As we prepare to gather in Victoria in October, dive into our program as we prepare to share solutions for the future of solid waste management in British Columbia.
We kick things off with early access to our Virtual Hall for registered delegates, providing an opportunity to update your networking profile, explore the virtual space, and engage in exclusive Bonus Events designed to enhance your conference experience
All of our pre-conference Bonus Events are included with a full registration, or can be attended individually by those unable to attend the whole conference.
Wednesday boasts a full day of roundtables, tours, workshops, Exhibitors, and a Networking Café to meet with friends, nosh, and network. Thursday is a full day of plenary panels, networking breaks, and a fun-filled Dinner and Dance! Friday is another informative, thought-provoking half-day.
*Speakers and presenters’ confirmations are in progress and will be added soon. Plus, some small changes and typos will inevitably be found.
Our Theme: More with Less | Tighter budgets. Bigger expectations. Same old story — except the squeeze is sparking real innovation. From AI-driven logistics to regional partnerships, this year’s conference explores how constraint is becoming the catalyst: doing more with less isn’t just survival; it’s strategy. And the less waste we make, the more value, resilience, and resources we keep in play.
More Inspiration with Less Waste
Strathcona County
City of Mission
Regional District of Central Okanagan
Recycle BC
City of Kamloops
More Local Use with Less Food Waste
Reusables.com
Share Reuse Repair
KORE Outdoors
Thingery
Tamara Shulman & Associates
Delicious options are available and ready to take to your session or pull up a chair in the Networking Cafe!
Pre-registration is required. Sign-up information will be sent to the CWMA E&C Working Group and all registered delegates in September.
Township of Langley
Let's Talk Trash
Let's Talk Trash
More Space with Less Uncertainty
Details to follow
More Capacity with Less Burnout
With a bubble of retirements coming and many lean teams in our industry, a single departure or burnout event isn’t just a staffing inconvenience; it could be an operational crisis. This session will examine what structural resilience actually looks like in under-resourced teams — from supporting mental health and preventing burnout to succession planning for the day a key person retires or moves on. And we’re making it real: a CWMA member will share their firsthand experience navigating a key-person departure — and what they wish they’d had in place.
The ReUse People of Canada
City of Victoria
Ecowaste
Kiwi Innovation
Light House
More Repair with Less Replacement
Meet and learn from the author of A Better State of Repair, who presents ways of reducing this waste and minimizing our impact on our planet by making these products last longer, through repair and maintenance as well as through modified usage practices. Learn how the craft of repair can be celebrated through the independence and satisfaction it brings to repairers, as well as the benefits to the owners of repaired items. An open discussion on repair, repair cafes, and other ideas and opportunities will be included!
Society for Talent Uplift and ReNewal (TURN)
MASH Hazeltons
Cowichan Valley Regional District
For participant updates on solid waste initiatives. Pre-registration is required. A sign-up will be sent to registered delegates and additional regular participants from Local Government and First Nations.
More information and registration details will be available in mid-September and will be shared with registered delegates. Additional fees will apply.
Hartland Landfill Tour | 2:00 – 5:00 PM | Cost: $20
Xʷsəyq̓əm Tour, Place of Mud, Guided Walking Tour | 2:15 – 4:00 PM | Cost: $56
GFL Sites Walking Tour | 2:30 – 4:30 PM | Cost: $0
There’s no better way to start doing more with less than doing it together! Join us (included in your full registration) at the welcome reception to catch up with colleagues and spark new connections.
We are honoured to welcome you to this thematic opening session featuring special greetings.
Coast Waste Management Association
Convertus Group / CWMA Chair
Capital Regional District
Minister of Environment and Parks
More Visitors with Less Waste
BC’s tourism economy is a source of enormous pride — and enormous pressure on the communities that host it. Seasonal spikes, remote locations, and visitors unfamiliar with local systems create waste management challenges that don’t show up in the tourism brochure. But some BC communities and organizations are figuring it out.
Rollins Machinery
Machinex
Prairie Robotics
Metaspectral
Dillon Consulting
More Local Recycling with Less Obstacles
Canada’s recycling and circular economy sector is experiencing a surge of public funding and private equity — and the opportunities are real. From advanced plastics processing to battery metal recovery, new facilities and technologies are being commercialized and researched right now. Is BC positioned to take advantage of this investment? This panel celebrates what’s already being built — and asks what more we need to have things travel less.
Merlin Plastics
Northstar Clean Technologies
Enviro-Corp
GRT – Regenerock
Comox Valley Regional District
More with Less | Decades of Innovation
Speaker details coming soon!
Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society
Cariboo Chilcotin Conservation Society
Brew Nature/Shellter
Northern Rockies Regional Municipality
Transform Compost Systems
First Nations Recycling Initiative
More Solutions with Less Status Quo
Collection has worked roughly the same way for decades. These three companies are each asking whether it has to. This session brings together innovators working on different assumptions baked into how collection is designed, priced, and operated — and what happens when you challenge them. The ideas are new, the evidence is early, and the questions are real. Come ready for an honest conversation about what’s possible.
Artist Response Team
Capital Regional District
Environment and Climate Change Canada
Coast Waste Management Association
More Cooperation with Less Contamination
What happens in the recycling room of a 120-unit condo building on a Tuesday night? This session brings together the full chain of custody — from policy to pavement to resident — to examine where multi-unit waste systems succeed, where they break down, and what it will take to close the gap. Featuring an industry panel joined by a resident voice from the front lines of strata waste management, this conversation will surface the friction points we may not see and the changes that can make outsized differences in participation and effectiveness.
Cleanfarms
Vitacore
Wen Plastics
Capital Regional District
More Safety with Less Complexity
A lithium-ion battery arrives at your transfer station. Is it safe to handle? Does it fall under an EPR program — and if so, which one? Does it weigh more than 5 kg? Does your carrier hold TDG certification, a BC hazardous waste transport licence, and Class 9 authorization? That’s just batteries. Now add pressurized gas cylinders, nitrous oxide, pesticides, and flammable liquids — each with its own regulatory logic, transport requirements, and safety protocols. Front-line staff at organizations across BC are making consequential decisions that need clear guidance, adequate training, and access to licensed contractors. This panel brings together practitioners who have developed practical tools and protocols to close the gaps.
Circular Materials
Recycle BC
Packaging and Paperboard Packaging Environmental Council
Major Appliance Recycling Roundtable
We are always grateful that our Epilogue Speaker is a leader from the BC Ministry of Environment and Parks.
BC Ministry of Environment and Parks
Regional District of Nanaimo / CWMA Vice Chair
Just a few more minutes. We are very grateful for your time.