Circularity Gap Report

THE CIRCULARITY GAP REPORT

Closing the Circularity Gap in Quebec, Canada CIRCLE ECONOMY

Circle Economy works to accelerate the transition to a circular economy. As an impact organisation, we identify opportunities to turn circular economy principles into practical reality. With nature as our mentor, we combine practical insights with scalable responses to humanity’s greatest challenges. Through our multiple programmes, we translate BEHIND THE COVER our vision of economic, social and environmental prosperity into reality. The Manicouagan Reservoir was originally a meteorite crater; the fifth largest recorded on Earth, and is 214 million years old. Located in the Côte-Nord region, the crater, nicknamed ‘the eye of Quebec’, is the emblem of the Manicouagan-Uapishka World Biosphere Reserve. Flooded by the construction of the Daniel-Johnson Dam on the Manicouagan River in 1970, the reservoir, with a surface area of 2,000 square kilometres and an average depth of 73 metres, is one of the largest reservoirs in the world in terms of volume and depth. RECYC-QUÉBEC

La Société québécoise de récupération et de recyclage (RECYC-QUÉBEC) is a leader in responsible waste management in Quebec. Since 1990, the government-corporation has strived in making Quebec a model for innovative and sustainable waste management. Their mission is to promote a circular economy and fight against climate change by encouraging best practices in waste prevention and management.

This report is published as an affiliate project of the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy (PACE). PACE is a public-private collaboration mechanism and project accelerator dedicated to bringing about the circular economy at speed and scale. It brings together a coalition of more than 70 leaders and is co-chaired by the heads of Royal Philips and the Global Environment Facility. It was initiated at the World Economic Forum and is currently hosted by the World Resources Institute. IN SUPPORT OF THE CIRCULARITY GAP REPORT

The first circularity index of the Quebecois economy is a concrete, effective and balanced measure that demonstrates Post-covid-19 economic recovery represents an once again that the economy and environmental protection unprecedented opportunity to make the transition BENOIT CHARRETTE are compatible. I commend RECYC-QUÉBEC’s leadership in HÉLÈNE LAUZON to a more circular economy. From the extraction of raw Minister of the Environment this area and invite all sectors of Quebec’s economy to work President & CEO, Quebec materials to the management of residual materials, and the Fight against together to rise to the challenges that have been identified. Quebec Business Council on Quebecois enterprises are showing ingenuity and creativity Climate Change Together, we must develop a long-term vision that will ensure the Environment to develop innovative solutions in this regard. They will be our natural resources are managed in a way that respects the present to ensure a large-scale deployment of environment, the health and quality of life of the population, the circular economy. while drawing inspiration from best practices worldwide.

Thanks to this report, Quebec now has clear data on which CL AUDE sectors to prioritise in order to accelerate the transition to MAHEUX-PICARD the circular economy. This will make it easier to measure The strong presence of civil society organisations noted in Executive Director, Centre the tangible impact of our actions. There is a lot of work the report is an important asset for reconciling economic, de transfert technologique BÉATRICE ALAIN ahead, but by combining our efforts, a quick increase in our environmental and social issues at the territorial level and en écologie industrielle et Executive Director, Chantie circularity index is possible. It is a societal project that we over the long-term. These actors—including the social territoriale (CTTÉI) de l’économie sociale must all adhere to! economy movement—are key to deploying the circular economy to serve both individuals and communities.

Private companies in the main sectors of Quebec’s green RICHARD MIMEAU economy are natural allies in the transition to a circular Executive Director, Conseil des economy. Although this transition has already begun, we will Through their proximity to citizens, businesses and entreprisesentechnologies continue to work in collaboration with all the players in the ANDRÉ BELLAVANCE institutions, cities are at the heart of the transition to the environnementales du Québec value chain our industry belongs to, in order to promote a President of the Environment circular economy. Many innovative projects are being (CETEQ) favourable environment where resources will be optimised Commission, La Commission de deployed, particularly in my own city, but there is still an and valued fairly. l’environnement de Union des urgent need for action to create a greener, more resilient and municipalités du Québec (UMQ) sustainable society. Together, let’s pool our strengths to bring about these necessary changes. Making the economy more circular is an essential component of the necessary transformation to a more equitable, GENEVIÈVE MORIN inclusive, green and efficient economy. This report reminds President & CEO, Fondaction us of the urgency to act in this direction and proposes an approach that will facilitate the convergence of all actors as The Circularity Gap Report Quebec marks a significant well as the measurement of our collective progress. contribution to our understanding of both the challenge JACK FROESE and opportunity to prevent waste and accelerate Canada’s Director, Metro Vancouver transition to a circular economy. It underscores the need to Board of Directors work together and offers key insights and practical ideas for The transition to the circular economy is an imperative that business, government, and civil society leaders to create a DANIEL NORMANDIN affects all the economies of the planet. Since 2014, Quebec prosperous and resilient future for all Canadians. Director, Center for has played a pioneering role on the Canadian level. That Intersectoral Studies said, the exercise conducted as part of this report has made and Research on the it possible to clearly reveal, for the first time, not only the Circular Economy scope of the challenge that is the circularisation of Quebec’s economy, but also to reveal opportunities.

4 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 5 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Quebec is 3.5% circular, with a Circularity Gap of The impact of each scenario is limited, but when The circular economy can help Quebec make over 96%. This means that the majority of resources combined, Quebec can become 9.8% circular—nearly ‘building back better’ a reality. When realigned, the economy uses to satisfy its needs and wants a threefold increase—and, crucially, cut its material Quebec’s economy can meet circular ambitions. It is are not cycled. Quebec has a complex, largely footprint by nearly half (48.2%), to 16.6 tonnes per already nearly entirely sustained by renewable energy, linear economy that is accustomed to high rates person. and it has state of the art infrastructure, a skilled of extraction, production, trade and consumption. labour force, high government spending power and a Around 271 million tonnes of resources and materials Quebec’s economy is full of potential, but there thriving community of circular grassroots organisations funnel into the economy every year, amounting to 32 are limitations in how much we can increase its to help drive the transition. The province also boasts tonnes per person—higher than the average Canadian. Circularity Metric. The province’s consumption immense regenerative capacity, due to its swathes Although a high rate of consumption, a hefty material rates drive a huge amount of local virgin resource of forest land that continuously sequester carbon footprint and a low Circularity Metric are typical for an extraction and waste, as well as extraction and waste and offer the province a competitive advantage. Our industrialised economy engaged in trade, it calls for abroad as it consumes imported goods. Managing analysis and circular roadmap can assist the Quebec an approach that not only aims to increase circularity. the circularity of imports is difficult. Also, Quebec’s government and relevant stakeholders in crafting a Therefore, in this study, we also highlight strategies continued expansion of infrastructure such as roads bold and full plan for a circular economy; all part of to reduce the number of resources needed to fuel the and (renewable) energy limits short-term opportunities rebuilding a robust, resource-efficient and circular economy in the first place: the material footprint. to become more circular. While sometimes necessary, post-Covid-19 economy. these resources remain locked away in stock and The material footprint behind the Quebecois needs not available for cycling, thereby weighing down the and wants. This study provides a first approximation Circularity Metric. So, even by increasing the Metric of how resource use is allocated across Quebec’s from the current 3.5% to 9.8%, the economy will need needs and wants, such as Mobility and Housing. We to undergo massive change. It’s also crucial to note see that the needs’ material footprints originate, to a that the way we measure circularity is complex and large extent, from outside of the province through its has many components: our scenarios result in massive imports—typical for a developed trade region. Quebec changes to the economy—including almost halving fully functions on renewable energy for electricity the amount of resources it uses to fuel the needs of but still relies heavily on imported fossil fuels for the province—that are not reflected in our Circularity transport. The agricultural sector produces unusually Metric. Our global Circularity Gap Report 2021, for large amounts of waste, but little is currently reused or example, found that we only have to double the globe’s recycled. Also, the goods and services the government circularity, reaching a Metric of 17%, to limit global invests in—from providing computers for a public warming temperature to well below 2-degrees. So, in school to contracting a company to build a bridge moving from 3.5 to 9.8% circular, Quebec in fact will (public procurement)—are highly resource-intensive. see its economy transform. These components of the economy are reflected in how resource use is allocated across the province’s The circular economy is a means to an end. Closing needs and wants: Services is the second-highest the Circularity Gap serves the higher objective of contributor to the material footprint—on par with preventing accelerated environmental degradation Nutrition—while Housing leads the way. and social inequality, on both a local and global level. Transformative measures to cut greenhouse A circular roadmap to close the Circularity Gap gas emissions are inherent in the circular economy. in Quebec. To close the Gap, we explore six ‘what- Circular business models and improved resource if’ scenarios that apply core circular strategies efficiency are also a means to enhance emission to transform the economy. The scenarios are (1) abatement and reduce extraction, thereby improving Design circularity into stocks, (2) Prioritise conscious supply security and price stability when materials are consumables, (3) Strive for circular agriculture, kept in the province. The circular economy is a means (4) Leverage government procurement, (5) Make to achieving the end goal of a world that is ecologically manufacturing circular and (6) Make mobility clean. safe and socially just.1

6 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 7 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION 1 10 - 11

METRICS FOR CIRCULARITY 2 Regional circularity and the Circularity Gap

12 - 19

SIZING QUEBEC’S GAP The resource reality of meeting 3 societal needs and wants

20 - 27

BRIDGING THE GAP 4 ‘What if’ scenarios for circularity 28 - 49

THE WAY FORWARD 5 50 - 51

Photo by Regis Hari Bouchard

8 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 9 1. INTRODUCTION

The materials flowing through the global economy TIME TO UPDATE THE SYSTEM such as on minerals, waste management and agrifood. AN ECONOMY FULL OF POTENTIAL surpass 100 billion tonnes a year—and only 8.6% The Plan also lays out the target of reducing the Certain industries in Quebec have been able to While Quebec’s Metric sits approximately 5% below are cycled, reported our global Circularity Gap province’s greenhouse gas emissions by 37.5% (compared flourish under the linear economy, leading to many of the world average, the make-up of its economy is Report 2020, which launched at the World Economic to the 1990 baseline) by 2030.10 The elements explored Quebec’s successes today: a generally high standard rife with opportunity for a circular transformation. Forum.2 Our 2021 edition highlighted that the by the Plan are also spotlighted in a variety of other policy of living, booming trade industries in diversified Our analysis finds that there are many avenues for transition to a circular economy is necessary to documents, from the Québec Plan for the Development metal and mineral extraction and a prominent and boosting Quebec’s Metric, from diverting wet organic close the Emissions Gap and limit the effects of of Critical and Strategic Minerals11 to the Plan d’action profitable standing as a net exporter within the country waste (garden, food and sluge) from landfilling and climate breakdown—and how doing so will require 2019–2024 de la Politique québécoise de gestion des matières and around the world. Annually, Quebec imports incineration without energy recovery, to integrating almost doubling the global Circularity Metric from résiduelles12 (Action plan of the Quebec Residual Materials approximately 110 million tonnes of resources from circularity into all aspects of public procurement. The 8.6% to 17%.3 Quebec’s Circularity Metric, at 3.5%, Management Policy) and Politique Bioalimentaire (Biofood abroad to satisfy the needs of its population, and it province has a strong foundation for future action: sits well below the global average. While Quebec Policy).13 extracts so much that its rate of domestic resource close to 100% of its electricity generation comes from is hailed for its almost entirely renewable energy extraction per capita tops 24 tonnes—coming in renewable sources, which will allow for a smooth production and vast swathes of forests, its economy However, both Canada and the province of Quebec lack sixth place globally.5 However, linear industries transition to electrified transport, while waste recovery is characterised by high levels of consumption and concrete circular plans or goals; such as the EU’s Circular are dependent on unsustainable processes and volumes outrank those of Europe. It also touts high imports, large volumes of virgin resource extraction Economy Action Plan that sets out 54 actions across consumption rates that outweigh the resource capacity government spending power and a thriving community and relatively low levels of cycling. The average waste, landfill, reuse and recycling with end goals set for of the earth. And now, globally, urgency is building. of circular grassroots organisations. Nonetheless, European has a material footprint of almost 20 2030 and 2035, or the Dutch government’s goal of full Experts predict that climate breakdown—not Quebec’s consumption—leading to high levels of waste tonnes4 per year, while for the average citizen in circularity by 2050. There is ample space for thorough Covid-19—will be the biggest global health threat of the within and beyond the province’s territorial bounds— Quebec, it’s 32 tonnes per year. Our analysis reveals plans to be implemented into Quebec’s strategies century and a world operating under a linear system leaves room for improvement. In this report we present several avenues through which the Quebec economy and policies moving forward—the iteration on the is not resilient to change.6 Importantly, the scale of the five scenarios that will almost triple its Circularity can shift away from linearity and integrate into this government’s sustainable development strategy (2022 solution needs to match the scale of the emergency. Metric and cut its material footprint by half, making the promising and hopeful global systems-shift: the to 2027) serving as a good example. Our analysis can Business-as-usual is no longer an option. most of the opportunities its economy provides and circular economy. provide a benchmark measure of circularity and ingraining circularity every step along the way. resource use for the province, which is integral for This is where the circular economy comes in. By THE RISKS OF THE LINEAR ECONOMY goal-setting and measuring progress. designing out waste and pollution, keeping products AIMS OF THE CIRCULARITY Much of the globe operates within the linear economy— and materials in use, and regenerating natural systems,7 COVID-19 AND BUILDING BACK BETTER GAP REPORT QUEBEC characterised by ‘take-make-waste’ processes powered a circular economy allows us to collectively reimagine by fossil fuels. The linear economy relies on obtaining and redesign our systems to ensure an ecologically safe Many of the repercussions of Covid-19 on social and 1. Provide a snapshot of how circular Quebec is by large quantities of energy and materials through and socially just space for us all.8 As a multistakeholder economic levels served to hold a magnifying glass to applying the Circularity Metric. emission-heavy processes, that are quickly used to model, the circular economy’s systems-thinking the flaws in our system. As trillions of dollars funnel into 2. Identify how materials flow throughout the satisfy needs and wants—be it Nutrition or Mobility— approach boosts capacity and capability to serve economies to facilitate Covid-19 rescue and recovery economy and how they may limit or boost the and then disposed of. This system has allowed some universal societal needs in a way that functioning social measures, calls for ‘building back better’ have been loud. current Circularity Metric and the material 9 people, in some parts of the world and at certain times, systems fall within healthy planetary boundaries. Within this, the circular economy is increasingly hailed footprint. to prosper and economies to grow. This circular framework aligns with a vision of a more as the system that the globe must adopt if we are to 3. Spotlight possible interventions within significant resource-aligned, people-centric future. be prepared for future crises. In rolling out rescue and industries that can aid Quebec’s transition to The processes central to how we make and produce recovery measures, many see a valuable opportunity to becoming circular and reducing its material goods in this system quickly strip finite materials NO CLEAR CIRCULAR ROADMAP review business-as-usual practices, models and markets footprint. of their value and lack efficiency. They also directly and to build a greener and low-carbon economy, which Quebec’s Metric is 3.5%. This means, of the 271.1 million contribute to climate breakdown, environmental should be more resilient. Governments are now making 4. Communicate a call to action based on the above tonnes consumed, 96.5% are not cycled back into the degradation and biodiversity loss, and spur severe decisions on how to set goals and spend capital. analysis, to inform future goal setting and agendas. economy and are either locked into stock (such as social repercussions and massive global inequalities— The decisions national and subnational governments infrastructure or machinery), dissipated, lost, or are from food insecurity to poverty to restricted access to make today will shape our future climate and the lives considered circular biomass (see pages 26-27 for more healthcare. Irrationally, these inequalities have been of generations to come. information). The Quebec government has launched the able to increase concurrently with rising economic 2030 Plan for a Green Economy to replace its previous wealth (GDP). Consistent and intensive extraction of Quebec’s 2030 Plan for a Green Economy aims for the Climate Change Action Plan that expired on finite natural resources has also resulted in volatility complete electrification of transport, and for buildings the 31st of March 2021. It touts multiple policies related across markets and resource scarcity and constraints. and industrial activity to be increasingly powered by the to a ‘green economy’ that include circular elements, province’s renewable energy.

