The Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority is the regulator mandated by the Government of Ontario to enforce the province’s circular economy laws.
Established in November 2016 to support the transition to a waste-free Ontario, the Authority administers the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 (RRCEA) and the Waste Diversion Transition Act, 2016 (WDTA), and their associated regulations.
The WDTA outlines the legislative framework for winding up and transitioning legacy waste diversion programs. The RRCEA provides a new producer responsibility regulatory framework for waste diversion and resource recovery where producers are individually accountable and financially responsible for their products and packaging once consumers dispose of them.
Under the WDTA, we currently oversee the Blue Box Program and its wind up between 2023 and 2025. We are also overseeing the dissolution of Ontario Tire Stewardship and Ontario Electronic Stewardship, the industry funding organizations that were responsible for operating the Used Tires Program and the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Program, which were wound up on December 31, 2018, and December 31, 2020, respectively.
Under the RRCEA, we support businesses to comply with individual producer responsibility (IPR) requirements for producers of Tires, Batteries, Information Technology, Telecommunications, and Audio-visual (ITT/AV) equipment, Hazardous and Special Products, Lighting and Blue Box materials, including undertaking enforcement actions when required.
In 2019, our mandate under the RRCEA was changed to provide digital reporting services for a wider range of waste and resource recovery programs beyond producer responsibility, including developing and operating the Excess Soil Registry and the Hazardous Waste Program Registry. The Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks will continue to conduct compliance and enforcement activities for the excess soil and industrial and liquid hazardous waste management programs.
Our responsibilities include:
- Overseeing existing waste diversion programs until they are wound up
- Overseeing the wind up of industry funding organizations
- Developing and operating an online registry for producers responsible for materials under the RRCEA to register with the Authority and report on waste recovery
- Developing and operating digital reporting services for the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Park’s excess soil and hazardous waste management programs
- Managing, analyzing and reporting on the information in the registry
- Supporting businesses in complying with regulatory requirements
- Carrying out compliance and enforcement activities
- Providing information to the public about Ontario’s progress in advancing a circular economy
Our Vision
A waste-free and prosperous Ontario.
Our Mission
RPRA supports waste reduction and resource recovery by enforcing compliance with Ontario’s producer responsibility laws, providing registry services to our regulated community, and reporting publicly on Ontario’s progress towards a circular economy.
Our Values
Integrity: We believe in working in ways that consistently earn the trust and respect of our colleagues and those we regulate and work with outside the organization in achieving the Authority’s mandate. Open dialogue and transparency are key to achieving this trust.
Inclusion: Our practices continuously evolve to ensure we reflect and include the value of diversity (ethnicity, gender, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, education, faith, culture, race, perspectives, work experiences, and lifestyles) in our every day work. We acknowledge that we operate in a changing society and we will reflect that change in our work.
Collaboration: We work with team members, colleagues, stakeholders, and partners to build consensus and solve problems, recognizing our obligation to deliver on our regulatory mandate.
Innovation: We create, and seek to support others in creating, new solutions by listening, learning, and being open to new ideas and approaches.
Fairness: Our policies, systems, and practices are designed and implemented based on principles that ensure the realization of our mission without favoritism or discrimination. We begin by assuming positive intent.
Accountability: We acknowledge and take responsibility for our actions, decisions, and policies, ensuring they meet the spirit of our values and reflect the mandate in which the Authority has been entrusted. We are committed to the principle of value for money and to carrying out our activities in an efficient and cost-effective manner.
RPRA’s anti-harassment statement
RPRA is committed to maintaining a professional and respectful work environment. RPRA prioritizes the safety and well-being of its employees. Harassment or disrespectful behaviour of any kind by any individual towards our employees will not be tolerated.