On April 14th, 2026, Circular Economy Leaders Consortium (CEC) members are invited to tour the Elgin Mills Community Environmental Centre, one of York Region’s waste drop-off facilities supporting reuse, recycling and responsible disposal. The tour will highlight how materials are sorted and managed on site. Materials collected include household hazardous waste, blue box material, electronics, scrap metal, textiles, and reusable items such as bicycles. After the tour has ended, we’ll discuss how the facility supports York Region’s overall waste management goals and share a few lessons learned implementing community-based circular economy initiatives.
One of those community-based initiatives includes the Richmond Hill Public Library (RHPL), which launched a Library of Things highlighting skills-based programming with funding from the York Region’s Circular Economies team through the Community Environmental Improvement Fund (CEIF). The CEC team will learn about the resources and programs being offered at the library, in addition to the learnings, challenges, and successes.
Agenda
9:30 am Arrivals
10:00 am Welcome & Tour of Elgin Mills Community Environmental Centre
11:00am Tour of Richmond Hill Public Library
12:00am Lunch & Networking
Speakers
Rachel Lowe, Project Coordinator, Elgin Mills Community Environmental Centre
Rachel is the Project Coordinator for the Elgin Mills Community Environmental Centre, where she supports site operations and ensures compliance with regulatory requirements. She has a keen eye for improving customer experience and integrating reuse initiatives at the depot.
Laura Alpi, Project Coordinator, York Region
Laura is the Project Coordinator for waste reduction and reuse programs implemented under the Region’s integrated waste management master plan. She works with various community partners to deliver circular economy initiatives including bike reuse, lendery/library of things, repair cafes, textile diversion and more.
Jordan Lynam, Manager, Content and Community Engagement, Richmond Hill Public Library
Jordan Lynam (she/her) is the Manager of Content and Community Engagement at Richmond Hill Public Library, where she supports two teams of amazing staff who enhance the quality of life for library users through physical, digital, and non-traditional collections, programs, events, outreach, exhibits, and a creative studio.
Emma Kristensen, Content Librarian, Richmond Hill Public Library
Emma Kristensen (she/her) is a Content Librarian at Richmond Hill Public Library, where she is in charge of non-traditional collections, like gardening equipment, board games, and STEAM Kits.