Frequently Asked Questions

Effective for the 2025 calendar year, and every year thereafter, producers no longer have collection targets and do not have to collect a minimum weight of used tires.

A producer’s individual management requirement is determined by formulas found in section 12 of the Regulation. See the tables below for details:

Management requirements for all tires

Management requirements for large tires

*For reports submitted in 2024, producers should use RPRA’s manual calculator.

It is important to note that producers must ensure that all collected tires are managed, regardless of what their minimum management requirement is.

Note: Producers with a management requirement below a certain threshold may be exempt from registering with and reporting to RPRA.

See our FAQ ‘How do I determine if I am an exempt tire producer?’ to learn more.

A producer’s individual minimum management requirement is determined by the following formulas, found in section 14 of the Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) Regulation, summarized in the following chart:

It is important to note that producers must ensure that all lighting that is collected is managed, regardless of their minimum management requirement.

Note: Producers with a management requirement below a certain threshold may be exempt from registering with and reporting to RPRA. See our FAQ ‘How do I determine if I am an exempt lighting producer?’ to learn more.

A producer’s individual management requirements are determined by formulas found in section 14 of the Regulation, summarized in the table below:

*For reports submitted in 2024, producers should use RPRA’s manual calculator

It is important to note that producers must ensure that all ITT/AV collected is managed regardless of what their minimum management requirement is.

Note: Producers with a management requirement below a certain threshold may be exempt from registering with and reporting to RPRA. See our FAQ ‘How do I determine if I am an exempt ITT/AV producer?’ to learn more.

You are a tire producer if you supply new tires to consumers in Ontario and you have a permanent establishment in Canada. New tires are supplied to Ontario in two ways – sold on new vehicles or sold as loose tires. The definition for tires producers (as outlined in section 3 of the Tires Regulation) applies in both cases.

New loose tires that are marketed to consumers in Ontario

• For new tires where there is a brand holder resident in Canada: you are the producer for those new tires if you are the brand holder of the new tires (the legislation defines brand holder to mean a person who owns or licenses a brand or who otherwise has rights to market a product under the brand) and resident in Canada.
• For new tires where there is no brand holder resident in Canada: you are the producer for the new tires if you are the importer of those new tires and resident in Ontario.
• For new tires where there is no brand holder or importer resident in Ontario: you are the producer for the new tires if you are the first person to market those tires in Ontario and resident in Ontario.
• For new tires where there is no brand holder, importer or marketer resident in Ontario: you are the producer for the new tires if you are the person that marketed those new tires and non-resident in Ontario.

New vehicles with new tires that are marketed to consumers in Ontario

• For new vehicles where there is a brand holder resident in Canada: you are the producer for the new tires on those new vehicles if you are the manufacturer of the vehicles (the legislation defines vehicle to include motor vehicles, muscular-powered equipment and trailers) and resident in Canada.
• For new vehicles where there is no manufacturer resident in Canada: you are the producer for the new tires on those new vehicles if you are the importer of those new vehicles and resident in Ontario.
• For new vehicles where there is no manufacturer or importer resident in Ontario: you are the producer for the new tires on those new vehicles if you are the marketer of those new vehicles in Ontario and resident in Ontario.
• For new vehicles where there is no manufacturer, importer or marketer resident in Ontario: you are the producer for the new tires on those new vehicles if you are the marketer of those new vehicles and non-resident in Ontario.

A brand is any mark, word, name, symbol, design, device or graphical element, or a combination thereof, including a registered or unregistered trademark, which identifies a product and distinguishes it from other products.

A brand holder is a person who owns or licenses a brand or otherwise has rights to market a product under the brand.

Note:

• If there are two or more brand holders, the producer most directly connected to the production of the material is the brand holder.
• If more than one material produced by different brand holders are marketed as a single package, the producer who is more directly connected to the primary product in the package is the brand holder.

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.

For the purpose of reporting supply data under the Blue Box Regulation, the weight of newspaper, including any protective wrapping and supplemental advertisements and inserts, must be reported in the appropriate material categories. For example, newsprint must be reported in the ‘paper’ category, while any protective plastic wrapping must be reported as ‘flexible plastic’.

Then, producers will be asked to indicate what percentage of their total Blue Box material supply was newspaper, including any protective wrapping and supplemental advertisements and inserts, in that calendar year.

