Schedule

  1. June 9, 2025
  2. June 10, 2025
  3. June 11, 2025
  4. June 12, 2025
  5. June 13, 2025

June 9, 2025

June 10, 2025

June 11, 2025

Registration Opens

Room: Grand Ballroom Foyer

Tour #2 – Gerdau Metal Recycling Facility

Bus tour of Manitoba’s largest steel recycling facility, where you’ll explore scrap handling, shredding, and shearing operations, along with their material separation process.

Register on 2nd level. Tour departs from main lobby front door.

Tour #1 – Brady Road Resource Management Facility (sold out)

This comprehensive tour includes the 4R Depot, Leachate Tank, LFG System, Leaf & Yard Waste compost pad, and a New Cell is planned to be under construction at this time.  This will be a Full Facility tour!

Register on 2nd level. Tour departs from main lobby front door.

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Workshop

Room: Delta BC

Do you have questions about EPR? Are you curious about how it’s unfolding across the Prairies?

 

EPR programs are evolving across the country. This workshop is designed to help municipalities and waste professionals better understand what’s happening in the Northern Lights provinces and territories—Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Yukon, and Nunavut—as well as insights from other regions.

 

In this session, you’ll learn:

  • What’s happening in each province and territory

  • What’s on the horizon for EPR and stewardship programs

  • What’s already working and in place in your province

  • Practical lessons from across Canada through a moderated panel discussion

Moderator: Christina Seidel (sonnevera international corp.)

Speakers: Lyndsey Chauhan (Recycle BC), Karen Melnychuk (Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba), Kelly Kuryk (Government of Manitoba), Barry Friesen (Cleanfarms), Mannie Chung (Product Care), Gavin Sidhu (Alberta Recycling Management Authority), Michelle Hannah (Government of NWT), Jason Brown (Call2Recycle), Blaire Gaalaas (Circular Materials), Che-Wei Chung (ARMA)

Lunch – on your own

Golfing at Tuxedo Golf Course

Register on 2nd level. Tour departs from main lobby front door.

Join us at the Tuxedo Golf Course located at 400 Shaftesbury Boulevard for 18 holes of golf and networking with colleagues! This Par 70 is a public course located about 20 minutes from the host hotel. Transportation to and from Tuxedo Golf Club and a light lunch are included with your registration. (Clubs can be rented for an additional $33.60 but availability is limited so please pre-book club rentals.)

Tour #3 – Forks Zero Waste Tour

Register on 2nd level. Tour departs from main lobby front door. 

A walking tour of The Forks at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers. Tour their on-site Target Zero initiatives, including a staffed food hall sorting station, BioVator in-vessel composter, fruit orchard, biofuel filtering station and the Oodena Celebration Circle that pays homage to the 6,000 years of Indigenous peoples in the area.

Transportation to The Forks is provided.

Tour #5 – Canadian Museum for Human Rights

Register on 2nd level. Tour departs from main lobby front door. 

Welcome to the only Museum entirely devoted to human rights for all.  Join a journey like no other and experience human rights stories from Canada and around the world.

Tour #4 – Recycling Tour including mattresses, electronics & tires recycling (sold out)

Register on 2nd level. Tour departs from main lobby front door. 

Mother Earth – Winnipeg’s first and ONLY Mattress recycling facility.  Learn how they separate mattresses into fabric, foam, metal and wood – all of which can be recycled!  Mother Earth now accepts all electronics for recycling as well!  Learn more about electronics recycling.

 

Reliable Tire/WOW Rubber – Reliable Tire is proud to be Manitoba’s only premier vertically integrated tire recycler that converts tires to products such as molded goods, rubber mulch for the landscaping industry, blast mats for construction and more!  From home and garden to sports and recreation, WOW Rubber is committed to making high-quality products made from recycled rubber tires.

 

Sponsored by 

Young Professionals Event

Kick off the 2025 SWANA Northern Lights Chapter Conference “Waste Management All-Stars” at the Young Professional event providing networking opportunities for young professionals and newcomers to the solid waste industry. This event will start at the Delta Hotels by Marriott downtown Winnipeg and we will walk to the Forks Market to enjoy the local food and vendors. We will then join the evening activities and the Opening Reception. Transportation options will also be available from the hotel to the Forks.

 

Join us for an evening of connection, growth and fun!

Opening Reception – The Forks Market, Winnipeg

Room: The Event Space – second level (follow signs)

Join us at The Forks Market! Hop on the shuttle at the Delta Hotel starting at 6:00 PM. Buses will run continuously between the hotel and The Forks until 9:00 PM.

 

Enjoy a relaxed evening connecting with colleagues over stadium inspired food like pizza, corndogs and tacos, served around 6:30 PM. It’s a great way to warm up for the days ahead and get in the zone for the Waste Management All-Stars experience.

 

The Forks, located at the junction of the Red and Assiniboine rivers, has been a meeting place for over 6,000 years. Indigenous peoples traded at The Forks, followed by European fur traders, Scottish settlers, railway pioneers and tens of thousands of immigrants.  

