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 7 truck fleet serving most areas of the city and diverting over 120,000 kgs of organic waste from the landfill every month! While growing the operation, Compost Winnipeg has been able to increase its monthly contributions to the Green Action Centre programs. In order to further its goal of 100% organic waste diversion from the landfill Compost Winnipeg plans continually expand its service, bringing more residents and businesses into an exciting new era of organic waste management!

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.

OUR IMPACT

Since 2016

Over 4,906,000kg of organic waste has been diverted from the landfill.

That’s equal to…

4,415,400 Kg

CO2e Emissions Prevented

73,009

Saplings Grown for 10 Years

1,880,736 L

Gasoline Saved

Our food store teams have received valuable compost education and logistical advice. Compost Winnipeg has been very adaptable to the needs of our food stores, in addition to being very professional and assisting us with the scheduling of pick-ups. Their team offers a high level of customer service and timely communication. Essential to our environmental governance reporting, they provide weekly reports on waste diversion and impact measurements.

RED RIVER COOP, KELLY ROMAS, DIRECTOR OF MARKETING

University of Winnipeg is extremely proud of our partnership with Compost Winnipeg. It is our belief that any organization or business looking to start an organic waste management program would be well-served and satisfied by what Compost Winnipeg offers our community.

UNIVERSITY OF WINNIPEG, JOSEPH WASYLYCIA-LEIS, CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY COORDINATOR

Compost Winnipeg has been integral to ACU improving our waste management practices, increasing our organics diversion from the landfill and reducing our corporate greenhouse gas emissions. The support and tools they provide to get our branches and offices set up for composting are clear and make the process easy for everyone involved. The Compost Winnipeg team responds to inquiries quickly and their customer service is exceptional. I would recommend Compost Winnipeg to any business or homeowner that cares about the environment and wants to divert organic materials from our stressed landfills.

ASSINIBOINE CREDIT UNION, DENNIS CUNNINGHAM, SUSTAINABILITY SPECIALIST

Being able to rely on the timely and efficient organic waste pick-up services from Compost Winnipeg makes it easy for us to practice sustainability and choose green solutions when it comes to waste removal. We strongly recommend Compost Winnipeg to other businesses and organizations looking to make green choices and reduce their environmental impact.

THE BEER CAN, JENNA KHAN, DIRECTOR

The Compost Winnipeg team have been working with the University of Manitoba picking up organic waste for many years, having worked directly with the Office of Sustainability since May of 2019. As the person overseeing the organics program at the University of Manitoba, I can say that Compost Winnipeg has been influential in getting the program off the ground and to where it is today. They have always been great at communicating and service has gone on with no hiccups. They are adaptable, open to change and always willing to go the extra mile. I feel confident in recommending Compost Winnipeg and encourage you to work with this great group of people.

UNIVERSITY OF MANITOBA, KALE KOSTICK, PROJECTS COORDINATOR

The Manitoba Trucking Association is pleased with the organic waste pickup services provided by Compost Winnipeg, who have been servicing our offices since February 2019. By collecting organic compostable waste from our staff room, they help us better manage our solid waste footprint and contribute to a more environmentally sustainable economy. Their service people are courteous, respectful, and regularly attend to our organic waste pick-up.

MANITOBA TRUCKING ASSOCIATION, TERRY SHAW, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

We have been extremely happy with the service we receive, all of our contact with you, and all of our pickups. We understand that it has been challenging making changes amid COVID-19. Thanks for keeping connected with us!

MELISSA G.

The Manitoba film industry has been relying on the services of Compost Winnipeg for the last few years. As our industry strives to embrace more sustainable practices, Compost Winnipeg has been instrumental in helping us achieve those goals. Compost Winnipeg has provided excellent service, even as our demands get larger, more complicated, and can often change on a day-to-day basis. We sincerely appreciate their flexibility when it comes to adapting to our demanding way of working. Their staff is always friendly, and they respond to last-minute requests quickly. I strongly recommend them to any individual or company considering compost pick-up.

“THE PORTER” TV SERIES, PHOEBE CHARD, ASSISTANT LOCATION MANAGER

Our annual showcase was made complete with Compost Winnipeg’s service! Not only were we able to divert food waste and packaging from our bake sale but also the paper raffle tickets at the end of our event. Compost Winnipeg’s timely delivery and reliable collection makes it an obvious choice to use their service again in the future.

WINNIPEG CIRCUS CLUB, PRESIDENT & EVENT COORDINATOR

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 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.
JOEL FRIESEN

Operations Supervisor

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JOEL FRIESEN
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.
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.
CODY FINLEY

Maintenance Lead

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CODY FINLEY
MANISHA NETHETI

Office Coordinator

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MANISHA NETHETI
Manisha is a former IT professional with experience in testing and using a variety of software applications and possesses a bachelor's degree in Electronics and communication engineering from Andhra University, India.
After moving to Winnipeg in 2021, her fascination to blend with the culture has led her to Compost Winnipeg.
Being a nature lover, Manisha emphasizes that mother earth and all its resources be protected and retained, for the generations to come and strongly believes that being a part of Compost Winnipeg makes it possible to contribute her part and also learn more ways to protect the environment. Manisha is excited about her new journey with a social enterprise which gives her a great sense of satisfaction.
Manisha spends personal time with her husband, child, and friends, shopping, watching movies, painting, jewelry making, and exploring the city.
MAX HRYTSENKO

Compost Courier

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MAX HRYTSENKO
OLEG GRYTSENKO

Compost Courier

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OLEG GRYTSENKO

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