A minority-owned and -led, full-service marketing agency amplifying impact stories through strategy, content, and creativity. Publishers of Circular Economy Mag
Vancouver, BC
Joined June 2013
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The third issue of Circular Economy Magazine is now live! 🎉
Presented by Sparx’s Make The World Better Magazine, this edition explores the organizations, initiatives, programs, and innovations laying the foundation for a built environment transformation that embeds circular principles into how we construct, deconstruct, and live.
Discover the inspiring stories of CSA Group, Legacy Plastic, Light House, Mindful Collaborative, Nexii, PLAEX Building Systems, The ReUse People of Canada, VEMA Deconstruction, Zero Energy & Emissions Buildings Learning Centre by @BCITSoCE, and Zero Emissions Innovation Centre / Carbon Leadership Forum BC.
Plus, enjoy a special editorial from Paul Shorthouse, Managing Director of Circular Construction Canada.
A special thank you to our sponsors Circular Materials, CSA Group, and the Recycling Council of Alberta for their amazing support of this edition!
Read now: circulareconomymag.com/issue…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
As bright and brilliant as stars, Vancouver Island is full of organizations and individuals lighting the way to a better future. It’s time to celebrate their impact. 🌟🏆
Synergy Foundation’s 2026 Ecostar Awards event is taking place on November 10 in Victoria, BC, and Sparx is excited to sponsor and attend!
The Ecostar Awards recognize the businesses, organizations, and individuals on Vancouver Island that are leading the way in environmental and social stewardship. There are several award categories, including Climate Action, Clean Waters, Construction and Manufacturing, Innovation, Legacy, Waste to Resource, and more.
This year, Sparx is proud to sponsor the Circular Champion Award. This award celebrates an organization advancing the circular economy within its industry through strategies such as access-over-ownership, product life extension, and closed-loop design.
Congratulations to the Circular Champion Award finalists ANCORD Design Co., @SeafloraOrganic, and The ReUse People of Canada (TRP Canada), who have all demonstrated an incredible commitment to circular innovation!
We can hardly wait to see who the winners will be and to spend the evening celebrating impact, building connections, and sharing inspiring stories. See you there!
Learn more: synergyfoundation.ca/ecostar…
#CircularEconomy #EcostarAwards #VancouverIsland
The sheer amount of waste generated by construction has grown into a global crisis, compounded by deconstruction and renovations. If we design the built environment with disassembly in mind, we can build structures that are truly circular.
In the Built Environment issue of Circular Economy Magazine, we spoke with Dustin Bowers, Founder, CEO, and CTO of PLAEX Building Systems, about how this organization created an interlocking system that allows for easy reconfiguration, all while transforming waste into bricks.
Read more: circulareconomymag.com/artic…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
ALT Circular Economy Magazine Issue 03 quote card. "For the built environment itself, true circularity means designing for disassembly from day one." Dustin Bowers, Founder, Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Technology Officer, PLAEX Building Systems. Read the article at circulareconomymag.com.
Every time a deconstruction project wraps up, valuable building materials are discarded. With the right systems in place, these materials can be recovered, processed, and returned to use.
In the latest issue of Circular Economy Magazine, we spoke with Beverley Dondale, Board President of The ReUse People of Canada (TRP Canada), about how this charity is building a circular system that transforms construction waste into reusable materials and lasting community value.
Read more: circulareconomymag.com/artic…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
ALT Circular Economy Magazine Issue 03 quote card. "We regularly see people become excited when they learn that lumber from a 1924 or 1948 home can continue serving a purpose instead of ending up in a landfill." Beverley Dondale, Board President, The ReUse People of Canada. Read the article at circulareconomymag.com.
Ready for some technology that’s squeaky clean? These tech solutions can help mitigate environmental impacts and make Canada cleaner and greener. 🧼
Sparx is heading to Foresight 50 2026, hosted by Foresight Canada, on November 4 in Vancouver, BC.
Gathering alongside founders, investors, corporate innovators, government representatives, ecosystems leaders, and other members of the cleantech community, we'll be celebrating the future of Canadian cleantech.
From exclusive panels, matchmaking, and networking sessions to a celebration open to the whole community, the event is a trusted benchmark for identifying high potential cleantech companies and opportunities, supporting the industry, and making valuable connections.
We’re eager to hear the X-traordinary stories of Canadian cleantech companies driving growth and innovation, and to celebrate positive environmental and economic change.
Learn more: foresightcac.com/event/2026/…
We hope to see you there!
#Foresight50 #CleanTech #Sustainability
Actionable paths to sustainability in Canada’s retail sector? Now that’s an easy sell. 🌱🛒
Continuing our Circular Economy Month event circuit, Sparx joined 500+ retailers, service providers, sustainability stewardship organizations, and other mission-aligned attendees at the @RetailCouncil’s Retail Sustainability Conference in Toronto, Ontario!
