ANNUAL REPORT 2025 2026 w w w.s ar c s ar can.ca
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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SARC and SARCAN Recycling operates offices, depots, and processing plants throughout Saskatchewan and employs hundreds of people from various backgrounds across the province.
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We would like to acknowledge that the land on which we operate our business is on Treaty 2, Treaty 4, Treaty 6, and Treaty 10 territory.
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SARC and SARCAN Recycling pay our respects to the many First Nations whose traditional land encompasses these Treaty lands, including the Cree, Saulteaux, Assiniboine, Anishanabek, Dene, and Dakota as well as the traditional Homeland of the Metis people. SARC and SARCAN Recycling are dedicated to working with all Indigenous peoples and Nations in partnerships toward truth and reconciliation.
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The SARC Board of Directors Valerie BuddPritchard
Rosa Smith
South Region Regular Manager Representative
South Region Associate Manager Representative
South Region Regular Board Representative
Moose Jaw Diversified Services
Clare Parker Homes
Weyburn Wor-Kin Shop Corp.
President
Lloyd Montgomery
Vice President
Leanne Kerr
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7
Secretary
Lionel Prefontaine
Treasurer
External Appointment
Wilda Wallace
Donald Salie
North Region Associate Board Representative
North Region Regular Board Representative
Prairie Branches Enterprises Inc.
Battlefords Trade & Education Centre Inc.
Ruth Howes
Dawn Desautels
Marnie WatkinPawelko
North Region Regular Manager Representative
South Region Regular Board Representative
South Region Associate Board Representative
Porcupine Opportunities Program Inc.
Gravelbourg Bon Ami Inc.
Regina Residential Resource Centre
Executive Committe Member North Region Associate Manager Representative Canadian Deafblind Association – SK
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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Contents A Message from SARC’s Board President and Executive Director SARC’s Strategic Plan Member Services HR/LR Consultation Trends Start With Hello Job Board Stats Requests for Facility Planning Inspections on the Rise 2025 - 2026 Education & Training Highlights A Quarter Century of SETI SARC’s Group Programs Highlights SARCAN Recycling Expanding Impact Across Saskatchewan
04 06 08 09 10 11 13 14
The SARCAN Impact
16 17 18 19 20 22 24 25 26 27 28 29
Financial Results
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Many Happy Returns Legislated Container Returns & Recovery Rates Partnership Updates SARCAN Team - Events & Recognition SARCAN Team - Training & Development Facility Enhancements Customer Engagement Connecting with Community Market Research Advertising Campaigns
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
A Message from SARC’s Board President and Executive Director Valerie Budd-Pritchard and Amy McNeil SARC Board President and Executive Director
As we reflect on the 2025 - 2026 fiscal year, we are filled with pride and gratitude for the extraordinary people, partnerships, and accomplishments that continue to strengthen SARC and SARCAN Recycling. This year was defined by growth, innovation, and impact. Together, we advanced our mission of expanding potential by supporting community-based organizations, strengthening communities, creating meaningful employment opportunities, and delivering programs and services that make a lasting difference in the lives of Saskatchewan residents and the environment that surrounds us. At the heart of every achievement are our employees. Across our organization, hundreds of dedicated individuals bring passion, expertise, and commitment to their work every day. Whether supporting, providing leadership and training to non-profit community-based organizations or serving customers in depots and advancing recycling initiatives, our employees continue to demonstrate the values that make our organization strong. Their efforts are reflected not only in the results highlighted throughout this report, but also in the countless positive experiences they create for the people and communities we serve. This year also marked an important milestone as the SARC Board of Directors approved SARC’s 2026 - 2030 Strategic Plan. Developed through an extensive engagement process involving Members, employees, partners, and stakeholders, the plan positions us for the future while remaining grounded in our purpose. The themes of Accessibility and Convenience; Quality Assurance and Standardization; Evolving Systems, Programs, and Structures; and Resiliency and Balance will guide our work as we continue to adapt, innovate, and respond to emerging opportunities and challenges. SARC Members remain the foundation of SARC. Throughout the year, we were pleased to support Members through consulting services, education and training opportunities, workforce development initiatives, facility planning services, and group programs. We also celebrated significant growth in our training and learning initiatives, expanded digital credentialling opportunities, and continued to invest in leadership development across the sector. These efforts help build stronger organizations, more confident leaders, and ultimately better outcomes for the individuals supported by our Members. We are equally proud of the continued success of SARCAN Recycling. Thanks to the dedication of more than 900 employees and the support of Saskatchewan residents, SARCAN achieved another remarkable year of environmental and social impact. More than 509 million beverage containers were returned for recycling, resulting in an overall recovery rate of 83 percent. Beyond beverage containers, our partnerships with organizations such as ProductCare, Call2Recycle, EPRA Saskatchewan, and SK Recycles continued to expand recycling opportunities for residents and reinforce SARCAN’s role as Saskatchewan’s most respected recycling hub.
