Deadline for Stewardship Ontario to submit proposed Blue Box Program Wind-up Plan to the Authority has been extended

The Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks has extended the deadline for Stewardship Ontario (SO) to submit its proposed Blue Box Program Wind-up Plan to the Authority to August 31, 2020, instead of June 30, 2020. Read the direction letter.

The extension was requested by SO due to the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure meaningful consultation with stakeholders. The Minister granted the extension on April 3, 2020. The plan must still meet the requirements outlined in the Minister’s August 15, 2019 direction letter, including the expectation of the Authority to review, consult on and approve the plan no later than December 31, 2020. The timelines for the wind-up of the Blue Box Program and transition to the individual producer responsibility framework also remains the same.

As announced last week, SO postponed its April 7 and 8 webinars to consult on the development of the wind-up plan to ensure all stakeholders have the opportunity to participate in the consultation. SO will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation and reschedule the webinars at a suitable time. For more information on the development of the Blue Box Program Wind-up Plan, visit SO’s website.