Massey Dialogues: Plastics Policy in Canada
On April 10, join us for a Massey Dialogues that will delve into what Canada is doing on the plastics front with a focus on extended producer responsibility, Canada’s ban on single-use items, the myth of recycling, and the international agreement on plastic pollution currently being negotiated as part of UNEP. We will have three panelists, one each from academia, industry, and government, joining us for these discussions.
The panel will begin at 3:30, followed by an audience Q&A and a reception.
Panelists bios:
MP Julie Dabrusin – Policy Panelist
Julie Dabrusin is the Member of Parliament for Toronto-Danforth, and has been since 2015. Ms. Dabrusin is the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources. Parliamentary Secretary Dabrusin has previously advocated for a ban on single-use plastic items in Canada, and also helps lead Canada’s Green Building Strategy and Zero Plastic Waste by 2030 initiatives.
Jo-Anne St. Godard – Industry Panelist
Jo-Anne St. Godard has served as Executive Director of Canada’s premier environmental non-governmental organization, Circular Innovation Council (formerly Recycling Council of Ontario), since 2001. She has over 20 years of experience in the areas of public policy design, corporate strategy and compliance, research and pilot innovations designed to accelerate Canada’s transition toward a circular economy. Jo-Anne has worked with senior levels in both government and business, facilitating unique private and public sector partnerships that advance policies and practices that deliver on carbon emissions and waste reduction objectives.
Dr. Chelsea Rochman – science panelist
Dr. Chelsea Rochman is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Toronto. Dr. Rochman is a world-renowned expert on plastic pollution. She has studied the sources, fate and ecological implications of plastic pollution for multiple decades. She is also the Co-Founder of the University of Toronto Trash Team, an organization that strives to increase waste literacy while reducing plastic pollution in the local community.
Alice (Xia) Zhu – Moderator
Alice Zhu is a PhD Candidate at the University of Toronto studying the sources, transport, and fate of plastic pollution in the global ocean with an interest in translating science into policy. She is the recipient of a Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship and was named a Top 30 Under 30 Sustainability Leader by Corporate Knights in 2023 for her research excellence and environmental leadership. Alice is an alumnus of Massey College.
We want to thank alum Alice Zhu and Junior Fellows Alison D’Cruz and Mohaddeseh Abdolhosseini for their leadership on this event.
This event will be recorded and livestreamed to our YouTube Channel.
Please register to attend in person.