Provincial Requirements

Nova Scotia’s Extended Producer Responsibility for Packaging, Paper Products and Packaging-Like Products Regulations (The Regulations), came into effect on August 2, 2023 with an implementation date set for December 1, 2025. Companies that supply designated materials which include packaging, paper products or packaging-like products comprised of paper, glass, metal or plastic or a combination thereof, were required to register with Divert NS by January 1, 2024.

Circular Materials is a registered producer responsibility organization (PRO) in Nova Scotia that is supporting producers with meeting their regulatory targets in the province. Producers that meet the obligation criteria can register with Circular Materials in Nova Scotia on our WeRecycle Portal, a secure national reporting platform, and enter into a National Producer Services Agreement (NPSA) with our organization. Registered producers need to be logged in to access the NPSA.

For guidance on determining your obligations, visit our Determining Your Obligation page.

The Government of New Brunswick amended the Designated Materials Regulation under the Clean Environment Act to establish an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for packaging and paper products in New Brunswick.

Under the Regulation, brand holders/owners that sell, offer for sale or distribute packaging and paper products in New Brunswick are required to register with Recycle NB, whether obligated or exempt.

On November 1, 2023, Circular Materials, the producer responsibility organization (PRO) in New Brunswick, launched the transition to EPR.

Producers that meet the obligation criteria can register with Circular Materials in New Brunswick on our WeRecycle Portal, a secure national reporting platform, and enter into a National Producer Services Agreement (NPSA) with our organization. Registered producers need to be logged in to access the NPSA.

For guidance on determining your obligations, visit our Determining Your Obligation page.

Under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy, 2016 (Act), the Blue Box Regulation introduced in 2021 requires the transition of the previous partially funded program to a model operated and fully funded by producers. The regulation designates blue box materials, including packaging-like and paper products, under Ontario’s new regulatory framework for resource recovery. The Regulation makes producers resident in Canada that supply packaging and paper to Ontario consumers fully financially and operationally responsible for their products and packaging at the end of their life.

Circular Materials operates as a producer responsibility organization (PRO) in Ontario and is also the administrator of the common collection system on behalf of all PROs operating in Ontario. Starting on July 1, 2023, communities across the province began transitioning to the new framework, which will be fully implemented by January 1, 2026.

Obligated producers are required to register with the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), the regulatory authority that provides oversight and administration of the Act.

Circular Materials can support producers in meeting their obligation criteria and meeting their management targets. Producers that meet the obligation criteria can register with Circular Materials in Ontario on our WeRecycle Portal, a secure national reporting platform, and enter into a National Producer Services Agreement (NPSA) with our organization. Registered producers need to be logged in to access the NPSA.

For guidance on determining your obligations, visit our Determining Your Obligation page.

In response to Manitoba’s House Packaging & Paper Stewardship Program Regulations, Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba (MMSM) was created as an industry-run not-for-profit organization to develop a stewardship plan in accordance with the regulation.

Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba Inc. (MMSM) is the not-for-profit, industry-funded organization that funds and provides support for the province’s residential recycling programs for packaging and printed paper. MMSM works on behalf of the manufacturers, retailers and other organizations that supply packaging and printed paper to Manitobans. As an organization that represents steward interests and acts on behalf of stewards, MMSM prepared a stewardship plan on behalf of their members and consulted with stakeholders.

MMSM offers the only plan in Manitoba that is approved by the province’s Ministry of Environment and was launched in 2010. The program helps stewards to fulfill their obligations by funding up to 80% of the residential recycling program in the province.

Stewards that meet the obligation criteria can register with MMSM on our WeRecycle Portal, a secure national reporting platform.

MMSM is in the process of transitioning to a fully funded extended producer responsibility (EPR) program. The organization has completed consultations and has developed and submitted a plan to the provincial government that provides for the transition to 100% steward funding.

For guidance on determining your obligations, visit our Determining Your Obligation page.

In response to Saskatchewan’s Household Packaging & Paper Stewardship Program Regulations, SK Recycles was created as a producer responsibility organization to support producers with meeting their obligations under The Regulations. As an organization that represents producer interests and acts on behalf of producers, SK Recycles prepared a stewardship plan on behalf of their members and consulted with stakeholders.

SK Recycles offers the only plan in Saskatchewan that is approved by the province’s Ministry of Environment and was launched in 2016. The program helps producers to fulfill their obligations by funding and operating 100% of the residential recycling program in the province.

Producers that meet the obligation criteria in Saskatchewan can register with SK Recycles on our WeRecycle Portal, a secure national reporting platform.

For guidance on determining your obligations, visit our Determining Your Obligation page.

Alberta’s new Extended Producer Responsibility Regulation came into effect on November 30, 2022, with the transition to extended producer responsibility (EPR) launching in April 2025. With this new framework for packaging and paper, the province is taking a step towards implementing EPR. Companies that supply designated materials which include packaging, paper products, or packaging-like products comprised of paper, glass, metal or plastic or a combination thereof may be an obligated producer. Producers in Alberta are required to register with Alberta Recycling Management Authority (ARMA), the authority overseeing the implementation of EPR in the province by March 1, 2024.

Circular Materials is a registered producer responsibility organization (PRO) in Alberta that can support producers in meeting their regulatory targets. Producers that meet the obligation criteria can register with Circular Materials in Alberta on our WeRecycle Portal, a secure national reporting platform, and enter into a National Producer Services Agreement (NPSA) with our organization. Registered producers need to be logged in to access the NPSA.

For guidance on determining your obligations, visit our Determining Your Obligation page. Alberta Bylaws and information for producers are also available to guide producers in determining their obligation. 

Recycle BC is a not-for-profit organization responsible for residential packaging and paper product recycling throughout British Columbia. Launched in May 2014 in response to British Columbia's Recycling Regulation the Recycle BC Program Plan was the first fully funded extended producer responsibility (EPR) program in North America.

The Program Plan that was developed by Recycle BC on behalf of producers is the only plan in BC that is approved by the province’s Ministry of Environment and Climate Change. The program helps producers to fulfill their obligations by fully funding the residential recycling program in the province.

Producers that meet the obligation criteria can register with Recycle BC on our WeRecycle Portal, a secure national reporting platform.

For guidance on determining your obligations, visit our Determining Your Obligation page.

On January 25, 2024, the Government of Yukon released its Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) Regulation making it the first territory in Canada to approve an EPR Regulation. Program implementation is scheduled for October 1, 2025. Circular Materials will act as a producer responsibility organization in The Yukon to support producers in meeting their regulatory requirements.

Producers/stewards can register with Circular Materials if they are a designated steward who supplies paper products and packaging such as primary, convenience and transport packaging, with a defined exclusion for beverage containers and hazardous and special products category defined in the Regulation. For a list of obligated materials, please visit obligated_products.pdf (yukon.ca).