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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Innovation remained a key focus throughout the year. Investments in facility enhancements, expanded Drop & Go services, new processing technologies, employee training programs, and customer engagement initiatives have strengthened our ability to provide accessible, efficient, and sustainable services. These advancements position us well for future growth while continuing to meet the evolving expectations of customers and stakeholders. None of these accomplishments would be possible without the strong relationships we have built with our many partners. We extend our sincere appreciation to our Member organizations, government partners, industry stewardship organizations, municipalities, community groups, sponsors, donors, customers, and supporters across the province. Your collaboration, trust, and shared commitment to creating stronger communities enable us to achieve outcomes that we could never accomplish alone. As we look ahead, we do so with confidence and optimism. The challenges facing our sector continue to evolve, but so too does our collective ability to respond with creativity, resilience, and determination. We remain committed to strengthening our services, supporting our Members, investing in our people, and pursuing opportunities that advance inclusion, sustainability, community, and environmental well-being. On behalf of the SARC Board of Directors and leadership team, thank you to everyone who contributed to the successes outlined in this report. Together, we continue to demonstrate the power of partnership, the value of meaningful work, and the incredible impact that can be achieved when people come together around a shared purpose. We invite you to read further and celebrate the many accomplishments of the past year. We are proud of what we have achieved together and excited about the opportunities that lie ahead.
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
SARC’s Strategic Plan: 2026 - 2030 In December 2025, the SARC Board of Directors approved its next five-year plan. Over the course of many months leading up to the plan’s adoption, SARC used a variety of systems-thinking approaches and tools. Accompanied by a variety of exploratory, envisioning, and environmental assessment processes, we completed Business Ecosystem Maps. The process of developing these maps encouraged an even greater understanding of the systems, networks, and connections that make up SARC’s Business Ecosystem. The process also assisted in identifying our current organizational strengths and weaknesses and pinpointed gaps in our supply chains and ability to deliver products and services. Further, the business ecosystem mapping process helped our teams assess organizational risk, growth opportunities, and resilience vulnerabilities.
SARC’s 2026 - 2030 Strategic Plan Has Four Key Themes: Accessibility and Convenience Quality Assurance and Standardization Evolving Systems, Programs, and Structures Resiliency and Balance
SARC’s 2026 - 2030 Strategic Plan reflects 57 strategic priorities that emerged throughout our 12-month engagement process.
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
Accessibility and Convenience
Quality Assurance and Standardization
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Facilities and services must be designed with accessibility at the forefront to ensure that all individuals - regardless of ability - can participate fully and comfortably. This includes creating barrier-free spaces, offering adaptive or supportive services, and providing clear, inclusive communication. Prioritizing customer convenience is equally important, making interactions easy, efficient, and user-friendly through thoughtful layout, streamlined processes, and responsive support. At the same time, recognizing customer preference and choice helps us deliver personalized experiences, offering flexible options that respect individual needs and empower customers to engage in the way that works best for them. Ultimately our goal is to create a welcoming environment where every customer feels valued and supported.
Quality assurance plays a vital role in maintaining consistency and trust, yet its value grows even more when we stretch our understanding beyond traditional checklists and compliance. Instead of viewing quality assurance as a static process, we view it as a dynamic system that actively learns, adapts, and improves the way we do business. Similarly, standardization offers clear benefits - efficiency, predictability, and streamlined workflows. By standardizing what must be consistent while encouraging creativity, experimentation, and continuous refinement in everything else, we can achieve both reliability and innovation. Rethinking quality assurance and standardization in this way allows us to uphold high-quality results while also fostering flexibility, curiosity, and forward-thinking practices.
Evolving our systems, programs, and structures is essential because the needs of the people we serve, the challenges we face, and the opportunities around us are constantly changing. If we remain static, we run the risk of becoming outdated, inefficient, or misaligned with current realities. By continuously assessing and improving how we operate, we can respond Evolving Systems, more effectively to emerging trends as well as support staff and customers with better tools and processes and strengthen our ability to deliver Programs, and Structures meaningful, high-quality service. Evolution is not just about fixing what isn’t working - it’s about anticipating future needs, embracing innovation, and building resilient systems that can grow alongside our communities.
