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Our Story

Compost Winnipeg traces its origins to 2014, when Green Action Centre began exploring the possibility of starting its own social enterprise with the goal of raising revenue for its programming, while at the same time furthering its mandate to reduce waste and address climate change. During this exploration stage, organic waste collection emerged as the business model with the highest potential to serve both of these goals and to address the following local realities:

  • A very high portion of organic waste was ending up in Winnipeg landfills relative to most other cities in North America. Organic waste diversion simply wasn’t occurring at any significant scale, leading to significant greenhouse gas emissions as organic waste rotted in the landfill, producing methane.
  • Winnipeg residents and businesses had limited access to services for organic waste collection and composting. Although other services existed, their uptake was limited in the community and the organic waste diversion sector lacked a central voice in Winnipeg.

Seeing the opportunity to provide a much-needed service, generate revenue for Green Action Centre while preventing waste and greenhouse gas emissions, Compost Winnipeg was launched in 2016. Since then, the service has grown from a single pickup truck for collection to a 5 truck fleet serving most areas of the city and diverting over 70 000 kgs of organic waste from the landfill every month! While growing the operation, Compost Winnipeg has been able to increase its monthly contributions to Green Action Centre programming every single year. In order to further it’s goal of 100% organic waste diversion from the landfill Compost Winnipeg is planning to continually expand its service, bringing more residents and businesses into an exciting new era of organic waste management!  

green-action

Operating since 1985, Green Action Centre promotes greener living through environmental education and encouraging practical green solutions for homeowners, workplaces, schools and communities.

OUR GOALS

1

Provide an affordable, convenient organics collection service with an outstanding client experience.


2

Educate the public, promoting a cultural shift toward 100% organic waste diversion.


3

Expand our operations to prevent more emissions while increasing contributions to the work of Green Action Centre.

Compost

OUR IMPACT

Since 2016

Over 4,106,000kg of organic waste has been diverted from the landfill.

That’s equal to…

3,695,400 Kg

CO2e Emissions Prevented


61,104

Saplings Grown for 10 Years


1,574,054 L

Gasoline Saved

Leaf

OUR TEAM

Meet the team that hustles every day to provide an outstanding client experience. With a diverse range of backgrounds, our staff works together as a cohesive, supportive team to overcome the daily challenges of organic waste collection. 

  • AMANDA WOLFE

    General Manager

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    AMANDA WOLFE

    Amanda has a wide range of experience leading environmental projects, from water treatment to waste reduction to public engagement.  She has a degree in applied science from the University of British Columbia and is a registered Professional Engineer.  She moved from Vancouver to Winnipeg in 2006, and was quickly won over by the friendly people and sense of community.

    Amanda has a strong belief in environmental and social sustainability, which led her to Compost Winnipeg.  She is excited about the opportunities ahead for Compost Winnipeg, as the value of social enterprises and social equity gain recognition, and the diversion of organic material from the landfill increases in importance.  

    Outside of work, Amanda enjoys spending time with her partner and kids, reading, biking, walking, and listening to podcasts.

  • KARRIE

    KARRIE BLACKBURN

    Sales & Customer Service Lead

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    KARRIE BLACKBURN

    Along with 10,000 other Winnipeggers, Karrie attended the Climate Strike in September 2019. The spectacle of supporters for #FridaysForFuture was inspiring but didn’t feel like enough. Karrie began looking at her own life habits to take immediate and deliberate action to fight climate change. Composting was the most impactful choice. Karrie, being a firm believer in leading by example, took it a step further and joined the crew of like-minded, action-taking, passionate beings at Compost Winnipeg as a courier and advocate. Since joining the team in November 2019, her zeal and drive for change continues to grow and inspire. You may also recognize Karrie as the Hoopist & founder of Kurrent Motion Hoops and former president of the Winnipeg Circus Club.

  • John

    JOHN JOWETT

    Operations Supervisor

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    JOHN JOWETT

    After eight years working for his family business, Country Meat and Sausage in Blumenort, Manitoba John brings a wealth of experience to ensure smooth daily operations at Compost Winnipeg. He puts this experience to work every day helping Compost Winnipeg maintain a functional, efficient work-space and compost collection fleet. Growing up rurally on a farm, John has a first-hand appreciation for the importance of composting and proper organic waste management. He is excited to be working for an organization that has such a substantial positive impact on our emissions. Outside of work John spends his time cycling, hiking, and gaming.

  • TRACY

    TRACY THOMAS

    Administrative/Accounts Assistant

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    TRACY THOMAS

    Tracy moved back to her hometown, Winnipeg, after spending the last 20 years in Edmonton, AB. For 18 of those years, she filled a variety of roles in a non-profit organization. She is an avid composter and loves to garden. Tracy is excited to work with the Compost Winnipeg team to help reduce waste in Winnipeg. 

  • Ty

    TYRELL BENTON

    Compost Courier

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    TYRELL BENTON

    Tyrell passionately invests his time in all things natural and traditional, from indigenous ceremony and organic / probiotic gardening to nature walks and regenerating the environment. While regularly increasing awareness and providing education regarding many of our ecological issues including water quality, soil degradation, commercial farming, and species diversity, he is highly enthusiastic about joining the Compost Winnipeg team to create yet more local beneficial change.

  • ALYSSA WOLFE

    Compost Courier/Admin Assistant

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    ALYSSA WOLFE

    Alyssa has spent the past decade working in the food industry and is a recent graduate of the Niagara College food science and technology program. Her passions lie in sustainability and community involvement, which is what encouraged her to join Compost Winnipeg. She sets her intentions on cultivating a positive environment for all living things in and out of her life. One day Alyssa hopes to run an organic farm and continue sustainable practices like composting and living a minimalistic lifestyle.

  • GARRETT LEBLANC

    Compost Courier

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    GARRETT LEBLANC

    Growing up in St. Boniface, Garrett spent a lot of time outdoors around his neighbourhood and along the monkey trails off the Red and Seine Rivers. He has taken those experiences and has widened those outdoor adventures with his partner Dana around Manitoba’s wilderness today. He enjoys long sauna sessions, has sneaky frisbee throwing skills, likes to shoot hoops, and has also been known to dabble in karaoke on the occasion. For self-care, Garrett practices mind-body routines such as Qi Gong and Tai Chi to feel grounded and to develop calm and relaxation within. He has been composting and driving for years now, so bringing the two together became a natural progression. Garrett appreciates being able to make such a direct impact on a daily basis by working at Compost Winnipeg and feels fortunate to be a part of a larger community aligned with his lifestyle choices.

  • ROMAN OKIS

    Compost Courier

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    ROMAN OKIS

    Roman is from Lviv, Ukraine, and moved to Winnipeg in 2003. Since then he has worked many different jobs including construction and foodservice. His passions include foraging for mushrooms, picking berries, and fishing. When Roman isn't at work he is spending his time with his 6-year-old son and his dog Bently. 

  • LILY PULLIAM

    Compost Courier

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    LILY PULLIAM

    Lily is a newcomer to Canada, but a longtime visitor to Winnipeg. Her journey to living a more zero-waste lifestyle has started small, but the organization's commitment to organic waste accessibility has inspired her to make lifestyle changes for the better. Lily enjoys swimming, drawing, gaming, and spending quality time with her wife and cat, Slurpee.

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