10 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 11 Measurements are critical to understanding the systems include government institutions, businesses, world around us. As it becomes more urgent to communities and markets.16 Provisioning systems are adapt our economic system to become more the essential link between ecological and technical circular, we need to provide a tactical approach resource use and social outcomes. For example, to measuring the transition—which can seem different forms of transportation infrastructure abstract or complex. In the first edition of the (railways versus motorways or car-sharing versus car global Circularity Gap Report in 2018, Circle ownership) can generate similar social outcomes, but Economy presented the Circularity Metric for the at very different levels of material use. This is how global economy. Since then, the Metric has formed the circular economy can transform our economy a milestone for global discourse on the circular and enable us to thrive, yet with lower environmental economy. This current analysis adapts the Metric impact. to suit a provincial profile. This section explains how we assessed Quebec’s circularity using our In this study we also consider the importance of Circularity Metric and introduces supporting reducing consumption. This is because impact metrics that help us understand the significant prevention through reduction in demand is an material flows that contribute to Quebec’s large important first step to take before exploring Circularity Gap. These additional insights aim other mitigation options. This is reflected also by to provide an answer to how the economy can environmental management hierarchies wherein formulate a plan for moving toward circularity: it reductions of production and consumption, provides the initial assessment by locating circular narrowing flows, is always the preferred and opportunities and priorities in the material flows. most effective strategy. 2 By measuring circularity in this way, businesses and governments can track their circular MATERIAL FLOWS AND FOOTPRINTS performance over time and put trends into context, In this analysis, we take the metabolism of a as well as engage in uniform goal-setting and guide province—how resources flow through the economy future action in the most impactful way. and are in long-term use—as the starting point for measuring its level of circularity. Figure One, on the MEASURING CIRCULARITY: A MEANS next page, provides a schematic depiction of the TO AN END METRICS metabolism of Quebec. It depicts the amounts of We need resources and materials to fuel our lifestyles. materials (divided into four key resource groups, However, the circular economy ensures that with which exclude water and air) embodied in inputs and FOR less material input and fewer emissions, we can still outputs of highly aggregated industry groups. Due to deliver the same, or better, output. But this requires the level of detail and intricacy of how materials flow we break with the ‘take-make-waste’ tradition and through an economy, we are not able to visualise all pivot towards a circular approach under which we flows and all sectors. Because the majority of materials refrain from material extraction and optimise the use flow through just a handful of sectors in an economy, of existing materials by minimising and eliminating we have limited our visualisation to show these. The waste. Ultimately, a world where circular strategies are left side shows the four resource groups as result of CIRCU- dominant will be more socially just and ecologically direct domestic extraction. These are minerals (salt safe. for example), metal ores (iron for example), fossil fuels (petroleum, for example) and biomass (food crops, Exactly how the circular transition can deliver more forestry, manure, for example). beneficial social and environmental outcomes is not a question with just one right answer, however. There is We also see on the left the volume of resources LARITY no simple straight-line solution and the feedback loops entering the provincial economy through imports. in the system run in all directions.14 In particular, three These are represented in terms of Raw Material Regional circularity and connected spheres need to be taken into account: how Equivalents (RMEs)—the amount of material extraction resources are put to work to deliver social outcomes needed, anywhere in the world, to produce a traded the Circularity Gap via provisioning systems. Provisioning systems product. Together, the domestic extraction and the comprise physical systems such as road infrastructure, RME of imports comprise the total inputs technologies, and their efficiencies15 and social (raw material input) of a provincial economy (read Photo by Joanno Umes Joanno by Photo

12 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 13 more on page 18). Once in the economy, extracted HOW WE CALCULATE OUR • Cycle flows—use again: The reuse of materials or traded raw materials, as well as the traded or CIRCULARITY METRIC or products at end-of-life is optimised, facilitating domestically produced components, semi-products a circular flow of resources. This is enhanced by In order to capture a single metric for circularity and products, undergo operations that either improved collection and reprocessing of materials in an economy, we need to reduce the complexity transform them into end products or make them part and optimal cascading by creating value in each somewhat. Our starting point for this process is of the production process of another end product. stage of reuse. In practice: Design for recyclability measuring how resources flow through the economy These products then feed into satisfying the societal (both technical and biological), design for and remain in long-term use. This approach builds on needs and wants of Quebec, such as Nutrition or disassembly, recycling, biomass waste-to-energy. and is inspired by the work of Haas et al. (2015)17 and Healthcare. continues the approach applied in all other national If we effectively deploy strategies focused on Circularity Gap Reports.18 Taking an ‘X-ray’ of the narrowing, slowing, cycling and regenerating the economy’s resource and material use, we consider six flow of materials, we will ultimately require fewer fundamental dynamics of what the circular economy materials to provide for similar needs. Because of transition aims to establish and how it can do so. This this, fewer materials will be used by the economy, translates into two objectives and four strategies, they will have longer lifespans and can be reused based on the work of Bocken et al. (2016).19 20 more effectively and with less harm caused to the environment. For our Circularity Metric to capture The core objectives are: this crucial process, we measure the share of cycled • Objective one: Resource extraction from the materials as part of the total material inputs into a earth is minimised and biomass production and global economy. As such, it illustrates the current extraction is regenerative; progress towards achieving the circular economy’s • Objective two: The dispersion and loss of ultimate goal of designing out waste through the four EXTRACTED, PROCESSED, materials is minimised, meaning all technical PRODUCED ELSEWHERE listed strategies. materials have high recovery opportunities, ideally MANUFACTURED HOUSING COMMUNICATION SERVICES GOODS without degradation and quality loss; emissions to IMPORT MINERALS ORES FOSSIL FUELS BIOMASS IMPORT We capture circularity in one number, that we call FOOTPRINT MOBILITY HEALTHCARE NUTRITION

RESOURCES air and dispersion to water or land are prevented;

SOCIETAL NEEDS SOCIETAL the Circularity Metric. It is an ‘input-focused’ metric. and biomass is optimally cascaded. Communicated as a percentage, it is a relative indicator of how well global or national economies

PROVINCIAL ECONOMY The four strategies we can use to achieve these SOCIETAL manage to sustain societal needs and wants with NEEDS objectives are: materials that already exist. The value of this approach PRODUCTS EXTRACTION THAT LAST • Narrow flows—use less: The amount of materials MATERIAL is that it allows us to track changes over time, measure STOCKS used or greenhouse gases (GHGs) emitted in the progress and engage in uniform goal-setting, as well making of a product or in the delivery of a service as benchmark countries’ circularity against each other are decreased. This is through circular design as well as at the global level. Additionally, it should or increasing the usage rates of materials and provide direction as to how Quebec can embrace its LOST products. In practice: Sharing and rental models, circular potential. material lightweighting, multifunctional products TOTAL MATERIAL INPUT MATERIAL TOTAL or buildings, energy efficiency, digitisation. INSIDE THE CIRCULARITY GAP • Slow flows—use longer: Resource use is CYCLED optimised as the functional lifetime of goods is To accelerate the transition toward a circular economy,

EXPORTED, STOCKED, WASTED, extended. Durable design, materials and service we need to use data and data-driven insights in the LOST OR CYCLED ELSEWHERE loops that extend lifetimes, such as repair and best way to support top-level decision making. To remanufacturing, both contribute to slowing rates address the complexities and intricacies of a nation’s EXPORT EXPORT FOOTPRINT of extraction and use. In practice: Durable material economy, it is our aim to provide as much information use, modular design, design for disassembly, and context on how individual nations can better repair, remanufacturing, refurbishing, renovation, manage materials to close their Circularity Gap. To

NATIONAL ECONOMY remodelling. understand a country or region’s Circularity Gap, • Regenerate flows—make clean: Fossil fuels, we must consider 100% of inputs into the economy: pollutants and toxic materials are replaced with circular inputs, non-circular inputs and inputs that add regenerative sources, thereby increasing and to reserves and stocks. These categories are based on Figure One shows a schematic overview of the material maintaining value in natural ecosystems. In the work of Haas et al. (2020).21 footprint and metabolism of a region. Note: material stock practice: Regenerative material use, renewable and cycled material flows are not scaled to proportion. energy, regenerative agriculture.

14 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 15 Circular inputs (29.5%) scale-up of biomass production were to become the *We believe this share is much larger than what we report 1. Socioeconomic cycling (3.5% in Quebec) norm, circularity could greatly increase. And what’s here. And this is due to our uncertainties in our life-cycle approach. What this means is that life-cycle based flows of This refers to the share of secondary materials more, ecological cycling does play a crucial role in resources (RMEs) and a national system boundary are not easy in the total consumption of an economy: the circularity: many of our scenarios, presented in to reconcile in a coherent mass balance. Because of this, the Circularity Metric. These materials are items that Chapter Four, promote bio-based materials in sectors split between ‘added to reserves’ and ‘non-renewable materials’ were formerly waste, but now are cycled back into as diverse as housing and consumables—yet the is difficult to measure accurately. It is likely that a big chunk of non-renewable inputs is actually allocated to stocks (19%), use, and includes recycled materials from both impacts of such interventions are not reflected in the however our current methodology limits our ability to assess the technical (such as recycled cement and metals) Metric, but rather by a shift in ecological cycling. In this this in a more granular manner. We acknowledge this limitation and biological cycles (such as manure and wood). manner it can be said that the impact of our proposed in data quality, however, it doesn’t directly influence the Metric. In Quebec, this number is well below the global circular strategies is greater than the Metric may average of 8.6%, totalling 3.5% of total material showcase. input. Non-circular inputs (53%) 2. Ecological cycling (26% in Quebec) 1. Non-circular inputs (17% in Quebec) This is the share of renewable primary biomass Fossil-based energy carriers, such as gasoline, (wood, food crops, agricultural residues) in diesel and natural gas that are burned for energy the total consumption of an economy. To be purposes and emitted into the atmosphere are considered circular, biomass should be wholly inherently non-circular: the loop cannot be closed sustainable: it must re-enter the cycle and on fossil fuels. In Quebec, the high share of contribute to new plant growth, allowing the renewable energy lowers this rate, but fossil fuels ecosystem biocapacity to remain the same; but are still imported and used for energy, heat and this is not often the reality. Therefore, to be mobility. considered circular, primary biomass must at the very least guarantee full nutrient cycling and 2. Non-renewable inputs (36% in Quebec) be carbon neutral. Because detailed data on the Non-renewable inputs into the economy that are sustainability of primary biomass is not available, neither fossil fuels nor ecologically cycled include the estimation of the ecological cycling potential uncycled materials such as metals, plastics and CIRCULARITY needs to rely on a broader approach: if the amount glass. These are often embodied in consumer GAP of elemental carbon from land use, land-use products, ranging from furniture and sports 96.5 % change and forestry (LULUCF) emissions is at goods to aircraft components and machinery for least the same as the carbon content of primary a range of sectors. Although these inputs to the

biomass in the total consumption of an economy, economy can in principle be cycled, 36% of these % NON-RENEWABLE 9 1 36 % INPUTS (non-renewable then all the consumed biomass can be considered inputs in Quebec are not and therefore cannot be k c o materials) carbon neutral. The huge volume of forested area t considered circular. s

d in Quebec provides a significant basin for carbon n a

sequestration, meaning that Canadian LULUCF Added to reserves and stocks (19%) s NON-CIRCULAR e v 17 % emissions are certainly negative (-13 million tonnes The vast majority of materials that are ‘added’ to the r FLOWS (fossil fuels) e s for Canada), and the biomass consumed within its reserves of an economy are ‘net additions to stock’. e r

borders can be considered carbon neutral. Countries are continually investing in new buildings o ECOLOGICAL CYCLING t 26 % However, while carbon neutrality is a necessary and infrastructure, in order to provide Housing and d (carbon neutral biomass)

e condition for biomass to be considered sustainable—it Mobility, as well as renewable energy. This stock C d d E

A is not the only condition: nutrients (including both build-up is not inherently bad; many countries need to B mineral and organic fertilisers) must be fully circular invest to ensure that the local populations have access E U as well. As of yet, we have methodological limitations to basic services, as well as build up infrastructure Q SOCIO-ECONOMIC CYCLING (circular in determining nutrient cycling, and to that end, have globally to support renewable energy generation, 3.5 technical materials) not included ecological cycling in our calculation of distribution and storage capacity. These resources do, % Quebec’s Circularity Metric—even though this would however, remain locked away and are not available boost the province’s circularity rate to an impressive for cycling, and therefore weigh down the Circularity VIRGIN CYCLED 29.5%. We take a precautionary stance with its Metric.* MATERIALS MATERIALS entering Quebec exclusion, with the knowledge that its impact on the entering Quebec Metric may not be totally accurate. However, we do Figure Two shows the full picture of circular and non-circular see great potential for the future: if the sustainable materials that make up Quebec’s Circularity Gap.