Resiliency and Balance
Finding the right balance between growth and maintaining the status quo is essential for sustainable progress, ensuring that while we pursue new ideas and opportunities, we also preserve the stability and strengths that support our day-to-day operations. Too much change can create uncertainty, while too little can limit innovation and adaptability. Achieving this balance requires a resiliency mindset - one that embraces change with curiosity rather than fear, learns from challenges, and remains steady in the face of transitions. With resilience, we can evolve thoughtfully, building on what already works while confidently stepping into new possibilities.
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
SARC is a provincial association of 100+ nonprofit communitybased organizations, dedicated to supporting people within their community to live life to their full potential. SARC’s Member Services division provides services to nonprofit organizations in the areas of training, consulting, services, and leadership to expand their potential and support the work they do within their communities.
Human Resources/Labour Relations Consultation Trends
66 or 89%
Of Regular and Associate Members received support from SARC’s human resources and labour relations consultation services
6
Members were supported through their collective bargaining process
Common consultation trends for the 2025 - 2026 year included: legislative/collective agreement interpretation, performance management, performance evaluations, grievances, team dynamics, multi-generational teams, progressive discipline, absenteeism, mental health, and HR policy development.
Trending Topics:
Legislative Changes
The Duty to Accommodate
The Government of Saskatchewan announced a number of amendments to The Saskatchewan Employment Act and its accompanying regulations, which came into effect on January 1, 2026. SARC provided guidance to Member organizations in several areas to support compliance, including policy amendments, collective agreement Letters of Understanding (LOUs), and collective bargaining processes.
The 2025 - 2026 year brought an increase in questions and requests related to workplace accommodations. We are seeing and supporting a growing number of accommodation requests involving mental health, family status and childcare obligations, as well as illness and injury. As a result, SARC Members are finding themselves needing to take more creative and flexible approaches to scheduling in order to ensure appropriate coverage and continuity of service delivery while still fulfilling their legal obligations.
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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Start With Hello Job Board Stats The Start With Hello job board, which promotes career opportunities in the disability service sector, has shown continued growth and usage both from a SARC Member and job seeker perspective. Peak job seeker activity on the job board coincided with advertising cycles supported by SARC Board investment and events attended by SARC’s Workforce Development Coordinator.
16,369 Views 82%
149
Job postings were posted by Members (some with multiple openings)
661
Of Member organizations logged into the job board
Applications received
34 Days
Was the average length of a job posting
Thursday - Sunday Saw the highest job seeker traffic
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
Requests for Facility Planning Inspections on the Rise In 2025 - 2026, SARC’s Facility Planner performed 49 inspections for Member organizations for the following:
Purchase/Lease Decision-Making
5
Potential day program buildings
10
Potential group homes
Building Review
6
9
Day program buildings
Group homes
Capital Planning
Accessibility
15
2
Group homes inspected for a building condition assessment
Renovation/Building Projects
2
Inspections to identify and eliminate barriers to accessibility
48
Members received facility planning services from SARC
Renovation projects included a pre-planning inspection
9%
Increase over last year
Over 15,000 kms 25% Travelled to support Members with on-site visits
Increase over last year
Trending Member Questions: • • • •
Building codes, fire codes, and CLSD licensing requirements How to eliminate barriers to accessibility Life safety equipment (fire sprinklers and fire alarm panels) installation and inspection Interior finishes and furniture for group homes
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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2025 - 2026 Education & Training Highlights
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1,550 Total SARC Learning Central training registrations
Out-of-province organizations accessing
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(Increase from 95 from last fiscal)
2,778
Total COMPASS training registrations
Provinces/Territories accessing SARC training
94% Of eligible organizations
participated in COMPASS
Training that Travels! Organizations interested in bringing training to their teams are encouraged to contact SARC Learning Central for more information.
22
Organizations
13
Communities
16,000 kms
Travelled by SARC facilitators
Recognizing Learning Through Digital Credentials SARC introduced its Digital Credentialling Program to recognize and celebrate the achievements of employees in the disability service and nonprofit sectors as well as to highlight the professionalism and commitment of employees toward continuous learning. Credentials showcase the value of the skills and expertise employees bring to their roles. SARC’s credentials are issued as secure, online certificates and badges that are portable and easily shareable. Each credential can be verified, providing a reliable way for employees to demonstrate completed training and applied skills in support of ongoing learning and development. SARC launched the program in two phases throughout 2025 - 2026 and awarded 1,541 digital credentials to learners who completed SARC training programs and courses, including some offered in partnership with third-party organizations. More information about earning digital credentials, and the programs included, is available on the Digital Credentials webpage.
