OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 17, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Reuse Ottawa, a groundbreaking pilot program launching during Circular Economy Month, is set to transform the food service industry by offering reuseable packaging options to consumers. Participating locations in Ottawa including grocery stores and restaurants, will be able to provide reusable containers to customers at no cost.
Circular Innovation Council leads this pilot in partnership with major Canadian grocery retailers Metro, Sobeys Inc. / Farm Boy, and Walmart Canada, and service providers including Reusables.com, gategourmet, Snelling and Bunzl Canada Inc. The Government of Canada and The City of Ottawa also collaborated on the pilot design and provided seed funding underscoring their commitment to eliminating plastic waste.
“The uniqueness of this program starts with the consortium of partners who participated in the co-design of this shared system tackling the cost and logistical barriers that prevent the transition from single use packaging to scaled reuse,” says Jo-Anne St. Godard, Executive Director of the Circular Innovation Council. “Knowing convenience is the other key factor to making reuse successful, offering it free, making it accessible and rewarding to Ottawa shoppers are key elements to this program.”
Launching initially along Bank Street in Ottawa, this pilot program will include any interested grocer, restaurant, or food service business. Participating locations will offer reusable containers for various food items, and will have access to container tracking, washing, and distribution services provided as part of the pilot.
Consumers can easily track their reusable containers using the program app or receive updates to their phone number, and the containers are free of charge if they are returned within 14 days. Convenient collection bins will be located at participating businesses and other high-traffic areas throughout Ottawa. Consumers will also be eligible for discounts and incentives when choosing and returning their reuse containers.
Reuse Ottawa will showcase scalable solutions to single-use plastics and demonstrate the viability and benefits of reusable containers through collaborative efforts. Participants will share containers, sanitation, and logistics costs, creating a cooperative resource model unprecedented in Canada’s food service sector.
Program Partners will demonstrate their leadership in delivering large-scale reuse solutions, proving its effectiveness and setting a benchmark for future initiatives. Reuse Ottawa not only aims to reduce plastic waste but also to inspire long-term, replicable reuse programs nationwide.
“Advancing initiatives to reduce single-use plastics by keeping materials in the economy and out of the environment is part of our comprehensive plan to reduce plastic waste and pollution. Supporting companies to innovate and implement environmentally acceptable and cost-effective reuse solutions is an important part of advancing toward zero plastic waste. Projects such as Reuse Ottawa is a great example of how businesses, governments, and Canadians can work together to achieve positive impacts by adopting circular solutions.”
- The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change
“Reuse Ottawa represents a significant step forward in our city’s commitment to sustainability and reducing plastic waste. This innovative pilot program creates a practical solution that benefits both consumers and the environment. By making reusable containers easily accessible and free of charge, we are making it easier for residents to make more sustainable choices in their everyday lives. This sets a new standard for the food service industry and helps create a cleaner, greener future for our community.”
- Mark Sutcliffe, Mayor of Ottawa
“Bunzl Canada is pleased to have the opportunity to participate in this exciting project,” said company President, John Howlett. “Sustainability is a key consideration for our customers, and we continually seek and implement new product and service innovations to support them in meeting their sustainability objectives.”
“METRO is proud to partner with Reuse Ottawa – from concept to launch. This innovative pilot program allows us to offer our customers a scalable and reusable solution to reduce single-use plastic which is aligned with our corporate objective,” said Joe Fusco, Senior Vice President, Metro. “By participating in this collaborative effort, we can provide our customers with a more sustainable way to shop in our stores.”
“Sobeys has joined this collaborative effort to find sustainable solutions for reducing plastic in the food industry. Importantly, we are committed to responding to evolving customer expectations, and this pilot marks an important step in making reuse a practical solution for everyday shopping,” said Kriti Lalach, SVP Legal and Sustainability, Empire Company Limited. “Together with our partners, we hope this initiative benefits both consumers and the environment, while giving us valuable insights we can use to scale the project learnings and advance towards a more circular economy.”
“Farm Boy is thrilled to be part of the Reuse Ottawa pilot program and to be able to offer a reusable container option to our hot and salad bar customers. Through this program, we’re not only providing a convenient and environmentally friendly solution, but also paving the way for a more sustainable future in the food service industry,” says Shawn Linton, President and General Manager, Farm Boy Company Inc. “This initiative is an exciting opportunity to showcase the power of collaboration and innovation in creating lasting positive change.”
“Reusables.com is incredibly excited to be part of this ground-breaking partnership that will bring to market a tangible solution for scalable plastic waste reduction in Canada and become a blueprint for cities around the world to Waste Nothing,” says Jason Hawkins – Reusables.com.
“gategourmet is incredibly proud to support Reuse Ottawa and its partners on this pilot project,” said Tim de Wit, Head of Global Business Development Catering Solutions at gategourmet. “The pilot is aligned with our companies’ strategic initiatives to reduce the environmental impact of our operations. We believe strongly in supporting the circular economy – where our affiliate company deSter produces the packaging, our production kitchen uses the packaging, and then it is washed and repurposed. Indeed, deSter has received the platinum Ecovadis for exactly this type of lifecycle.”
For media inquiries contact:
Dena Cole
Bubblegum Canada
647-825-3927
About Reuse Ottawa
Reuse Ottawa is a coalition of committed businesses, governments and solution providers working collaboratively to deliver large-scale plastic-reduction and reuse solutions to Canadians. Beginning in Ottawa, this single-use plastic reduction program will demonstrate the feasibility of a shared-resources model between multiple participants in a ‘catchment service area’ along the city’s Bank Street corridor. Learn more at ReuseOttawa.ca.
About Circular Economy Month
Launched by Circular Innovation Council, Circular Economy Month is Canada’s first-ever public awareness campaign dedicated to educating and empowering Canadians to support an economy that delivers on the most important values of Canadians: protecting the planet and prioritizing people. Learn more at CircularEconomyMonth.ca.
About Circular Innovation Council
Circular Innovation Council is a national, not-for-profit, membership-based organization with over 40 years of experience delivering programming that educates and empowers Canadians to take action on the circular economy and its environmental, economic and social benefits. In concert with our members and partners, we leverage our experience and expertise to deliver on the broad gains inspired by the circular economy through research, policy, programs, and pilots. Our mandate is to accelerate Canada’s transition toward a circular economy by putting concepts into action. Learn more at CircularInnovation.ca.
