25 years of innovation in the circular economy and industrial ecology

And so, in 1999, the Centre de transfert technologique en écologie industrielle (CTTÉI) was born! Three years later, it was accredited as a college center for technology transfer by the Ministère de l'Éducation, du Loisir et du Sport du Québec. The CTTÉI's mission is to help companies meet their environmental challenges and train the next generation of students.

Under the slogans "Loop the loop" and "Experts en la matière", the center focuses on the reclamation of industrial residues, the development of clean processes and the implementation of industrial symbioses (later renamed the "circular economy").

These approaches enable companies and organizations not only to make the shift to the circular economy, but also to increase their competitiveness, optimize their operations and reduce their environmental impact.

As early as 2005, the CTTÉI introduced new ways of optimizing the management of residues, so that they were no longer perceived as waste to be disposed of, but rather as materials with economic potential to be exploited. This led to the launch of Quebec's first digital networking platform, the Bourse des résidus industriels, which will remain online until 2016.

"The circular economy is defined as a "system of production, exchange and consumption aimed at optimizing the use of resources at all stages of the life cycle of a good or service, in a circular logic, while reducing the environmental footprint and contributing to the well-being of individuals and communities".

In 2008, the CTTÉI initiated the creation of the first industrial symbioses, followed a few years later by the launch of the Synergie Québec community of practice. With over 60 experienced advisors in the field and 4,000 participating companies, this network of territorial circular economy projects is having a considerable impact on the Quebec business ecosystem. The benefits in terms of dollars saved, tonnage of waste diverted from landfill and greenhouse gases avoided bear witness to the importance of these initiatives.

On the technological front, CTTEI researchers have been focusing on clean processes such as supercritical fluids and_CO2 sequestration since 2010. Thanks to a partnership with Innovation Fluides supercritiques (France) and theUniversity of Aix-Marseille, the center is developing cutting-edge expertise. It acquires a test platform, the only one of its kind in Canada, for the treatment of effluents laden with organic compounds destined for disposal, to be inaugurated in 2021.

At a time when the fight against climate change is becoming crucial all over the world, the CTTÉI's sales have been growing rapidly over the past 5 years. The team continues to make progress, forging collaborations that are as fruitful as they are forward-thinking, such as the coordination of Quebec's first project to support the economy of functionality and cooperation, EFC Québec, in which 20 companies initiated a change of business model based on the use of products rather than on the product itself (a $1.5 million project funded by Action Climat Québec).

Recognized for both its technological expertise and its skills in social innovation, the CTTEI represents a complete innovation ecosystem serving companies and communities. Every year, it carries out more than 100 projects in a wide variety of sectors: hotels and restaurants, the elastomer industry, agriculture and agri-food, construction-renovation-demolition (CRD), the concrete and geopolymer industry, water and effluent treatment, the healthcare sector, forestry, the digital industry, textiles, plastics, the metal industry, and more.

It is also a hub of social innovation, mobilizing organizations in the transition to the circular economy, through its networking and business model exploration activities. Finally, it combines the search for solutions for better resource use with the encouragement of a new generation of scientists and environmentalists.

The CTTÉI reports to the Ministère de l'Enseignement supérieur du Québec, remains affiliated with the Cégep de Sorel-Tracy and is a member of the CCTT - Synchronex network.


In 2024, more than ever, the CTTÉI's activities remain at the heart of government concerns and companies' needs to protect themselves against the impact of climate change and supply chain breakdowns.