Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ filtered results:

Program: Blue Box

Topic: PRO , Producer , Promotion and Education , Regulation

While the Blue Box Regulation states the requirement for Blue Box producers or PROs to deliver printed promotion and education materials to eligible sources by mail at least once a year, many Ontario municipalities have stopped providing printed promotion and education materials to their residents in favour of electronic formats.

As long as Blue Box producers or Blue Box PROs continue to provide the same format of promotion and education materials as the Ontario municipality provided prior to the date the municipality transitioned under the Blue Box Regulation (i.e., print or electronic or both), RPRA will consider this as having satisfied the requirement in section 72(1) paragraph 2.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems , First Nation communities
Under the Blue Box Regulation which came into effect on July 1, 2023, eligible locations for collection in a First Nation community include:

Private residences

Public and private schools

Elders’ lodges (or retirement homes)

Not-for-profit long-term care facilities

Locations that are not eligible for Blue Box collection or funding under this program include:

Commercial properties

Band owned and operated facilities such as daycares or community, wellness, cultural and language centres.

Note: Although costs of collection from these properties are not covered under the Blue Box system, First Nations can apply for Indigenous Services Canada (ISC) funding to support these costs. Please speak to your region’s ISC officer for more information on how to apply.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Collection systems , First Nation communities , Municipalities
Under the Blue Box Regulation which came into effect on July 1, 2023, eligible locations for collection within the producer-run program include:

Private residences

Public and private schools

Elders’ lodges

Not-for-profit retirement homes

Not-for-profit long-term care facilities

Note: Commercial properties are not eligible for collection under the producer-run Blue Box program.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Municipalities , Producer , Reporting

Where a municipality distributes documents on behalf of another brand holder, the municipality is not obligated to report the paper in its supply. That obligation falls to the brand holder.

For example: A municipality may distribute documents issued by the provincial government (such as marriage licences and court documents) which are usually branded with the provincial agency or ministerial logos and names. In these cases, the provincial government would be the brand holder responsible for reporting these materials in their annual supply data report.

Please see FAQ “Who is a brand holder?” for more information.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: First Nation communities
There are two steps that need to be completed for a First Nation to receive service or funding beginning on their requested transition date:

The PRO, Circular Materials, must submit the offer through the Registry for the First Nation to sign six months before the transition date.

The First Nation must sign the offer three months before the transition date.

If these two steps are not completed by the required timelines, service or funding will begin three months after the offer is signed by the First Nation.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: First Nation communities

If your First Nation is located south of the Far North and wants to join the Blue Box program, they first need to complete a registration form and submit it to registry@rpra.ca.

First Nations that are not listed on the transition schedule and have registered to participate in the Blue Box program are eligible to receive Blue Box collection service or funding starting January 1, 2026 at the earliest.
Program: Blue Box

Topic: Producer , Reporting

For the purposes of supply data reporting, ‘refillable packaging’ is defined as packaging surrounding a supplied product that a consumer can return to the product manufacturer for cleaning and reuse.

A producer who supplies its products in refillable packaging should only report weights (under the appropriate material category) the first time the packaging is supplied to consumers.

For example:

A milk producer that used 1000 new glass bottles to supply its product to consumers in 2022, reported the weight of all 1000 bottles under the beverage container category in their 2023 supply data report.

In 2023, the producer added 500 new glass bottles to its supply, bringing the total of supplied material to 1500 bottles. Their 2024 supply data report should only reflect the weights of the 500 new bottles, not the total currently being used by the producer (1500).

Important: Products supplied in beverage containers should be reported in the ‘beverage container’ category, not the category the container is made of (plastic, metal, glass).

See Compliance Bulletin: What blue box materials need to be reported?
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: Compliance and Enforcement
If a Compliance Order is issued to a registrant by the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar, or if the registrant receives a decision from a Deputy Registrar issued as a result of a Request for Review of an inspector’s order, the registrant can appeal the order to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). The registrant must serve written notice of their intention to appeal to the Registrar or Deputy Registrar who made the order and to the OLT within 15 days of being served with the order. The notice must include:

The parts of the order that the appeal pertains to; and

The grounds on which the person appealing the order intends to rely at the hearing.

The OLT will hold a hearing. The OLT may decide to confirm, vary, or revoke the order.

After a matter is decided by the OLT, the registrant or RPRA may appeal the OLT’s decision to the Divisional Court, but only on a question of law and with leave (permission) of the Divisional Court. If a party obtains leave, the appeal of the OLT decision will be heard by the Divisional Court. This process is governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure. The OLT’s decision is not automatically stayed (put on hold) by an appeal to the Divisional Court, but a stay may be granted by the OLT or the Court.

Note: This FAQ is for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Please review the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 and associated regulations for details.
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: Compliance and Enforcement
Registrants who receive a Notice of Intention to issue an Administrative Penalty Order may request that the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar consider additional information before they decide to issue the order. A registrant may ask the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar to review:

Additional information related to the contravention;

Any information relevant to the determination of the penalty amount; or

Any actions you have taken to remedy the contravention since it occurred.

The request must be made to the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar, in writing, within 21 days of the notice of intention being served on the registrant. All additional information and supporting documentation that the registrant would like the Registrar or Deputy Registrar to consider should be included in the request.

The Registrar or Deputy Registrar must then consider the information in the request and determine whether or not to issue an order. If the Registrar or Deputy Registrar decides not to issue the order, they must notify the registrant of this decision.

See RPRA’s Administrative Penalties Guideline for further information or the FAQ: ‘Can I appeal an Administrative Penalty Order issued to me?’ for information on appealing an administrative penalty order.

Note: This FAQ is for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Please review the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 and associated regulations for details.
Program: Batteries , Blue Box , Hazardous and Special Products , ITT/AV , Lighting , Tires

Topic: Compliance and Enforcement
Registrants may appeal an Administrative Penalty Order issued to them to the Ontario Land Tribunal (OLT). The registrant must serve written notice of their intention to appeal to the OLT and to the Registrar or a Deputy Registrar within 15 days of being served the order. The order will be temporarily stayed (put on hold) until a decision is rendered by the tribunal. The notice must include:

The parts of the order that the appeal pertains to; and

The grounds on which the person appealing the order intends to rely at the hearing.

The OLT will hold a hearing, and the OLT may confirm, vary, or revoke the order. The OLT cannot vary the amount of the penalty unless it considers the amount to be unreasonable.

After a matter is decided by the OLT, the registrant or RPRA may appeal the OLT’s decision to the Divisional Court, but only on a question of law and with leave (permission) of the Divisional Court. If a party obtains leave, the appeal of the OLT decision will be heard by the Divisional Court. This process is governed by the Rules of Civil Procedure. The OLT’s decision is not automatically stayed by an appeal to the Divisional Court, but a stay may be granted by the OLT or the Court.

See RPRA’s Administrative Penalties Guideline for further information.

Note: This FAQ is for general information only and should not be considered legal advice. Please review the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, 2016 and associated regulations for details.