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
Our Online Course Catalogue Continues to Expand! Over the past year, two new courses were added to our online course catalogue. Person-Centred Essentials is now available online in addition to in-person delivery. This course provides practical skills for employees to assist them to implement person-centred approaches for the people the organization serves. This course also serves as a great addition to an organization’s employee and onboarding program. In partnership with Q’STRAINT, SARC also introduced Securement 101: Basic Wheelchair Securement Training for learners in Saskatchewan. This online course offers a comprehensive introduction to wheelchair securement best practices, including how to operate a range of four-point securement systems and safely secure both passengers and their wheelchairs.
New In-Person Board Training Sessions Leading With Purpose: Roles and Responsibilities of the Board is a three-hour in-person session facilitated by SARC’s Training/ Resource Developer, Leadership. This session, geared towards an organization’s executive director and board directors, increases existing knowledge of governance and covers the typical areas of responsibility of policy governance boards. It’s a great way to make sure everyone on the board is on the same page, and we’re excited to have it available now to complement our online governance offerings. Coming later in 2026 will be Building a Strong Board: From Recruitment to Succession. This three-hour, in-person facilitated session will assist board directors and executive directors to plan for board transitions, explore effective and innovative recruitment strategies, and implement best practices for fostering an inclusive board culture.
Evolving to Better Serve You In 2025 - 2026, the Inspired program (person-centred leadership) was repackaged to provide more flexibility and greater accessibility for our Members. Moving away from a multi-module program available through a one-year subscription, the content was restructured into shorter standalone courses that allows organizations to select the content that aligns with their needs. In the coming year, we will be working on a similar restructuring for the ELEVATE program (best practices in board governance). We will continue to review our programs through the lens of making learning more accessible and manageable for our Members.
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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A Quarter Century of SETI Launching in 2000 - 2001, this year marked the 25th year of the Supported Employment Transition Initiative (SETI). The 2025 - 2026 year saw seven projects being funded to support job seekers to prepare for, obtain, or maintain employment. The projects not only met but exceeded the targets that were set for this fiscal year.
7
Funded projects
156
People supported
90
People employed
58%
Employment rate
Over the past year, the Ministry of Immigration and Career Training (ICT) and SARC undertook a review of SETI, and it was determined that it was time to wind down the program and develop a new model for SARC’s supported employment services. As such, SARC is embarking on a new pilot for the 2026 - 2027 year consulting with CBOs, supporting job seekers, and engaging with employers. Over the past quarter century, 50 CBOs received SETI funding to support over 4,000 Saskatchewan citizens who experience disabilities and barriers to employment to become employed – something for which SARC is so incredibly proud. We appreciate our long-term partnership with ICT and look forward to future opportunities to support our Members’ supported employment programs.
Light It Up! For NDEAM
This year marked the fifth year of SARC leading Saskatchewan in the national Light it Up! For NDEAM (National Disability Employment Awareness Month) campaign. This one-night campaign sees buildings, structures, and monuments lit up in purple and blue lights to bring awareness to the benefits of inclusive hiring. Nationally, 160 communities saw 846 locations lit up on the night of October 16, 2025.
We are pleased to report that in Saskatchewan 20 communities joined SARC with 198 locations being lit up in hues of purple and blue. The land of the living skies shone the brightest in all of Canada, as Saskatchewan ranked first with the most locations amongst all provinces and territories!
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
SARC’s Group Program Highlights SARC sponsors various group programs to provide a ‘bulk customer’ advantage for SARC, SARCAN Recycling, and SARC Members related to coverages, terms, and pricing.
Benefits Plan
Employee Assistance Program
Pension Plan
66
37
91
68
71 95
1,887
2,162
5,092
Organizations
Divisions
Employees
Organizations
Divisions
Employees
Organizations Divisions
Individual plan members
$157
Million in assets
Pension Plan Enhancements SARC is committed to reviewing our programs to make sure they meet our Members’ needs, align with industry standards and best practices, and meet our fiduciary responsibilities. With these lenses in mind, SARC made some enhancements to the SARC Group Pension Plan this past fiscal year: 1. Immediate Vesting: All employees are now 100% vested immediately upon joining the plan, rather than waiting two years as previously required for the employer portion. Immediate vesting is the industry standard, as well as the default vesting period in all provinces but three (Saskatchewan, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland & Labrador), as well as all territories and federally regulated plans. The decision to add this enhancement was initiated by SARC to provide greater benefits to all employees to assist in saving for retirement. 2. Eligibility and Contributions: Now employers can have different contribution formulas based on different classes of employees, as long as a minimum 4% matching contribution formula is maintained. Employers also now can have different eligibility periods based on different classes of employees. The current 90-day eligibility rule may be waived or shortened for chosen classes; if no choice is made, the 90-day eligibility period would remain. These changes provide employers the flexibility to increase contributions to reward staff in accordance with their own budgets and in response to the needs of the marketplace to remain competitive in recruiting and retaining employees. 3. Decrease in the Investment Management Fees: Effective November 1, 2025, the plan saw a 5-basis point (0.05%) reduction in the investment management fees (IMFs) for all market-based funds. From a percentage of fees standpoint, this reduction represents anywhere from a 4.50% reduction (Fidelity Global Equity Fund) to a 12.50% reduction (BlackRock U.S. Equity Index Fund). The average reduction was roughly 8.44% on all funds.
