2025 WDTA Blue Box Steward Funding Obligation finalized
RPRA has finalized the Blue Box Steward Funding Obligation for 2025. The total amount stewards must pay to the remaining participating communities for operating the legacy Blue Box Program has been set at $28.6 million.
The 2025 Steward Funding Obligation was set using information reported into the 2023 Datacall by municipalities, First Nation communities and recycling associations on costs and amounts of materials collected through the legacy Blue Box Program.
The 2025 Steward Funding Obligation reflects the final tranche of communities exiting the legacy Blue Box Program throughout 2025 and transitioning to the producer responsibility framework under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA).
In the calculation of the gross cost, revenue, net cost, and tonnage for the 2023 data year, the inputs for transitioning communities are pro-rated based on the number of days they will be active in the 2025 program year. (For example, a municipality exiting on July 1, 2024, will be paid for operating its Blue Box program for 181/365 days.) The pro-rated values are used in the calculation of the total Steward Funding Obligation.
| 2025 Steward Obligation (2023 Data Year) | |
|---|---|
| Total Gross Cost | $69,482,305 |
| 3 Year Average Revenue | $12,365,101 |
| Prior Year Adjustments | $142,303 |
| Total Net Costs | $57,259,508 |
| 50% of Net Costs | $28,629,754 |
| 2025 Steward Obligation | $28,629,754 |
The 2025 Municipal Funding Allocation Model (MFAM) has also been finalized. The 2025 MFAM reflects the pro-rated values for communities that are set to transition to the producer responsibility under the RRCEA in 2025.
The InKind Advertising Program allows members of News Media Canada and Ontario Community Newspaper Association to fulfill their Steward Funding Obligation by providing newspaper advertising linage to municipalities and First Nations, as well as a possible partial cash payment if commodity prices fall below a lower limit. For the 2025 funding year this limit was reached, as indicated by the 2023 data reported into the Datacall, and as a result a cash portion is required.