econext is a not-for-profit association with a mission to accelerate clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador through a focus in three areas of activity: innovation, workforce, and net zero.
Innovation
We work with partners in the private, public, and academic sectors to stimulate and support R&D and innovation that advances clean growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Workforce
We coordinate with private, public, and academic partners to ensure Newfoundland and Labrador’s workforce is prepared to succeed in an ever-greening economy.
Net Zero
We are a catalyst for climate change action within Newfoundland and Labrador, helping industry, businesses, and communities find a better balance between economy and environment.
econext has been working for over 30 years on behalf of its members across many sectors to support environmentally sustainable economic development. With a membership of over 150 businesses, research institutions, governments, and organizations – econext is Newfoundland and Labrador’s leading voice on the green economy.
econext’s vision is for Newfoundland and Labrador to be recognized as a significant contributor to global decarbonization while achieving net zero domestically by the year 2050.
Newfoundland and Labrador is a province with immense clean growth potential. Its vast untapped clean energy resources provide for substantial renewable energy, hydrogen, and clean fuels opportunities. It is an innovator in creating value from waste streams, and is home to a world-leading cluster of expertise in the sensing, characterization, and monitoring of the environment. Its current strengths in its natural resource sectors, from offshore oil and gas to mining, are helping to pave the way for the energy transition.
Join, support, and benefit from an organization that is working tirelessly to drive environmentally sustainable economic growth in Newfoundland and Labrador.
econext was first created as the Newfoundland and Labrador Environmental Industry Association (NEIA), the founding executive of which held its first official meeting in 1992. Previous to this, a number of the subsectors got together and formed an unofficial group whose purpose was to be a voice for the industry.
NEIA was officially incorporated in 1992 and the founding executive was elected: Woodrow French, Bob Buchanan, Bevin LeDrew, Guy Moores, Paul Antle
Since the early 90’s NEIA has continued to work on behalf of its members. It has focused on creating business opportunities as a means of solving environmental problems that not only create economic growth, but also protect the environment at the same time. It has held major conferences on such topics as oil spill preparedness and response, waste management and the green economy. It has worked on behalf of its membership to increase public awareness of and a call to action on environmental issues, such as climate change, waste management, and air and water pollution. Through its efforts it has heightened awareness of the need for greater environmental stewardship at the provincial, regional and municipal levels.
With an increasing urgency in the global fight against climate change, concepts like ‘green economy’, ‘clean technology’, ‘decarbonization’, ‘net zero’, and ‘clean growth’ were becoming more commonplace. In 2021 NEIA rebranded as econext to reflect its evolving and increasing role acting as a catalyst for environmentally sustainable economic activity in Newfoundland and Labrador.
econext is governed by a 9-person Board of Directors who are elected from its voting membership for 2-year terms. Below is a list of the organization’s Chairs since its inception in 1992.
| 1992 | Bevin LeDrew | LeDrew Environmental Management Ltd. |
| 1993 | Paul Antle | Island Waste Management |
| 1994 | Guy Moores | Crosbie Industrial Services Limited |
| 1994 | Dave Robbins | Environmental Design Consultants (of BFL Consultants Limited) |
| 1995 | Bevin LeDrew | LeDrew Environmental Management Ltd. |
| 1996 | Guy Moores | Pardy’s Waste Management Ltd. |
| 1997 | Padraic O’Flaherty | Lotek Wireless Inc. |
| 1998 | Paul Clay | Seacom International Inc. |
| 1999 | Guy Moores | Pardy’s Waste Management Ltd. |
| 2000 | John Fleming | Resource Concepts Inc. |
| 2001 | Colleen O’Toole | Connections Research |
| 2002 | Bassem Eid | BAE Newplan Group Ltd. |
| 2003 | Al Ducey | Construction Management Technologies Inc. |
| 2004 | Dave Robbins | AMEC |
| 2005 | Bill Melendy | ADI Nolan Davis Ltd. |
| 2006 | Bill Butler | Hi-Point Industries (1991) Ltd. |
| 2007 | Chris Palmer | Connections Research |
| 2008 | Deborah Hutchings | McInnes Cooper |
| 2009 | Bill Scott | Fracflow Consultants Inc. |
| 2010 | Terry Dollard | Universal Environmental |
| 2011 | Susan Sherk | AMEC Environment & Infrastructure |
| 2012 | Frank Ricketts | Nalcor Energy |
| 2014 | Perry Trimper | Stantec |
| 2014 | Deidre Puddister | Pennecon |
| 2016 | Dan Brake | EMSAT Corporation |
| 2016 | Lyndsay Haynes | NSB Energy |
| 2017 | Alex Templeton | McInnes Cooper |
| 2019 | Erin Stapleton | Stapleton Environmental Inc. |
| 2019 | Brian Taite | NSB Energy |
| 2020 | Ashley Noseworthy | EDGEWISE Environmental |
| 2023 | Alex Templeton | McInnes Cooper |
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