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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SARC Insurance Program The SARC Insurance Program is pleased to report another strong year, highlighted by favourable pricing, continued stability, and enhancements that support the long-term sustainability of the program. These results are a direct reflection of consistent underwriting performance, proactive risk management, and the collective strength of participating organizations. Property and Liability Insurance
49
Organizations
The 2026 renewal delivered a strong outcome with a 3% rate decrease achieved through disciplined negotiations and the continued strength of the program. Plan members also continue to benefit from prior enhancements, including the removal of the co-insurance clause for buildings, which simplifies the claims process and reduces the risk of penalties in the event of a loss. As part of ongoing program maintenance, a standard 3% inflationary adjustment has been applied to building values, with a similar increase recommended for contents to help ensure adequate replacement cost coverage. Directors and Officers Liability Insurance
85
Organizations
The Directors & Officers Liability program continues to demonstrate exceptional stability. For 2026, the program was renewed at expiring rates and secured for a new 3-year term (2026 - 2029). At the conclusion of this term, the program will have achieved six consecutive years with no rate increases, a notable result given the historically challenging conditions within the broader Directors & Officers insurance market. This stability provides plan members with predictable pricing and long-term protection for governance-related risks. Cyber Insurance
33
Organizations
Cyber risk remains a rapidly evolving area of concern. For 2025, some participating organizations experienced modest rate increases, while others saw no change to premiums, depending on individual risk profiles and loss history. The program continues to offer critical protection against threats such as data breaches, ransomware, and business interruption. The insurer’s focus on proactive risk management has helped preserve coverage quality and affordability across the Membership.
The 2026 results reinforce the continued strength and competitiveness of the SARC Insurance Program, with plan members benefiting from stable pricing, broad coverage, and long-term consistency across key lines of insurance.
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
SARCAN Recycling, a division of SARC, began in 1988 to collect and recycle beverage containers across Saskatchewan. In partnership with SARC Member organizations, the SARCAN system has expanded over the years to include 73 depots that recycle beverage containers, paint, electronics, batteries, and, recently, flexible plastic packaging, foam packaging, and non-deposit glass bottles and jars. SARCAN works toward a cleaner, greener environment, providing competitive employment opportunities, and building up the wonderful communities in Saskatchewan!
Expanding Impact Across Saskatchewan 2025 - 2026 was another incredible year of new initiatives, strong partnerships, growth, and many happy returns resulting in an astounding impact on our people, our province, and our planet. SARCAN’s team of over 900 employees helped to divert over 44 million lbs of valuable resources from the land, air, and waterways of Saskatchewan communities – all while enhancing processes and advancing the sophistication of the system to make it more convenient, reliable, and sustainable.
SARCAN’s recent investment in a Foam Densification Line - allowing us to process foam materials in-house, significantly lowering GHG emissions and allowing for new employment creation opportunities.
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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Many Happy Returns
9% Increase over last year 1,629,317 Customers served during 2025 - 2026
170,000+ 7.5+% Increase over last year Active accounts
230,000+ 19.8% Increase over last year Transactions
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
Legislated Container Returns & Recovery Rates Record breaking
509,969,822
beverage containers returned by Saskatchewan recyclers
3.1% Increase over 83%
Overall recovery rate
last year
295,604,496
162,014,086
30,019,717
18,869,081
Aluminum and tin cans returned
Plastic bottles returned
Cartons returned
Glass bottles returned
Downstream Market Breakdown Container-to-Container Markets
9.2 million lbs
Of aluminum were shipped to Brea, KY and Russelville, TN where the cans are recycled back into new aluminum cans
9.8 million lbs
Of clear PET and HDPE were shipped to Calgary, AB and Delta, BC where they are flaked, washed, and melted into plastic beads that manufacturers use to create new food-grade plastic containers
1.3 million lbs
Of refillable glass beer bottles were shipped to distributors in Saskatoon, SK and Regina, SK for shipment to breweries for refilling
Container-to-New Product Markets
635,000 lbs
Of coloured PET were shipped to Calgary, AB and Delta, BC to be transformed into new non-food grade plastic products
9.4 million lbs
Of clear glass was shipped to Moose Jaw, SK to be transformed into reflective glass beads for highway paint
2.2 million lbs
Of cartons were shipped to recyclers in South Korea and Japan to be transformed into napkins, boxboard, and more
5.5 million lbs
94,000 lbs
Of coloured glass was shipped to Airdrie, AB to be used as feedstock in the production of fiberglass insulation
Of tin and bi-metal containers were shipped to Regina, SK to be transformed into steel pipe and construction rebar
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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Partnership Updates
We have continued our partnerships with both Call2Recyle & ProductCare Recycling to ensure that SARCAN remains Saskatchewan’s recycling hub for a wide array of recyclable materials, including batteries and household paint.
