VISION
A global ecosystem of healthy, thriving communities in which regenerative land management cools the planet, feeds the world, and promotes public health, prosperity, and peace.
Photo by Gaetano Cessati on Unsplash
Mission
Regeneration Canada is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting soil regeneration in order to mitigate climate change, restore biodiversity, improve water cycles, and support a healthy food system.
We strive towards this goal by creating spaces for farmers, landowners, scientists, agronomists, businesses, community organizations, governments, and citizens to learn, connect and take action to regenerate soils.
Photo by Kyle Ellefson on Unsplash
Strategy
Raising Awareness
Network Building
Education
Take Action
Activities
Membership
Local events
Workshops
Symposium
Communication
Public speaking
Activities Report
We are building an interdisciplinary network of soil and climate passionates.
Through our membership platform we create the place to share knowledge and resources, have conversations and make connections with others in the regenerative movement.
For more information on becoming a member, please see here.
We organize local events such as film screenings, festivals and workshops to raise awareness about regenerative land management and to connect local communities.
If you would like to partner with Regeneration Canada to organize an event in your region, get in touch with us!
We offer workshops for elementary school, high school, and university students, as well as for farmers and business representatives, on soil science and regenerative land management principles.
If you would like us to give a workshop in your organization, academic institution or farm, please contact Antonious Petro.
The Living Soils Symposium gathers hundreds of participants from across Canada and the world. Participants are invited to live a creative and meaningful experience over several days.
We host leaders and pioneers of the regenerative movement to discuss the promising solutions that soil provides for climate change and food sovereignty.
We discuss the science, the methodology, the policy, the business and the art of regeneration.
This event is the cauldron in which the shared knowledge of the movement pioneers shapes the emerging landscape of the Canadian regenerative movement.
Throughout our website and website blog, social media, newsletter, web series, member platform and in collaboration with our partners, we raise awareness about regenerative land management and connect with the various stakeholders of the movement.
We welcome collaborations with other regenerative initiatives to spread the word together.
Please contact us if you have an idea or a service to communicate.
We give presentations on soil regeneration, regenerative land management and building a movement for soil regeneration at various types of events.
Please contact us if you would like one of our team members to speak at your event.
Learn more about our 2019-2020 activities in our Annual Activities Report.
Learn more about our 2020-2021 activities in our Annual Activities Report.
Learn more about our 2021-2022 activities in our Annual Activities Report.
Our Story
Regeneration Canada started as a grassroots initiative. A handful of Montrealers with a mutual passion for living soils met up in the fall of 2016 and were inspired to organize an event on this topic in their hometown. While the regenerative movement was already thriving in the United States, it seemed crucial to start spreading the word in Canada. Montreal seemed like the perfect place for such an initiative, at the junction between the U.S., Canada and francophone countries. The Living Soils Symposium Montreal was born.
In light of the incredible level of interest and engagement around the Symposium, Gabrielle Bastien founded Regeneration Canada in May 2017 to pioneer the regenerative movement in Canada beyond the event.
Photo by Nadia Hunt
Team
Meet the core team of people who contribute to the strategy and management behind Regeneration Canada.
Antonious Petro
Executive Director
antonious@regenerationcanada.orgAntonious Petro is director at Regeneration Canada and a Master’s candidate in soil sciences at UQAT. He has an Undergraduate Degree in biology and a Graduate Diploma in community economic development. Antonious is interested in soil carbon sequestration in agricultural soils and in the ecological services of urban soils. He specializes in simplifying and making scientific concepts more accessible, and focuses on ecology, agri-food ecology, sustainability project management, and citizen mobilization around climate change.
Sara Maranda-Gauvin
Operations Manager
sara.mg@regenerationcanada.orgSara has always been curious, creative and driven by the search for meaning. It is this awareness of transformative possibilities that led her to study international development and cultural studies at McGill. Sara completed internships in social economy and urban agriculture in Peru, and then worked in community housing and early childhood education. Sara’s interest in the food system and its environmental and social impacts blossomed after attending Concordia University’s City Farm School, which allowed her to combine her interest in pedagogy and vegetable gardening. This experience led her to co-found the organization On sème, which develops local seasonal markets and an urban ecological gardening program. From the first Living Soils Symposium, Sara was inspired by Regeneration Canada’s interdisciplinary and multistakeholder approach to regenerative agriculture as a means to climate change mitigation and sustainability. Outside of the professional sphere, Sara likes to garden with her partner while their dog protects the tomatoes from squirrels and groundhogs; and when not gardening, she likes to escape into the Boreal forest wonderland to connect with nature and contemplate its beauty.
