Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges— Environment and Climate Change Canada Phase 1 recipients

The Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges are a series of funding opportunities through Innovative Solutions Canada. First launched in 2018, the program awards grants to Canadian small- and medium-sized enterprises to develop novel solutions to challenges set by the Government of Canada. In Phase 1, successful applicants may receive up to $150,000 to develop a proof of concept. If accepted into Phase 2, small- and medium-sized enterprises could receive an additional $1 million to develop a working prototype. These challenges create incentives for innovators and entrepreneurs to develop new technologies that tackle plastic waste and pollution. They are part of the Government of Canada’s comprehensive approach to addressing plastic waste and pollution, and support Canada’s vision of a zero-plastic-waste future.

The themes of the Canadian Plastics Innovation Challenges focus on sectors known to generate some of the greatest quantities of plastic waste and pollution, and/or areas that have technological gaps and show the greatest opportunity for impact and innovation, as identified in expert reports.

Challenge category: Advancing reuse to replace single-use plastics

The use of single-use plastic packaging has increased exponentially in recent decades, contributing to the growing issue of plastic waste. Reusable packaging that is safely and efficiently refilled and reused for its original purpose can reduce waste while providing additional benefits to consumers and industry. Making reuse cheaper and easier for both industry and the public at large can help to displace existing practices that rely heavily on difficult-to-recycle and disposable or single-use plastics, moving Canada closer to the goal of zero plastic waste while supporting economic growth.

Challenge category: Improving the collection and/or sorting of plastic film and flexible packaging

Plastic film and flexible plastic packaging is a significant contributor to plastic waste and pollution, and the current recycling rate for all flexible plastic waste generated in Canada is below 4 percent—due in part to issues with its collection and sorting. Plastic film is commonly used in the daily lives of Canadians, but film-based plastic items such as food wrappers and plastic bags are among the most frequently collected litter items on Canada’s shorelines. Bringing innovative solutions to the issues of collecting and sorting film, including flexible packaging, will help boost recycling rates and move Canada closer to a circular economy for plastics.