Niagara Sustainability x Sport Series

Sustainability x Sport Series: From Words to Action

In collaboration with the presenting sponsor, GFL, this virtual conference will build off previous Series themes that explored the link and importance between sustainability and sport. Now, as a collective, we delve further into applying the three pillars of social, environment and economic sustainability into operational planning, organizational structures and delivery of major events. This Series will empower individuals and companies to become leaders in sustainable development from grassroots to international levels.

Date: Friday March 25th, 2022

Time: 10:00 AM EST - 12:00 PM EST

Location: Virtual!

Interactive Panel with Host Crystal Rabley, Dr. Jonathan Casper, Emily McIntosh and Shanna Killen

Integrating the three pillars of sustainability into organizational structures, event delivery, and community legacies

Breakout Session #1 with Al Unwin

Mainstreaming Biodiversity – How nature based solutions can be integrated into sport and event management

Session Overview:

Provide the historical context of global biodiversity targets – the UN Decade of Ecosystem Restoration and the Global Biodiversity Outlook
Discussion on the necessity to shift from Sustainable Development to Regenerative Development and how this can be accomplished
Discussion on how this topic connects to the climate crisis we are facing and how it can be positioned to benefit host communities
Discussion on how mainstreaming biodiversity can be integrated in terms of community involvement and monitoring as a legacy initiative for future Canada Games and major sporting events

Breakout Session #2 with Laura McAlpine

The Impacts and Benefits of Waste Audits

What is a waste audit? This session will further explain the impacts, benefits and steps to waste audits, as well as providing key information and resources for individuals and organizations.

Session Overview:

Cover details surrounding audits for municipal sector (homeowners) and businesses
Provide an overview detailing waste audit steps
Cover details for homeowners on how to conduct home audits
Provide details for business owners/operators on what they need to do to get started
Applying waste audit results into making better purchasing decisions
Help identify the materials in the waste stream and suggest substitutes for reducing waste
Provide input and opportunities for diversion and reduction efforts
Provide key resources (municipal links, etc.)

We are going to conduct a mini-audit in real time during the breakout session. Please save your personal or household garbage for 2-3 days leading up to March 25th and we will go through the process of auditing together!

Breakout Session #3 with Andrea Carey & Co-Host Laura McPhie

Social Sustainability – How Inclusion Contributes to Sustainable Development

Through an engaging presentation and workshop, this session will support leaders to consider the role of DEI work in contributing to our local, national and international development approaches.

Session Overview:

Consider how sport can contribute to the social development goals (SDGs)
Consider what diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) mean in organizations and event planning
Consider how DEI is a crucial part of the overarching sustainability conversation

Meet the Speakers

Host

Crystal Rabley

Born and raised in Niagara, Crystal is a leading local voice in sustainability. A proud alumnus of Niagara College, Brock University and Western University, her studies concentrated on environmental management and corporate social responsibility. As the Sustainability Chair of the Niagara 2022 Canada Summer Games, her aim to reduce the overall impact of the Games is focused on three main areas:

1. Energy to power Games facilities

2. Greenhouse gas emissions from Games facilities and athlete and spectator transportation

3. Waste management including the diversion of recyclables and organics

Crystal is a Carbon Specialist with Walker Industries working in its Environmental Division. In her day to day, she supports research and analysis to identify and expand resource recovery opportunities. At the corporate level, she helped develop the company’s climate change adaptation program and provides critical support to help achieve its goal to be a carbon neutral organization. Education and engagement have been central pillars of Crystal’s professional development. She has taught at Niagara College in the Environmental Management and Assessment post-graduate program and was the Delegate Coordinator for Leading Change Canada’s 2018 Forum in Vancouver, BC.

Panel

Dr. Jonathan Casper, Ph.D.

Dr. Casper's research seeks to apply and integrate sport ecology into organizational operations, marketing, and fan engagement. He believes that sport can serve as an informal educational setting (or platform) which may influence sustainable behavior change or alter dispositions related to the natural environment. He has collaborated extensively with collegiate athletic departments/conferences, professional sport teams, and corporate sponsors who wish to implement and evaluate strategic sustainability efforts and has received external funding for sustainability education, evaluation, and engagement. Dr. Casper co-edited “Sport Management and the Natural Environment: Theory and Practice”. He has published in leading peer-reviewed academic journals specific to sport and sustainability and presented his findings at international conferences.

Emily McIntosh

Born and raised in Simcoe County, Emily McIntosh is a passionate advocate for grassroots community development. Emily joined CONTACT Community Services as the Executive Director in 2015. Prior to this role, she served as the Sustainability Manager for the 2015 Canada Winter Games in British Columbia, where she mobilized expertise to identify and support sustainable initiatives for the Games. With a background in International Development in Tanzania and the Kyrgyz Republic, Emily has a diverse history of leveraging stakeholder relations to facilitate meaningful community engagement. This is complimented by her understanding of front-line service delivery acquired working with refugees and newcomers at Legal Aid Alberta and in Foreign Credential Recognition at The Canadian Tourism Human Resource Council in Ottawa.