♻️ On day one, we chose to take part in the Recycled Content Workshop, as we help amplify the impact of many clients in this space. The workshop dove into both challenges and opportunities, and positioned recycled content as the strongest global policy to reduce plastic waste.
📝 Day two was jam-packed with fascinating sessions. “Plastics Update: What’s Ahead” really stood out, as it discussed what is being done to build Canada's circular plastics economy, the federal agenda, and regulatory priorities, including actionable evidence, sustainable choices, and strategic partnerships. It addressed the fact that stronger markets for recycled plastics depend on circular systems—collection, processing, demand, investment, and circular value—and highlighted the impact of single use plastics prohibition regulations: an estimated 1.3 million tonnes of plastics will be avoided between 2023-2032.
🔍 We also enjoyed, “Private Brands, Public Impact: How Retailers Can Lead on EPR,” which examined responsibility through the consumer lens and how retailers can leverage their private brand supply chain to meet recycled content, recycling, and Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) goals; build consumer trust; and turn sustainability into a competitive advantage.
✨ Sparx was proud to be a Media Partner for this event, and to connect with individuals and organizations who share our passion for achieving a circular economy in Canada and beyond. And it was awesome to see so many of our friends and clients nominated for categories across the Retail Sustainability Excellence Awards.
Events like this really inspire us. It was especially encouraging to see several large corporations present and actively involved in advancing circularity. We are proud of all the changemakers we’re working with and of everyone who is contributing to a better, greener world.
Thanks for having us! 🩵
#RCCRetailSustainability #Sustainability #CircularEconomy
This weekend is about to become X-tra eerie…
Happy #Halloween from the team at Sparx! Have a safe and frightfully good evening. 🎃
#Halloween2026
The circular economy tide is rising, and we’re surfing all the way to positive impact! 🌊
This October, we got to “Catch the Wave” at the 2026 Recycling Council of Alberta’s Circular Economy Conference in the magnificent Lake Louise, Alberta.
🤝 There, we got to hang ten alongside 350+ highly enthusiastic attendees, including fellow RCA members, circular economy leaders, and the sustainability community. It was “swell” to have conversations along hiking trails and during walks, surrounded by views of the mountains. It lent an immediate and looming urgency to our discussions about stewardship, protecting nature, and finding a better way forward that will preserve this beauty for generations to come.
🔄 We also attended sessions that covered a wide range of circular economy topics across sectors and focus areas, from food to textiles to plastics and packaging, and beyond. Challenges were discussed, along with identifying what needs to change to make circularity a reality, and practical tips we can integrate into our daily lives.
🏄 Riding in the tide starts with simple actions, like cleaning clothes before donation to ensure they remain in reuse. We also need to find creative uses for “waste” (like incorporating textiles into insulation), design for recyclability from the outset, and set clear and firm recycled content requirements.
✨ The plenary session, “Innovation - A Rising Tide Raises all Boats,” was particularly inspiring. It spotlighted innovative organizations, giving them space to tell the story of their circular solutions. We enjoyed seeing Kevin Pennock, Co-Founder and Executive Director at KORE Outdoors, take the stage to talk about KORE Re-Hub, which was featured in an issue of Circular Economy Magazine!
🩵 Sparx was proud to sponsor this high-energy, mission-aligned, action-oriented event. Thank you to everyone who sailed over to our exhibition booth. And thank you to the RCA for going above and beyond the shore to put on such an incredible event.
Time to catch the next wave!
#RecyclingCouncilofAlberta #CatchTheWave2026 #CircularEconomy
To mitigate climate change, understanding the interrelationship between decarbonization and the circular economy is essential. Zero Emissions Innovation Centre (ZEIC) is a hub designed to scale urban and climate solutions across British Columbia. Its program, Carbon Leadership Forum (CLF) BC, promotes best practices to reduce embodied carbon in buildings, including circular practices of repurpose and reuse.
In the third issue of Circular Economy Magazine, we sat down with Stephanie Dalo, Program Manager at Carbon Leadership Forum BC, to talk about how ZEIC and its program CLF BC have been catalyzing, accelerating, and scaling climate innovation in the built environment.
Read more: circulareconomymag.com/artic…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
ALT Circular Economy Magazine Issue 03 quote card. "Our mission is to draw down emissions across a range of sectors in urban regions while enabling affordability, health, and resilience." Stephanie Dalo, Program Manager, Carbon Leadership Forum BC. Read the article at circulareconomymag.com.
When it comes to making progress on the 2030 UN Sustainable Development Goals, where are we really?
Our next Purpose Connections webinar, “The Road to 2030 — Where Are We Now?,” taking place on November 17, 2026, will examine the role businesses play in answering this question, both globally and in Canada.
