SWANA Northern Lights Chapter 2026 Conference

Call for Presentations Now Open

The SWANA Northern Lights Chapter 2026 Conference will be held April 22–24, 2026, at the Fairmont Palliser in Calgary, Alberta. The opening day coincides with Earth Day, a reminder of the broader context in which the waste management industry operates.

The theme, Waste in a World of Change, reflects a sector under pressure to adapt. Climate change, increasingly frequent disasters such as wildfires and floods, trade disruptions, fast-moving technology, and population growth are reshaping today’s systems. What were once considered “1-in-100-year” events now occur every few years, demanding flexibility, responsiveness, and resilience.

Registration and the full program will be launched in the coming months.

Call for Presentations

Do you have some exciting work going on or a project that has taught lessons that you would like to share, let us know and you may get the opportunity to join a prestigious group of presenters at the Conference.

Abstract Guidelines

• 300 words maximum
• Include presentation title, speaker name(s) and organisation(s)
• Provide three learning outcomes
• Contact information
  
• Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025 
• Submit to: info@swananorthernlights.org

Topics of interest include:

• Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR)
• Insurance in waste management
• Climate change and disaster management
• Composting and organics
• Debunking myths in waste and recycling
• Safety, training, and workforce development
• Disaster debris management
• New technologies and their waste impacts
• Recycling markets and MRF operations
• Transfer stations and collections
• Construction, demolition, retrofitting, restoration, and deconstruction
• Battery management and recycling (including EVs and ARMA)
• Buy Canadian: sector opportunities and contributions
• Data, KPIs, and design for circularity
• Landfills, LFG, leachate, and cover systems
• Repurposing office buildings and alternative uses for infrastructure
• Reuse, repair, and textiles
• Smaller-scale organizations, student entrepreneurs, and circular economy projects

Submit your abstract (300 words max) to info@swananorthernlights.org by October 31, 2025 for a chance to present. More details can be found here.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) continues to reshape waste management across Canada, and this year’s SWANA Northern Lights Chapter Conference hosted a dedicated workshop bringing together program leaders from every corner of the country. The session provided a national snapshot of how provinces and organizations are implementing and refining EPR systems, highlighting opportunities, challenges, and progress in shifting responsibility from municipalities to producers.

Lyndsey Chauhan (Recycle BC) opened the workshop with an overview of British Columbia’s long-standing leadership in EPR. She explained how the province’s regulated model has become a benchmark across Canada, with producers held accountable for the full lifecycle of consumer products. Her presentation emphasized the collaboration between government, Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs), and industry that underpins BC’s success.
📄 Download Lyndsey’s presentation

Kelly Kuryk (Government of Manitoba) followed with an update on Manitoba’s regulatory framework, which currently includes five stewardship regulations and fourteen operating programs. She highlighted the province’s strong participation among PROs, from batteries and electronics to used oil and antifreeze.
📄 Download Kelly’s presentation

Barry Friesen (Cleanfarms) shared insight into agricultural plastics recycling and the growing importance of EPR in managing farm materials. Cleanfarms now oversees recovery for more than 62,000 tonnes of agricultural plastics annually, ranging from grain bags to containers and twine. Friesen also discussed how regulated programs and voluntary initiatives are helping transition ag plastics into circular systems.
📄 Download Barry’s presentation

Mannie Chung (Product Care) presented on the organization’s three decades of national EPR leadership. He spoke about the environmental benefits of diverting paint, smoke alarms, and household hazardous waste through stewardship programs, emphasizing that participation helps extend landfill life, reduce leachate impacts, and lower community costs.
📄 Download Mannie’s presentation

Gavin Sidhu (Alberta Recycling Management Authority) provided an overview of Alberta’s new EPR framework launched on April 1, 2025. Covering single-use products, packaging, and paper products (PPP), along with hazardous and special products (HSP), Alberta’s program represents a major shift toward producer-funded recycling systems. Sidhu also detailed new grant programs supporting landfill and leachate management through recycled materials such as tire-derived aggregate.
📄 Download Gavin’s presentation

Jason Brown (Call2Recycle) shared updates on battery collection programs across Canada, including new EPR-regulated systems rolling out in Nunavut and other jurisdictions. He discussed how Call2Recycle’s voluntary and regulated programs are expanding access to safe, responsible battery recycling for both rechargeable and single-use products.
📄 Download Jason’s presentation

Recycle SK provided a provincial overview of Saskatchewan’s stewardship model, which coordinates several PROs managing diverse material streams—from electronics and paint to tires and oil recovery. The presentation demonstrated how coordinated producer responsibility can deliver consistent service across a broad geographic region.
📄 Download Recycle SK’s presentation

Throughout the workshop, speakers and attendees discussed how cross-provincial collaboration is essential to harmonizing EPR frameworks, improving data collection, and addressing gaps in rural and northern regions. The session underscored the momentum behind EPR implementation and the shared goal of building consistent, transparent systems that advance waste reduction and circularity across Canada.

The SWANA Northern Lights Chapter is celebrating a smooth and successful leadership transition this year, as Scott Theede completed his term as President and Mario Poveda stepped into the role.

Scott has served the Chapter with dedication and professionalism, helping support training, outreach, and collaboration across the solid waste industry. Based in Saskatoon, Scott is the Senior Project Management Engineer with the City of Saskatoon’s Water & Waste Operations Department. He continues to stay closely involved with SWANA NLC as a faculty member and instructor, leading courses such as Manager of Landfill Operations and Landfill Operations Basics. The Chapter extends its thanks to Scott for his time, leadership, and continued commitment to supporting waste management professionals through education and mentorship.

Now taking on the President’s role, Mario Poveda brings more than fifteen years of experience in environmental engineering and project management. Originally from Costa Rica, Mario is a Waste Management Engineer registered in Ontario and Manitoba. His expertise includes the design and operation of waste management facilities, landfill expansions and closures, and leachate and stormwater management systems.

Mario has been an active SWANA NLC member for several years, contributing to conference sessions and sharing his technical insights with peers. He’s known for his collaborative approach, practical experience, and passion for improving how communities manage waste. Please join us in thanking Scott for his dedicated service and welcoming Mario as he takes on this leadership role. The Chapter continues to move forward with a strong team and shared commitment to advancing training, innovation, and collaboration in solid waste management.