Geneviève Leblanc
Digital Communications Manager
communications@regenerationcanada.orgGeneviève Leblanc is the Digital Communications Manager at Regeneration Canada. She completed an undergraduate degree in Biology at McGill University with a focus in Neuroscience, then studied Sexology at UQÀM where she specialized in gender studies. In past years, she has worked as a research assistant, a project coordinator in textbook editing, and a communications manager in the video games industry.
In the face of the intensifying global climate emergency, Geneviève was drawn to Regeneration Canada’s mission as a way to be part of the solution and to live according to her personal values of mindful collaboration with one another and with nature. A strong believer in the power of communities to enact transformative change, she’s driven to help connect actors in the regenerative agriculture movement, with an eye toward diversity and inclusion.
Corina Goleac
Administrative and Membership Manager
members@regenerationcanada.orgCorina has a graduate diploma in accounting from McGill University and after more than 10 years of experience in the corporate world, she decided to follow her passion and switch to the nonprofit sector. She has joined Regeneration Canada as Administrative Manager, because the mission of the organization is close to her heart. She is delighted to have a meaningful job in which she can contribute to the community.
Corina grew up in Moldova and moved to Canada in 2004. Her grandparents were small-scale farmers and that explains her passion for gardening, healthy food, as well as our interconnection with nature. During her free time, Corina loves to go camping and spend time in nature, somewhere close to the water.
Paige Kennedy
Education and Research Manager
paige@regenerationcanada.orgPaige is originally from rural Ontario and now lives near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Her passion for agriculture and community-building through food goes back as long as she can remember. She chose to pursue a career with Regeneration Canada because she appreciates the way that all stakeholders are considered and included in the organization’s approach to soil regeneration.
Paige obtained her B.Sc. in Agriculture from the University of Guelph and is finishing up her MSc. in Soil Science at the University of Saskatchewan. She also holds an Agronomy Certificate from Olds College and is an Articling Agrologist with the Saskatchewan Institute of Agrologists. In the past, she has worked on dairy cattle operations, pursued agronomic internships, and worked in an academic research position. Paige and her fiancé are involved with the family beef operation and, in her free time, Paige enjoys fishing, camping, and hiking with her dog, Angus.
Caroline Lavoie
Project Manager – Regenerative Dairy
caroline@regenerationcanada.orgThough born on an organic dairy farm, Caroline was not necessarily headed for a career in agriculture. She completed a multidisciplinary Bachelor’s degree in public communication and political science at Laval University. During her ten-year stay in Australia, she worked in socio-professional reintegration, which allowed her to develop skills in coaching and human relations. It is during this stay that she developed a strong interest in gardening, food autonomy, biodiversity preservation and permaculture. Today, living in the Rimouski region, she is developing several diversified agricultural production projects on the property she acquired with her husband and two children. For the past two years, she has worked for the MAPAQ regional office in Bas-St-Laurent as a program management and succession advisor, in addition to participating in the drafting and implementation of the regional action plan for sustainable agriculture. And for more than a year, she has been back to her roots by getting involved on the family dairy farm with her brother and mother. She is developing agri-environmental projects, as well as performing herd management tasks.
Caroline is passionate about dairy production as well as soil regeneration through improved animal production management techniques. She is particularly interested in the human aspect of changing agricultural practices. She joined the Regeneration Canada team to contribute to the Regenerative Dairy project.
Meagan Patch
Project Officer – Regenerative Dairy
meagan@regenerationcanada.orgMeagan is a regenerative grazier who produces and direct-markets grass-fed beef, pastured pork, chicken and eggs on land that her family has called home for generations, in Brome QC. She studied education and has been teaching since 2008 and has been growing the farm business since 2013.
In 2017, Meagan teamed up with 8 other ecological farmers in the Brome-Missisquoi area to found la Cooperative le Terroir Solidaire, an organization that aims to help small-scale farmers and food transformers reach a common market and coordinate their activities together under a banner of ecology and transparency. The coop currently sells its members’ products via an online platform and has now reached a membership of nearly 30 entrepreneurs.
Meagan believes in life-long learning and hones her skills and abilities through self-directed learning, courses and exchanges with peers and mentors. She now leads the first peer-directed grazing group in her area, where participating farmers host regular meetings throughout the growing season to discuss and exchange with each other.
Because nobody understands farming as farmers do, Meagan advocates for farmer-driven solutions to environmental sustainability issues in agriculture.
