2022 Impact Awards winner: Hillside Shop & Save

When it comes to sustainability—every small action can make a big impact. At the Hillside Shop & Save in Elliot Lake, Ont., recycling has become a business priority.

“We believe that we all have to do our part to ensure our future and the next generation’s; it’s up to us to help,” says owner Shawn Breen.

“We reuse as much as we can so fewer products go to landfill sites. Our canola oil is emptied once a week and sent to Rothsay to be picked up and recycled, and our cardboard boxes are broken down and placed in the special bin for recycling.”

Any paper that comes to the store is recycled as memo pads, and bank deposits come back with their paperclips, elastics and paper bags, which are all reused.

“We ask our customers to bring in their own shopping bags to cut down the use of plastic and they have been fantastic about doing that,” says Breen, who was delighted to receive an Impact Award.

“With recognition of this award, we hope it encourages other businesses—no matter their size—to be diligent with recycling because it is so important to our overall environment. As a small convenience store, we have taken recycling very seriously and we do our utmost to recycle all that we possibly can.”