The 2025 - 2026 fiscal year was the first full year of collection for the SK Recycles partnership.
2025 Household Packaging Awareness Levels:
65%
Non-beverage Glass
44%
Flexible plastic
42%
Foam packaging
Partnership Return Volume Through these partnerships, in addition to legislated containers, SARCAN collected
3,170,117 lbs
1,107,014 lbs
138,944 lbs
1,348,559 lbs
1,306,605 lbs
205,677 lbs
Of electronics on behalf of EPRA Saskatchewan
Of paint on behalf of ProductCare
Of batteries on behalf of Recycle Your Batteries, Canada!
Of non-deposit glass bottles and jars
Of refillable beer bottles
Of flexible plastic packaging
66,961 lbs
Of foam packaging
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
The SARCAN Team - Events & Recognition None of this would be possible without SARCAN’s incredible team of employees. Not only are they the foundation of our organization, they are active members of the communities they serve. Throughout the year, SARCAN hosts events that bring employees together to share knowledge, insights, and experiences, helping shape the future of our organization and enhance the services we provide. These gatherings also give us the opportunity to honour and celebrate the hard work, dedication, and contributions of our team members across the province.
Annual Supervisor Summit SARCAN’s annual Supervisor Summit is a two-day workshop which brings supervisory staff from the entire network together. This Summit aims to harness their experiences at the depots and foster an open discussion about our current operations and where we would like to see our organization grow. At SARCAN’s 2025 Summit, Supervisors contributed to SARCAN’s strategic goals through brainstorming activities and a Hackathon event. Additionally, Supervisors were prompted to reflect on and contribute their thoughts on how our business could use technology more effectively in the future.
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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Employee Recognition Employees who have reached a milestone in their years of service as well as those retiring are invited to a paid day of celebration that features an afternoon program of speeches and presentations, tours of our facilities, a supper, and awards banquet. This past year was the largest group of recipients in SARCAN’s history with 159 employees recognized for their years of service. This included 73 - 5 year recipients who provided tremendous support to SARCAN during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic and are still with our organization. The entire group of Recognition Day recipients last year represented an astounding 1,888 years of excellence!
73
5 year recipients
6
27
25 year recipients
20
10 year recipients
10
15 year recipients
3
30 year recipients
20 year recipients
7
13
35 year recipients
Depot Service Awards
Retirees
Customer Service: Cudworth Grenfell
On top of recognizing how long employees have been with SARCAN, we also recognize the wonderful work our teams do at their depot to provide excellent service to our customers.
Small
Medium
Melfort
La Ronge
Large
X-Large
Cleanliness: Gull Lake Biggar
For each of our depot size categories, awards are given out for Customer Service, Cleanliness, Accuracy, and Depot of the Year.
Small
Medium
Martensville
PA Main
Large
X-Large
Accuracy: Coronach Wakaw Small
Medium
Fort Qu’Appelle
Swift Current
Large
Depot of the Year: Wilkie Indian Head Small
Medium
Warman
Saskatoon North
Large
X-Large
X-Large
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
The SARCAN Team - Training & Development Throughout their careers, SARCAN is committed to providing the training, tools, resources, and support to ensure employees are successful in both their professional and personal lives.
SARCAN’s in-house training platform tailored for supervisory staff
9
Courses available to supervisors through the Inspire platform
102
Courses and webinars completed by supervisory staff last year
In addition to Inspire, SARCAN created Ascend – an advanced leadership development program. Ten individuals in a supervisory position were selected to participate in the first 2-year Ascend Pilot, which wraps up in December 2026. Topics covered through this program include organizational behaviour, difficult conversations, accountability, emotional intelligence, and more.