 

The Forks has a goal of “Target Zero” – zero garbage, zero water waste and zero carbon emissions.  And with nearly 4 million visitors per year, that is a lot of garbage!

 

We are excited to share this fantastic venue with you for the opening reception!

 

Sponsored by 

June 12, 2025

Registration

 Room: Grand Ballroom Foyer

Champions Feast – Hot Breakfast

Room: Delta BC

Conference Opening

Room: Delta BC

Keynote: Where is the Babe Ruth of the Energy Transition? 

  • Tej Gidda, A GHD PRINCIPAL
    Global Leader – Future Energy, GHD

Room: Delta BC

Sponsored by

Halftime Huddle – Tradeshow Opening and Networking Break

Sponsored by 

Concurrent Sessions

Small Town Heroes – Small & Remote Community Waste Management – Session 1A

Room: Delta BC

 

Moderator:  Carmen Anseeuw, KGS

  • Lessons from Remote Waste Management in Canada: Insights from Nunavut, Nunatsiavut, and Northern Manitoba – Mario Poveda, Dillon Consulting
  • Reality Check: Waste Management in Indigenous Northern Communities – Julian Russell and Michael McPhee, Sambaa K’e First Nation
  • Steps to Improve Waste Management & Diversion in Remote Communities – Kori Wuttunee, Saskatchewan Aboriginal Land Technicians
  • The Austin Matthew’s Effect – How to advance waste & recycling management as a team in a small town – Molly Fyten, 201 Solutions

 

Sponsored by

PFAS – The Forever Foul  – Session 1B

Room: Charleswood B

 

Moderator: Annette Woodroffe, Manitoba Environmental Industries Association

  • How worried should I be about PFAS? – Dr Joe Ackerman, Biosystems Engineering, University of Manitoba
  • Managing (PFAS) in Landfill Leachates: Current Challenges and the Path Forward in Treatment and Regulation – MD Tanvir Hasnine, University of Manitoba
  • Evaluation of Destructive PFAS Technologies for Contaminated and Concentrated Treatment Residuals – A Technical Review of Existing Technologies – Tim Abbott, AECOM

Session sponsored by

Up to Bat? Waste and Recycling Programs – Session 1C

Room: Charleswood A

 

Moderator: Joanne Fedyk, SWRC

  • High-rises to ground-floor suites: The ups and downs of introducing three-stream source separation to apartments and condos – Vahid Rashidi, City of Edmonton
  • If you Build it, they will Come: A Story of Community Food Waste Drop off Stations – Amanda Wolfe, Compost Winnipeg, and Ash Raichura, City of Winnipeg 
  • Revealing The Value of Waste Audits – Shaun Spalding, Environmental Consulting Solutions
  • The Playbook for Circularity – introducing the R-Ladder tool for prioritizing material management activities in a circular economy – Jennifer Koole, Recycling Council of Alberta

Championship Chowdown – Lunch

Annual General Meeting of the SWANA Northern Lights Chapter

Concurrent Sessions

The Defensive Line – from Leachate to Liners – Session 2A

Room: Charleswood B

 

Moderator: Michelle Tomasiewicz, AECOM

  • Feedback on the long-term integrity of Multi-linear drainage geocomposites installed on landfill final covers after 10 and 12 years of operation – Stephan Fourmont, Afitex-Texel Geosynthetics inc.
  • Willows at Work:  A Phytotechnology 101 for Leachate Management – John Lavery, Ramo Western Division (Bionera Resources)
  • Waste Closure Solutions with Geosynthetics & Renewable Energy – Vincent Diviacchi, AGRU America, Inc

Keep the Ball in Play – Circular Economy in Action – Session 2B

Room: Delta BC

 

Moderator: Jennifer Koole, RCA

  • Consistent data collection and reporting: The role of standards in the circular economy – Christina Seidel, sonnevera international corp. & Iris Monner, CSA Group
  • Redefining Packaging: Advancing Mycelium-Based Materials for a Sustainable Future – Chen Li & Dr. Ali Zoungrana, University of Manitoba
  • Establishing Reusable Packaging Programs – Charles Binks-Collier, Circulr
  • The Role of Circular Procurement in Municipal Waste Management Strategy – Mike Fernandes, StrategyMakers Consulting Inc.

 

Stop, Drop, and Landfill – Planning, Operations & Landfill – Session 2C

Room: Charleswood A

 

Moderator: Joe Angevine, Foothills Regional Services Commission

  • Subsurface Fire at a Subarctic Landfill – Chris Vaughn, City of Yellowknife
  • Interesting Waste Types and What you can do – Steve Johnson, AECOM  
  • Tackling Scale Issues – Kendra Johnston, Newell Regional Landfill

 

Sponsored by  Crumb Rubber Manufacturers logo

Locker Room Break: Networking Break

in Tradeshow

Concurrent Sessions

Power Plays – Landfill Gas – Session 3A

Room: Charleswood B

 

Moderator: Scott Theede, City of Saskatoon

  • Surface Emissions Monitoring Technology Comparison: City of Vancouver Landfill – Hanna Musslick, City of Vancouver
  • Landfill Gas Regulations and the Canadian Solid Waste Industry – making for strange bedfellows? – Michel Lefebvre, Tetra Tech
  • How many ways can Landfill Gas be used at one site and hit it out of the park? – Denise Burgess, Comcor Environmental Ltd.

