A&WMA Ottawa Valley Chapter - Fall Webinar Series

Ottawa Valley Chapter is proud to present our Fall Lunchtime Webinar series taking place October 14, 21, & 28, 2021 from Noon-1:30 p.m. EDT each day. We have invited expert speakers to provide insights on various topics this year including Transportation in a Net-zero Future, Environmental Emergency Management, and Climate Change Solutions from Agriculture.

Registration is now OPEN!

Reserve your ticket for all 3 Days HERE

For individual sessions, reserve your ticket HERE

Admission Prices

Members: 1 Day—$10 | All 3 Days—$25

Non-Members 1 Day—$15 | All 3 Days - $40

Panelist Presentation Abstracts and Biographies

Transportation in a Net-Zero Future

October 14, 2021

Air Quality and Climate Impacts of Transforming Transportation under a Changing Climate

The transportation sector is a major contributor to greenhouse gases that cause climate change, and air pollutants that harm human health. Roadways and vehicles must both mitigate emissions and adapt to the increasing pressures of the climate crisis. This talk reviews recent research by Dr. Saari and colleagues to evaluate the atmospheric impacts and implications for transportation and associated infrastructure under a changing climate. The costs and air quality co-benefits of broad national carbon pricing in transportation are presented. Cross-border damages from climate change and air pollution are evaluated for subnational incentives for green on-road freight and green freight corridors. Life-cycle greenhouse gas emissions mitigation associated with the pavement life cycle in Ontario are quantified. Resilience of Canada’s highways to increased flooding under climate change is explored, revealing potential tradeoffs between adaptation and mitigation. These studies inform the sustainable management of the roads and vehicles we use in a carbon-constrained, climate-driven world.

Rebecca Saari, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Waterloo

Dr. Rebecca Saari is an Assistant Professor in Civil and Environmental Engineering at U. Waterloo. She is an internationally recognized expert in quantifying atmospheric impacts of climate change and climate policy. Her analysis of air quality-related impacts of climate policy has been requested by White House staff, cited by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) administrator in the press, and used to support climate legislation in federal court. She has over 15 years of post-graduate experience in professional engineering in consulting, federal government, and academia. She received the best dissertation award for her Ph.D. in Social and Engineering Systems at MIT. She completed an MASc in Mechanical and Environmental Engineering and BASc in Engineering Science at the University of Toronto.

What’s driving the Zero Emission Bus?

The race to electric transit is on. Communities across Canada are looking to transition their transit fleets to zero-emission technologies. With desires to make communities cleaner and greener, and to come back better post-Covid, the goal is a noble one. However; the transition to zero emission buses is more complicated than just purchasing buses and running them. The switch to ZEB requires a systematic and holistic approach to ensure success is achieved from the onset. During this session, learn about some of the challenges and solutions to ZEB adoption.

Sasha Pejcic

Managing Principal, Transit Advisory Lead, Stantec

Sasha Pejcic is Principal and lead of Stantec’s Global Bus and Transit Advisory practices. As a management consultant, Sasha helps transit agencies rationalize their services to grow ridership, improve customer satisfaction, and maximize cost efficiencies. Over the past two years, Sasha has led nearly 30 zero emission bus projects helping transit agencies planning their successful transitions in Canada, the US and New Zealand.

A demonstrated leader in transit, Sasha is an alumnus of ENO’s transit leadership program. He proudly serves as a Director of the Board for the Ontario Public Transit Association and is an appointed member of the Zero Emission Bus Task Force for the California Transit Association. A testament to his dedication for the industry, Sasha was named one of Mass Transit’s Top 40 Under 40 in 2018.

Environmental Emergency Management

October 21, 2021

The title is coming soon.

Dr. Tom Spicer

Professor, Chemical Engineering, University of Arkansas

Dr. Tom Spicer is Professor in Chemical Engineering at the University of Arkansas. He is a member of the AIChE Safety and Chemical Engineering Education (SAChE) Committee, the AIChE Education and Accreditation Committee, and is a Fellow of AIChE. As Director of the Chemical Hazards Research Center, Tom’s primary research interests are in the assessment of hazards from airborne contaminants, particularly those that are denser than air. Tom was a member of the Scientific Advisory Group that provided guidance to the Jack Rabbit II Test Program by leading the group tasked with releasing up to 10 tons of chlorine in a controlled manner to mimic a sudden vessel breach. Tom has directed an effort to characterize the reactivity of chlorine with atmospheric materials for use in atmospheric dispersion models.

Planning Environmental Emergency Response

This presentation will focus on why industries and organizations should plan for environmental emergencies and use various strategies to protect human health and the environment. Tools and strategies such as the Incident Command System (ICS) and E2 Plans should be part of a integrated program to prevent, prepare, respond and restore when emergencies occur. Examples of integrated risk reduction strategies used in industry along with some recent case studies will be presented.