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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SARCAN’s in-house training platform accessible to all employees
70
Custom built training courses are available in the Aspire catalogue
65
Episodes of “CAN’ned Wisdom” – SARCAN’s informational webinar series
6,505
Online courses and webinars completed by employees last year
Digital Literacy Training As SARCAN enhances and evolves its operations, technology is being incorporated into day-today tasks. To ensure that team members are confident, capable, and successful in their careers, SARCAN has invested in an immersive training experience based on self-identified digital literacy levels, job duties, and interest.
293
Employees participated in the program since its start in 2022
34
Employees participated in the program through 2025 - 2026
Before the training, 53% of learners reported they understood the topics well. Following the training, that percentage grew to
93%
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
Facility Enhancements Relocations In June 2025, the Estevan SARCAN depot was relocated to a newly constructed building, after having resided in the previous location since 1988. The new space is nearly double the size and features more accessibility and advanced equipment to help the team serve the Estevan community more efficiently. Additionally, SARCAN’s Bulk & Audit center was relocated in April 2025 to a newer, bigger facility to manage the continually growing volumes they receive.
Renovations & Expansions Finishing up in September 2025, the Saskatoon East depot received extensive work to update and enhance their facility – new flooring, a larger office and staff room, general repairs, as well as a massively expanded Drop & Go space. This location also was outfitted with Tomra conveyors to help move the materials more efficiently through the facility. An enormous addition was added to Grenfell’s depot in October, greatly expanding the space as their return volumes continue to grow steadily. Through the fall of 2025, the Gravelbourg SARCAN depot was renovated to make accessing the depot much easier as well as a separate entrance for Drop & Go customers. Saskatoon East Depot Grenfell Gravelbourg
RUNI Foam Densification Line One of the most exciting enhancements made throughout the year was investing in a foam densification line at the Saskatoon Processing plant in partnership with SK Recycles. This line condenses foam packaging by a 37-to-1 ratio, allowing SARCAN to significantly reduce our GHG emissions and fuel use when sending this material to downstream markets. Additionally, this densification line leads to employment creation and the potential to expand into commercial foam processing in the future!
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
Customer Engagement Downloadable Resources & Guides SARCAN developed 4 new advanced recycling and sustainability guides, enhancing our suite of free educational resources that features material information sheets (available in 11 languages), multi-use facility recycling station signage, and more. The new additions were created to help support schools, businesses, community groups, and event organizers with their recycling and waste minimization efforts. These resource guides are available on SARCAN’s website and feature in-depth information as well as checklists, activities, and more.
Public Presentation Initiative More development has gone into SARCAN’s Public Presentation Initiative, including the creation of different versions tailored to age ranges of anticipated audiences as well as conducting pilot presentations in several communities around the province. The intent of this initiative is to educate and support residents throughout the province who have limited experience with recycling, barriers to recycling, or aren’t able to visit a SARCAN depot. The reception has been very positive and SARCAN is working through the feedback received to enhance and tailor the presentations further.
Video Display Network Our Video Display Advertising network is now expanded to each depot in the system, allowing us to get important information to customers quickly and efficiently, while offering them fun, educational videos while their containers are being counted. Through the VDA system, we are also able to recognize the SARC Member Organizations that operate a SARCAN depot.
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
Connecting with Community
School and Workplace Bins
For the past few years, SARCAN has offered free recycling bins to Schools, Workplaces, and Event Centres to help enhance their container recycling efforts. Since the initiative began, hundreds of schools and public spaces throughout the province have ordered
2,600+ Bins
Due to the high demand and popularity, SARCAN aims to continue the free bin program throughout this upcoming year.
Community Event Sponsorship SARCAN supported several public festivals this past year to help local events collect containers, preventing them from ending up in the waste stream.
14+
Community events and festivals were sponsored by SARCAN – U17 A Girls Canadian Fastpitch Championships, SK Jazz Fest, Cathedral Village Arts Festival, Regina Pride, Back to Batoche, Big Flat Music Festival, Ness Creek Music Festival, YXE Urban Games, Gateway Music Festival, PBR Rodeo, Nuit Blanche Saskatoon, Winteruption Saskatoon, various community Canada Day celebrations
Saskatchewan’s Biggest Bottle Drive SARCAN collaborates with The Kinsmen TeleMiracle Foundation annually to run ‘Saskatchewan’s Biggest Bottle Drive’ – a social and digital media campaign designed to encourage people all over the province to donate their beverage containers to TeleMiracle using their Drop & Go Group Account. The campaign featured in-depot signage, social media posts, and partnering with a local content creator. This year’s leg of the campaign turned out to be the most successful yet, helping to raise a record donation.
$124,670.00 Raised
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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Market Research SARCAN conducts an annual general public research survey to understand Saskatchewan residents’ recycling awareness, knowledge, attitudes, and behaviours.
