The Canadian Circular Economy Summit 2025 was held last week in Montréal, and one thing was made clear: Canada has the potential to be a leader in the global shift toward a circular economy. Throughout the various sessions, CCES 2025 showcased the remarkable progress and growing momentum in Canada across sectors and industries.
With the theme “Tackling Canada’s Biggest Challenges”, this year’s Summit put a spotlight on a powerful idea: the very pressures—political, environmental, economic—that seem to constrain us are actually directing action and investment toward a more resilient and circular economy.
Across CCES 2025’s dynamic sessions, one thing became clear: momentum is building. From coast to coast to coast, Canadians are embracing the circular economy not just as a sustainability solution, but as a blueprint for systems transformation.
As Cynthia Reynolds writes in her latest blog, “[t]he Summit itself acted as a Catalyst for Transformation—helping define shared norms and values, a common vocabulary, and cross-cultural understanding. This work is essential if we are to bridge linguistic, regional, and generational divides in the effort to co-create a circular and regenerative economy.”
Another theme emerged on its own throughout the various Summit sessions: We must look beyond waste recovery and embrace full-system redesign. Jonquil Hackenberg, CEO of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, challenged us to think bigger through her keynote address and realize that the circular economy offers more than just efficiency—it offers economic reimagination. The circular economy provides this avenue by which our goals of resilience, regeneration, and economic transformation can be realized.
To quote Cynthia again: “This is not just about economic survival. It’s about economic reimagination…. Canada was once considered a latecomer to the circular economy conversation. But that may prove to be its greatest strength. While some countries are still optimising recycling rates, Canada is increasingly looking beyond the loop—embracing full-system redesign.”
Grounding the Summit in wisdom and reflection, Ka’nahsohon Kevin Deer from the Mohawk Trail Longhouse opened and closed the gathering with a vital message: that our economic systems must honour the interconnectedness of all things, and our responsibility to future generations. This isn’t just about strategy—it’s about aligning our economic choices with what truly matters: the wellbeing of our communities, our environment, and the generations that follow.
This is the invitation of the circular economy:
To turn challenge into opportunity.
To move from extractive to regenerative.
To lead with our values—and design an economy that reflects them.
If we can do this—and we can—Canada’s journey won’t just be one of survival. It will be a movement toward a more just, sustainable, and prosperous future for all.
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