Financing the Circular Economy: Emerging trends and opportunities for Canada

This public webinar, hosted by Circular Economy Leadership Canada and United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI) on December 5th, 2024, explored to learn more about the latest trends in circular finance, the current landscape in Canada, and how circular finance can support broader sustainable finance and ESG priorities.

The circular economy offers a major opportunity for the financial sector to deliver on climate commitments and other environmental and social objectives, while benefiting from sources of new investment and long-term value creation.

To date, sustainable finance efforts in Canada have not included much focus on the circular economy; however, a recent initiative led by Circular Economy Leadership Canada (CELC) and UNEP Finance Initiative helps close that gap, providing a Guidance Document for Canadian financial institutions with respect to categorizing circular economy activities and financing opportunities, while establishing a foundation which could eventually be integrated into the broader Canadian sustainable finance framework.