July 2026: Executive Director Letter
L: Laudable Programs, Launching Opportunities, Leadership, and Linking Up
Each month I look to the alphabet to anchor my update, and June calls for “L” — a letter that captures much of what has made this a remarkable time for Alberta’s circular economy community.
Laudable Programs, People, and Partnerships
June was a moment to celebrate. The 35th Annual Emerald Awards, presented by the Emerald Foundation, recognized outstanding environmental achievements across Alberta, and the circular economy sector was well represented. The Alberta Ag-Plastic Pilot, which the RCA has supported and championed, was among the nominees in the Waste Management category. We were proud to see many RCA members as nominees and winners! Way to go. Whether or not every nominated initiative received an award, the recognition itself reflects the quality and depth of environmental leadership happening across our province. Congratulations to all nominees and winners.
This past month, the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation (ABCRC) and the Beverage Container Management Board (BCMB) each released their annual reports. The numbers tell an important story: Alberta’s deposit return system continues to perform among the strongest in North America, with recovery rates that should make every Albertan proud. I encourage you to take a look at both reports and share them with your networks.
We also had the opportunity to connect with colleagues at the Alberta Bottle Depot Association (ABDA) as they celebrated 50 years of organized depot operations across Alberta. The province’s depot network has been central to the success of Alberta’s beverage container recycling system, and the dedication of depot operators and their association has helped build one of Canada’s leading recycling programs. Congratulations on this important milestone.
Launching Opportunities
Registration is now open for the Catch the Wave Circular Economy Conference, taking place in Lake Louise from October 21–23, 2026. As the RCA’s flagship annual event, the conference brings together leaders from across government, industry, municipalities, academia, and the non-profit sector to exchange ideas, explore emerging opportunities, and strengthen Alberta’s circular economy.
If you haven’t already, I encourage you to register and make your accommodation arrangements. We look forward to welcoming you to Lake Louise this October.
We are also pleased to announce that nominations are now open for the 2026 Rs of Excellence Awards, the RCA’s annual recognition program celebrating the people, programs, and organizations advancing Alberta’s circular economy across seven award categories: Lifetime Achievement, Political Leader, Business Leader, Educational Leader, Changemaker, Innovation, and Impact.
Submitting a nomination is simple. If you know someone whose work deserves recognition, or yourself, I encourage you to take a few minutes to nominate them. Nominations close on September 11, 2026.
Leadership and Learning from Others
This month also brought meaningful opportunities to connect with leaders beyond Alberta.
The RCA had the privilege of engaging with the City of Edmonton’s Waste Reduction Network, a cross-sector network advancing waste reduction, to explore opportunities for collaboration – especially in the commercial space, shared learning, and aligned advocacy.
Conversations like these remind us that Alberta is part of a broader movement. While every region faces its own unique challenges, we also share common opportunities to learn from one another and strengthen Canada’s circular economy together.
We also had the pleasure of meeting with representatives from the German Consul General’s Office, exploring what Canada and Alberta can learn from Germany’s longstanding leadership in circular economy policy, extended producer responsibility, and waste infrastructure. Germany’s deposit return and EPR systems remain among the most advanced in the world, and the conversation provided valuable insights and fresh ideas as we continue advancing Alberta’s own circular economy.
Linking Up — A Leadership Transition Worth Noting
Finally, I want to recognize an important transition within one of our long-standing partner organizations.
Joanne Fedyk, the founding Executive Director of the Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council (SWRC), is retiring after 35 years of dedicated leadership — the only Executive Director the organization has ever known. Since being hired at SWRC’s founding meeting on October 5, 1991, Joanne has helped build Saskatchewan’s waste reduction movement from the ground up, championing composting, repair and reuse, extended producer responsibility, and circular economy education across the province.
Over the years, the RCA and SWRC have worked closely together to address the unique recycling and waste reduction opportunities and challenges of the Prairies. We’ve built pilot projects together, shared ideas and experiences, and yes, admired Joanne’s memorable conference outfits along the way. Her thoughtful leadership and collaborative spirit have strengthened not only SWRC, but our partnership as well.
Joanne also recently reflected on the evolution of waste reduction in Saskatchewan in her blog post, “Looking Back: 35 Years of Waste Reduction in SK”, where she shares stories from SWRC’s early years, the growth of recycling and composting programs, and the many people who helped shape Saskatchewan’s waste reduction journey. It’s a wonderful reflection on both how far we’ve come and the work that still lies ahead.
Stepping into the role is Naomi Mihilewicz, who has grown with SWRC for nearly two decades and brings deep organizational knowledge and a strong community-focused approach to this new chapter. We look forward to continuing our collaboration with Naomi and the SWRC team in the years ahead.
Congratulations, Joanne, on an extraordinary legacy, and welcome, Naomi.
—
Jennifer Koole
Executive Director
Recycling Council of Alberta