Advancing Supportive Policy in Canada: Introducing CELC’s Government-to-Government Circular Economy Policy Incubator

In October 2024, Circular Economy Leadership Canada (CELC) launched a Government-to-Government (G2G) Circular Economy (CE) Policy Incubator. This potentially transformative, multi-year initiative reflects CELC’s commitment to advancing a strategic, harmonized approach to developing supportive policy that accelerates circular economy efforts in Canada. 

Leadership in Circular Economy Policy

During the 2023 Canadian Circular Economy Summit, Circular Economy Leadership Canada (CELC), in partnership with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), convened a Government-to-Government (G2G) Roundtable on “Advancing Collaboration on the Circular Economy in Canada”.  The G2G Roundtable brought together more than 70 delegates from all levels of government across Canada to discuss the status of current circular economy efforts and explore opportunities for future collaboration and coordination to advance circularity in Canada. Participants in the G2G Roundtable identified a need for continued collaboration and dialogue, which led to the founding of the G2G CE Policy Incubator. 

What is the G2G CE Policy Incubator?

The G2G CE Policy Incubator emphasizes the importance of policy as a critical enabler for driving circular economy activities and investments. It is a platform that supports peer-to-peer dialogue, expanded collaboration, and the enhanced coordination of efforts across all levels of government in Canada to maximize the potential economic, social, and environmental benefits of the circular economy. This initiative is designed to support dialogue on topics and issues where gaps currently exist and align with public sector priorities, while avoiding duplication of efforts.

The G2G CE Policy Incubator is built on a foundation of collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based decision-making. It is focused on:

• Harmonizing Policy Efforts: Work with governments at all levels to ensure that policy development reflects the diversity of Canada’s regions and priorities.
• Catalyzing Systems Change: Foster transformational change by exploring innovative approaches to policy development and implementation.
• Building Capacity and Knowledge: Create opportunities for governments to share lessons learned, best practices, and emerging trends in circular economy policymaking.
• Driving Regional Innovation and Collaboration: Support local and regional initiatives that demonstrate the circular economy in action and facilitate knowledge-sharing across jurisdictions to maximize impact across Canada.

The initial G2G CE Policy Incubator was launched in October 2024 with 12 government partners (three federal departments /agencies, three provincial governments, and six local or regional governments) and two research partners (CSA Group and Smart Prosperity Institute). As part of the initial first year of work, the G2G CE Policy Incubator is:

1. Developing two databases: (1) a list of CE policy levers in Canada; and (2) a list of CE projects, research, and related activities in Canada
2. Developing scalable, standardized methodologies for quantifying the environmental and socio-economic impact of CE at the local level in targeted sectors / supply chains
3. Developing a national-level indicator framework for CE in Canada, along with the supporting sub-indicators
4. Identifying the data needs and availability to effectively measure the impact of CE (at the local, provincial, and national levels).

Looking Ahead

The G2G CE Policy Incubator represents an important step toward achieving Canada’s circular economy goals. By breaking down silos, building deeper relationships across governments, and leveraging the collective expertise and influence of governments across Canada, CELC is bringing a systemic approach to supporting circular economy policy development. 

Stay tuned for updates as the work of the G2G CE Policy Incubator evolves, and get in touch with CELC if your government would like to be more involved in the important work ahead.