16 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 17 A COMPLEX UNDERTAKING: SCOPING AND country (aggregated by resource group). Because • Quality loss and material degradation. The Metric TRADE DYNAMICS the GCI includes waste for recycling and partially focuses on materials that re-enter the economic also secondary materials, we assume that this is a system once cycled, but does not consider in what Applying the Circularity Metric to the global economy good proxy for the estimation of the total amount of composition, or to what level of quality. In this way, is relatively simple, largely because there are no secondary materials in the system. The underlying a plastic HDPE bottle may re-enter the economy exchanges of materials in and outside of planet earth. assumption is that—although varying in terms of as a recycled material. Its quality will determine For countries and regions, however, the dynamics volume—the imports of every country have the same whether it is used for building park benches or of trade introduce complexities for which we must average share of secondary materials per resource other products, for example. This variance would adapt our Metric, resulting in certain methodological group. not be documented in the Metric but has strong choices.22 implications regarding material degradation. To understand the amount of secondary materials • Relative compared to absolute numbers. The In assessing a country or region, we can either take that are consumed domestically, rather than are Circularity Metric offers a percentage of the total a production or consumption perspective. In a exported, we make our second assumption: the share circularity performance by considering the relative, production perspective, we consider all the materials of secondary materials in the total consumption of or percentage-based, amount of cycled materials involved in any sort of processing of production raw materials is equal to the share of imported and as a share of the total material input. This means activity, regardless of whether they are exported or domestically cycled secondary materials in the total that as long as the amount of cycled materials consumed domestically. In a consumption perspective, input of raw materials.23 increases relative to the extraction of new materials, we consider only the materials that are consumed we see the statistic improving, even though more domestically. Whether we apply the Metric from a virgin resources are being extracted. This would consumption or production perspective will yield PRACTICAL CHALLENGES IN QUANTIFYING show progress, despite a key objective of the different results. Our Circularity Gap Reports take CIRCULARITY circular economy not being met. To extrapolate the a consumption perspective in a bid to generate • There is more to circularity than cycling. A Metric and avoid these uncertainties, it must be actionable insights for the economy and consumption circular economy strives to retain the value and accompanied by contextual numbers for the full on the ground, and to enable comparison between complexity of products for as long as possible, story. countries. with minimal degradation. The socioeconomic cycling measured in the Circularity Metric is only For a more exhaustive look into the methodology behind Secondly, when considering what Quebec citizens one component of circularity. The Metric does not the Circularity Gap Report, you can visit our website. consume to satisfy their needs, we must apply a explicitly consider other strategies (slow, narrow nuanced lens to direct imports; meaning we work and regenerate) that are core to building a circular out the full material footprints of the products. economy, such as asset sharing, reuse, lifetime To account for the material footprint of raw materials extension or remanufacturing. By reducing the is straightforward, but this is not the case with need for new products, they reduce the overall semi-finished and finished goods. A motor vehicle, for material footprint and waste that is available example, may weigh one tonne when imported, but all for cycling. So, what is a benefit for the circular the materials used to produce and transport it across economy, may not always show up as such in the global value chains can weigh as much as 3.4 tonnes— Metric. its actual material footprint. To represent actual • Lack of consistency in data quality. Whilst material footprints in imports and exports, we apply data on material extraction and use are relatively so-called raw material equivalents (RMEs) in this study. robust, data on the end-of-use stage—landfill, incineration or composting, for example—are Finally, the Circularity Metric considers all secondary weaker. Although Quebec’s was above average, materials as adding to a country’s level of circularity. challenges nonetheless remain in quantifying These secondary materials can be part of those cycled national and provincial material flows and within the country, as well as those that are imported stocks. The weakness of the data is in part due or exported, either as waste destined for recycling or to the complexity of waste: it’s heterogeneous, as secondary materials embedded in traded products. geographically spread out, categorised differently However, estimating the shares of traded secondary across statistical sources and sometimes materials is a difficult undertaking, so we introduce not measured at all. Difficulties also occur in an important assumption: in order to estimate the calculating how waste materials are reused— volume of secondary materials imported, we apply precluding an accurate analysis of for which goods the average Global Circularity Index (GCI)—calculated virgin materials are replaced by cycled waste. per resource group—to the net direct imports of the

18 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 19 20 Photo by Steven Wright SIZING GAP 3 QUEBEC’S societal needs and wants The resource reality of meeting patterns of Norway (found to be 2.4% circular). 2.4% be to (found Norway of patterns consumption and extraction the with par on more Netherlands (found to be 24.5% circular) 24.5% be to (found Netherlands the of that exceed both consumption domestic and extraction material Quebec’s that finds analysis Our that would take three and a half Earths to provide. to Earths ahalf and three take would that resources of avolume require would we Quebecois, the like live to were planet our on everyone if footprint: ecological alarge has but Index, Development Human Nations’ United the on score high a enjoys It profile. Shift the into falls Quebec that clear Shift—it’s Grow, information)—Build, more for textbox the (see profiles country broad three introduced which report, 2020 our on Based take. to road adifferent and play to role a have nations all behind: linear leave to race the in countries of role key the highlighted also analysis Our Agreement. Paris the in out set targets the meet crucially, 2-degrees—and, well-below to warming limit to apath on us set would This 2032. by Gap Emissions the close to power the has roadmap acircular reverse, in is circularity and of is control out spinning consumption while hope: of amessage bringing ultimately change, climate and economy agendas circular of the twin the combined 2021 report Our heights. new to use resource global bringing history, in time first the for billion tonnes of materials economy entering the world’s 100 than more saw 2020 more, year. one What’s just 9.1% from shrank in 8.6% to circularity of rate global wilted—the has circularity that revealed Report Gap Circularity global the of edition 2020 Economy’s Circle economy. acircular toward move they as strategies their focus should chains supply and sectors where understand better can we so point, starting aclear provide observations These sectors. agriculture and forestry mining, the in activities resource-intensive with province, ahighly-consuming is Quebec that reveals and the environment it around Furthermore, us. goods in products, of materials accumulation the on light sheds end-of-use at happens what Visualising needs. local address that products the become to assembled and processed are materials raw how assesses also It Goods. Manufactured and Nutrition as such wants, and needs societal which serve to and proportions, what at used, are how resourcethe metabolism: they province’s investigates section circular. This 3.5% is Quebec TO WORSE WORSE TO GLOBAL CIRCULARITY: BAD FROM 25

and is instead instead is and 26 24

Footprint—countries fall into three broad profiles: broad three into fall Footprint—countries Human Development Index (HDI) score and Ecological by a Progress—indicated of dimensions Social two based on discernible common needs. Based on the developed be can strategies economy circular suitable countries, Despite clear divergences between incurred elsewhere. costs social and environmental the of much with far beyond their nationalcountries extends borders, of Shift impact true is prominent—the also circularity role Their in terms of global lifestyles. comfortable and affluent relatively their servicing in resources move away from over-consumption of the planet’s to Quebec—is countries—and Shift on pressure The DIFFERENT COUNTRIES, COMMON NEEDS The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 |Quebec Report Gap Circularity The vide. Country examples: US, Germany, Japan. Germany, US, examples: Country vide. pro can planet the what with line in resources consuming goin to away have countries these lifestyles, comfortable in result that scores HDI high despite So trade. global in participation their is as high, relatively is fuels fossil of extraction Their Build. in than greater times ten is countries Shift in consumption material tion, Shift Morocco. Brazil, China, examples: Country standards. living rising with concurrently occurred have class, middle agrowing as well as industrialisation, rapid This building. to comes it when way the leading and sector industrial expanding an hosting hubs, Grow Ethiopia. Bangladesh, India, examples: Country healthcare. and education as such indicators HDI including needs, basic all meet to struggling are they But all. at any if boundaries, planetary few transgress currently countries Build means capita per Build —Home to a minority of the global popula global the of aminority to —Home —A low rate of material consumption consumption material of rate low —A —These countries are manufacturing manufacturing are countries —These - - 21 SEVEN SOCIETAL NEEDS & WANTS THE MATERIAL FOOTPRINT SATISFYING products and materials after their functional use in SOCIETAL NEEDS IN QUEBEC our economy (End-of-use). This is mostly related to the 271.1 million tonnes of material consumption: Here we describe the seven key societal needs and wants and which products and The figure on the next page builds on the schematic Quebec’s consumption footprint. In Quebec, the total services they include, as well as the volume of materials it takes to fulfil them from material footprint diagram in Figure One on page 14. It amount of waste generated amounted to 16.2 million Quebec’s material footprint of 271.1 million tonnes. Since various products can be dives into the material metabolism of Quebec; tonnes, of which an estimated 7.6 million tonnes allocated differently, here we make our choices explicit. For example, ‘radio, television linking how four resource groups (minerals, metal came from Products that Last and 8.6 million tonnes and communication equipment’ can be classified either as part of Communication, or ores, fossil fuels and biomass) satisfy the seven key from Products that Flow (see more information on as Manufactured Goods. We decided to subsume it under ‘Communication’. societal needs and wants shown on the previous page 37). The high contribution of Products that Flow page. From left to right, the figure shows the domestic consists of sludges that come from industrial and extraction of resources (Take) which amounts to 199.1 municipal activities. HOUSING SERVICES million tonnes, through the mining of minerals or the production of crops in agriculture or forestry to The biggest category in terms of resource The delivery of services to society ranges Of the total 16.2 million tonnes of waste being produce timber for construction, for example. These use is Housing. The construction from education and public services, to treated, 10.4 million tonnes (64.2%), are either extraction processes result in raw materials like wood and maintenance of houses and commercial services like banking and materially or energetically recovered or directly or sand. However, in a national context, domestic infrastructure accounts for 88 million insurance. The related material footprint is reused, whereas the other 5.8 million tonnes are extraction represents only one of the inputs into the tonnes (34%) of the province’s material the third largest, 43 million tonnes (16%) lost indefinitely. Of the latter,5.3 million tonnes economy, that include also direct imported products, footprint. in total, and typically involves the use of end up landfilled while the other0.5 million tonnes 66.3 million tonnes (not shown in the figure) as well as professional equipment, office furniture, is either incinerated or treated in unspecified ways. imports of secondary materials, 3.3 million tonnes. computers and other infrastructure. Remarkably, about 65% of the eliminated waste27 is NUTRITION made of wet organic waste. Next to this, aside from When considering not just the direct imports, but also materials going to waste, are Agricultural products such as crops and 52.1 million tonnes the Raw Material Equivalents (RMEs), as previously added to reserves and stock (Net Stock Additions) livestock require 42.5 million tonnes HEALTHCARE introduced on page 18, we see that Quebec’s RME in the form of capital investments such as buildings (16%) per year. Food products have of imports amount to 203.3 million tonnes (this and infrastructure, machinery and equipment. short life cycles in our economy, being With an expanding, aging and, on average, would be 206.6 million tonnes if imported secondary Another are released into the consumed quickly after production. more prosperous population, healthcare 19.9 million tonnes materials were accounted for): 41.2 million tonnes from services are increasing globally. Buildings environment as elemental carbon mostly of fossil Canada and 162.1 million tonnes from the rest of the aside, typical resource groups include use origin (this corresponds to 90.7 million tonnes of world, coming to a total raw material input of 402.4 CO e). The remaining are dispersed MOBILITY of capital equipment such as X-ray machines, 2 1.2 million tonnes million tonnes. The raw materials typically undergo pharmaceuticals, hospital outfittings (beds), into the environment as a deliberate, or unavoidable processing (Process), for example in the production A considerable resource footprint is disposables and homecare equipment. consequence of product use. This includes fertilisers taken up by the need for mobility; of metals from ores, cement from limestone, or 36.6 This accounts for 7.7 million tonnes (3%) and manure spread on fields, or salt, sand and other refined sugar from beets. Subsequently, these million tonnes (14%). In particular, two in Quebec. thawing materials spread on roads and the erosion resource types are used: the materials refined materials can be used for the manufacturing of metals. Finally, an estimated 110.3 million tonnes used to build transport technologies and (Produce) and assembly of products like busses are made of all resources extracted in other countries vehicles like cars, trains and airplanes; from metals, plastics and glass, or the construction for the production of Quebec’s imports, which end plus, predominantly, the fossil fuels used COMMUNICATION of roads and houses. These finished products can, in up either embodied in stocks wasted, emitted or to power them. turn, be distributed and delivered to provide services dispersed in the production process abroad. Communication is becoming an evermore (Provide) and access to products that can satisfy important aspect of today’s society, provided societal needs and wants locally or be exported. In MANUFACTURED GOODS by a mix of equipment and technology 2017, Quebec exported some 64.3 million tonnes of ranging from personal mobile devices to final products with an associated RME of141.2 million Consumables are a diverse and complex data centres. Increased connectivity is also tonnes. According to our estimates, a total of 4.2 group of products—such as refrigerators, an enabler of the circular economy, where million tonnes of secondary materials were exported clothing, cleaning agents, personal-care digitisation can make physical products in the same year, which leads to a total volume of products and paints—that generally have obsolete, or enable far better use of existing approximately 271 million tonnes of materials short to medium lifetimes in society. assets, including consumables, building consumed by Quebecers, of which 9.4 million tonnes Textiles including clothing also consume stock or infrastructure. Resource use in this were either secondary materials (amounting to 7.3 many different kinds of resources such as group is less intense, standing at 9.4 million million tonnes), or reused, downcycled waste. cotton, synthetic materials like polyester, tonnes (4%). dye pigments, and chemicals. They Essential to identifying and addressing opportunities account for 34.7 million tonnes (13%) for a more circular economy is what happens to worth of resources.

