November 2026: Executive Director Letter
P is for Pitches, Perspectives, and Participation
Perspectives from Lake Louise
What a week. Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise for Catch the Wave. Over three days, 387 delegates, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors came together to take on the sector’s toughest questions, from Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) to economics, plastics, and industrial circularity. Crystal Dreisbach of Upstream set the tone with a keynote on reuse that people were still talking about at dinner.
A few moments have stayed with me. One speaker reminded us that circularity starts with seeing materials as valuable, not as waste. Some are “Budweiser,” some are “fine wine,” but everything has value in the right application. Sarah Elmeligi told us that “recycling is the foundation of conservation action.” Mackenzie Brown asked us to think about the Earth as a relative, because “when you do, you treat it differently.” Both point to the same idea: our connection to each other is tied to our connection with the resources and the places we share.
The conversations between sessions mattered just as much. At the reception and around the fire pits by the lake, I watched longtime contacts meet in person for the first time, new members find their people, and one introduction led to three more. It felt less like a conference and more like a family reunion, and that’s the RCA I’m proud to be part of.
A conference is only as valuable as what we do next. I’d love to hear what you took home with you. Fill out our Conference Survey HERE, or feel free to reply to this email or find me on LinkedIn.
Congratulations again to this year’s Rs of Excellence and lifetime achievement recipients. Your work shows what’s possible when circular thinking is put into practice. Read about all of the winners here.
Participation Matters
Our Annual General Meeting takes place virtually on Friday, November 6, from 10:30 a.m. to noon. All members are welcome. Each member organization has one vote for our new Board of Directors. The Board guides the RCA’s direction as we work toward Vision 2030, so your participation matters. Thank you to everyone who put their name forward.
Register for the AGM here.
Pitch Night
On Wednesday, November 25, Edmonton Unlimited hosts Big Shot, our circular economy pitch night. Five Alberta circular economy entrepreneurs will each pitch an idea that reduces waste, extends the life of products and materials, or helps us use resources more efficiently. The audience will help choose the winner, who earns a featured spot at our 2027 conference.
This is one of my favourite nights of the year. It’s a chance to meet innovators early, often before their ideas become familiar business or business models. Tickets are $15 for RCA members and members of the City of Edmonton’s Waste Reduction Network, and $20 for everyone else. Seating is limited – and pizza is on us, so grab your tickets while they last!
Planning Ahead
We’re also looking ahead to Explore Circularity Day on March 9, 2027, at NAIT’s Productivity and Innovation Centre in Edmonton. This year, we’re focusing on industrial circularity: turning byproducts into inputs, extending the life of assets, and finding efficiencies that strengthen Alberta’s industrial advantage. Sign up to be the first to know when registration opens here. If your organization is planning its 2027 budget, now is a great time to look at our sponsorship opportunities.
Join the ECD list | View the sponsorship package
Pleased to Welcome
- Firewolf Suppression Systems
- Big Truck Rental
- Desivar Inc.
Read more about our new members here. Welcome to the RCA!
That’s November: pitches, participation, and planning for what comes next. I hope to see you on Zoom on the 6th and in Edmonton on the 25th.
—
Jennifer Koole
Executive Director
Recycling Council of Alberta