From October 20 to 26, 2025, Quebec will celebrate the 25th edition of the Québec Waste Reduction Week (Semaine québécoise de réduction des déchets – SQRD) — a key annual event inviting everyone to rethink their habits and take meaningful action for the environment.
This awareness week is part of Canada’s Circular Economy Month, which promotes practical solutions to reduce waste at the source and make better use of resources.
The third week of October, dedicated nationwide to waste reduction, encourages the transition toward a circular economy — where nothing is wasted, and everything is transformed.
The SQRD website offers a variety of useful resources: educational articles, simple tips to shrink your ecological footprint, and even an eco-friendly Halloween guide — perfect for celebrating sustainably.
Reducing means acting
Each year, Quebec generates 13 million tonnes of residual materials — the equivalent of one 25-ton truck every minute. Of that total, 5.4 million tonnes still end up in landfills or incineration sites.
These numbers highlight an urgent reality: our consumption habits directly impact the planet. Reducing waste at the source remains one of the most effective ways to preserve natural resources and limit environmental damage.
By repairing, reusing, recycling, and rethinking our consumption, we can all help build a healthier and more equitable future for generations to come.
The SNJM Commitment
The Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary (SNJM) have long put the 5R principles — Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Recover — into practice in their daily lives, as part of their ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship and social responsibility.