22 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 23 X-RAY OF QUEBEC’S Process Produce Provide Outputs ECONOMY SOCIETAL NEEDS Take 271 Mt GLOBAL IMPORTS 164.9 Mt

Outputs from extraction abroad 38.9 Mt 110.3 Mt 42.7 Mt

25.9 Mt 54.8 Mt Emitted 21.2 Mt Cycled Food Dissipated 2.2 Mt Materials Services industry Net Added 2.65 Mt industry to Stock 52.1 Mt Lost 5.8 Mt IMPORTS FROM CANADA Manufacturing Wasted 16.2 Mt 41.85 Mt industry

RAW MATERIAL CONSUMPTION MATERIAL RAW Mining Waste 13.5 Mt 71.3 Mt

7.1 Mt Construction Cycled 10.4 Mt 4.1 Mt industry 16.5 Mt Provincial economy of Quebec Cycled Materials EXPORTS TO CANADA 0.65 Mt Agriculture and forestry 24.2 Mt Processing industry 4.7 Mt EXTRACTED RESOURCES 0.03 Mt 199.1 Mt 10.9 Mt Mining and 7.9 Mt

quarrying Cycled 29.1 Mt Materials 0.7 Mt

0.3 Mt

GLOBAL EXPORTS 99.4 Mt 121 Mt

70.3 Mt RESOURCES 11.3 Mt

EXTRACTED & CYCLED EXTRACTED 0.07 Mt

Cycled 88.9 Mt 10.4 Mt 17.3 Mt

Cycled Materials 3.5 Mt

CYCLED MINERALS ORES FOSSIL FUELS BIOMASS MATERIALS HOUSING COMMUNICATION MOBILITY HEALTHCARE SERVICES MANUFACTURED NUTRITION GOODS 88.1 Mt 9.4 Mt 36.6 Mt 7.7 Mt 43 Mt 34.7 Mt 42.5 Mt SOCIETAL NEEDS SOCIETAL 271 Mt RESOURCES 199.1 Mt

24 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 25 HIGH CONSUMPTION ACROSS NEEDS continues to grow: for Quebec’s Circularity Metric to THRIVING BIOMASS: FORESTS AND WANTS meet the global figure of 8.6%, its material footprint AND FARMLAND would have to shrink by 60%, assuming levels of Quebec’s Circularity Metric is well below the global While Quebec’s overall volumes of waste and cycling cycling and thus secondary materials input remain average of 8.6% at 3.5%—this is largely due to the are quite low, especially in comparison to the constant. In another hypothetical scenario where relatively high levels of consumption of the residents. Netherlands, biomass features heavily in the waste material recovery increases to a more reasonable Annually, 271.1 million tonnes of virgin and secondary breakdown. Quebec is famed for being a ‘land of 85%, a material footprint reduction of almost one-half materials are consumed, which amounts to 32 tonnes forests’, with more than half its total area home to would still be needed to bring Quebec’s circularity in per capita. Quebec’s per capita material footprint, one of the largest woodland areas in the world.40 The line with the global rate. based on consumption, also ranks sixth for the pulp and paper, forest products and agriculture and countries analysed28—one place before the rest of food industries are all key players in the province’s Canada, partly owing to its urbanised nature. MINING FOR RAW MATERIALS economy—resulting in an unusual waste composition Along with Ontario, Quebec sits at the forefront of dominated by biomass (51%). While some biomass Quebec’s high material footprint is linked to its Canada’s mining industry as the province with the waste is recycled—just over 1 million tonnes from position as a dominant trader to the US and the rest most diversified extraction—and ranks sixth globally industry and slightly under half a million tonnes of Canada, exporting billions of Canadian dollars for investment attraction in the sector.32 Not only from municipal sources—the lion’s share is landfilled worth of aluminium, aluminium alloys, iron ores and does the province boast a wealth of metals—gold, (approximately 3.5 million tonnes from all sources). concentrates and renewable electricity. 8% of the iron, nickel, titanium, niobium, copper and zinc—it province’s output relates to interprovincial trade— is a world-leading33 producer of the rarer minerals Our analysis also finds that a significant portion—close four times the rest of Canada, making Quebec a net niobium, titanium dioxide, cobalt and platinum. While to 1.5 million tonnes—is used for energy production; exporter within the country. Imports—primarily one-fifth of Canada’s raw material extraction occurs and indeed, the provincial government has poured aviation equipment, electricity, petroleum, and natural in Quebec, for some metal categories it accounts for millions of Canadian dollars into furthering this, gas29—also flow into Quebec’s economy, mainly from more than half the country’s total extraction in both funding a forestry-waste-to-biofuel plant in late 2020.41 the US with a significant portion sourced from China. weight and value.34 While energy recovery can be a useful application for In the last five years, oil supplies in the US and Canada forest or food waste, it is regarded as downcycling and have increased—accounting for a nearly even split The high rate of extraction results in Quebec, with ranks only above disposal on the waste hierarchy;42 as in Quebec’s imports.30 The province’s large import a population of approximately 8.5 million, having a such, some theorists don’t believe waste-to-energy can footprint is a key determinant of the province’s high rate of resource extraction that tops 24 tonnes per play a role within the context of a circular economy.43 consumption impact and thus of a low Circularity capita—coming sixth place globally.35 For metal ores, There are higher value applications for these materials, Metric. Large volumes of resources (about 110.3 the province shoots to second place, only trailing such as in construction materials that can store million tonnes) are extracted abroad to satisfy behind Australia with an extraction rate of 12 tonnes carbon. Quebec citizens demands: part of these resources per capita. Extraction rates seem unlikely to slow become embodied in stocks and part of them are down: the provincial government’s Strategic Vision for Significant opportunities emerge to bolster Quebec’s released as waste and emissions in the producing Mining Development in Québec 2016–2021, for example, circularity through the diversion of wet organic waste, country. The challenge for industrialised and high- aimed to mobilise stakeholders wishing to advance including organic sludges from landfilling—which income countries and provinces, like Quebec, is to the interests of the industry, and encourages further represents over one-third of the province’s total waste lower this as much as possible, while steering the exploration and development.36 The Québec Plan for disposal—and energy recovery, almost entirely from sustainable management of waste abroad resulting the Development of Critical and Strategic Minerals 2020- biomass, which represents 9%. Read more on our from the demand of their citizens. They can do this 2025 sets the goal of Quebec becoming a leader in the suggestions in Chapter Four. by, for instance, favouring imports of secondary production—and recycling—of critical and strategic over primary materials. This is characteristic of most minerals, framing such a development as a major Shift countries (see page 21), where the low Metric is contributor to a green economy.37 38 also the result of raw material consumption topping domestic material consumption: in other words, Quebec comes second to another Canadian province— Quebec is a net importer of resources and thus an Ontario—for both imports and exports; mineral exporter of impacts.31 trade has grown consistently in recent years, with Quebec accounting for 15.7% of the country’s total Our analysis indicates that an increase in Quebec’s imports and 23.3% of the exports, based on value.39 Its already-high rate of recovery from 64% to a utopian substantial contribution to the mineral trade industry 100% would only boost its circularity to 6%—still below both domestically and abroad serves the economy’s the global average. Increased cycling contributes little linear take-make-waste model of consumption, as its if consumption (reflected in the material footprint) abundance of metal ores and minerals are funneled into meeting key societal needs.

26 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 27 Now that we have presented how the Metric is derived and investigated what it says about the inner workings of the Quebecois economy, it’s time to analyse the findings and suggest a circular roadmap. First, we identify some of the most impactful sectors of the economy, which we assess based on either a Mass, Value or Carbon level; as well as their potential to reduce the material footprint. Then, for the sectors with the most potential for circularity, we formulate scenarios that are purposefully constructed to explore and entertain the ‘what-if’; free from the constraints of feasibility from a political, social or behavioural (change) standpoint. This approach allows us to explore potential paths forward and better understand which type of sectors and interventions could be most impactful in terms of steering the Circularity Metric and material footprint of Quebec.

4 SCORING SECTORS ON THE MASS-VALUE-CARBON NEXUS

We have funnelled our focus for the ‘what-if’ scenarios into six areas which represent key leverage points in the economy. These scenarios are (1) Design circularity into stocks, (2) Prioritise conscious consumables, (3) Strive for circular agriculture, (4) Leverage government BRID- procurement, (5) Make manufacturing circular and (6) Make mobility clean. By focusing on a few key areas, we can dive deep and apply a diagnostic lens to identify where we can best apply interventions to increase the circularity and resource efficiency of GING Quebec. Our typical approach to scenario selection relies on a mix of qualitative and quantitative information. First, a group of relevant stakeholders is consulted to gain THE a qualitative on-the-ground understanding of key sectors of the economy. Secondly, the information garnered from local experts is compared to the results of a quantitative analysis, which inspects the interaction between material consumption (Mass), value creation (Value) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (Carbon), of sectors: the Mass44-Value45- GAP Carbon46 (MCV) Nexus. The MVC nexus is a useful tool to pinpoint key levers in the economy where we can ‘What if’ scenarios make significant change through the introduction of circular strategies. for circularity Photo by Sven Huls

28 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 29 SUMMARIZING THE MASS-VALUE-CARBON NEXUS

The Nexus clearly shows the dominant Value of impact quantitatively, this also mirrors the impact of allow us to re-allocate direct emissions from industries improvement to the Circularity Metric from a services (healthcare, education and recreation, as our correlating scenarios (three, five and six) on the (production-based accounting) based on consumption Mass-perspective. However, under each scenario, well as other services) in the Quebecois economy. economy. patterns (consumption-based accounting). Therefore, we report co-benefits of the circular strategies beyond This supports the focus of scenario four to leverage we cannot directly compare Mass, Value and Carbon only a reduction in the material footprint. government procurement toward circular business To make comparisons between sectors we need against each other in this study. models and practices across products, services and comparable, consumption-based data for Mass, sectors. Meanwhile, agrifood, manufacturing and Value and Carbon. However, in the case of Quebec, Due to these data limitations, the selection of construction lead the way in terms of Mass. Indeed, consumption-based GHG emissions for sectors the scenarios was based on the expert input of our scenarios (one, three and five) which crossover were unavailable at the time of this research—so we stakeholders and qualitative research. They were with these sectors are hugely impactful in reducing instead used production-based emissions data. While then supported by quantitative information on the material footprint of the overall economy. In terms this data is still useful to understand the volume of solely material consumption and value generation. of Carbon, agrifood, manufacturing and transport are carbon emissions generated across the key sectors, In calculating the total impact of the scenarios on most impactful; and although we do not measure this it—unlike consumption-based emissions—does not the Quebec economy, we can only measure the

M ASS V ALUE C ARBON kilotonne Million € kilotonne Consumption-based Production-based Production-based

AGRIFOOD 55,567 16,576 12,957

MANUFACTURING 74,040 31,043 25,707

CONSTRUCTION 68,025 17,223 1,464

TRANSPORT & STORAGE 4,871 9,214 25,596

OTHER SERVICES 31,573 98,028 5,463

HEALTHCARE, EDUCATION & 11,660 40,441 1,654 RECREATION

Figure Four shows the impact of specific sectors on the economy in terms of Mass, Value and Carbon. Note that Transport & Storage includes personal mobility.

