Unlocking the Circular Economy: RCA Webinar on ‘Right to Repair’

Hélène Gervais – Environmental Advisor, RECYC-QUÉBEC
Presentation Topic: “A portrait of repair in Quebec”

Hélène Gervais holds a master’s degree in environmental studies from Université de Sherbrooke, as well as a bachelor’s degree in communications – human relations, with an international profile from Université du Québec à Montréal. She has been working as an environmental advisor for state-owned RECYC-QUÉBEC since 2006. Her expertise in the field of circular economy, combined with her knowledge of waste management, has been put to good use on a variety of projects, including the organization of three editions of the Assises québécoises de l’économie circulaire event, waste reduction at the source, product repair, plastics recycling and curbside collection of recyclable materials. From 2018 to 2021, she also developed and taught a circular economy course in Université de Sherbrooke‘s Master’s in Environment program. In 2016, she worked as a project manager at the Institut de l’environnement, du développement durable et de l’économie circulaire, where she coordinated a major research project on circular economy and metals, on behalf of the Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources naturelles du Québec. She has also been involved for several years on the boards of environmental education organizations, currently including Lab22|Laboratoire d’innovations sociales et environnementales.

Jenn Engstrom – CALPRIG
Presentation Topic:  “Right to repair in California”  

Jenn Engstrom directs CALPIRG’s advocacy efforts and is a leading voice in Sacramento and across the state on protecting public health, consumer protections and defending our democracy. Most recently, she led a state campaign to pass the Right to Repair Act in California, to provide consumers access to repair parts and tools needed to keep devices working longer and reduce electronic waste. Before taking on her current role, Jenn was the Deputy National Director for the Student PIRGs, where she helped run a national effort to mobilize hundreds of thousands of students to vote. She led CALPIRG’s organizing team for years and managed their citizen outreach offices across the state, running campaigns to ban single-use plastic bags, stop the overuse of antibiotics, and go 100% renewable energy. Jenn lives in Los Angeles, where she enjoys spending time at the beach and visiting the many amazing restaurants in her city.

Frances Edmonds – Head of Sustainable Impact, HP Canada
Presentation Topic: “Repairability – a corporaton’s CE point of view”

Frances Edmonds is the Head of Sustainable Impact at HP Canada, where she is responsible for business development and oversees Corporate Social Responsibility programs nationally. With a focus on sustainable procurement, Frances is driving meaningful change cross-sector that supports a more circular and sustainable economic future for Canada. With more than 30 years of experience, Frances is recognized as one of Canada’s top sustainability professionals having received two Clean 50 awards, is listed on the Canadian Women in the IT Channel Hall of Fame and has led HP to became the most sustainable technology company in Canada.

Passionate about driving change through education, Frances has developed and implemented volunteer programs globally for HP. She is Vice Chair of the board of Learning for a Sustainable Future and serves as a consultant for customers and academic institutions on sustainability strategies. She also sits on the Sustainable Development Advisory Council for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change Canada as well as having completed work on the Expert Panel on the Circular Economy in Canada as assembled by the Council of Canadian Academies.

As seen on stages including Elevate and TEDx, Frances is both a guest lecturer and speaker on a wide range of topics including the circular economy. With a degree in Environmental Science from Bradford University (UK) and a post-graduate diploma in Occupational Health and Safety, Frances is also a Canadian Registered Safety Professional (CRSP).

Keith Currie – President, Canadian Federation of Agriculture
Presentation Topic: “The importance of right to repair for our Ag industry”

Currie, a Collingwood, Ontario farmer, was born and raised on the family farm and is the 8th generation on the farm family operation. Currie graduated with a diploma in Agriculture Production Management from the University of Guelph, Ridgetown College in 1982. Upon Graduation, Currie returned home to manage the family dairy and cash crop farm in Simcoe County with his wife Janice and together they have raised four children.

Currie’s operation now focuses on production of grains and oilseed, forages for dry hay, along with a sweet corn and gladiolus flower production.

Over the years, Currie has represented many agriculture boards and organizations at the regional, provincial and federal levels serving on both livestock and cropping organizations. Keith is the Past President of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture (OFA) and has had 25+ years of board experience with the OFA. Agriculture Co-operatives, Dairy Herd Improvement association, Fair Boards, Holstein Clubs, Soil and Crop Improvement association, Conservation Authority committees and county federation of agriculture boards are just a few of the local organizations that Keith has been involved with over the years. Keith is also an Ontario delegate to The Co-Operators Insurance.

Keith has also been appointed to three provincial government advisory committees in Ontario, the 4 Plan Review committee(a review of 4 provincial land use plans), the Environmental Advisory committee as well as the Wetlands Advisory committee

Before becoming CFA President in 2023, Keith served on the CFA board for several years, and was elected as the organization’s first Vice-President in 2019.

Joanne Fedyk – Executive Director, Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council 
Presentation Topic: “Repair Cafés – Creating Repair Culture”

Joanne Fedyk has been the Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council since its inception in 1991. During that time, she has organized waste reduction conferences and events, advocated and promoted Extended Producer Responsibility programs and managed research and education projects around waste reduction, composting, and circular economy solutions. Her educational background is in Family and Home Economics.