Circular Economy Business Models for Ontario’s Greenhouse Vegetable and Horticulture Sectors: Assessing Economic Viability and Sustainability Outcomes

Lead Applicant: Kalinga Jagoda

Research Priority: Sustainable Production Systems

Program Type: Tier 1

Funding Cycle: 2026/2027

Research Centre: N/A

Research Summary: Ontario’s Essex County-based greenhouse vegetable cluster represents a highly export-oriented, world-class controlled-environment agriculture sector that contributes an estimated $1.8 billion to the province’s GDP annually. However, the competitiveness and sustainability of this sector are affected by a range of factors, including rising energy costs, logistics- and packaging-related issues, and waste management challenges, as well as trade risks such as potential U.S. tariffs. The proposed project, in partnership with key stakeholders, will use the novel approach of ‘mobile innovation labs’ to co-develop place-based, scalable circular economy (CE) business models to comprehensively address the ongoing challenges faced by the industry. It will assess the economic viability and sustainability outcomes of sector-specific CE business models and articulate adoption pathways for best practices, prioritized on feasibility and impact. The project will deliver high-impact CE interventions that leverage economic opportunities and reduce GHG emissions towards enhancing the long-term competitiveness of the industry.