30 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 31 ‘WHAT IF’ SCENARIOS THE KEY Our six scenarios are deliberately not time-specific, nor have we explored in detail the specific actors or policies ELEMENTS necessary for their real-life materialisation. They rather serve as the ambitious exploration of a potential path FRAMEWORK forward and sketch which type of interventions and levers are most impactful in terms of steering the Circularity Metric, as well as reducing the amount of The circular economy assumes dynamic systems, resources used to fulfill societal needs and wants: the meaning there is no specific end-point, but it is rather material footprint. a process of transformation. The eight key elements that give direction to this transformative process, with To manipulate different parts of the economy to explore the aim of slowing the flow of resources, closing the how this impacts the Circularity Metric and material loop and narrowing resource flows, while switching to footprint, we apply scenarios that narrow the material regenerative resources and clean energy. footprint behind a certain functional need. This can The eight key elements describe the full breadth be through material efficiency gains in design and of relevant circular strategies and will be used processes, or changes in the delivery of a functional throughout the report. value through a sharing business model or digitalisation. Also, we model scenarios in which additional cycling occurs. To strengthen the circularity of biomass and reduce the footprint of non-renewable resources, we model the impact of regenerating material flows. This means modelling regenerative sourcing and handling Prioritise regenerative Rethink the business model of biomass and replacing fossil fuels with regenerative resources Renewable, reusable and Shift incentives and adjust business alternatives. Lastly, we model interventions that slow non-toxic resources in water, material and models to price the entire life-cycle of the consumption of goods and extend their lifetimes, energy cycles replace non-regenerative products and capitalise on cooperation in turn reducing the need for new products and the resources, with corresponding processes and long-term relationships. materials used to produce them. to support regeneration.

For the development of the scenarios, we use the Key Elements framework (see next page), to consider the Stretch the lifetime Resources and Incorporate digital technology many strategies needed to drive the systemic change products are maintained, repaired and Employ digital technologies to facilitate required for our sketched scenarios to materialise. upgraded to maximise their lifetime and connecting actors and keeping track of The elements feed into the ultimate aims of slowing, usage intensity. resources. narrowing, cycling and regenerating flows (see page 15) to allow us to reach the goals of the circular economy.

Use waste as a resource Where Team up to create joint value waste creation is not avoidable, recover Work together with actors to implement it for recycling, using waste streams as a circular economy strategies on the source of secondary resources. systems level.

Design for the future Design Strenghten and advance systems to facilitate regeneration, knowledge Develop research, restoration, repair, reuse, or disassembly, structure knowledge, encourage or utilising waste as a resource. innovation networks and disseminate findings with integrity.

32 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 33 RELEVANCE OF Prioritise Stretch the Use Design regenerative lifetime U waste as D for the CIRCULAR STRATEGIES P resources S a resource future ACROSS SCENARIOS

Rethink Incorporate Team up Strengthen the business digital to create and advance HIGHLY MODERATELY LESS R I T model technology joint value S knowledge RELEVANT RELEVANT RELEVANT

Figure Five depicts the six scenarios we consider to be key change agents in Quebec’s circularity and identifies which platforms of Core Enabling our Key elements framework holds the most potential.

DESIGN PRIORITISE STRIVE FOR LEVERAGE MAKE MAKE CIRCULARITY CONSCIOUS CIRCULAR GOVERNMENT MANUFACTURING MOBILITY INTO STOCKS CONSUMPTION AGRICULTURE PROCUREMENT CIRCULAR CLEAN

34 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 35 1. DESIGN CIRCULARITY A reduction in living space—reduced overall floorspace cross-laminated timber.53 Using timber in construction bear immense potential for reducing greenhouse gas INTO STOCKS of residential housing—for example, would both slash can massively drive down carbon emissions and allow (GHG) emissions arising from a reduction in the use the sector’s material footprint with the added benefit buildings to become carbon sinks.54 of materials and space as well as energy generation. Economically, the construction sector (along with real of creating additional space in cities. The same strategy Most prominently, this reduction stems from emissions estate management and services) represents close to can be extended to commercial real estate—and the Material substitution with laminated timber directly related to land-use change, as well as lesser one-fifth of the province’s gross value added,47 and possibility of doing so is increasing as working from and engineered wood products will also help to use of emissions-intensive materials such as cement 18% of GDP (including rental and leasing services)— home may remain popular post-pandemic, for those narrow flows, by reducing the direct weight and and steel and reduced combustion of fossil energy almost triple the national figure of 7%.48 Providing with the means and desire to do so. However, the material footprint of buildings; frugal design that carriers. Our Circularity Gap Report 202161 found that housing to its population is the leading societal need in impact of Covid-19 has also seen a rise in Quebecers takes context and functionality into account—and similar interventions on a global level in Shift countries Quebec, standing at 34% of its material footprint—and purchasing second homes in the countryside, spurred avoids overdesigning—will be crucial in reducing could cut emissions by 4.2 billion tonnes, which clearly consequently, this generates large volumes of waste by low housing costs—so as of yet, floorspace per construction’s impact. portrays the massive emissions-reduction potential (accounting for about 27% of all waste in the province). capita is increasing.51 for Quebec; a typical Shift economy. Other co-benefits Nonmetallic minerals—which are largely mined—are Inspired by the work of Moran et al. (2020),55 we include increased availability of space for community hugely represented in housing and construction, This intervention also sees raw material extraction model the potential impact of replacing 15% of steel, use or renaturation—bringing both environmental and and also wasted: moderate levels go into daily cover grind to a halt, as increased cycling leads to using cement, aluminium and other fabricated metals with social benefits. (landfill) while some goes to landfill or is incinerated. waste as a resource. All waste materials from lower-impact materials like timber. We also integrated The Housing sector shows a relatively low volume construction and demolition will be cycled into new the estimates of reviews by Donati et al. (2020)56 and 2. PRIORITISE CONSCIOUS of carbon emissions, but keep in mind that this is projects—and the number of new projects should fall Hertwich et al. (2019),57 which suggests that lightweight CONSUMABLES a production-based figure (i.e. showing the direct as increased renovation and maintenance serve to design could reduce the weight of load bearing emissions of activities in the construction sector in preserve and extend what’s already made. Huge elements in buildings by a further 40%. The ‘consumables’ sector encompasses a range of Quebec). We know that the carbon footprint of Housing opportunities exist in this realm: in Canada, 3.4 million goods, from Products that Flow—consumer goods that globally, including commercial and industrial buildings, tonnes of construction materials are sent to landfill on 1.3 USE LESS RESIDENTIAL ENERGY filter quickly through the economy such as food items is one of the largest in the world, generating about 13 a yearly basis, comprising approximately 1.8 million or single-use plastics—to more durable Products that Our final intervention entails a mix of strategies billion tonnes of GHG emissions per year. Overall this tonnes of embodied CO e. If the construction sector Last—ranging from electronics to textiles to technical 2 that address residential energy use. Passive house represents the sector’s solid potential for impact if this were to prioritise disassembly over demolition— equipment. Quebec fits the Shift country profile design could narrow flows by decreasing energy waste were to be avoided or reused. reusing up to 85% of materials—emissions could be (see page 21) and consumption levels are generally consumption, owing to improved insulation (made axed by as much as 1.3 million tonnes CO e per year high—and linked to large volumes of waste generated 2 from materials which are ideally secondary and The circular transition is already visible in Quebec’s and waste volumes cut by 2.5 million tonnes.52 offshore as a consequence of imported products: 203.3 reusable) and building materials. Secondly, local construction sector: renovation, for example, is a key million tonnes of Raw Material Equivalents. However, renewable energy production could serve to prioritise component of the industry. Over the last few decades, In modelling the potential impact of these within the province, goods that reach end-of-life and regenerative resources that would decrease more has been spent on renovation than new housing interventions, we make a number of ‘what if’ are discarded, both at an industrial and municipal housing’s emissions intensity. Hot water savings, acquisition49 and innovation in less resource-intensive assumptions. In reflecting the reduction of floor space, level, pose a problem for Quebec’s circularity—with lower room temperatures, smart metering, green construction is in continuous development. Quebec’s the increased use of construction and demolition waste totaling 8.6 million tonnes for Products that Flow roofs, combined systems of passive solar heat with policy environment also supports action in this area: waste and a corresponding rise of renovation and and 7.6 million tonnes for Products that Last. heat pumps and the use of energy efficient appliances its Climate Change Action Plan showcases the province’s maintenance activities, we model what would happen would all further contribute to slashing housing’s effort to make construction green, with Measure 19.4.3 if virgin resource use for residential and non- Recycling is crucial in this domain, yet Quebec’s impact: more output, with fewer materials and on low-carbon-footprint materials spurring projects residential stock expansion could be reduced by 100%; sorting facilities have suffered their share of issues, emissions. comparing the environmental impact of wood and meaning that all new construction can be sustained such as the overflowing of Montreal’s facilities in concrete buildings, recycling of wood products, and solely by cycled materials from demolition. 2018 following China’s ban on imported waste.62 Our modelling went on to create a collective ‘what- energy efficiency and material choice in the building Experts, such as the Coalition of Ecological Waste 50 if’ scenario including inputs from a range of studies sector. 1.2 CHAMPION NATURAL AND Management’s Executive Director Karel Ménard, have including, among others, Ivanova et al. (2020),58 Vita LIGHTWEIGHT MATERIALS called for Quebec to ‘rethink its curbside collection’63 et al. (2019)59 and Moran et al. (2020).60 These explore In our ‘what-if’ circular housing scenario, we outline and make significant shifts in modes of production and Wherever possible, material- and emissions-intensive the effects of various interventions that can be applied opportunities for Quebec to boost its circularity consumption—and Quebec’s provincial government materials, like cement, should be swapped out for to different industry inputs and outputs, ultimately while decreasing the construction sector’s mammoth is doing just this, with plans to modernise its deposit- regenerative alternatives, like timber—especially driving down energy consumption. material use. return and curbside collection systems with an as this material is in plentiful supply due to the extended producer responsibility approach.64 regenerative capacity of Quebec’s vast forests. Timber Impact on Quebec’s circularity: With the proposed 1.1 USE LESS, CYCLE MORE does feature in buildings across the province: Quebec circular interventions for housing, Quebec could cut To this end, Quebec—and Canada as a whole—are Circular housing strategies should ultimately reduce has also risen to the fore as a world leader in mass its material footprint by a massive 11% and increase taking some steps to combat the overuse of one of our the need for new material inputs, through strategies timber construction, specialising in the manufacturing its Circularity Metric by 25.7%, from 3.5% to 4.4%. economy’s fastest-moving goods: single-use plastics. that narrow flows andcycle materials. of glulam beam and Beyond materials, the proposed interventions also A range of Quebec businesses have made moves to

36 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 37 phase out plastic straws and disposable produce bags in remanufacturing activities. Consumption of fast fashion stores across the province, and as of 2020 have banned should drop significantly; consumers must instead seek the provision of single-use plastic bags in Montreal.65 to extend the lifetime of their purchases—and thus Yet the need for coherent, province-wide policy, applied slow flows—through resale, repair and second-hand beyond plastic goods and informed by circular strategies shopping. Infrastructure should be improved to allow is clear. for better textile cycling at end-of-life.

In our ‘what-if’ conscious consumable scenario, we Our model explored a range of interventions—including outline opportunities for Quebec to boost its circularity a reduction in the material footprint of garments, FROM CONSTRUCTION TO CONSUMABLES: A by increasing the share of bio-based and regenerative furniture, electronics and other consumer goods NORTH AMERICAN LEADER IN DESIGN materials, boosting recycling and encouraging shifts in stemming from the consistent uptake of repair, high consumer behaviour. quality design for durability and sharing models. The Quebec has risen to the forefront of the North American specific assumptions vary between products and timber construction industry, specialising in glulam and 2.1 SHIFT TO BIO-BASED CONSUMABLES industry groups; but reductions in material footprint CLT manufacturing. Quebecois companies such as Nordic range from 10% (for technical equipment) to 30% (in the Structures and Art Massif are attracting attention for Our first intervention targets plastic items, going beyond case of textiles and fashion). These assumptions are prioritising regenerative resources in new architectural the legislation already planned in Canada, as well as explored in further detail in the methodology document technologies. The latter is developing a project using glulam textiles. Flows can be narrowed by banning single-use on our website. beam for an innovative new academic building—crediting items, instead replacing them with more sustainable, Quebec’s favourable legislation for timber construction for preferably bio-based materials, which regenerates 67 2.3 RAMP UP RECYCLING their success and leadership in the field. And timber isn’t the flows. If renewable energy sources are used throughout only focus: organisations like Québec BVI, Quebox and the the production processes of bio-based alternatives, Under our final intervention, recycling of industrial Unité mixte de recherche en sciences urbaines (Joint urban they are more circular from a Life Cycle Analysis (LCA) and municipal waste—post-consumer paper and sciences research unit) network have all worked to develop, perspective. This intervention involves reducing the glass, plastics, textiles, mixed metals, and electric and pilot and promote sustainable development in Quebec’s number of plastic items consumed—from bottles to bags electronic waste—is ramped up to 100%. All of the built environment.68 Such innovation is visible in a number to cutlery—and rethinking the materials we use to make materials mentioned that are currently landfilled or of buildings that make use of local, recycled materials: the our clothes. Taking an approach to textiles that favours incinerated should rather be cycled. In order for this to library of Boisé, for example, and the Montreal planetarium, cellulosic and sustainably harvested bio-based fibres be achieved, however, further insight into the current both of which have achieved the prestigious LEED platinum instead of fur, leather, and synthetic (petroleum-based) obstacles facing the recycling sector, such as insufficient certification for outstanding environmental design. materials that carry a high material and carbon footprint infrastructure, overwhelming quantities of waste and further prioritises regenerative resources and bolsters bans on waste imports elsewhere, is needed. Some Quebec initiatives are also taking charge of the way circularity by taking resource-intensive materials out of society engages with goods, challenging models of ownership the mix. This scenario was modelled assuming increased use of by providing innovative alternatives. La Remise, launched in recycled fabrics in fashion and recycled fibers in paper. 2015 in Montreal and managed entirely by volunteers, is the Our scenario models the impact on a variety of province’s first tool sharing ‘library’. The organisation provides associated industries, following the work of Wood et al. Impact on Quebec’s circularity: With the proposed its 2,000 members with access to a range of tools: from (2018).66 Our model assumes plastic use is curbed by a circular interventions for consumables, Quebec could carpentry and construction, to bicycle and vehicle mechanics, further 10% and a nearly complete (80%) switch to slash its material footprint by 4.4% and increase to those for kitchens and gardens. Members also have bio-based chemicals in household products. its Circularity Metric by 20%, from 3.5% to 4.2%. A the chance to partake in workshops and technical training shift towards more conscious consumer goods and sessions carried out by specialists for anything from furniture amendments in consumption behaviour not only reduce 2.2 REWIRE CURRENT MODES OF making or sewing to electronic repairs, all activities intended the material footprint and increase circularity: the CONSUMPTION to reduce the consumption of new goods and preserve and uptake of bio-based materials, elimination of single- Our second intervention involves shifting the choices extend what’s already made. The initiative has enjoyed use plastics and strengthening of material cycling are of consumers and mainstreaming circularity. Efforts success in the last years—especially among young adults essential in addressing the plastic pollution that is should be made to design for the future and preserve that lack the space to store their own tools—and has inspired affecting our oceans and ecosystems on land. Similarly, 69 and extend what’s already made, by making and similar undertakings across the province. the discharge of chemical pollutants and exorbitant purchasing items meant to last and keeping them in water consumption arising from the production of use for longer. The life cycles of consumer goods can be plastics or textiles can be curbed by strong reductions in extended through strategies that rethink the business production—generated by a more circular approach to model: minimum warranties and resale business models consumption and increased cycling. should be bolstered in tandem with strengthening the market for second-hand goods, as well as repair and Photo par Alice Triquet