 

Sponsored by 

 

Old Gear, New Game – Reuse and Repair Programs – Session 3B

Room: Delta BC

 

Presentation & panel discussion – please join us with your questions!

This session will look at programs that reduce materials entering our landfills including reuse centers, repair options and best practices.

Moderator: Molly Fyten, 201 Solutions

  • Playing for the Long Game: Share Reuse Repair Action Guide for Local Government – Tamara Shulman, Tamara Shulman and Associates
  • “It ain’t over till its over” – Salvage and Reuse at the Foothills Landfill – Joe Angevine, Foothills Regional Landfill & Resource Recovery Centre
  • Stay out of the Penalty Box – Lessons from the Hodge Podge Lodge – Erin Wildeboer, Strathcona County
  • Keeping the Ball Rolling: Repair Café – Bobbie Duns, Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council
  • “Seeds of Change” – Giving Another Life to Second Hand Items – Pam Miller, 16-43 Waste Management

 

This session is planned to finish at 4:45 pm.

 

 

No Overtime – Climate Change – Session 3C

Room: Charleswood A

 

Moderator: Brent Boss, Lethbridge Biogas

  • Climate Change Risk Management for Landfills – Juliana Tang, Associated Engineering Alberta Ltd. 
  • Preparing for the 100-Year Storm every 4 Years – John Greathead, Pursuit Collection
  • Assessing the Risks of Climate Change on Solid Waste Infrastructure Using the PIEVC Process – Jeff O’Driscoll, P.Eng., IRP – Associate, Climate Risk Institute

Tradeshow Reception

End your day of learning by networking with your colleagues and exhibitors.

Tailgate Party – Banquet and Entertainment:
Jersey Night – Wear Your Favourite Jersey.
(Like a Tailgate, but Without the Parking Lot)
Come prepared for giant games and dancing. 

After Party

June 13, 2025

The Winning Plate – Continental Breakfast

Breakfast and Networking Break

Concurrent Sessions

Covering Your Bases – Insurance in the Waste Management Industry – Session 4A

Room: Delta BC

 

Presentation & panel discussion – please join us with your questions!

Moderator: Christy Lyon

  • Extinguishing E-Waste Fires: A Collaborative Approach – Spencer de Klerk, City of Edmonton
  • Navigating the Insurance Landscape: Improving your Risk Profile – Adam Fowler & Shawn Bower, Lloyd Sadd Insurance Brokers
  • Panel Discussion which will include examples, research and potential paths forward:
    • Christine Major, Portage and District Recycling Inc.
    • Jack Winram, Manitoba Environmental Industry Association
    • Adam and Shawn, Lloyd Sadd Insurance Brokers
    • Spencer de Klerk, City of Edmonton
  • Bring your experiences and questions to this INTERACTIVE PANEL

 

This session will finish at 10:30 am.

“Tackling” Food Waste – Organics – Session 4B

Room: Charleswood B

 

Moderator: Ash Raichura, City of Winnipeg

  • FCM’s Green Municipal Fund – Funding for your Organic Waste to Energy Projects – Noemie De Vuyst, FCM 
  • Compost Facility Commissioning: Practical Considerations for Industrial Facilities – Mark Molesky, City of Lethbridge
  • We have built it – will they come? A new comprehensive commercial composting option for Manitoba opens, but universal adoption of organics diversion, and circularity remain elusive – Alex Singbeil, Catapult Environmental 

 

Sponsored by 

Building a Winning Team – Staff/Management – Session 4C

Room: Charleswood A

 

Moderator: Mario Poveda, Dillon Consulting

  • Social Procurement at SARCAN – Chantelle Diakuw, SARC/SARCAN Recycling
    (This presentation will explore the implications of the Modern Slavery Act on our procurement practices).
  • Pizza doesn’t pay the bills: toward more meaningful staff recognition in a difficult economy – Matt Rawluk, Claystone Waste Ltd. 
  • Supporting Decision-Making and Driving Continuous Improvement: Emerging Performance Management Frameworks and Metrics – Jeannie Bertrand, Dillon Consulting 

 

Sponsored by  Omni-McCann logo

Dugout Discussions – Exhibit Viewing and Refreshment Break

Keynote Speaker “You say it can’t be done? Watch Me!!”

  • Michelle Sawatzky-Koop, Canadian Olympian and co-founder of Heroes in our Midst podcast

Room: Delta BC

All-Star Feast – Farewell Lunch & Closing Remarks

Room: Delta BC