operate symbiotically in diverting, processing and remanufacturing building materials destined for landfill into new building products.
Gil holds a Master of Laws and most recently co-authored A Blueprint for Change: Preventing Demolition Waste Through Home Relocation & Deconstruction and the Construction Plastics Initiative Benchmarking Study.
- Adaptive Re-Use: Caswell Bus Barns — Crystal Bueckert
Crystal Bueckert is owner and lead designer at the design firm Bldg Studio Inc., and co-owner of Prolog Developments, the Caswell Bus Barns adaptive reuse project in Saskatoon.
Crystal has a background in fine arts and construction. After completing her Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from the University of Saskatchewan she worked in the gallery and museum industry in Toronto. In 2005 she moved back to Saskatchewan to study Architectural Technology and is now a registered Interior Designer. Her interest in arts-based community social projects has lead to the
purchase of the old Saskatoon Transit Buildings in Saskatoon which will be developed as an arts and culture hub.
- Building Better by Wasting Less — Andrew Cotterell
Andrew Cotterell is a sustainability and community engagement professional with over a decade of experience leading programs that inspire environmental stewardship, leadership, and personal growth. As the Regional Coordinator for the Bow Valley Waste Management Commission, he drives sustainable waste and recycling initiatives across Alberta’s Bow Valley, fostering collaboration among municipalities, local industries, and residents to reduce waste and promote circular economy practices.
more about Andrew
Previously, as Communications and Engagement Strategist with the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley, Andrew helped build capacity for single use item reuse programs, increased hum-wildlife coexistence through engagement and storytelling, brought the community together to accelerate climate action. Earlier in his career, Andrew held impactful roles in government, academia, and the non-profit sector—including leadership training at Curtin University and behaviour change programming with the Government of Western Australia. He is driven by a commitment to community connection, experiential learning, and creating lasting positive change for both people and the planet.
Always a Step Ahead — What’s next for the Ministry and EPR Programs — DaVinci Room
Looking ahead in Saskatchewan’s recycling landscape, this session shares the Ministry of Environment’s and provincial programs’ future plans. Attendees will learn about new initiatives, emerging strategies, and opportunities to support a more circular, waste-conscious province.
- Household Hazardous Waste & Leftover Paint – Mark Dixon
Mark Dixon has been Program Manager for Saskatchewan and Manitoba for Product Care since November 2024. He spent over 20 years in the hazardous waste and transportation industries. Mark currently sits on Board of Directors of a non-profit organization in his hometown in Southeastern Manitoba that is committed to advocate and promote inclusion in the community and surrounding areas for Individuals with intellectual disabilities.
- Glass, Foam & Flexible Plastics – Colleen McKee
Colleen McKee is the Director of Marketing and Communications at SK Recycles. SK Recycles is on a mission to make recycling household packaging and paper in Saskatchewan smoother, easier, and more impactful than ever. Whether it’s a pickle jar, a meat tray, or a chip bag, her work is all about showing residents how rewarding and impactful recycling can be – one item at a time.
Since the end of 2024, Colleen has been supporting a phased rollout of SK Recycles across the province, working with communities, partners and stakeholders every step of the way.
- Used Oil Materials – Ethan Richardson
Ethan Richardson – For the last eight and a half years, Ethan has been the Executive Director of SARRC (Saskatchewan Association for Resource Recovery Corp), helping businesses and the people of Saskatchewan recycle used motor oil, oil filters, antifreeze and oil, antifreeze and diesel exhaust fluid containers. Prior to joining the world of product stewardship, he worked in the environmental field as a consultant and with industry. Ethan is originally from Saskatoon, where he also lives and works.
- End of Life Electronics – Gayleen Creelman
Gayleen Creelman is the Saskatchewan Program Director for the Electronic Products Recycling Association. She has been with EPRA since November 2014. This role covers all aspects of end-of-life electronics management in Saskatchewan, including government and public relations; contract management with service providers, such as collection sites, carriers, and processors; and working with communities to increase awareness and action regarding proper disposal of end-of-life electronics.
more about Gayleen
She is also the current chair of Recycle Saskatchewan (RS), an informal alliance of all EPR programs and SARCAN Recycling in Saskatchewan. RS members work collaboratively to be the overall voice of EPR to government at the rural, urban, First Nation, and provincial levels.
Gayleen’s educational background is in transportation, logistics, and distribution management. She earned the CCLP (CITT Certified Logistics Professional) designation in 1996. As with many professional designations, continuous learning is a key component. She relishes any opportunity to learn, whether that be in her professional or personal life. She previously worked with Cargill at the largest canola seed-crushing facility in North America and with Canpotex Limited, the company that exports Saskatchewan potash to many regions of the world. Her passion is fitting puzzle pieces together as efficiently and effectively as possible, which is probably why she has chosen logistics as the backbone of her career. She also dabbled in IT for a few years, including systems design, implementation, and support, managing a team of employees and contractors to serve users around the world.
Along with her husband, Danny, and daughter, Hannah, she has travelled the world (and all are Disney fans). Her downtime is spent watching football with her husband, cheering for her favourite F1 driver with her daughter, or finding a place to spread out and work on her family genealogy. She loves a good (or bad) game of golf when she can and plays soccer.