38 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 39 3. STRIVE FOR CIRCULAR Nonetheless, the concept of circular agriculture doesn’t 3.3 CONSUME LESS significant environmental impacts could stem from AGRICULTURE crop up in the province’s current plans. In this scenario a reduction in land use—freeing up land to become Flows can also be narrowed through an overall of circular agriculture, a rebalancing of livestock much-needed reserves for biodiversity. This land reduction in consumption. This can be achieved at Quebec’s agricultural sector runs strong, with a deep farming and crop cultivation, paired with behavioural would also provide crucial ecosystem services, from multiple levels: the elimination of supply chain waste, history that has informed its landscape, rural culture shifts on the consumption side, can greatly impact the carbon sequestration to water purification. These eating beyond caloric needs at the consumption stage and economic development. Livestock raising is the resource-intensity of the sector. positive impacts, stemming from a shift in the foods and food waste in food service at the use stage. This main focus, yet it also produces almost three-quarters Quebec consumes and produces, can be achieved ensures an equal, sufficient distribution of calories of the world’s maple syrup and exports more than 3.1 MAKE AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION both locally and abroad for regions that export to and necessary nutrients—like protein—across the 69% of its agrifood products to the US.70 Despite these CIRCULAR the province. population. In turn, the strain on natural resources, figures, agricultural land makes up only 2% of Quebec’s Circular agriculture strategies ultimately serve and therefore material footprint, will drop—along with total area; this figure is modest in comparison to 4. LEVERAGE GOVERNMENT to narrow flows anduse waste as a resource: land use and emissions. RECYC-QUÉBEC is part of a France (58% farmland) and the US (45% farmland). PROCUREMENT agricultural and food waste can be used as livestock wider Canadian campaign, J’aime manger pas gaspiller But in facilitating this large share of the economy, fodder, replacing the need for feed crops. Crop-based (Love Food, Hate Waste) which provides a variety of measures to increase production have allowed Although circular procurement is an emerging topic, feed can take up land and often cause environmental tips—from meal planning to keeping produce fresh for industrial agriculture—which utilises monocultures the value of such an approach is not to be overlooked. damage—for example, in the form of land-use changes longer—that aims to address some of these issues of and chemical inputs such as fertilisers—and its In the Canadian context, public sector procurement such as deforestation—in the countries who commonly consumption and waste.79 consequential environmental degradation to become is valued at approximately CA$200 billion per year export it internationally. In this system, crop trimmings 80 commonplace. The province also has high food waste in Canada—with 80% occurring at the local level, and waste become food for animals, which then In addition to the assumption of a plant-based diet, rates from farm (agricultural production processes) to representing a strong opportunity for the Quebec, nourish the crops in turn with manure. In this way, we also consider that caloric intake is capped at the fork (the consumer’s plates). as well as cities. Government spending across goods regenerative resources are prioritised, as the need average level, and acknowledge footprint reductions and services—from public administration to defence, for harmful synthetic fertilisers is drastically reduced. stemming from the lower footprint of organic (zero An important aspect of reducing the ecological education and healthcare—is a major material hotspot This allows for a more diverse agricultural economy, artificial fertilisers), local (50% reduction in transport footprint of the industry is in steering dietary habits. of Quebec’s economy. Public procurement accounts greater resilience and diversity of products, and of food) and seasonal (30% reduction in fuels and Local diets rely heavily on imports of processed for 10% of its material footprint—27 million tonnes. improved ecosystem services. electricity) foods. foods, fruits, vegetables and grains71 so that a range Therefore, guiding the circular transition by procuring of non-seasonal produce can be enjoyed year-round. circular models and services across a wide range of This intervention would necessitate a reduction in 3.4 VALORISE ORGANIC WASTE Studies have also noted that three-quarters of the products, services and sectors has significant potential livestock numbers: with the current split between province’s population fall short of recommended fruit Organic waste is the largest unrecovered waste to pull the circular transition in Quebec forward. livestock and crop cultivation, the complete and vegetable intake and overshoot recommended stream in the province: about two-thirds of the 5.8 replacement of traditional feed with waste would not sodium and saturated fat intake. This implies high million tonnes of eliminated waste consists of organic It can be a progressive move for the government be possible.77 So, in our modelling we hypothesise, consumption of foods that are inefficient in terms waste, including wet waste, municipal and industrial to work collaboratively with local industry players what if we managed to replace all fodder crops with of converting calories to energy and can lead to sludges and agricultural waste. Here lies a huge to transition to more circular models by procuring food waste and agricultural waste? overconsumption. Groups of lower socioeconomic opportunity to use waste as a resource and cycle goods and services that contribute to a closed energy status were also found to be at the highest risk of a agricultural waste. While conversion of organic waste and materials chain. And here lies an opportunity low-quality diet.72 3.2 SHIFT TOWARD PLANT-BASED DIETS into animal feed is the most desirable scenario—as for Quebec, which has a thriving base of motivated, grassroots organisations promoting the circular The success of the intervention above depends on a it retains most of the materials’ original value—this economy. In late 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture unveiled a new decrease in livestock production, which entails a drop cannot always be the case: sludges, municipal organic sustainable agriculture plan, with targets to reduce in animal protein consumption. In reducing animal waste and some other agricultural wastes must have The Quebec government has taken measures to toxic pesticide and fertiliser use, bolster soil health, protein consumption, flows would benarrowed . other applications, and ecologically safe disposal and 73 ingrain sustainable practices in public procurement: optimise water management and revive biodiversity. A decrease in livestock numbers would result in nutrient and energy recovery must be ensured. This The Sustainable Development Act, for example, provides Innovations and policies aimed at reducing food losses an improved balance between crop cultivation strategy assumes the reuse of organic waste through a a legislative framework for government departments and waste have also become increasingly prevalent: and livestock farming, and would encourage other variety of applications: crop waste, for example, can be and agencies comprising 16 principles on responsible the Quebec Agrifood Innovation Centre, for example, environmental benefits: lower emissions, reduced transformed into eco-briquettes—compressed blocks production and consumption.81 has pioneered research on optimising meat packaging freshwater use, improved land management and of biomass that can be used for fuel in households— 74 to prevent losses and extend shelf life, while the biodiversity. This intervention may be supported by and sludge can be applied back to farmland. Further efforts to put the act into practice include the Supermarket Recovery Program will see retailers Quebecois consumers, who are becoming increasingly Energy recovery from waste can also be achieved Government Sustainable Development Strategy 2008–2013 across the province donating surplus produce to food sensitive to the composition and nutritional value of through anaerobic digestion. Impact on Quebec’s 75 and Sustainable Development Strategy 2015–2020, banks. The province has also repealed regulations the food they eat, as well as food quality and safety.78 circularity: With the proposed circular interventions which give direction to organisations party to the Act. that had banned the sale of fruits and vegetables not Our calculations put this to the test, modelling what if for nutrition, Quebec could slash its material footprint 76 Produire et consommer de façon responsable (Produce meeting strict aesthetic standards. all of Quebec went animal product-free? by a huge 12.3% and increase its Circularity Metric by 14.2%, from 3.5% to 4%. While this scenario brings and consume responsibly), one such direction, impressive reductions in material footprint, even more generates departmental and agency action to develop

40 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 41 green procurement policies, plans and practices;82 and coal products.88 Aerospace equipment—much of Our modelling explores the effect of process while the Politique administrative pour un gouvernement which is manufactured in Montreal—is the province’s improvements on reducing yield loss. We consider écoresponsable (Administrative policy for an eco- QUEBEC GOING GREEN: crowning glory, accounting for the largest share of material savings amounting to 25% across steel, 89 responsible government) lays out specific requirements COMPOST COLLECTION AND Canada’s output in the sector. The city employs 6.5% aluminium, copper, cement, wood and chemical 90 for various product categories, and areas of action RECYCLED ROADS of its workforce in aviation manufacturing alone, while manufacturing. We assume that these yield losses including goods and services, information technology, the Capitale-Nationale administrative region boasts apply to all the sectors. We base this on the knowledge The cycling of organic waste represents buildings intended for public use and transportation for a sizable manufacturing sales value of nearly CA$8.5 that yield loss reductions specifically concerns the a huge opportunity for Quebec—and government employees.83 billion from pulp and paper, processed food, metal and production of semi-manufactured goods across the provincial government is planning wood, chemicals and electronics production.91 industries. to invest CA$1.2 billion over the next Even though this scenario of circular public ten years. All Quebecers will have the procurement is applied across product ranges and, The sector took a hit in 2020, however, as the first wave We also assume that scrap created during the opportunity to compost green waste by therefore, does not add new industry or sector of the Covid-19 pandemic saw operational shutdowns processing of materials is cycled rather than discarded. 2025, in a bid to achieve the ultimate goal transitions to the list, it represents a key means of that docked the sales of Quebec manufacturers by This could stem from the extension of good practices of 70% of all organic waste composted by driving demand for circular solutions and is therefore CA$4 billion. As of January 2021, the fear of a second to all industries in Quebec or the creation of new 2030.85 imperative to accelerating their adoption. shutdown is prominent: the sector employs close to markets for secondary materials. half a million people and accounts for 14% of Quebec’s The Quebec government is also 4.1 MAKE PUBLIC PROCUREMENT CIRCULAR GDP. 92 The stringent health and safety strategies being Impact on Quebec’s circularity: With the proposed prioritising eco-design in its procurement implemented in factories, however, pave the way for a circular interventions for manufacturing, Quebec This scenario involves greening public procurement: strategy: the City of Montreal, for different kind of change: the greening of the industry could slash its material footprint by 9.1% and increase flows can benarrowed by increasing the resource example, has partnered with a number through circular interventions focused on increasing its Circularity Metric by 8.5%, from 3.5% to 3.8%. As a efficiency of public administration, government of organisations to support research efficiency, minimising yield losses and optimising leading consumer of energy and heat, changes made procurement and public health care. Designing for the on the reuse of recycled glass in road material use—thus slashing virgin material extraction by the manufacturing industry have the potential to future, extending and preserving what’s already construction.86 This innovation would and waste creation. Such practices have economic, as slash GHG emissions: every bit of material use avoided made and using waste as a resource also come to both valorise waste—as a large portion well as environmental, benefits and carry the power to ultimately reduces the emissions embedded in a final the fore as crucial strategies: governments should set of the province’s glass from the curbside position Quebec for success in the years to come. product. Our Circularity Gap Report 2021 found that high standards for purchasing goods with extended recycling system ends up in landfill— 70% of GHG emissions are generated through material lifetimes, thus slowing flows, and with the highest and increase the roads’ longevity by 5.1 MAKE MANUFACTURING handling and use; and overhauling emissions- and content of recycled materials possible. The municipal preventing cracks brought on by the RESOURCE-EFFICIENT resource-intensive manufacturing processes will have offices in the city of Venlo, the Netherlands, embodies province’s severe winter temperatures.87 a transformational impact on global emissions.93 Clear these principles: the building, designed according to the Local innovation such as this, combined The manufacturing industry can put a number of economic benefits for industry also emerge from cradle-to-cradle philosophy, has been developed as a with stronger government commitments strategies into practice to jumpstart its circular lesser use of precious metals and decreased waste. huge raw materials bank—all materials will be available to source more sustainable and circular transition: flows can benarrowed with process for direct reuse at the end of the building’s functional materials for public projects, represent improvements and material substitutions across 84 lifetime. a key avenue for Quebec to come a step sectors. A reduction of scrap material—generated 6. MAKE MOBILITY CLEAN closer to closing its Circularity Gap. from standard procedure—would also improve Impact on Quebec’s circularity: With the proposed efficiency and reduce the need for virgin inputs, further Quebec has committed to becoming a ‘North American circular interventions for public procurement, Quebec narrowing flows. Such strategies can be applied leader in sustainable mobility by 2030’; including a ban could slash its material footprint by a substantial 7.9% across key material groups, specifically on Quebec’s of internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles as of 2035. and increase its Circularity Metric by 14.2%, from large production volumes in non-ferrous metal, This is an important goal, as the majority of fossil fuels 3.5% to 4%. In addition to the direct impact of public copper, aluminium, chemicals and wood production. imported into the province (36.7 million tonnes) are procurement initiatives on material flows, they also Prioritising regenerative resources and committing 5. MAKE MANUFACTURING used for transport fuel and the sector emits 43% of send a powerful signal to industries, demonstrating to sustainably sourced biomass also play a crucial CIRCULAR emissions. Mobility is also a resource-intensive societal substantial demand for circular solutions—which, once role here. Where waste volumes cannot be reduced, need and accounts for 14% of the province’s material created, may spill over into private sector consumption. industrial symbiosis—the use of waste from one While Quebec’s role in manufacturing surfaces in footprint. Private vehicle usage is high94 and use of From a transition management perspective, driving business as feedstock for another—represents another other scenarios, it also warrants separate analysis as public transport is quite low. In the 15 years leading up demand through public procurement will incentivise avenue for the different industry clusters in Quebec the province has a dominant role as a manufacturing to 2016, public transit use by commuters in Montreal suppliers to innovate and come to the fore with new, to improve resource efficiency byusing waste as a powerhouse of the Canadian economy. Approximately rose by only 1.4%, levelling off at 23.5%, while those circular solutions, which can then be scaled and made resource. As one of the leading manufacturing hubs in one-quarter of Canada’s manufacturing output choosing to cycle to work comprised just 2.1% of all available more broadly. Canada, Quebec can leverage these strategies to reduce can be attributed to Quebec, which leads the way commuters.95 Carpooling is also low in Quebec, with material consumption domestically and aid its export in food production, pulp and paper products, only 10.6% of commuters sharing a ride to work, based partners in lowering the footprint of export products. transportation equipment, primary metals, chemical on 2016 census data.96 and pharmaceutical products and refined petroleum

