Stewardship Ontario to initiate development of Blue Box Program Wind-Up Plan
Stewardship Ontario will initiate development of a Blue Box Program Wind-Up Plan following the Authority’s review of its proposed Conflict of Interest Plan.
On August 15, 2019, the Minister sent direction letters to Stewardship Ontario and the Authority regarding the wind up of the Blue Box Program in order to modernize and improve Ontario’s Blue Box services by transitioning to a full producer responsibility model. In his letter, the Minister directed Stewardship Ontario to engage and work cooperatively with the Authority, including ensuring that any real, potential or apparent conflict of interest concerns be addressed prior to and during the development of the plan.
Stewardship Ontario submitted its proposed Conflict of Interest Plan for the Authority’s review on September 27, 2019. In the view of the Authority the plan addresses conflicts of interest sufficiently for Stewardship Ontario to begin developing its proposed wind-up plan for the Blue Box Program, consistent with the Minister’s direction. The Authority will continue to monitor Stewardship Ontario’s implementation of the Conflict of Interest Plan throughout the development period.
Stewardship Ontario’s Conflict of Interest Plan for the Blue Box Program wind up will be made available on its website.
Stewardship Ontario’s proposed Blue Box Program Wind-Up Plan is due to the Authority by June 30, 2020 and the Authority anticipates reviewing and approving the plan by December 31, 2020. The Blue Box Program will transition to the new regulatory framework for resource recovery starting on January 1, 2023 through to December 31, 2025.
For more information about the Blue Box Program and its wind up and transition to the new regulatory framework, visit the Authority’s Blue Box web page.