Canada selects 4 small businesses to develop plastic waste solutions

OTTAWA, ON, March 5, 2021 — Today, the Government of Canada announced support for 3 GTA business and one from Montreal to develop made-in-Canada solutions to plastic waste and pollution. This announcement helps emphasize that Canadian small businesses are key partners in achieving Canada’s vision of a zero-plastic-waste future by 2030.

Plastic litter is polluting our rivers, lakes, and oceans, harming the wildlife that call those places home and generating micro and macroplastics in the water we use. Canadians expect the Government of Canada to address plastic waste in their communities. That’s why the Government has a comprehensive plan to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030, including a ban on certain harmful single-use plastics.

Today, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, announced the four winners of the latest Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges. Three of the winners are in the GTA. These small and medium-sized Canadian companies will each receive up to $150,000 toward developing their solutions to address plastic waste.

“The Government of Canada is pleased to support made-in-Canada solutions to plastic waste and pollution,” said – The Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “Small businesses are key partners in achieving Canada’s vision of a zero-plastic-waste future by 2030. By working together, we can create a cleaner future, while growing the economy and creating good jobs.”

The following companies are receiving funding to develop their proof of concept:

• Magemi Mining Inc., in Markham, Ontario, is developing a durable recycled paper to serve as a sustainable alternative to plastic packaging like grocery bags.
• CACITH Inc. (Tengiva), in Montréal, Quebec, is creating a network of recyclers to quantify textile waste and find new markets for otherwise wasted materials.
• Met-Tech Inc., in Burlington, Ontario, is developing a low-cost process to recycle more textile waste such as clothing.
• Singular Solutions Inc., in North York, Ontario, is developing a biosustainable additive that will cause plastic textile waste to biodegrade in long-term-composting landfill facilities.

The Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges are part of the Innovative Solutions Canada program. The Challenges target plastics sectors that generate some of the greatest quantities of plastic waste and show the greatest opportunity for impact and innovation. These challenges are part of the Government of Canada’s commitments to reduce plastic waste, while growing the economy and creating good jobs.

Photo by Magda Ehlers from Pexels

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