Celebrating Alberta’s Circular Economy Champions: 2026 Rs of Excellence Award Winners
The Recycling Council of Alberta celebrates the people, organizations and initiatives moving Alberta toward a more circular future.
At the 2026 Circular Economy Conference, held October 21–23 in Lake Louise under the theme Catch the Wave, the Recycling Council of Alberta (RCA) proudly presented its Rs of Excellence Awards, recognizing the outstanding leadership, innovation and commitment advancing waste reduction, resource conservation and circular economy thinking across Alberta.
First established in 1998, the Rs of Excellence have celebrated Alberta’s recycling and resource conservation champions for nearly three decades, with more than 120 awards presented over that time. From pioneering recycling programs and innovative technologies to community leadership, education and lifetime achievement, these awards reflect how far our sector has come – and the people who continue to move it forward. Fittingly, the awards themselves are crafted from repurposed chopsticks, a small reminder that what we once threw away can become something worth celebrating.
This year, the RCA celebrated inspiring leaders who are making circularity happen in businesses, schools, communities, municipal programs and industries across the province. A sincere thank you to the Rs of Excellence Committee for the time and care they put into reviewing this year’s nominations. With so many worthy nominees, choosing the winners was no easy task.
Circular Business Leader
Claire Theaker-Brown — Unbelts
Claire demonstrates how circular thinking can be embedded in everyday business through repair, recycled materials, upcycling and ethical sourcing. Her leadership also extends across Alberta’s circular textile community, from grassroots clothing swaps and repair initiatives to advancing small-business representation and circular design resources.
Photo: Claire Theaker-Brown, Jennifer Koole, Jay Sanderson, Mortimer Capriles, Deanna Chauvet
Educational Leader
Jessica Ross – GP Grows
Through accessible, hands-on programs, Jessica Ross and the City of Grande Prairie are helping residents of all ages learn about gardening, food growing and environmental stewardship. Initiatives such as Early Sprouts, the Seed Bar, Community Orchards and Learning Gardens make sustainability tangible while building lasting community connections.
Photo: Jennifer Koole, Jay Sanderson, Jessica Ross, Mortimer Capriles, Deanna Chauvet
Changemaker
Sharing instead of buying new is making a measurable difference for Calgary families. Since 2020, the volunteer-led Calgary Toy Library has recorded 9,800 toy loans, keeping more than 700 toys circulating. Members report buying fewer new toys, saving money and reducing household clutter and waste — proving that sharing can be a powerful circular solution.
Policy Leadership
City of Edmonton — Waste Reduction Roadmap
Edmonton’s Waste Reduction Roadmap brings together policy, public engagement, education and partnerships to prevent waste and change behaviours across the city. Supported by extensive stakeholder engagement and a 45-member Waste Reduction Network, the initiative demonstrates how collaboration and a shared direction can help communities make meaningful progress.
Photo: Jay Sanderson, Deanna Chauvet, Jennifer Koole, Mortimer Capriles, Alison Abbink, Denis Jubinville, Ryan Kos
Impact
St. Albert ReStore — Habitat for Humanity Edmonton Society
St. Albert ReStore demonstrates how reuse can deliver both environmental and social benefits. As part of Habitat Edmonton’s broader operation, ReStore contributed to a system that diverted approximately eight million pounds of reusable materials in 2025, while supporting affordable goods, community participation and Habitat’s homeownership work. The expansion into St. Albert and Leduc further extends this impact.
Photo: Mortimer Capriles, Jay Sanderson, Derek Paton, Deanna Chauvet, Jennifer Koole
Innovation
OzoneBio is transforming forestry and biomass residues into bio-based adipic acid, a key building block for Nylon 6,6. The judges recognized the originality of its green-chemistry platform, industry partnerships and progress toward physical yarn and knitted fabric samples. A life-cycle assessment indicates the potential for a 96% reduction in greenhouse-gas emissions compared with fossil-based production pathways.
Photo: Jennifer Koole, Snow Ngai and Khorcheska Batyrova, Mortimer Capriles
Judges’ Choice
Mathew Clements — Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo
For more than 11 years, Mathew has helped residents understand recycling and waste management through frontline education, school tours, videos, social media and podcasts. His ability to make complex information accessible — including 18 school tours since 2025 — reflects the dedication and community connection that inspire lasting behaviour change.
Photo: Jennifer Koole, Jay Sanderson, Mortimer Capriles, Deanna Chauvet, Mathew Clements
Circular Legacy Award
Guy West
With more than three decades of leadership, Guy West has helped shape Alberta’s beverage-container recycling system through innovation, mentorship and measurable results. Since 2012, ABCRC’s deposit-return system has diverted 28 billion containers and 1.35 million tonnes of material. His commitment to research and sector advancement, including a $300,000 research partnership with NAIT, reinforces his lasting contribution to Alberta’s circular economy.
Circular Champion Recognition
Barry Friesen
For more than two decades, Barry Friesen has helped advance waste diversion, agricultural stewardship and resource recovery across Canada. His pioneering contributions to extended producer responsibility and the development of systems that put circular principles into practice have influenced how materials are managed provincially and nationally.
Celebrating progress — and the work ahead
The 2026 Rs of Excellence Award winners remind us that circularity takes many forms. It can be found in a business rethinking its materials, a child learning to grow food, a family borrowing instead of buying, a municipality bringing stakeholders together or an industry transforming waste into valuable resources.
Each recipient demonstrates that progress happens when people challenge the status quo, work collaboratively and turn circular economy thinking into practical action.
As Alberta continues its transition toward a more circular economy, the RCA is proud to recognize these champions and the many others working to reduce waste, conserve resources and create lasting environmental, economic and social benefits.
Congratulations to all 2026 Rs of Excellence Award recipients — and thank you for helping Alberta catch the wave toward a more circular future!
Learn more about the Rs of Excellence Awards
Explore the awards and past recipients on the Recycling Council of Alberta website: recycle.ab.ca/rsexcellence/
The Rs of Excellence Awards were presented at the RCA’s 2026 Circular Economy Conference, held October 21–23 at Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, Alberta.