99% 92%
90% 70
87% 97%
85
Brand awareness Of residents recycle at SARCAN
Drop & Go awareness Drop & Go customer sastisfaction
Overall customer satisfaction Net PromoterScore™️
Net PromoterScore™️
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
Advertising Campaigns
As a part of SARCAN’s SARCAN is a part of the This campaign paired local SARCAN launched an Career That Counts content creators with first ever collaborative educational video series recruitment initiative, aimed at helping first time advertising campaign by low-return containers and SARCAN produced 6 deposit refund systems in items to raise awareness recyclers discover what, employee video profiles and share the impact of how, when, where, and why Canada, aiming to dispel that share the impact that recycling with a wider myths about recycling to recycle at SARCAN. a career at SARCAN has audience. and share the tremendous had on them. impact on a national and global scale.
Once again, SARCAN rolled out the red carpet in our broad-audience commercial campaign. In addition to the previous 4 Red Carpet commercials, 2 new ads were produced, showcasing the wide range of items you can recycle at SARCAN as well as what those materials are transformed into. The suite of commercials aired during the Milano Olympics CBC TV broadcasts, Corus Entertainment’s Global TV & streaming platforms, Ciniplex movie theatres, and several smaller placements.
The SARCAN News Network was ‘picked up’ for a second 20-video series of comical, yet informative, faux news stories that share tips and tricks for making the most of your next visit to SARCAN. SNN stars our very own SARC and SARCAN employees as the cast of characters. This past year, over 40 team members participated in the series which airs year-round on our VDA systems in the depots, SARCAN’s social media platforms, YouTube, and on SARCAN.ca
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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The SARCAN Impact All of SARCAN’s activities amount to a globally progressive and successful system that has a tremendously beneficial impact on our people, our province, and our planet.
900+
Rewarding, inclusive, green careers for people of all abilities
44 million+ lbs
73 65
Recycling depots in
Of valuable resources diverted from Saskatchewan landfills and waterways, including
20 million+ lbs
Communities throughout the province
Of resources back into circular production cycles
In total, Saskatchewan Recyclers and SARCAN prevented
19,654,505 ft3
of valuable materials from ending up in our land, air, and water. Instead,
44,894,738 lbs
of valuable resources were sent downstream as sustainable feedstock for the manufacturing cycle.
That’s over
20,000
school buses filled with material weighing as much as
37,412
Plains Bison
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Annual Report 2025 - 2026
2025 - 2026 Financial Results SARC SARC’s operations encompass a variety of services and activities in support of the disability service sector. These include Member Association Activity, Education & Training, Consultants (Workforce Development Coordinator, Senior Labour Relations Consultant, and Facility Planner), Projects [Supported Employment Transition Initiative (SETI)] and Administration.
Year Ended March 31 (in $000s):
2026
2025
$3,023
$3,138
Grants - Operations
1,730
1,710
Grants - Projects
471
493
Education & Training
320
295
Other
502
640
$3,176
$3,225
316
412
Education & Training
1,269
1,192
Consultants
532
514
Supported Employment Transition Initiative (SETI)
471
494
Administration
448
473
Amortization
140
140
($153)
($87)
Revenue
Expenses Member Association Activity
Deficiency of Revenue over Expenses
Annual Report 2025 - 2026
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SARCAN SARCAN Recycling is a Division of SARC. SARCAN Recycling’s operations are divided into two main Programs – Legislated, which is the collection and recycling of used beverage containers and is legislated by the Ministry of Environment, and Non-legislated, which includes used paint, end-of-life electronics, household glass, household batteries, flexible plastic packaging, and foam. Legislated Program (Used Beverage Containers) Year Ended March 31 (in $000s):
2026
2025
Revenue
$57,406
$52,441
Expenses
$49,294
$47,810
$8,112
$4,631
# of Legislated Containers Returned
506.66 million
491.3 million
# of Total Containers Returned
509.97 million
494.7 million
Excess of Revenues over Expenses
Non-Legislated Program (Used Paint, End-of-Life Electronics, Household Glass, Household Batteries, Flexible Plastic Packaging, and Foam) Year Ended March 31 (in $000s):
2026
2025
Revenue
$1,591
$1,310
Expenses
$1,471
$1,243
Excess of Revenues over Expenses
$120
$67
5.99 million
5.23 million
LBs of Material Collected
Complete information on the financial position of SARC and SARCAN Recycling can be found in our audited financial statements, available on our website.
CONTACT 111 Cardinal Crescent Saskatoon, SK S7L 6H5 T - 306-933-0616 F. (306) 653-3932 contact@sarcan.sk.ca www.sarcsarcan.ca