Alieska Robles
Project Manager – Awareness Campaign
alieska@regenerationcanada.orgAlieska comes from a family of chefs and artists and, from a young age, frequented local farms, busy kitchens, galleries, and museums. After living in two countries, obtaining three professional degrees, and gaining experience in five career paths including computer science, marketing, film production, photography and yoga, Alieska moved to Canada and found her calling in helping others preserve their legacy in print. In 2017, she founded a boutique publishing studio devoted to bringing people together through books and sharing wisdom with future generations. Her work reflects a deep admiration for farmers, cooks and artisans with a penchant for childhood memories, food stories, sustainability, well-being and time spent with Mother Nature.
A storyteller and community-builder at heart, Alieska is convinced that well-told stories have the power to inspire, teach, comfort, heal and move society forward. Inspired by Regeneration Canada’s mission to mitigate climate change through regenerative agriculture, Alieska joined the team as a Project Manager to lead a national awareness campaign focused on celebrating Canadian farmers while nurturing a sense of love and respect for the land in which we live and for the people sharing the journey with us.
Kate Axten
Communications Agent – Awareness Campaign
kate@regenerationcanada.orgKate comes from a family of innovative, regenerative farmers in southern Saskatchewan. This is where her passion for agriculture sprouted from. She is very interested in the role of regenerative agriculture in the food system and how it may be a catalyst for changing the way we think about our food. This has led her to study International Food Business at Dalhousie’s Agricultural Campus in Truro, Nova Scotia. The program will take her to the Netherlands for her second year of study next fall. In her free time, Kate enjoys cooking and baking, as well as being out in nature either walking or paddle boarding.
Collaborators
Alix Tabet
Farm Map
Alix is a first-generation farmer and organizer. With a B.A in Political Science and a Graduate Diploma in Community Economic Development from Concordia University, she is passionate about activating social change through food and regenerative agriculture. She has a background in event organizing, project management, and facilitation. Uncovering the interconnections between climate change, soil health and the health of communities continues to be the underlying motivation for the work she does on and off the farm. Some of her interests include agroecology, land access, seasonal eating, and no-till vegetable and cut-flower production. She has been involved with Regeneration Canada since 2018, and is currently helping with the farm map.
Jade Heilmann
Data Management
Jade is a mom, aspiring homesteader, self-title data-geek, and Master’s candidate in Environmental Impact Assessment at Concordia University who previously studied Neuroscience at McGill and Design at Concordia. Her passion for soil health sprouted while attaining a permaculture design certificate where she was inspired by role models such as Doniga Markegaard and Ed Tunheim who opened her eyes to land stewardship as a real, tangible, and timely solution to climate change.
Olivier Cassab
IT Solutions
Olivier is a full-stack developer with more than 15 years of experience, an entrepreneur and web 3.0 strategist who is passionate about green techs and agricultural solutions.
By creating tailor-made web platforms, he helps in responding efficiently to some of the challenges of our era with innovative digital solutions which have a tangible impact powered by the latest technologies and an artistic eye. Complex big data analytics and Natural Language Processing (NLP) algorithms are at the core of his current work.
Since the first Living Soils Symposium in 2017, Olivier is responsible for all web programming and internet infrastructure for Regeneration Canada.
Board of directors
Our board of directors is comprised of passionate soil enthusiasts from various sectors who bring a diversity of perspectives to the organization.
Ananda Fitzsimmons
President Co-Founder, Inocucor
Ananda Lynn Fitzsimmons is an out-of-the-box thinker, visionary and environmentalist, with a passion for soil and growing food. She has had lifelong interest in sustainable food production and land management as well as social change and personal empowerment. She spent many years experimenting with microbial potions based on naturally occurring microbes extracted from plants, composts and soil. In 2008, she teamed up with Dr. Margaret Bywater Ekegard and they founded Inocucor Technologies. The company, now called Concentric, commercializes products for agriculture based on consortia of naturally occurring beneficial microorganisms. She now works as a consultant promoting soil health and regenerative land management practices.
Brianne Miller
AdministratorFounder of Nada
Brianne is a marine biologist turned social entrepreneur with a passion for driving positive change through inspiring collective climate action. Having seen firsthand the impacts of our current food system on the oceans, Brianne is committed to revolutionizing the food system across the supply chain so that future generations can continue to enjoy and benefit from the world’s oceans. Brianne is the founder of Nada, a certified B-Corporation and carbon-negative package-free grocery store & delivery service on a mission to connect people to a more equitable, just, and regenerative food system. Brianne is a United Nations #notwasting food ambassador, a 2018 SheEO Venture, UBC Land & Food Systems mentor, and a former member of Vancouver Food Policy Council. Her food systems work has been featured widely in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and Forbes and Nada was most recently recognized as 1% for the Planet’s Business Changemaker of the Year.