- Scrap Tires – Triphina Wirth
Triphina Wirth is the CEO of Tire Stewardship of Saskatchewan (TSS). With more than two decades of leadership experience across multiple industries, she is known for her calm, solutions-focused approach and her ability to navigate pressure with clarity and care. Her mission is to strengthen the organization, support tire dealers, work collaboratively with government partners, and drive real solutions to reduce Saskatchewan’s tire backlog.
more about Triphina
With a background in Health, Safety, and Environmental processes, Triphina brings a strong understanding of human performance, risk, and organizational culture. Her leadership style is grounded in authenticity, transparency, and relationship building—recognizing that real results come from trust, alignment, and practical action.
Outside of work, Triphina is the proud mom of four adult children, is engaged to a wonderful fiancé, sharing their home with three cats. Camping is her reset and her happy place—you’ll find her there most of the summer—and she’s looking forward to getting married this October.
- Beverage Containers – Sean Collins
Sean Collins is the Director of SARCAN System Operations. He has been working for SARC since 2002 when he started as the South East Regional Manager in SARCAN’s Recycling Division. In his role, Sean oversees the operations and performance of the entire SARCAN system, including collections, consolidation, salvage marketing, capital improvements, information technology, and communications teams.
- Household Batteries – Chad Moussa
Chad Moussa is the Western Canada Account Manager at Call2Recycle Canada, a role he has held for the past six years. He works closely with members and collection partners across Western Canada to support producers’ regulatory compliance. Chad brings a strong understanding of stewardship programs and stakeholder engagement, ensuring effective and efficient battery collection solutions. His work focuses on fostering partnerships that advance environmental responsibility and program performance.
- Agricultural Plastics – Tammy Shields
Tammy Shields has been the Saskatchewan Program Advisor with Cleanfarms for the last 8 years. She is a professional agrologist, based out of Moose Jaw and has been involved with recycling agricultural plastics since she led the first grain bag recycling pilot in 2010. Cleanfarms is a non-profit organization that works with the entire supply chain, from farmers through to the recycling facilities to ensure agricultural plastics and packaging can be responsibly managed and kept out of the environment.
- Ministry of Environment – Shelly Nicolle-Phillips
Shelly Nicolle‑Phillips is the Manager of Waste Stewardship and Recycling with the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment, where she works alongside producers, stewardship organizations, municipalities, and other partners to advance extended producer responsibility (EPR) across the province. Shelly and her team focus on building strong, collaborative relationships that support practical EPR implementation and ongoing improvement of recycling and stewardship programs.
3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Break Sponsored by Call2Recycle
3:30 – 5:00 p.m.
Concurrent Sessions III
The Second-Chance Solution — Reuse — DaVinci Room
Sponsored by Affinity Credit Union
Reuse is a key part of the circular economy—but it comes with challenges. This discussion-based session looks at how products, materials, and components can be reused effectively, highlighting innovative projects, program successes, and opportunities for broader adoption.
- Building Reuse in Canada: How Standards Support Reusable Packaging Systems – Natalia Ortiz
Natalia Ortiz is a Project Manager of Environment and Climate Change at Canadian Standards Association (CSA Group), where she supports the development of standards and standards-based solutions that advance the circular economy. Her work includes managing the Canadian Mirror Committee to ISO/TC 323, Circular Economy, coordinating national experts, and supporting the adoption of circular economy standards in Canada.
more about Natalia
Natalia also contributes to CSA Group’s collaboration with PR3 on reusable packaging system standards and is helping translate published circularity measurement research into future standards-based solutions. She brings over seven years of experience in sustainability, environmental compliance, and management systems, including ISO 14001, Rainforest Alliance®, and other certification frameworks. Natalia previously taught project management at Seneca Polytechnic and holds a BSc in Environmental Engineering plus graduate certificates in environmental project management and supply chain management.
- Grocery Reuse for the Prairies: Considerations – Joanne Fedyk
Joanne Fedyk has been the Executive Director of the Sask Waste Reduction Council since 1991, where she’s worked on bringing people together to find solutions to waste issues and advance the circular economy.
Joanne’s educational background is in Home and Family Economics and a whole lot of on-the-job training. She lives in Saskatoon.
- A Second Thought on Second Hand – Shannon Kuehn
Shannon Kuehn (they/them) is the owner/operator/sole staff member of Nefelibata Arts and Crafts, a second-hand, thrifty Arts and Craft Supply Shop in Saskatoon. When Shala, Shannon’s pal, and the OG owner of Nefelibata, put the shop up for sale in Jan of 2024, the stars aligned and Shannon stepped up. In the first year of business, Shannon tripled the revenue, moved to a larger location, and added classes, social events, vendor pop-ups and a gallery wall to show off the works of local artists. They are an active member of WESK (Women Entrepreneur of Saskatchewan), a former SQEP (Sask Queer Entrepreneurs) Board member who has given talks on building business with community in mind and part of several program supporting Women and 2SLGBTQ+ entrepreneurs.
