GRT (Generating Resources For Tomorrow) is applying circular economy thinking to the soil beneath our feet, setting a regenerative standard in resource management. Dig into the details in this exclusive interview with Deanna Woods, Director of People and Product Development, as featured in Circular Economy Magazine.
In a country as beautiful and resource-rich as Canada, it’s easy to think we’ll never run out of land to develop or natural resources to keep us thriving. Not only is this entirely false, but it’s also destructive. Luckily, there is a growing movement to convert waste materials into reusable resources, diverting waste from landfills.
GRT (Generating Resources for Tomorrow) is setting a new standard in resource management with a regenerative model that can help lead the shift in mining, wastewater, and other industries. By applying a systemic approach to waste and resource challenges, a low-impact solution isn’t just possible, it’s proven.
As part of this approach, GRT has developed and actively employs a unique tech stack that washes and sorts excess soils to make recycled aggregate rock, sand, and clay, while also treating and recycling the water on-site in a closed-loop system, resulting in positive environmental impacts and providing a pathway for resources to become resources again, rather than waste.
We spoke with Deanna Woods, Director of People and Product Development at GRT, about how this company is proving that excess soil isn’t waste and what we can accomplish when we apply circular thinking to everything—even the dirt beneath our feet.
GRT was founded on circular economy principles from the outset. Our founding team was frustrated with the longstanding “dig and dispose” model of excess soil management; new development taking place on a previously used piece of land generates thousands of tonnes of excavation soil that’s often sent to a landfill. Linear approaches like this prioritize short-term convenience at the expense of long-term environmental impacts and system inefficiency.
We wanted to eliminate the convenience argument altogether by creating a business model that was actually closer to development sites than landfills and quarries, while solving two problems at once: soil disposal and aggregate supply.
In a country as large as Canada, it’s easy to take space and natural resources for granted. But the assumption that we can always create another landfill, or blast another mountainside for a quarry, is fundamentally unsustainable.
We were the first in Canada to move decisively in this direction—arguably before it was strictly “necessary,” compared with parts of Europe where land and resource constraints make circular solutions unavoidable. We believed that by demonstrating a viable alternative early, we could help set a new precedent and show that a more circular approach is both practical and scalable in the Canadian and broader North American context.
Our most tangible success has been the volume of material diverted from landfill—over 400,000 tonnes since our first Resource Regeneration Facility opened in June 2021. Beyond that, what has been most striking is how quickly the market embraced the model.
As a first mover in an industry that had been operating the same way for decades, we expected more resistance. Instead, there has been strong uptake. We’ve also been surprised and encouraged by the range of applications emerging for our regenerated products: from concrete and construction uses to beach nourishment and habitat projects.
Regulatory frameworks do not always move at the same pace as innovation, which is something we encountered early on. One example is the lack of clear specifications for regenerated aggregate in concrete. While standards exist for recycled concrete aggregate (RCA), current guidelines haven’t yet caught up to materials like ours: clean, sieved sand and gravel sourced from multiple sites.
These gaps can be challenging, but we see them as opportunities to engage early with regulators, share data, and help inform the evolution of standards that better reflect circular production methods.
Research and development are an ongoing focus for us, whether that means expanding the range of materials we can accept or continuing to innovate on the output side.
We are also in growth mode, with plans to expand our business to the BC Lower Mainland and other strategic locations over the next several years. We’ll be sharing more details as plans progress.
Our long-term vision is a system where waste is no longer treated as inevitable. At our scale, we’re focused on what’s often considered the most unglamorous material of all—the “dirty dirt” beneath our feet—and demonstrating that it can be regenerated into valuable products that displace virgin materials and keep volume out of landfills.
If circular solutions are possible for the unwanted soil beneath an abandoned gas station, we believe similar thinking can be applied far more broadly. Progress will depend on willingness from regulators, industry, and communities to rethink entrenched systems and support alternatives that work differently, but better.
This story was featured in Circular Economy Magazine:
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