42 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 43 In following this trend, Quebec boasts the assets, ideal vehicle that sits unused for large amounts of time.105 for larger vehicles, governments could tax highly energy needs, the transition to an all-electric vehicle conditions and existing infrastructure to transition In this way, currently underutilised cars are optimised, emitting, heavyweight vehicles as one avenue of fleet would slash emissions (43% of which stem from to cleaner mobility. For example, 12,000 kilometres vastly reducing the need for such a large fleet. With implementation—especially as there is little need for mobility) and decrease fossil fuel imports. of bicycle paths, with more than 5,000 kilometres increased public transport, bus, metro, tram, cable them in urban centres. By designing for the future on the Route Verte,97 a network of multi-use trails car and ferry systems would be strengthened and and preserving and extending what’s already Quebec’s plans for electrification include the sales ban linking more than 320 municipalities,98 which could promoted, and regional and long-distance train and made, the material footprint of mobility can also be of new, fossil-powered cars beginning in 2035.111 Yet increasingly be used for commuting. Furthermore, bus connections would be improved to discourage significantly impacted. Design for repair, predictive, critics note that the ban will not extend to commercial Quebec is a strong producer of mobility solutions, carbon- and material-intensive private car or air travel. intelligent maintenance, the increased availability of vehicles or second-hand cars and that the 2035 and the manufacturing of trucks, busses, electric spare and replacement parts, and a shift of innovation implementation date is far too distant. Increasing vehicle components, artificial intelligence and This intervention was modelled as a mix of car sharing, focus from hardware to software can all serve to the province’s electric vehicle fleet through other automated driving technology all play a prominent car-pooling, ride-sharing, trip chaining and park and extend vehicle lifetimes, reduce unnecessary waste, measures—such as public procurement, encouraging role in Quebec’s economy.99 Although resource-hungry ride systems, collectively curbing the use of private and lower material use. Such measures can be or influencing consumer choices and the improvement manufacturing drives up the Circularity Metric, it mobility by 90%. It is, however, assumed that this encouraged fiscally, for example through tax breaks for of charging infrastructure—will also be important also shows the potential to drive change with leading will result in a 50% increase in spending on public repairs; companies with large vehicle fleets can also be to incorporate to reduce emissions and increase technology and knowledge. The province also is a transport and 20% increase in repair services for the encouraged to enact strategies that improve proactive circularity. global leader in the aerospace industry, with Montreal motor vehicles sector as increased maintenance would maintenance. ranking as one of the world’s three aeronautics hubs be needed. Our modelling acknowledges that in rural Impact on Quebec’s circularity: With clean and and the province making up half of Canada’s aerospace areas, reductions in car ownership would be lower— Our model explores the potential impact of material shared mobility, Quebec could slash its material production.100 estimated at 50%. savings from design reaching 50% in automotive footprint by 6.6% and increase its Circularity Metric vehicles and an average of 17% in trains, ferries and by 5.7%, from 3.5% to 3.7%. As a major source of GHG Policy-wise, the Ministry of Transport has developed 6.2 TRAVEL LESS aviation. Crucially, such reductions in weight also emissions, a circular mobility sector could also bring a Sustainable Mobility Policy looking towards spur additional savings in fuel—based on Wood et al. about significant reductions in this area—having the Flows can also be narrowed by reducing the kilometres 2030—addressing all modes of transportation and (2018)109 and Hertwich et al. (2019),110 this is assumed to co-benefit of improved air quality in urban areas, travelled: as Covid-19 has impacted the way we live interventions on the road network level across ten be 6% for every 10% weight reduction. contributing to the health of Quebec’s residents. On and work, more employers are recognising the value— targets.101 Active modes of transport—like walking and a global level, less travel, electrification and resource- or at least acceptability—of working from home or cycling—are encouraged and prioritised in the Policy’s 6.4 CYCLE BETTER AND EXTRACT FEWER efficient design were among the interventions that telecommuting. Virtualised interaction, which reduces 2018–2023 Active Transportation Action Plan,102 while RAW MATERIALS contributed to a GHG emission reduction of 2.6 physical commuting, could reduce the need for frequent the 2015–2020 Transportation Electrification Action Plan billion tonnes in Shift countries alone.112 What’s more: vehicle use, and have additional positive impacts The mobility sector’s high material footprint is linked has invested over CA$600 million in increasing the shared mobility approaches and strengthened public on emissions and traffic congestion.106 Workplaces to its use of precious metals—which are less available province’s electric vehicle fleet to 100,000 and reducing transport offerings ensure that mobility services are also have an excellent incentive to allow for more to mine following years of systematic depletion GHG emissions from transport by 150,000 tonnes.103 accessible more widely, benefiting those that may not remote working, as the typical employer can save up and geopolitical scarcity. As vehicle electrification The new Plan for a Green Economy, launched by the be able to afford a private vehicle. to CA$13,700 per year for each employee that works increases to match sustainability goals, even more Ministry of Environment, prioritises electrification— remotely just half the time.107 As vaccination schemes precious materials are extracted and fed into the mainly in the transport sector—with plans to devote roll out and we begin to shape our ‘new normal’, economy, making the recycling of such materials a CA$3.6 billion to electrifying light trains, city and governments could continue to promote telecommuting crucial strategy. This intervention considers different school busses, taxis and eventually cars and trucks.104 for situations where it is safe and socially beneficial. cycling options for automotive batteries in a cascading In this what-if clean and shared mobility scenario, five manner: useful battery life should be preserved and interventions outline the opportunities for Quebec to Following a study by Vita et al (2019),108 our model extended and materials cycled or made available amplify circularity and slash material use—and meet assumes that inputs to mobility on land would decrease for direct reuse. Vehicle manufacturers can also emissions reduction targets. by 50%, coupled with an increase in household use waste as a resource and increase the share of consumption of electricity and fuel by 20%. recycled materials used in production, recycling all 6.1 CAR SHARE & SHIFT TO PUBLIC tires, mixed metals and plastics. TRANSPORT 6.3 DESIGN FOR THE FUTURE OF Circular mobility strategies concerned with narrowing CIRCULAR MOBILITY 6.5 MAKE MOBILITY EMISSIONS-FREE resource flows by optimising the use and performance This intervention both narrows and slows flows, Prioritising regenerative resources can encourage of existing vehicles include car and ride sharing, public making use of strategies such as lightweighting and emissions-free mobility. Phasing out fossil fuel- transit efficiency and increased ridership on public design for repairability to reduce mobility’s mammoth based engines in transport vehicles, especially trains, transit. Car sharing can be supported by incorporating impact. In designing for the future, vehicles can be passenger cars and trucks has huge potential for digital technology such as online sharing platforms, designed and manufactured with lightweight materials impact—especially considering Quebec’s unique which would reduce Quebec’s material footprint: fleet as well as a frugal approach to the equipment included position as a renewable energy leader in Canada. size would decrease as Quebecers begin to grab a car within. While cultural factors feed into a preference With hydropower meeting almost all of the province’s only when needed, rather than investing in a private

44 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 45 46 Photo by Justin Kauffman CO to time—led the at 11,000 had users initiative—which the and for any desired length of time. of length desired any for and times wait vehicles—without than 1,000 more of afleet access to users allows 1994, in Montreal in founded Communauto, technology digital incorporating by mobility sustainable exploring also are Companies industry. aerospace of the regulations strict the to according suitable longer no are they when farms on reuse for transferred be can example, for production, a resource waste as industry of reuse the to lead strategies Such tools. intelligence artificial and data big using aproject through symbioses further generate to working increasingly is CTTÉI the alternatives, sustainable more consider to businesses driving are costs landfilling growing As symbioses. developing and processes refining options, eco-product identifying in partners and aids its parks, to to municipalities industrial website. and guide Québec Synergie its of form the in knowledge and technical social and innovation providing businesses’ supporting aconsultant, as acts and research conducts Centre The symbiosis. industrial championing by levels waste to diminish manufacturing’s is working (CTTÉI) industrielle Quebec-based technologique en Centre écologie de transfert manufacturers while emitting very few greenhouse gases. greenhouse few very emitting while manufacturers by batteries of reuse the streamline would 2020, early in CO of tonnes to up 168,000 figure that amp could car-sharing as an urban mine; urban an as materials the treating by batteries, car electric (95%) of content entire the almost recycle to possible it making technology Quebec-based consortium Lithion Recycling has created a recycling. and manufacturing extraction, battery on goals CAR-SHARING SYSTEMS INDUSTRIALBUDDING SYMBIOSIS AND A PROVINCE THAT QUEBEC’S SHARES: 2 2 abated per year. per abated further that and tonnes, 13,000 of reductions emissions 113 The CTTÉI boasts a wide clientele, from companies companies from clientele, awide boasts CTTÉI The —cardboard boxes and barrels from aerospace aerospace from barrels and boxes —cardboard 116 the project, which was piloted in Montreal Montreal in piloted was which project, the 115 Additionally, the province has further further has province the Additionally, 114 : car-sharing company company : car-sharing A 2007 study found that that found study A2007

117 48.2% offootprint consumption is lowered by a remarkable 9.8% of Metric aCircularity reaches Quebec synergies, the cross-intervention harness we if economy, the for image ‘what-if’ broad our In ahead. circularity to road a long leaves 3.5% of aMetric at starting that also recognising impact, substantial amore see we interventions the combine we when but footprint, material the and Metric Circularity the on impact a limited have platforms of arange along interventions Individual lastly applying those focused on recycling on focused those applying lastly applying reduce to aim that strategies with begin economy. circular of the We according to principles interventions agriculture. Therefore, we prioritise and construction on interventions specific industry the influencing also sectors, across applied are consumption, resource fossil as well as recycling, and repair on aware of In potential overlaps. particular, the scenarios be to crucial is it interventions, the combining When of potential. alot carries triple—thus nearly could Metric—which Quebec’s 2-degrees. below well to warming limit and Gap Emissions the 17%, close to of aMetric reaching circularity, globe’s the double to have only we that 2021 found Report Gap Circularity our change: climate of realm the in especially co-benefits, numerous bring can circularity in increase small aseemingly even Importantly, metabolism. current province’s the (26%) of part asignificant concerns which cycling, ecological in potential the thus strengthening the producing ecosystems, and of maintenance of biomass production sustainable amore entail also agriculture, of context the in especially listed, interventions the Two, of 16). Many page Chapter in (highlighted cycling ecological of role the is point imperative Asecond materials. secondary from come can it of share ahigher enabling and footprint material the of reduction the in lies economy acircular of objective primary the that important is it However, suggest. scenarios our of extent the as transformative as seem not may increase the Metric, Circularity the of terms In 78%. than less of a little downcycling) and recycling energy (including rate cycling overall an for 100% of waste organic wet for rate arecycling assume also we scenario, combined 140.4 million tonnes million 140.4 merely to 7. COMBINED INTERVENTIONS 7. COMBINED repair and reuse and focused scenarios and focused only and the material material the and . In this . In inputs, secondly secondly inputs, .

The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 |Quebec Report Gap Circularity The that that assumptions be can made for interventions use or reducing consumption. While these material secondary increasing is it whether of our interventions, impact desired the we account must assumptions—where for robust or data precise needs method This limitation. a methodological poses also (IOA), analysis input-output technique, modelling primary Our 26). page (see countries many from stems data as their production imports, Quebec’s of footprint complex the on have may strategies circular impact the model fully cannot We also 17% 0%. to current its from fuels) (fossil inputs non-circular reducing of unlikelihood Quebec the cycling—and for available materials total the of aportion reduce and resources in’ ‘lock additions—which stock (often necessary) by limited also is Metric the Increasing page 16). (see data insufficient on based decision aprecautionary was This cycling. ecological circular cycling—excluding Our measures Metric socioeconomic inflation of the Metric. the of inflation false or inaccuracies to lead could that Therefore, we avoided modelling decisions issues. data or research by, in or informed is it literature the interpreting in issues encounter may model Our targets. and rates emissions or recycling as such of information order’ ‘third an external concerning often dimensions, physical and the economic coherent between interface a generate to data complex more need we latter, the For difficult. is interventions WHY THE ISN’T METRIC HIGHER? narrow flows, doing so for cycle for so doing flows,

47 SCENARIOS, INTERVENTIONS & STRATEGIES

INTERVENTIONS STRATEGIES IMPACT AND MATERIAL FOOTPRINT INTERVENTIONS STRATEGIES IMPACT AND MATERIAL FOOTPRINT

• Reduce floor space for residential and Circularity jumps from 3.5% commercial buildings • Governments must purchase good with to 4%.

