Sarah Wilmot

Sarah has over twenty years of experience in solid waste management. For the first two decades of her career, Sarah worked as a consultant, evaluating waste management systems and developing waste management plans that reflect best practices in waste reduction and diversion. As a consultant, she worked with local and regional governments across western Canada, Ontario, and internationally. Sarah joined the City of Edmonton two years ago, motivated by a desire to implement the kinds of changes she had experience designing and recommending.

Since joining the City, Sarah has become an integral part of the team that is operationalizing the City’s 25-year Waste Strategy. Sarah supported the Edmonton Cart Rollout and was a major contributor to the business case for mandatory source separation at multi-unit buildings. Sarah was responsible for the City’s first Waste Reduction Roadmap, which is a three-year action-oriented work plan that identifies programs, services and regulations that will result in less waste being produced by both residential and non-residential sectors. The Roadmap also includes specific targets and measurable outcomes related to waste reduction. The process of developing the roadmap revitalized the City’s connections with key waste stakeholders, and gave Sarah an opportunity to better understand the leadership role various non-government entities are playing in shifting public perception about waste and consumption. Sarah is currently working to establish a Waste Reduction Network for businesses and organizations, and is excited to be responsible for writing Edmonton’s single-use item reduction strategy and bylaw. Sarah has been a member of the RCA’s Waste Reduction Week Working Group, and is looking forward to becoming more involved with the RCA. She offers a perspective that is informed by her range of roles and experience working across many jurisdictions.