Case study: Recycling waste powers circular economy jobs in British Columbia

Across three BC regional districts Synergy Foundation studied, an estimated 20 percent of construction and demolition (C&D) materials are wasted each year. Material exchanges aim to keep valuable materials in use, reducing waste and contributing to a circular economy. 

Turning C&D waste into local economic opportunity

Large volumes of C&D materials such as wood, metal, concrete, windows, flooring and cabinets are landfilled each year despite having significant reuse potential and market value. Synergy Foundation commissioned material market studies in three BC regional districts and paired them with community engagement and pilot projects to develop regional exchanges for C&D waste materials. These exchanges demonstrate how local processing, community partnerships and value-add activities can create new jobs, retain material value locally and lay the foundation for a scalable circular economy hub for C&D materials.

C&D materials: lost value and economic impact

• Approximately 33,000 tonnes of C&D material sent to landfill annually
• 25 potential direct jobs from diverting half of C&D materials
• $2.57 million in potential direct economic contribution
• 3 regional districts engaged in material market studies
• 12 businesses participated in Circular Economy Business Assessments
• 3 pilot projects demonstrating local material exchanges and value-add processing
• 140-150 tonnes/year of reclaimed lumber processing capacity enabled
• 8,000 kg of plastic processing in one year, with increased capacity planned
• 12 ongoing material exchanges with local businesses & organizations across all 3 regions
• 196 organizations & businesses engaged

Background

The qathet (qRD), Alberni-Clayoquot (ACRD) and Cowichan Valley (CVRD) regional districts share economic histories rooted in primary resource and manufacturing industries and are navigating economic transition following mill curtailments and broader forest sector shifts. Construction and renovation remain a major economic driver, accounting for roughly 10 percent of the workforce and generating significant volumes of construction and demolition (C&D) waste materials. This sector is both a key source of waste generation and a major opportunity for circular economy solutions that support local jobs and economic resilience.

Barriers to keeping C&D materials in use

C&D materials represent one of the largest and fastest growing waste streams in Canada yet often retain significant value. Synergy Foundation wanted to better understand material flows, market potential and the conditions required to keep materials in use within the qRD, ACRD and CVRD, keeping in mind some key challenges limiting C&D material recovery, which include:

• Limited understanding of the true economic value of C&D waste materials,
• High contamination due to poor source separation practices,
• Fragmented or nonexistent local markets,
• Lack of connections between material generators, processors and end users, and;
• Lack of enabling local policy and incentives.

The ultimate goal was to strengthen local circular economy capacity by increasing the diversion of C&D materials for reuse, recycling and value-added manufacturing.

Building place-based C&D material exchanges

Synergy Foundation received grant funding through the Province of BC’s Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) to develop circular economy hub strategies for the three regional districts and to better understand how the value of C&D waste materials could be captured locally.

• Three material market studies were commissioned to:
• Quantify recoverable C&D material volumes and value,
• Identify priority materials with near-term market potential,
• Estimate employment impacts, and;
• Highlight barriers such as contamination, lack of sorting and policy gaps.

Multiple in-person engagement sessions brought diverse sectors together including local businesses, social enterprises and artists in order to:

• Establish connections between local businesses,
• Generate ideas and solutions around difficult materials, and
• Validate priorities and next steps to drive further diversion efforts.

Three pilot projects were developed to showcase material exchanges in action.

1. Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District
The Alberni Valley Makerspace and a local construction business demonstrated how recovered C&D materials can support local fabrication and small-scale manufacturing via:

• Processing approximately 8,000 kg of plastic in 2025, with a 2026 goal of 16,000 kg; and
• Value-add activities such as turning construction plastics into 100 percent recycled consumer goods including wetsuit hangers made from recycled plastic culvert.

Recovered plastic culvert being transformed into tabletops at the Alberni Valley Makerspace, January 2026.

2. Cowichan Valley Regional District
The Reuse People of Canada (TRP), a registered charity, worked with DL Bins, a local hauler and waste management company, to enable salvaged wood reuse and processing by:

• Building a consistent supply of affordable reclaimed wood for a range of buyers and end users,
• Developing the capacity to process an estimated 140 to 150 tonnes per year of reclaimed lumber, and;
• Working toward further goals such as bulk buying for contractors, supplying local film productions and performing wood processing such as trimming, grading and quality control.

In addition, TRP’s charitable mandate supports community benefit and inclusion, and it is hiring and training local Indigenous workers for a denailing pilot that will further increase the value of material resale and create local jobs.

3. qathet Regional District
Social enterprise Kindred Rebuild partnered with the qRD, local construction companies and an old mill site to expand their collection and reuse markets via:

• Direct recovery from demolition and construction sites,
• Collaboration with contractors to divert reusable materials, and;
• Sorting and resale for community reuse.

Upcoming plans also include:

• Piloting direct C&D collection from active construction sites,
• Expansion of reuse categories,
• Increasing access to affordable materials, and;
• Offering training and workshops.

Opportunities enabled by regional material exchanges 

Together, the studies and engagement established a practical, place-based foundation for developing regional C&D material exchanges that support long-term circular economy outcomes. Importantly, the process is fostering direct connections between material generators and end users. Specific results include:

Environmental

• Reduced landfill disposal of high-value C&D materials (including loads barged to Washington State), and;
• Lower emissions through local reuse and processing.

Economic

• Retention of material value within the local economy, and;
• Job creation in reuse, processing and fabrication.

Social

• Support for charities and social enterprises and their programs,
  Improved access to affordable building materials, and;
• Skills development and community participation.
   

“This project marks an exciting step forward in building a more sustainable and resilient local economy. By exploring new opportunities for reuse, innovation and job creation from construction and demolition waste materials we’re not only reducing landfill pressure—we’re investing in our community.”
John Jack, Board Chair, Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District

The benefits

Additional benefits from C&D material exchanges include:

• Keeping money circulating locally rather than exporting waste and importing materials,
• Creating new, place-based jobs,
• Reducing environmental impacts of extraction, transport and disposal,
• Strengthening partnerships between local businesses, community organizations and municipalities, and;
• Reducing risk and uncertainty from external impacts (e.g., tariffs, pandemics) through strengthening local supply chains.

Key learnings for communities exploring material reuse

Across all three regions, engagement with contractors, waste haulers, social enterprises, Indigenous partners, recyclers, artists and makers consistently highlighted the need for:

• Shared coordination,
• Accessible storage and sorting space, and;
• Central or shared facilities and training and upskilling opportunities. 

Additional recommendations include:

• Build relationships and foster direct connections to drive implementation.
• Demonstrate economic benefit to industry through practical examples.
• Involve local champions and connectors to engage the community.
• Build project schedules that work for participants: ensure key engagement doesn’t occur duringbusy summer months for the construction sector and consider early morning sessions.
• Diversify key contributors: think outside the box regarding who should be part of the project.
• Prioritize in-person engagement and personal relationships where possible.

Contact
Tai Uhlmann, Senior Project Manager
Synergy Foundation
[email protected]

Michael Moore, the Alberni Valley Makerspace
[email protected]

Beverley Dondale, The Reuse People of Canada
[email protected]

Todd Clarke, Kindred Rebuild
[email protected]

Related resources

• Case study: A framework for advancing circular economy in rural communities
• Case study: Empowering a local workforce in Port Alberni through a circular economy
• Circular Hubs Best Practices report
• Market studies reports:
  • Cowichan Valley Circular Economy Regional Market Assessment
  • Alberni-Clayoquot Circular Economy Regional Market Assessment
  • qathet Circular Economy Regional Market Assessment
• Inter-regional Synthesis report