The long-term environmental sustainability of Lake Country Co-op is a key priority for our business as we invest in our future. Over the past year, we have made significant strides in our sustainability journey.

April 2022 - Signed the Canada Plastics Pact
Lake Country Co-op, together with Federated Co-operatives Limited (FCL) and over 160 local Co-ops across Western Canada joined the Canada Plastics Pact (CPP) in April 2022. This agreement brings stakeholders together to create a circular economy for plastics. This means that plastic stays in the economy and out of the landfill. The CPP has four actionable targets that we have committed to achieving by 2025. These targets include taking measures to eliminate problematic or unnecessary plastic packaging and ensuring that 100% of plastic packaging is designed to be reusable, recyclable, or compostable, while 50% of plastic packaging is effectively recycled or composted, and lastly that there is at least 30% recycled content across all plastic packaging. While this agreement may be new, the goal of reducing plastic waste at Lake Country Co-op has been happening for some time in each of our 20 communities.

June 2022 – Joined the Tesla Charging network
There became more than one way to fill up at Lake Country Co-op in 2022 as we welcomed the one and only Tesla charging station in North Central Saskatchewan. This station provides 6 Tesla Superchargers and 2 Flo generic chargers. This offering creates a significant increase in accessibility to EV charging within our trading area and we look forward to further opportunities to expand the EV Charging network throughout out trading area as we shift towards a low carbon economy.

July 2022 – Improved recycling program at fuel sites
All fuel sites implemented a recycling program for motor oil and windshield washer fluid jugs.

September 2022 – A Lake Country Co-op sustainability committee is formed
A Lake Country Co-op sustainability committee was formed to guide further progress towards reducing our environmental footprint. Success in this endeavor will require a truly collaborative approach.

October 2022 – Prince Albert locations remove single use plastic bags
This was the first phase of removing single use plastic bags from our checkouts. By switching to reusable bags, we can minimize the plastic waste ending up in our landfill.

November 2022 – Logged over 26,000 acres with Grown With Purpose
Over the 2022 year, we logged over 26,000 acres with our Grown With Purpose program. Grown With Purpose describes an agronomic program to evaluate current on-farm practices and provide meaningful strategies to drive yields, enhance soil quality, and build a legacy for the next generation. It is a comprehensive suite of best management practices that assist with crop planning and management. The cornerstone of the program is 4R Nutrient Stewardship, a set of principles that ensure fertilizer applications are made when and where plants need them the most. Through Grown With Purpose, our Grow Team members build custom strategies for growers to improve fertilizer efficiency and other on-farm performance metrics.

March 2023 – Single use plastic bags removed across our Association
As part of our commitment to achieving our targets associated with the Canada Plastics Pact, one being that businesses take measures to eliminate unnecessary plastic packaging, all single use plastic bags were removed from our checkouts. Plastic bags end up in the landfill more quickly than any other reusable alternatives.

April 2023 – New battery recycling program
Our Home Centres and Food Stores welcomed Call2Recycle to their locations. Call2Recycle is Canada’s oldest and only national consumer household battery recycling program. This program will greatly improve awareness of and access to a battery recycling program for members and customers throughout our Association. By partnering with Call2Recycle we will divert batteries from the landfills thereby protecting our environment from inadvertent contamination with toxic metals.