Stepping back from the noise, we will take a clear-eyed look at the state of the world, current progress toward the UN SDGs, where meaningful movement is happening, gaps, and what’s getting in the way. Plus, we’ll explore what’s going on in the Canadian business community, including momentum, struggles, and sustainable business leadership amidst the current economic and geopolitical landscape.
Join Salma Boudina, Interim Director of Programmes at UN Global Compact Network Canada, and Heidi Sanborn, Founding CEO of the National Stewardship Action Council (NSAC), the Stewardship Action Foundation (SAF), and Co-Founder of the California Product Stewardship Council (CPSC), as we ask what businesses need to do differently now for a better 2030.
This free session is organized by Sparx Publishing Group and Tessa Vanderkop, and is sure to leave you with a clear, honest image of the big picture and how to take next steps.
Don't miss out! Register now: us06web.zoom.us/meeting/regi…
#UNSustainableDevelopmentGoals #PurposeConnections #Webinar
A circular future starts with education. This is particularly true when it comes to construction, an industry that only recently began taking its first steps into zero emissions and circular practices.
We spoke with Melissa Hamer, Project Leader at the Zero Energy & Emissions Buildings Learning Centre by @BCITSoCE, about how its program focused on a circular economy for buildings is providing training in net-zero design, energy management, building retrofits, and more to help British Columbia’s construction sector adopt high-performance practices.
Read more: circulareconomymag.com/artic…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
ALT Circular Economy Magazine Issue 03 quote card. "Across Canada, applying cradle-to-cradle principles in building design can help advance climate goals while making the construction sector more efficient, competitive, and resilient." Melissa Hamer, Project Leader, Zero Energy & Emissions Buildings (ZEB) Learning Centre, BCIT. Read the article at circulareconomymag.com.
A chasm exists between our built environments and the living systems that sustain us. By learning from Indigenous stewardship and reciprocity, we can ground architectural design and built environment approaches in regenerative principles and systems-thinking, and cross this chasm.
We spoke with Geneviève Noël and T. Maginnis Cocivera, Co-Founders of Mindful Collaborative, about how its systems-based approach and application of circular innovation to architectural design are helping create regenerative, harmonious built environments.
Read more: circulareconomymag.com/artic…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
ALT Circular Economy Magazine Issue 03 quote card. "Ultimately, our vision is to help create communities that function more like forests—resilient, interconnected, diverse, abundant, and regenerative by design." Geneviève Noël and T. Maginnis Cocivera, Co-Founders, Mindful Collaborative. Read the article at circulareconomymag.com.
Beneath the waves lies an unseen world of plastic pollution, the negative impacts of which reach far beyond the ocean depths. Although the goal is to prevent debris from ever touching the water, the work to reclaim it has led to a treasure trove of opportunity for the built environment.
We spoke with Chloé Dubois, Co-Founder and Executive Director at The Ocean Legacy Foundation, about how this organization’s Legacy Plastic™ products are giving recovered marine plastics a second life as building materials.
Read more: circulareconomymag.com/artic…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
ALT Circular Economy Magazine Issue 03 quote card. "The built environment consumes enormous volumes of materials, making it one of the most important sectors for scaling circular economy solutions." Chloé Dubois, Co-Founder and Executive Director, The Ocean Legacy Foundation. Read the article at circulareconomymag.com.
Everybody’s going surfin’, surfin’ RCA. And together we’re riding the tide of circular impact! 🏄
We’re excited to “Catch the Wave” alongside our fellow RCA members and the wider sustainability community at the 2026 Recycling Council of Alberta’s Circular Economy Conference.
Taking place on October 21–23 in Lake Louise, Alberta, the event will ride the crest of growing circular economy momentum, uniting cross-sector changemakers to advance the practical, scalable solutions that will carry us into a waste-free future.
Sparx is proud to sponsor this event and to exhibit with the RCA at booth #34. Float on by to chat with us about your impact story and all things circular economy!
Learn more and register here: conference.recycle.ab.ca/
“Catch” you there!
#RecyclingCouncilofAlberta #CatchTheWave2026 #CircularEconomy
Taking action to effectively manage waste, reduce environmental impacts, and increase circularity? That’s what all the hep cats are doing. ✅
🤝 Coast Waste Management Association’s (CWMA) Annual Conference in Victoria, BC, served as a strong start to Circular Economy Month! Under the theme, “More With Less,” the event brought some serious 1940s and 1950s vibes to over 300 attendees serious about creating better outcomes for waste.
✨ Sparx was proud to show up in a big way, by sponsoring, exhibiting, and speaking. We handed out 50 exclusive physical copies of Circular Economy Magazine and engaged in some X-traordinary discussions. Thanks to everyone who paid us a visit!
