BC Place has made history. With the launch of Canada’s first stadium-wide reusable cup program, all draft beer, wine, cocktails and mocktails are now being served in ShareWares cups, replacing thousands of single-use cups in a single night, and hundreds of thousands annually across an event calendar of headliner concerts, Vancouver Whitecaps and international soccer matches, BC Lions games, cricket, rugby, and supercross, just to name a few.
This breakthrough follows a year-long pilot in BC Place’s premium lounge. “The Reusable Cup program is an important part of the BC Place journey to becoming Zero Waste Certified by 2026,” according to Chris May, BC Place General Manager. “As the largest gathering place in Western Canada, we recognize our responsibility and opportunity to lead in both our community and our industry. The newly launched reusable cups not only help conserve valuable environmental resources, but also keep beverages colder for longer, making it a win for sustainability and the fan experience alike.”
Fans simply drop their empties into the new bins across the concourse, which are white with a pink dot to match the cups. From there, cups are collected and brought back to ShareWares’ local washlab, the hot pink building in Mount Pleasant, where they are washed, sanitized, and redistributed to other iconic Vancouver venues and festivals.
This innovation redefines what fan interaction can look like, merging entertainment with purpose, and turning reuse into a shared part of the stadium experience.
A dynamic, reprogrammable QR code on each connected cup unlocks a new avenue for fan experiences. More than just a cup, ShareWares are digital touchpoints. Whether it’s accessing exclusive stadium content, redeeming rewards, participating in contests, or discovering ways to return and reuse. This innovation transforms the everyday act of enjoying a beverage into an opportunity for engagement, education, and connection, all while driving a culture of sustainability.
“This launch showcases how major cultural hubs can shift societal norms,” said Cody Irwin, Founder and CEO of ShareWares. “When tens of thousands of fans experience reuse at once, it normalizes sustainable behaviour far beyond the stadium. BC Place is proving that reuse isn’t just possible at scale, it can redefine what people expect from live sports and entertainment events everywhere, and into their everyday lifestyle.” By shifting tens of thousands of cups per match from disposable to reusable, BC Place is setting a new benchmark for sustainable sports and entertainment, while amplifying Vancouver innovation on a national and global stage.
Fans simply drop their empties into the new bins across the concourse, which are white with a pink dot to match the cups. From there, cups are collected and brought back to ShareWares’ local washlab, the hot pink building in Mount Pleasant, where they are washed, sanitized, and redistributed to other iconic Vancouver venues and festivals.
This innovation redefines what fan interaction can look like, merging entertainment with purpose, and turning reuse into a shared part of the stadium experience.
“Single-use plastics are one of the most serious threats to our oceans. Introducing reusable systems at a scale like BC Place shows what’s possible, preventing waves of disposable items from polluting our waters and harming marine wildlife. Canada needs bold, practical solutions like this to ensure events leave behind a legacy of sustainable leadership, not litter,” said Anthony Merante, senior plastics campaigner at Oceana Canada, who works to stop plastic pollution and rebuild abundant, biodiverse oceans.
Together, BC Place and ShareWares are proving that reuse is the future of live events. The message is clear: when venues lead, fans follow, and sustainable habits spread far beyond stadium walls. ShareWares makes it possible. Providing the connected cup technology, logistics, and washing infrastructure that help venues move further and faster on their sustainability journey.