1.1 Use less, • Drastically reduce raw material extraction Circularity rises from 3.5% 4.1 Make public extended lifetimes and high recycled Reduction of material cycle more to 4.4%. • Cycle construction and demolition waste procurement content footprint by 7.9%, decrease • Increase renovation and maintenance circular • Increase the resource efficiency of to 249.6 million tonnes. 1. DESIGN Reduction of material footprint by 11%, decrease procurement and public health care

4. LEVERAGE Co-benefits: Galvanised CIRCULARITY • Swap out emissions-intensive cement for GOVERNMENT INTO STOCKCS to 241.2 million tonnes. 1.2 Champion PROCUREMENT private natural and regenerative timber Co-benefits: Reduction in lightweight • Avoid overdesigning and prioritise GHG emissions, increased materials functionality availability of space Circularity rises from 3.5% to for community use or 3.8%.

• Promote passive house design 1.3 Decrease renaturation. Reduction of material 5.1 Make • Implement process improvements and residential • Prioritise local renewable energy footprint by 9.1%, decrease manufacturing material substitutions across sectors energy use • Implement energy efficient technologies to 246.4 million tonnes. resource- • Reduce scrap metal CIRCULAR

FACTURING Co-benefits: Strong efficient • Commit to sustainably sourced biomass reductions in GHG emissions, 5. MAKE MANU- MAKE 5. economic benefits for the • Prioritise the choice of consumables from manufacturing industry.

2.1 Shift to bio-based a life-cycle perspective Circularity rises from 3.5% consumables • Favour synthetic textiles over to 4.2%. animal-based ones 6.1 Car share and • Support car sharing to reduce vehicle fleet shift to public • Increase public transport use through CONSCIOUS Reduction of material footprint

2. PRIORITISE • Purchase items meant to last by 4.4%, decrease to 259.2 transport improved train and bus connections CONSUMABLES • Bolster minimum warranties and resale million tonnes. 2.2 Rewire current • Continue telecommuting post-pandemic Circularity rises from 3.5% modes of business models CLEAN 6.2 Travel less 6. MAKE 6. • Virtualise interaction to 3.7%

Co-benefits: Reduced plastic MOBILITY consumption • Slash consumption of fast fashion pollution, less discharge of • Improve textiles cycling chemical pollutants, lower Reduction of material water consumption. 6.3 Design for the • Promote lightweight vehicle design footprint by 6.6%, decrease to 253.1 million tonnes. 2.3 Ramp up • Increase recycling of industrial paper and future of circular • Design for repair and follow predictive recycling plastic waste mobility maintenance Co-benefits: Reduced GHG emissions, improved air quality, greater access to • Focus on extending vehicle lives 6.4 Cycle better and mobility through improved • Cycle automotive batteries sharing and public transport 3.1 Make agricultural extract fewer • Use agricultural waste for livestock fodder, systems. production Circularity rises from 3.5% raw materials • Increase the use of cycled materials in and use livestock manure as fertiliser circular to 4%. vehicle production

3.2 Shift towards Reduction of material footprint 6.5 Make mobility • Phase out fossil-based engines and • Decrease consumption of animal protein CIRCULAR plant-based diets by 12.3%, decrease to 237.6 emissions-free electrify transport

3. STRIVE FOR million tonnes. AGRICULTURE • Eliminate waste throughout the supply chain Co-benefits: Reduced 3.3 Consume less Circularity rises from 3.5% to • Reduce eating beyond caloric needs at the land use resulting in the 9.8%. consumption stage creation of nature reserves, THE POWER OF increased biodiversity, COMBINED INTERVENTIONS Reduction of material footprint by carbon sequestration and 3.4 Valorise organic • Reuse organic waste such as sludge 48.2%, decrease to 140.4 million

water purification. COMBINED 7. tonnes. waste • Energy recovery from waste The table above shows the scenarios, interventions and strategies for the six sectors. It explores the impact on the Circularity Metric and the material footprint of Quebec. 48 50 2021 Report Gap Circularity Our breakdown. climate of impacts worst the prevent to amust savings; emissions gas will huge also deliver greenhouse and manufacturing infrastructure housing, circular to offer. to Moving has Canada best the leverage that solutions circular new innovation encouraging prosper; can sector private services, and goods circular procure to power its leverages government the As soil. our into discharge that chemicals will as stall, will pollution plastic of plague the consumables, conscious prioritising In purification. water and sequestration carbon biodiversity, boost to reserves nature of restoration and renaturation explore to chance the and community the for space public of availability increased see will province the agriculture, and infrastructure circular With society. and economy Quebec’s to bring can economy circular the that co-benefits of arange are There crises. future to resilient and just safe, is that aprovince shape can economy A circular 48.2%. of footprint material the to reduction outstanding an deliver also scenarios The 2-degrees. below well to rise temperature global 17%, limit to of aMetric reaching circularity, globe’s the 2021 Report Gap Circularity global Our in circularity. increase aminor even of potential transformational the note to important it’s 9.8%), to 3.5% (from circularity in increase asmall only entail changes massive the Although processes. resource-efficient and circular toward moving more economy; overhaul its can and wants. Through the scenarios presented, Quebec needs Quebec’s across allocated is use resource how circular. more times three nearly becoming while wants and needs societal its fulfil to resources many as half use to economy its transform can Quebec FORWARD WAY THE 5. capital funds that have become available. become have that funds capital the with scale-up and exploration warrants changes these of potential The change. for way the paved also has it disruption, and pain caused has pandemic the Although better. back build really to opportunity An economy. Shift potential a for typical Quebec; emissions-reduction massive the portrays clearly which tonnes, billion ten nearly by emissions cut could alone countries Shift all , for example, found that we only have to double double to have only we that found example, , for This study provides a first approximation of approximation afirst provides study This 118 found that circular interventions across across interventions circular that found

opportunity to become more circular, more to become opportunity excellent the leverage to Quebec for time It’s perspective. aglobal from important extremely is managed and in circular a way sustainable strictly are assets and resources natural these Ensuring goods. manufactured and product, mining forestry, commoditiesof such globally-valuable as energy, exporter akey as role aspecial play can Quebec economy, aglobal of part As abroad. also but home, at only not circularity increase to drive and innovation power, spending government its use to Quebec on is responsibility conditions—there living prosperous by matched levels waste and extraction consumption, economy—high aShift of characteristics typical the all boasts that aprovince As society. Quebec’s in deep embedded is economy linear the of legacy the and circular, 8.6% only is that aworld in operating too. circularity global can increase Quebec and agents, change critical are countries All come. to generations of lives the and climate future our shape will today make governments and subnational national decisions once again. The trajectory apositive on us get will stakeholders multiple from effort agroup Only society. civil and engagement business frommulti-level government, require will recovery agreen of goal the Achieving resource-efficient and resilient. resilient. and resource-efficient We are all all We are

the pace towards circularity. global increase will transfer and learning knowledge Peer-to-peer circularity. toward journeys national country’s other lot from a learn can Quebec and reduction. consumption circularity 3. economy. circular anational for instrumental be also will charge economy circular the leading province as an innovative standing Quebec’s intensively. resource- less more wants and needs societal serve better to capability and capacity boost collectively to academics and NGOs governments, businesses, frontrunning together bring 2 revised. be can which economy circular a toward progress of ameasurement presents also Metric The focused. and actionable be can Progress measurable. and track on thoroughly progress its keep to goals set also must Quebec crucial. are mandates and incentives context, local the to aligned are that pathways Practical areas. focus be can these embedded; is conduct linear economy and of has Quebec’s made clearcomplexity where the demonstrates analysis Our goals. and metrics with 1. GAP CIRCULARITY THREE STEPS TO BRIDGE THE .

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Québec City: Institut de la Statistique du recycling plant hit hard by Chinese ban. CBC News. Québec. Retrieved from: Statistique Québec 106. Carrico, A., & Riemer, M. (2011). Motivating energy Retrieved from: CBC News Website 76. Environment and Climate Change Canada. (2019). Taking conservation in the workplace: An evaluation of the use stock: Reducing food loss and waste in Canada. Retrieved 92. Serebrin, J. (2021, January 5). Quebec manufacturing 63. Brunette, A. (2018, June 16). This is what a recycling crisis of group-level feedback and peer education. Journal from: Government of Canada Website and construction sectors warn against new Covid-19 in Quebec looks like. CBC News. Retrieved from: of Environmental Psychology, 31(1), 1-13. doi:10.1016/j. lockdowns. CTV News. Retrieved from: CTV News CBC News Website 77. Note: Our model does not take a reduction in herd jenvp.2010.11.004 size into account, but instead models the complete 93. Circle Economy. (2021). 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54 The Circularity Gap Report | Quebec 2021 55 110. Hertwich, E., Ali, S., Ciacci, L., Fishman, T., Heeren, N., Masanet, E., Asghari, F., Olivetti, E., Pauliuk, ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS S., Tu, Q., & Wolfram, P. (2019). Material efficiency strategies to reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with buildings, vehicles, and electronics—a Circle Economy and RECYC-QUÉBEC would like to COMMUNICATION review. Environmental Research Letters, 14(4), 043004. thank, authors, contributors and interviewees for Melanie Wijnands (Circle Economy), doi:10.1088/1748-9326/ab0fe3 their contribution to the preparation of this edition Ana Birliga Sutherland (Circle Economy), 111. Lampert, A. (2020, November 16). Quebec to ban sale of of the Circularity Gap Report, Quebec. Authors and Lena Bäunker (Circle Economy) new gasoline-powered cars from 2035. Reuters. Retrieved contributors and interviewees have contributed to the from: Reuters Website report in their individual capacities. Their affiliations DESIGN & LAYOUT 112. Circle Economy. (2021). The Circularity Gap Report 2021. are only mentioned for identification purposes. Nicolas Raspail (Circle Economy), Alexandru Grigoras Retrieved from: CGRi Website (Circle Economy), Inge ter Laak (Circle Economy) LEAD AUTHORS 113. Institut de la Statistique du Québec. (2020.). Produit Laxmi Haigh (Circle Economy), Alex Colloricchio PRINT intérieur brut aux prix de base par industrie, Québec, (Circle Economy), Caspar von Daniels (Circle Economy) This report is printed by Ruparo, Amsterdam 1997-2019. Retrieved from: Statistique Québec Website on recycled paper: 114. CAA Quebec. (n.d.). Communauto: Save up to $40 on CONTRIBUTING AUTHORS Recycstar Nature - 100% Recycled subscription plans. Retrieved from: CAA Quebec Website Ana Birliga Sutherland (Circle Economy), 115. Viviani, M., Caron, E., & Létourneau, A. (2007, February Anna Heidtmann (Circle Economy), Matthew Fraser Version 1.1 (June 2021)

19). First study on car-sharing in Québec: CO2 emissions (Circle Economy), Marc de Wit(Circle Economy), This work is licensed under a Creative Commons reduced by 168 000 tons per year thanks to car-sharing Nanna Morgenroth (Circle Economy), Etienne Angers Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License [Press release]. Retrieved from: Communauto Web (RECYC-QUÉBEC) Archive

116. Rompre, S. (2019, May 31). Most of electric cars’ batteries CONTRIBUTORS will be recycled, Quebec consortium promises. CTV News. Benoit Delage (Regroupement National des Conseils Retrieved from: CTV News Website Régionaux de L’environnement du Québec (RNCREQ), 117. Lithion. (n.d.). Finally, a powerful and sustainable Brigitte Geoffroy (RECYC-QUÉBEC), Catherine solution for lithium-ion battery recycling. Retrieved Chamberland (Lion Électrique), Claude Maheux- from: Lithion Website Picard (Centre de Transfert Technologique en Écologie Industrielle (CTTÉI), Daniel Normandin (Centre D’études 118. Circle Economy. (2021). The Circularity Gap Report 2021. Retrieved from: CGRi Website et de Recherches Intersectorielles en Économie Circulaire (CERIEC), Dimitri Tsingakis (Conseil Patronal de L’environnement du Québec (CPEQ), Élodie Prian (Ministère de l’Environnement et de la Lutte contre les Changements Climatiques (MELCC), Gabriel Arguin (Cascades Canada ULC), Hélène Gervais (RECYC-QUÉBEC) Hélène Lauzon (CPEQ), Isabelle Moïse (RECYC-QUÉBEC), Laura Cicciarelli (Chantier de l’Économie Sociale), Léa St-Pierre (MELCC), Lise Grenier (Ministère de l’Économie et de l’Innovation), Marie- Hélène Côté (Ministère de l’Énergie et des Ressources Naturelles), Maude Ste-Onge (RNCREQ), Natacha Beauchesne (Ville de Montréal), Sophie Langlois-Blouin (RECYC-QUÉBEC)

SCIENTIFIC ADVISORY BOARD François Saunier (Centre international de référence sur le cycle de vie des produits, procédés et services), Jean-François Rioux (Institut de la statistique du Québec), Johanne Whitmore (Chaire de gestion du secteur de l’énergie, HEC Montréal), Sophie Brehain (Institut de la statistique du Québec).

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