🎙️ Our President and Founder, Hamish Khamisa, gave the presentation, “Stranger than Friction,” at the Educators & Communicators Roundtable (which Sparx also co-curated!), and “How We Get What We Want by Giving People What They Already Want" at the Showcase of Solutions. Along with challenging the narrative around certain reuse-related views, one of his key messages was: “People need a story to tell. Give them one worth telling.” That’s how positive change catches on.
📚 Plus, it was nifty to see two Circular Economy Magazine participants speak together on the panel, “Building Local Material End Markets & Innovations.” Here’s to Claire Lewis of GRT and Chloe Dubois of the Ocean Legacy Foundation for having awesome circular solutions and for sharing valuable insights.
We’re glad to have taken part in this year’s edition of the event, which brought back repeat visitors along with new attendees. Uniting people passionate about waste management and the environment is an important part of our collective zero-waste journey.
Thanks for having us! 🩵
#CWMAConference2026 #CircularEconomy #WasteManagement
To address the major issues threatening our collective wellbeing, we need to integrate circular economy innovations, strategies, and thinking into our construction processes and communities.
We spoke with Gil Yaron, Managing Director of Circular Innovation at Light House, about how this organization is advancing regenerative built environments that are healthy for people and planet.
Read more: circulareconomymag.com/artic…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
ALT Circular Economy Magazine Issue 03 quote card. "Implementing circular strategies is a critical part of addressing three major crises: affordable housing, waste, and climate." Gil Yaron, Managing Director of Circular Innovation, Light House. Read the article at circulareconomymag.com.
Our latest Purpose Connections session, “Rolling Up Their Sleeves - Leaders Using Business to Change the World,” is now available to watch on-demand! 📺
Real change happens when leaders are willing to rethink how business is done, and this session proves that centring decision-making around doing good for communities, people, and planet gives businesses a competitive advantage.
We’re grateful to our speakers, Richard Kouwenhoven, President & CEO of Hemlock Printers, Beverley Dondale, CEO of Alpha Select Production & Services, and Irina McKenzie, Founder of FABCYCLE, for sharing their stories and insights.
And a special thanks to Tessa Vanderkop, purpose advisor, trainer, and community builder, for organizing this session with us.
Watch now: go.sparxpg.com/Purpose-Conne…
#PurposeDriven #PurposeConnections #Webinar
We need environmentally responsible building solutions more than ever, but the perception that they come with too many trade-offs has made the sector slow to adapt. Yet, innovations are emerging that prove circular building solutions are good for the environment and for business.
In Circular Economy Magazine, we spoke with Audrey Pinkerton, CEO at Nexii, about how this organization is using its low-carbon material and prefabricated panel system to make construction projects more efficient and sustainable.
Read more: circulareconomymag.com/artic…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
ALT Circular Economy Magazine Issue 03 quote card. "Reimagining construction starts with the conviction that buildings can be part of the climate solution—not part of the problem." Audrey Pinkerton, Chief Executive Officer, Nexii. Read the article at circulareconomymag.com.
To those celebrating throughout Canada, Happy Thanksgiving! We’re thankful for every changemaker building a better and more circular world. 💙
Along with enjoying a delicious feast today, we’re taking time to reflect on the Indigenous tradition of giving thanks and all the invaluable contributions of Indigenous Peoples across this land we call home.
Have a relaxing and joyful celebration!
#Thanksgiving
Collaborating to embed sustainability in the retail sector? That’s an idea we’re sold on, and an important step toward a better world.
On October 27–28, join Sparx and 600+ retailers, manufacturers, suppliers, technology providers, and policy visionaries at RetailCouncil of Canada’s Retail Sustainability Conference in Toronto, Ontario!
This year’s conference will explore circularity and sustainable consumption, decarbonization and climate strategy, Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), and AI, data, and the evolution of ESG. Sparks of impact will fly as we discover actionable paths to zero plastic waste and net zero emissions, and connect with like-minded individuals and organizations determined to drive positive change.
Sparx is proud to be a Media Partner for this event and to take part in discussions with Canada’s retail sustainability community that will help advance circular practices in the sector.
Learn more: rccretailsustainability.ca/
#RCCRetailSustainability #Sustainability #CircularEconomy
Canada is in the midst of a housing and infrastructure boom, and the situation is urgent. The dominant narrative has become, “build more, build faster, and build more affordably.” But if we continue using linear construction models, we face another generation of environmental and economic risks. What we need is to rethink construction itself.
In this editorial, Paul Shorthouse, Managing Director of Circular Construction Canada, explores the enormous opportunities found in circular construction, why we need to rethink how we build, and how circularity can help us overcome our current crisis without creating another.
Read more: circulareconomymag.com/artic…
#CircularEconomy #CircularEconomyMagazine #BuiltEnvironment
ALT Circular Economy Magazine Issue 03 quote card. "The good news is that many of the solutions already exist. We simply need the courage to build differently and continue to innovate." Paul Shorthouse, Managing Director, Circular Construction Canada. Read the article at circulareconomymag.com.