Dylan Hemmings, M.Sc., P. Geo (ltd)

Vice President, Environmental Services, Stantec

Dylan Hemmings is a Vice President at Stantec Consulting with over 17 years of experience working on complex environmental site assessment and remediation projects including emergency response. He’s managed over 310 projects in Ontario, Alberta, Quebec, and Nunavut and has facilitated workshops and training courses on emergency response, quality assurance quality control, environmental regulations and environmental assessments. Dylan is also leading the multi-disciplinary climate change consulting practice in Canada providing climate risk and vulnerability assessments, ESG, mitigation and adaptation planning to help clients meet their objectives and understand how the future climate may impact assets, infrastructure and systems.

Climate Change Solutions from Agriculture

October 28, 2021

Scaling Natural Climate Solutions in Agriculture: A Review of Canada’s Approach and Pathways Forward

Scaling natural climate solutions adoption in agriculture is increasingly being pursued as a pathway to achieve net-zero targets. In my presentation I provide an overview of the actors and governance approaches that influence the adoption of natural climate solutions in Canadian agriculture. A deeper understanding of the present situation can help inform emerging actors and tools to effectively build upon existing activities and better position Canada to realize its potential in scaling natural climate solutions.

Lisa Ashton, M.Sc.

PhD Candidate, Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Guelph

Lisa Ashton is driven by identifying ways to align and integrate environmental, economic, and societal goals. Her current PhD research is focused on this by exploring how agriculture can be a source for solutions to climate change, while producing enough food for a growing global population. Complementary to Lisa’s academic research, she has also contributed to a range of collaborative projects that focus on building sustainable agri-food systems. These projects include identifying the enabling conditions to enhance natural climate solutions in the agriculture sector, developing a framework for nutrition-sensitive agriculture, and evaluating the policy landscape for bioplastic waste management.

Her academic training began with an Honours B.Sc.Soc. in International Development with a minor in Political Science from the University of Ottawa, Canada followed by obtaining an M.Sc. in Global Change: Ecosystem Science and Policy from University College Dublin, Ireland, and Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany. Lisa is currently a PhD Candidate in the Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics at the University of Guelph.

Agriculture carbon credit opportunities in the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS) Program

Recently, there has been renewed interest in carbon credits from sustainable agriculture practices, especially soil organic carbon removals. This presentation will cover opportunities to generate agriculture carbon credits within the VCS Program, focusing on the Methodology for Improved Agriculture Land Management.

Stefan Jirka

Manager, Agriculture Innovations, Verra

Stefan Jirka works on Nature-Based Solutions at Verra, exploring opportunities to scale up regenerative agriculture within Verra’s programs. He previously supported development of Verra’s LandScale initiative.

Prior to joining Verra, Stefan worked at One Acre Fund promoting agricultural development among East Africa’s smallholders; at Cornell University researching the greenhouse gas benefits of large-scale sustainable land management projects in Ethiopia; at the International Biochar Initiative, an NGO promoting the use of biochar for soil carbon sequestration and agricultural enhancement; and at Blue Moon Fund, a private grantmaking foundation supporting environmental and social sustainability initiatives.

Stefan earned his MS in Environmental Sciences and BS in Biology, both from Cornell University. He conducted his master’s thesis research in Mato Grosso, Brazil, which piqued his interest in the nexus of globalization, rural development, food production and environmental conservation.

Candace Vinke, B.Sc., M.A.

Director, Nature-based Innovations, Verra

Candace Vinke is the Director of Nature-based Innovations at Verra, where she is responsible for identifying and conceptualizing new standards, tools, and programs supporting nature-based solutions (NBS). She has an extensive and diverse background in environmental markets, sustainability, poverty and inequality. Before joining Verra, Candace was the Sustainable Development Director at Viresco Solutions, where she advised governments and corporations on emissions management strategies. Candace holds a Master of Arts from the University of Victoria and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Calgary in geography.

4R Climate Smart Protocol

This presentation will provide an overview of the process and implementation of the 4R Climate Smart protocol on Canadian cropland and will discuss the current opportunities and challenges associated with the protocol at a provincial and federal level. The presentation will discuss the scientific, regulatory and global opportunities for the protocol, as well as the challenges, opportunities and barriers to implement the protocol at a field level.

McKenzie Smith, M.Sc.

Director of Stewardship & Regulatory Affairs at Fertilizer Canada

McKenzie Smith is Director of Stewardship & Regulatory Affairs at Fertilizer Canada where she is responsible for the development of policy and programs related sustainable nutrient management and environmental stewardship.

In this role, McKenzie works to promote and advance the 4R Nutrient Stewardship program which allows our industry to demonstrate its commitment to sustainable nutrient management. Specifically, she directs the development and expansion of Fertilizer Canada’s 4R Designation and 4R Certification programs and provides leadership on a number of files including the 4R Research Network and Fertilizer Use Survey. McKenzie continues to build upon key national and regional partnerships to ensure an increase in the awareness and adoption of 4R Nutrient Stewardship by Canadian growers and sustainability platforms.

Additionally, McKenzie provides technical assistance and advocacy support on environmental regulations related to greenhouse gas or air pollutants. This work helps shape polices that allow our member’s to demonstrate good environmental performance while maintaining competitiveness in a global market.