more about Shannon
Self-Proclaimed Creative Maximalist and a Gallery-Proclaimed Artist, you can see one of their pieces (a found object/upcycled sculptural piece) on display in the Remai Modern as part of the Material After Life Exhibit until the end of June. Shannon has been crafty since the beginning. Their Grandma, whom the Rose Gallery Wall in the Shop is named for, taught them to crochet at 9 and since then they have added leatherwork, woodwork, silver and blacksmithing, printmaking, miniatures, and sculpture to their repertoire. Between a background in retail commerce, social media marketing and community engagement, and their wide ranging artistic endeavors, it just made sense to take on a craft shop. Nefelibata takes in donations and occasionally buy/sell items, then processes and presents them so that they are consumable again and stay out of landfills or collect dust in the back of people’s craft cupboards. Nefelibata’s goal is to make sure the benefits of creating are accessible for all by not gentrifying our secondhand goods. One way of doing this is with our many FREE bins of goods all over the store, and another is by keeping our prices low.
- The Power of Loose Parts: Redefining Waste Through the Eyes of a Child – Krystina Micucci
Krystina is a Saskatoon-based Early Childhood Educator and ELCC Director with a passion for sustainability, creativity, and child-led learning. Inspired by a tour of the ReMida creative recycling initiative in Reggio Emilia during an international study opportunity, she returned home committed to giving discarded materials a second life within early learning environments. Through ongoing partnerships with local businesses, she helps divert clean industrial waste, surplus inventory, and sample materials into the hands of children, transforming them into meaningful educational resources. This work not only supports innovation and creativity in early childhood settings, but also helps businesses reduce waste and disposal costs while contributing to more sustainable community practices.
Connecting the Dots — Community Roundtables — Michelangelo Rooms
Take part in a facilitated roundtable discussion designed to connect participants and spark collaborative solutions. Share experiences, exchange ideas, and explore innovative approaches to community-based waste reduction and circular economy initiatives.
Closing the Loop at Work: Building Internal Waste Diversion Systems – Michelangelo A
A collaborative conversation about procurement, collection systems, staff engagement, contamination, and scaling diversion efforts internally.
Running Landfills: Operations, Challenges & Lessons Learned – Michelangelo B
Exploring the operational impacts, infrastructure needs, environmental considerations, and practical solutions involved in landfill operations.
Sorting it Out: Education, Messaging & Participation – Michelangelo C
Discuss the human side of waste diversion: how we communicate, motivate participation, reduce confusion, and build habits for better diversion outcomes.
6:00 – 11:00 p.m. The Big Reveal — Reception/Banquet/Awards/Entertainment
Sponsored by Sask Association for Resource Recovery Corp
Step into the world of intrigue! We invite you to dress up as any aspect of a mystery – be it a daring detective, a cunning villain, a classic mystery novelist, a dramatic victim, a compelling clue, or anything else you can imagine. Enjoy an evening of food, fun, and conversation, surrounded by colleagues in character, and immerse yourself in the playful spirit of solving the circular economy’s greatest mysteries.
6:00 p.m.
The Case of the Missing Martini — Reception
Sponsored by sonnevera international
7:00 p.m.
Miss Scarlet, in the Dining Room, with the Candlestick — Banquet
Table Wine sponsored by GFL Environmental
7:45 p.m.
Hon. Darlene Rowden, Minister of Environment
8:00 p.m.
8:45 p.m.
SK Waste Reduction Awards Ceremony
Face the Music — Evening Entertainment — Jazz Quartet: Gillian Snider and Friends
More about the band
Gillian Snider performs regularly with numerous jazz musicians and projects in many combinations and permutations, including her own projects The WhiskeyJerks, Gillian Sings Joni, and Pearl: Celebrating the Voice of Janis Joplin. Starting her love affair with jazz back in 2004, Gillian’s repertoire spans from Chick Corea to Thelonius Monk, Billie Holiday to Burt Bacharach, from the art of soloing through scat, to the torch ballad – with a few originals thrown in for fun.
Since his return to Saskatoon in 2012, Kim Salkeld (a professional musician for over 40 years) is one of the busiest pianists, composers and arrangers in town, performing and writing with a wide variety of ensembles and vocalists, including the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra, GillianSings Joni, Lewis & Salkeldand his own original project, Holy Soleil.
Nevin Buehler has been an integral part of Saskatchewan’s music scene for the better part of 14 years, performing with the Saskatoon Symphony Orchestra, the Saskatoon Jazz Orchestra,The Gerard Weber Group andThe WhiskeyJerks (just to name a few), as well as keeping busy as a session musician andan elementary school band teacher.
Gracing Saskatchewan stages for many years, Fabian Minnema first made an impact on the Western Canadian music scene with Johnny Grit and Make Liars, sharing the stage with many nationally and internationally acclaimed Canadian artists, including the legendary Blues guitarist David Wilcox, 54-40 and theTrews. Whether it’s with his trusty goldStrat or singing behind a drum-kit,Fabian has not only recorded and collaborated with numerous local and national acts, his reputation as a multi-instrumentalist, song-writer, arranger and producer precede him