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Blue Box

First Nation Communities

First Nation communities can register to participate in the Blue Box Program at any time.

To do so, please submit a copy of your community’s Registration Form to [email protected].

Download a blank copy of the Registration Form from our Registry Resources page. 

Questions about the Blue Box Program?

We have answers! Read our Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) here.

In the Blue Box Regulation, an eligible community is a reserve that is:

  • registered by a First Nation with RPRA and not located in the Far North, or
  • a local municipality or local services board area that is not located in the Far North.

All First Nation communities that wish to receive Blue Box services on their reserve(s) will have to register with RPRA.

First Nation communities that had an existing Blue Box collection program were eligible to begin receiving producer-run collection services starting on the dates they requested in the Transition Schedule.

For First Nation communities that did not previously have a Blue Box program and want to receive producer-run collection services, producer responsibility organizations (PROs) are required to begin providing collection services as soon as is practicable, once all steps in the registration, reporting and offer process are complete. PROs are the companies that will operate the Blue Box collection system on behalf of producers. Learn more about PROs.

How to register with RPRA

First Nation communities interested in receiving Blue Box collection services must register with RPRA. To register, communities must complete the registration form below and email it as an attachment to [email protected].

What do First Nation communities need to report when they register?

First Nation communities that register with RPRA are required to submit statistical and logistical information about their garbage program. Submitting this information to RPRA will begin the registration process to receive Blue Box services from the producer-run system as soon as is practicable. Please contact the Compliance and Registry team at [email protected] for more information.

Reports are shared only with Circular Materials, the PRO responsible for engaging with First Nations to develop their offer of Blue Box service or funding.

First Nations should submit their reports as soon as they have made the decision to join the producer-run program to:

  • Ensure band staff have enough time to work through the offer process, including communicating details and obtaining approvals from band administration and/or Chief and Council
  • Ensure Circular Materials has resources available to meet with and develop offers with the First Nation
  • Ensure that Circular Materials has enough time to establish service or funding for the First Nation’s Blue Box program

Offer process

Once an eligible First Nation registers to participate in the producer-run Blue Box program, the producer responsibility organizations (PROs) are obligated to provide an offer of collection services or funding on behalf of producers.

After the required information has been submitted to RPRA (see “What do First Nation communities need to report when they register?” section above), offer negotiations are set up between Circular Materials, the common collection system administrator, and the First Nation. RPRA does not directly participate in the offer process, however the submission, acceptance, rejection and/or revocation of an offer must be communicated through RPRA.

Working through the offer is the most time-consuming part of the entire process. The process involves:

  • The First Nation providing more detailed information about its waste management program, including the costs of operating its current recycling program, if applicable
  • Circular Materials’ staff requesting community visit(s) to better understand the First Nation’s recycling needs
  • Discussions between both parties to create recommendations that will inform the offer
  • Circular Materials’ staff and First Nation contacts will seek approval from band management or Chief and Council to proceed to draft an offer of service or funding. Many First Nations choose to use a band council recommendation to confirm that Circular Materials can provide an offer to the First Nation
  • Once approval is received, Circular Materials’ staff drafts the offer and both parties review and revise as needed
  • When both parties are satisfied, the offer is submitted to RPRA via email to confirm that a formal offer has been issued, and to the First Nation via Docusign to be reviewed and signed
  • An RPRA officer will confirm receipt of the offer
  • First Nation staff sign the offer, confirming acceptance of the service or funding

Delays to the reporting or offer process

In some cases, First Nation communities have higher priorities to manage and may not be able to complete their community’s report(s) or sign their offer from Circular Materials in a timely way. If this occurs during the reporting process, it will be paused until the First Nation is ready to complete the report(s). If First Nation staff are unable to sign their offer in a reasonable amount of time, a RPRA officer will reach out to learn what is causing the delay. If the First Nation staff are unresponsive after repeated attempts at contact, a RPRA officer will reach out to all parties to inform them that the process will be paused until the First Nation is ready to continue the process and sign the offer.

A pause does not change a First Nation’s registration status within the Blue Box program, and they will remain registered until they let RPRA know that they are ready to continue the process. RPRA will communicate to both the First Nation and Circular Materials if the reporting has been paused.