Circular Economy Progress in Times of Change

Connector April 2025

Letter from the Executive Director

The past month has been a time of advancement for Alberta’s circular economy. From celebrating the official launch of Phase 1 of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), to visiting new infrastructure and supporting member collaboration—Alberta’s circular economy continues to move forward. 

In the midst of this activity, it’s important to pause and take stock of what’s being accomplished. Change is never easy—but this kind of progress is possible because of the commitment of RCA members, partners, and colleagues across the province. Congratulations to everyone working—on the front lines and often behind the scenes—to advance the circular economy in Alberta. Your efforts are making a real difference. 

Over the past month, the RCA has introduced several new tools and resources to support circular progress in Alberta: the RCA Adapted R-Ladder, RCA Circular Events Calendar, the 2025–2026 Sponsorship Package and 2025-2026 Business Plan. In March, we also hosted the inaugural RCA Explore Circularity Day, an event that explored Waste-to-Energy and its role in a circular economy. Looking ahead, Explore Circularity Day 2026 will shift the focus to textiles! 

Below, I’ve shared highlights from the past month and what’s coming next. I hope they give you a sense of both the momentum we’re building and the progress we’re making collectively. 

EPR Phase 1 Launches in Alberta 

April 1, 2025, marked the official launch of Phase 1 of Alberta’s transition to Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging and paper products, as well as hazardous and special products (HSP). On March 31, we attended the Circular Materials event to celebrate this milestone with members and colleagues, marking an important step forward in advancing the circular economy in Alberta. EPR is set to bring an enhanced recycling system to the province, benefiting Alberta’s residents, communities and the environment. The Recycling Council of Alberta is proud to have played a key role in helping EPR become a reality by working with various stakeholders and government officials to carve out the new regulations. 

On Wednesday, March 26, 2025, the Government of Alberta amended the Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulation in two ways, including a narrowing of the scope for flexible packaging included in the regulation. The RCA is actively working on a more detailed response to these changes. 

Explore Circularity Day: A Strong Start to a New Annual Tradition 

On March 10, we hosted the first-ever Explore Circularity Day (ECD). Thank you to the incredible speakers, attendees, exhibitors, and sponsors who made the inaugural Explore Circularity Day such a success. This full-day event featured thoughtful speakers, a panel discussion, and everyone’s favourite session, a spirited debate on waste-to-energy and whether it has a place within the circular economy. You can view the event proceedings and session summaries here. Looking ahead, Explore Circularity Day 2026 will shift the focus to Textiles! 

New Resources & Tools for Circular Advancement in Alberta 

This month, we’ve released several new tools and updates to help support your work: 

  • During ECD, we introduced the RCA Adapted R-Ladder—a visual tool that ranks material management strategies based on how circular they are. 
  • The new RCA Circular Events Calendar is live. You can now submit your events for listing and stay up to date on circular activities happening across Alberta. 

Celebrating Member Achievements 

In March, I had the honour of cutting the ribbon at GFL’s new Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). The new MRF is a strong example of how investment, innovation, and the right regulations can move us closer to circularity, creating real and lasting impact in our province 

I also had the opportunity to tour the Aldersyde Organics Resource Facility, operated by RCA member Catapult Environmental. Facilities like this are playing a key role in Alberta’s circular economy, diverting organic materials from landfills and transforming them into nutrient-rich compost and, in the future, renewable natural gas (RNG). 

Both of these facilities increase the capacity for managing materials in a more circular way in Alberta. Way to go! 

Congratulations to everyone contributing to this work, often behind the scenes. Your commitment is moving the circular economy forward in Alberta, and it’s making a real difference.


Jennifer Koole 
Executive Director 
Recycling Council of Alberta