Science Advisor

Paul Belanger

Paul Belanger is an environmentalist, entrepreneur and designer. He has been a business owner since 1984 (24 years old) and founded an environmental organization in 1987. He is currently focusing on a new research company which is patenting innovations of Belanger in the cleantech sector. Belanger’s education in the environmental sciences started at 14 when he signed up to participate with the Youth Science Foundation. This education, which was project and research-based, included mentorship under scientists. Belanger continued this education for four years. In 1977 he was presented with a national “Environmental Design” award by the University of Calgary. Later Belanger continued mentoring under environmental architects for several more years.

In the early 1980s, with very little work in the ecological design field, Belanger gained experience in the active Alberta oil industry. With enough knowledge and a few short business courses, he started a company called Welflo Industries Ltd. This oilfield supply and safety company quickly grew over its ten-year duration. Sales grew a constant 30% per year and expanded to 25 employees by the tenth year. Belanger sold this company in 1994 to return to his preferred field of interest. In 1997, after 3 years of education and research, Belanger began an ecological design company called Living Design Systems (LDS). This company is still active. LDS absorbed many challenges over the years, including the introduction of innovations, education for clients, original research, on-the-job training, and the inception of new building systems to permit authorities. These efforts have taken their toll on Belanger, but the original research investment has led to a new growth phase for LDS. LDS and Belanger were recognized with two Provincial design awards in 2012. in 1989/1990, the environmental group Belanger helped to start, organize and open the first town recycling centre in Western Canada (Valleyview, Alberta). It was modelled after and inspired by the Edmonton north-side recycling operation, which had been started a couple of years earlier by a Mennonite Group. This was a cooperative effort with supportive participation from the town of Valleyview and federal funding of $200,000 for equipment and building. This recycling system promoted by the Green Foundation spread quickly into the Grande Prairie Area and other regions in the Province.

Paul can be reached at science@keepersofthewater.ca.