Promoting Harmonization and Regulatory Effectiveness

In 2016, the Government of Ontario created the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), the regulator mandated to enforce the province’s circular economy laws. 

RPRA has a unique mandate and enforcement powers, and as Ontario’s resource recovery programs mature. 

RPRA’s Registrar, Mary Cummins, leads RPRA’s compliance and enforcement function, including overseeing inspections, prosecutions, compliance orders, administrative penalties, and offence provisions under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act and associated regulations, including the Blue Box Regulation. She is also accountable for the Registry IT system which is used to receive and store information related to resource recovery and waste reduction activities, which includes verification of recovery data and public reporting. Her team also is responsible for supporting regulated entities with their reporting requirements for the Hazardous Waste Program and Excess Soil Program. 

As Chief Executive Officer of Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA), Ed Gugenheimer draws on his nearly thirty years of experience in executive leadership, fiscal governance, and operational expertise to shape Alberta’s waste management future. 

In his role, Ed has been instrumental in advancing the organization’s mission and long-term impact. Under his leadership, ARMA adopted its forward-looking vision, Inspiring a Future Without Waste. Thanks to his expertise in financial management, risk oversight, and building strong organizational cultures, ARMA continues to advance government and industry policy and approaches in sustainability and recycling. 

ARMA’s work, guided by Ed’s leadership, demonstrates his ingenuity and commitment to delivering results for Alberta. Most notably, Ed oversaw the successful launch of Alberta’s Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) system—an innovative program that shifts the responsibility for recycling from municipalities to producers. Ed has also led the expansion of electronics recycling to more than 500 devices and was recently selected by the Government of Alberta to steward North America’s first renewables recycling program, including EV batteries and wind turbine electrical components. 

Looking ahead, Ed is keen to build on ARMA’s 33-year legacy through innovation and a shared perseverance to secure Alberta’s position as a global leader in the circular economy. 

Ed is a Chartered Professional Accountant with strong financial acumen and a history of supporting organizations across diverse sectors. Outside work, Ed enjoys time at the lake and is actively involved in leadership, stewardship, and community development through volunteer work. He lives in Edmonton with his wife, Leanne, and their son, Addison. 

RPRA’s Director of Programs and Stakeholder Relations, Cameron Parrack, is responsible for the development and implementation of RPRA’s stakeholder engagement strategies and tactics. Cameron has been supporting the development of Canadian EPR programs for over 10 years, working in various roles including as an industry advocate, producer, and now with Ontario’s circular economy regulator. 

Alanna McPhee is the Executive Director of EPR Oversight at Divert NS. A member of the leadership team, she oversees the new oversight division responsible for administering the Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging, Paper Products and Packaging-Like Products (EPR for PPP) Regulations. Alanna graduated from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Environmental Science (Honours). She has spent her entire 28-year career working in Nova Scotia’s innovative waste management industry. Outside of work, Alanna enjoys many outdoor and sport-related hobbies with her husband and two teenagers.