Av Singh
Vice President Agronomist
Leading proponent of regenerative organic agriculture, Av is engaged in food security and natural medicine projects across six continents. He serves as the Senior Agronomist at Gaia Green Organics; the Chief Agricultural Scientist with Green Gorilla; the Director of Cultivation atECO Canadian Organic; the Chief Soil Scientist at CaliCann (Colombia); Chief Operating Officer at Atlas Hemp (Malawi), and Quality Assurance Person for several cannabis facilities including his own Wildwood Flower. A long-time member of the Canadian Organic Growers and the National Farmers’ Union. More recently a member of Régénération Canada and the Canadian Psychedelic Association. Av is also a faculty member at Earth University (www.navdanya.org) in India where he delivers courses on agroecology and organic farming and a faculty member at the Nova Scotia Community College delivering a course on cannabis production. Av is proud and privileged to be a settler in Mi’kma’ki, the unceded territory of the Mi’kmaw, and constantly seeks to better understand his responsibilities in adhering to the Peace and Friendship Treaties signed by the sovereign Nations.
James Craig
Administrator Farmer, Banker and Collaborator
James and his family practice regenerative agriculture through their farm working with 50 beef cow calf pairs, 80 acres of pasture, and 300 acres of cropland in Ontario. James is fascinated in the regenerative powers of cattle, humans and pasture. Outside of farming, James works as an Account Manager for TD Bank’s Agriculture Services looking after the financing for 100 industry diverse farmers. James is also the Co-initiator for the Perspectives Potluck which is a symposium style event that brings together decision makers with vastly different perspectives to find commonality and build a more resilient food system.
Amanda Klarer
Administrator Food Systems Specialist
Amanda is a resilient food systems specialist with 10+ years of experience in urban & rural global agri-food value chains. She has worked from seed to palate in value chains and all across different sectors including government, not-for-profit, academia and the private sector experience with the many sides of our food ecosystems. Amanda has lived with and learned from communities around the world. She has supported the development of resilience in livelihood strategies through years of research and work with thousands of smallholder farming families in Cameroon, India, Malaysia, Morocco, Malawi, France and Canada. She is currently pursuing a PhD focusing on the decolonization of food systems. She believes that food has the power to change our common future and she is driven to be part of helping it create a healthier tomorrow.
Ross Macdonald
Treasurer Rancher, MSc., P.Ag.
Ross Macdonald is a student of improved stockmanship, horsemanship, grazing management, of selection for low maintenance cattle and long-term resilience whose practice is rooted in grassland ecology. He owns and operates 98 Ranch Inc in Saskatchewan, located on Treaty 4 Territory, with his wife, Christine Peters. The ranch is a cow/calf/yearling and grassfed operation built on a foundation of rangeland health and low-input cattle selection. The cattle generate profit through grazing and converting forages into beef while facilitating grassland ecological function including soil health, increasing effective precipitation, grassland resilience, wildlife habitat and biodiversity. Ross is an advocate for conservation-based land use, regenerative agricultural production system and always strives to be better!
Tannis Axten
Administrator Farmer, Axten Farms
Tannis grew up on a farm in Southern Saskatchewan. She attended the University of Regina and received her Bachelor of Education majoring in Biology. After a short teaching career, Tannis married and moved to Minton to farm with her husband. As third-generation farmers on Axten Farms, Tannis and her husband, Derek, soon realized that their most valuable resource is their soil. With regenerative farming methods such as increased crop diversity, cover crops, controlled traffic farming, and composting, the family farm works to improve the health of their soil. These innovative practices have revived their optimism for farming and made farming a lot more fun. Her two children, Kate (17) and Brock (15), help with marketing and day-to-day operations.
Tannis enjoys using the microscope to study microbiology in the soil and has made it Axten Farms’focus to be “Loyal to the Soil”. Every action taken on the farm considers the impact it will have on the microorganism living in the soil. Every year has new obstacles, and Tannis enjoys sharing their farm’s journey.
Tannis and Derek were honoured to be named Saskatchewan and Canada’s Outstanding Young Farmers
in 2017, and to receive the L.B. Thompson Conservation Award in 2018.
Alice Irene Whittaker
Administrator Writer and Environmental Leader
Alice Irene Whittaker is a writer and environmental leader. She is the Executive Director of Ecology Ottawa, and the creator and host of Reseed, a podcast about repairing our relationship to nature. She has been published in national and international publications, and is currently working on a memoir about unraveling perfectionism from environmentalism and finding home. In 2021, she received a literary grant from the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec and was longlisted for the CBC Nonfiction Prize. Alice Irene is the mother of three beautiful young children, and a keeper of cats, dogs, and chickens. She lives with her family in a cabin in the woods in Québec.