Emily currently serves as the Vice Chair for the Community Legal Clinic, Simcoe, Haliburton and Kawartha Lakes and, prior to COVID, was an active volunteer for the YMCA of Simcoe Muskoka’s Capital Campaign. When not working, Emily can be found hiking in the woods with her family and investing time into political campaigns during election years.

Shanna Killen

As a Consultant at the Delphi Group, Shanna analyzes market research and conducts industry consultation to develop strategies and policy guidance on sectors ranging from clean technology to green buildings, to the circular economy. Most recently, Shanna has focused her research and strategy development on climate and sport, engaging in projects such as the Climate + Sport Initiative and working with organizations such as the Canada Games Council in developing their 2030 sustainability strategy and implementing best practices in GHG management and tracking at an organizational and event level. Through this work, Shanna is inspired by the immense opportunities and challenges that exist in integrating sustainability planning in sporting events and in sport organizations.

Prior to Delphi, Shanna worked in various roles with BC-based cleantech start-ups and policy think-tanks focused on market research and policy development to inform and advance clean technology development and commercialization. As such, she brings these insights and multi-disciplinary expertise to her work in sustainability and sport. Outside of work Shanna is usually seeking out Type 2 fun through triathlons, trail running, marathon swimming, or indulging in the abundant craft beer and food that Vancouver has to offer.

Host - Breakout Session #1

Mainstreaming Biodiversity – How Nature Based Solutions can be integrated into sport and event management

Al Unwin

Alan worked as an environmental consultant for numerous years both in the fields of Waste Management and Ecological Restoration before joining Niagara College in 1995 as a full-time faculty member. Through this work, Alan has gained extensive international experience in Argentina, Ecuador, India, Sri Lanka, Jordan and Thailand. In September of 2011, Alan became the Associate Dean for the School of Environmental and Horticultural Studies and most recently the Dean of Business, Tourism and Environment. Alan holds and Bachelor of Environmental Studies degree from the University of and a Master of Education degree from the University of Toronto.

In December of 2017 at the 13 th COP of the United Nations Convention for Biological Diversity (UNCBD) in Cancun Mexico, Alan was an invited panelist and presenter as part of the Rio pavilion’s focus on forest and landscape restoration along with other panelists from around the world.

Alan is also the Past Chair of the Society of Ecological Restoration (SER) – a non-profit organization based out of Washington D.C. Alan has twice served as Chair of the organization’s world conferences. In 2001 the conference was held in Niagara Falls, Canada and focused on restoration across borders and was largely a binational effort in collaboration with US EPA’s great lakes office and the International Joint Commission. In 2013, Alan chaired the organization’s 25 th anniversary world conference in Madison Wisconsin which attracted over 1500 attendees from over 60 countries worldwide.

In August of 2015 Alan became Chair of this influential organization – the third Canadian to have ever held this post. Alan was recently invited to join the federal government’s Canadian Delegation in assisting the UNCBD negotiations in the adoption of a global biodiversity framework that will set global targets on numerous biodiversity related fronts. . In December of 2017 at the 13 th COP of the UNCBD, Alan was a panelist and presenter as part of the Rio pavilion’s focus on forest and landscape restoration along with other panelists from around the world. Parties to the Convention (194 signatory countries) during the 13 th COP of the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity adopted a short-term action plan on ecosystem restoration that was focused on achieving a world target of restoring 15% of degraded land globally by the year 2020. This document was co-authored by SER in conjunction with the Secretariat of the UNCBD and the United Nations Convention for Combating Desertification (UNCCD). Alan also serves on the editorial board of the Ecological Restoration Journal – published out of Rutgers University.

Host - Breakout Session #2

The Impacts and Benefits of Waste Audits

Laura McAlpine

Laura McAlpine is the Environmental Manager at GFL Environmental Inc. and has been in this role at GFL for 10 years. She is responsible for overseeing the GFL Environmental Department, which provides sustainability support to GFL’s industrial, commercial, and institutional customers across Canada. She has been involved in numerous sustainability projects, assisting clients with meeting corporate sustainability goals, and setting objectives for them to achieve waste reduction success. Laura has been conducting waste audits since 2006 after gaining a keen interest in the topic of waste management during her time studying at Trent University in Peterborough, Ontario. As an avid sports fan, Laura is very excited to be a part of the sustainability summit, by melding together her love of sports with her love for our natural environment.

Host - Breakout Session #3

Social Sustainability – How Inclusion Contributes to Sustainable Development

Andrea Carey

Andrea Carey is a Canadian Certified Inclusion Professional, holds a Masters of Education in Leadership Studies, is a Certified Executive Coach and is the Chief Inclusion Officer for INclusion INcorporated. Andrea has been working on diversity and inclusion projects at the local, provincial, national and international level for the past 15 years, leading the development of many leading resources, trainings and programs that were co-created with, and developed to support equity deserving groups. She spent ten years on the Board of Directors of the Canadian Paralympic Committee for ten years, and chaired the organization’s Diversity & Inclusion Committee and the Paralympic Pathways Committee. Andrea is currently a Board Director with KidSport Victoria.