When reporting either their total supply or the percentage of their total supply that is newspaper, a producer should only include the weight of Blue Box materials for which they are the producer. For example, if flyers for which there is a different brand holder resident in Canada are supplied along with a newspaper and those flyers have a different brand holder resident in Canada, their weight should not be reported by the newspaper producer. Instead, it is the brand holder of those flyers who would be required to include the weight of those flyers in their own supply report.

See our FAQ: “What is a newspaper?”

A person is considered a producer under the HSP Regulation if they supply oil filters, oil containers, antifreeze, solvents, paints and coatings, pesticides, fertilizers, pressurized containers or refillable propane containers and: 

• are the brand holder and has residency in Canada 
• import from outside Ontario and has residency in Ontario 
• markets directly to consumers in Ontario (e.g., online sales) and has residency in Ontario 
• markets directly to consumers and does not have residency in Ontario 

A person is considered a producer under the HSP Regulation if they supply mercury-containing barometers, thermometers or thermostats and: 

• are the brand holder and has residency in Canada 
• are the Brand holder of barometers, thermometers or thermostats marketed to consumers in Ontario that do not contain mercury 

A person is considered a producer under the HSP Regulation if they supply fertilizers and: 

• are the brand holder and has residency in Canada 

Even if you do not meet the above definitions, there may be circumstances where you qualify as a producer. Contact the Compliance Team at registry@rpra.ca or 833-600-0530 if you have questions. 

Related FAQs: 

• When and how do I register with RPRA as an HSP producer? 

A volunteer organization is a person who:

• Is a brand holder who owns a brand that is used in respect of batteries or EEE;
• Is not a resident in Canada;
• Has registered with the Authority; and
• Has entered into a written agreement with a producer for the purpose of carrying out one or more producer responsibilities.

A volunteer organization is not a producer but can take on the registration and reporting responsibilities for producers in relation to its brand. Under the Regulation, producers remain responsible for meeting their management requirements and cannot pass off their obligations through voluntary remitter agreements or any other commercial agreement.

Any brand holder or producer who is interested in making any agreement as indicated (or described) above, should contact the Compliance Team at registry@rpra.ca, 647-496-0530 or toll-free at 1-833-600-0530.

See our FAQ to understand “What is blue box product packaging?”.

Product packaging added to a product can be added at any stage of the production, distribution and supply of the product. A person adds packaging to a product if they:

• make the packaging available for another person to add the packaging to the product
• cause another person to add the packaging to a product
• combine the product and the packaging

For the portion of the product packaging that a brand holder added to the product, a person is considered a producer:

• if they are the brand holder of the product and are resident in Canada
• if no resident brand holder, they are resident in Ontario and import the product from outside of Ontario
• if no resident importer, they are the retailer that supplied the product directly to consumers in Ontario
• if the retailer who would be the producer is a marketplace seller, the marketplace facilitator is the obligated producer
• if the producer is a business that is a franchise, the franchisor is the obligated producer, if that franchisor has franchisees that are resident in Ontario

For the portion of the product packaging that an importer of the product into Ontario added to the product, a person is considered a producer:

• if they are resident in Ontario and import the product from outside of Ontario
• if no resident importer, they are the retailer that supplied the product directly to consumers in Ontario
• if the retailer who would be the producer is a marketplace seller, the marketplace facilitator is the obligated producer
• if the producer is a business that is a franchise, the franchisor is the obligated producer, if that franchisor has franchisees that are resident in Ontario

For any portion of the packaging that is not described above, the producer is the retailer who supplied the product to consumers in Ontario.

A person is considered a lighting producer under the Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE) Regulation if they supply lighting into Ontario and:

• Are the brand holder for the lighting and have residency in Canada;
• If there is no resident brand holder, have residency in Ontario and import lighting from outside of Ontario;
• If there is no resident importer, have residency in Ontario and market directly to consumers in Ontario (e.g. online sales); or
• If there is no resident marketer, do not have residency in Ontario and market directly to consumers in Ontario (e.g., online sales).

Even if you do not meet the above definition, there may be circumstances where you qualify as a producer. Read the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulation for more detail or contact the Compliance and Registry Team for guidance at registry@rpra.ca or (647) 496-0530 or toll-free at (833) 600-0530.

See our FAQ to understand “What is lighting under the EEE Regulation?”, “Who is a brand holder?”

Under the Blue Box Regulation, there are three types of exemptions that apply to producers:

1. Based on a producer’s gross annual revenue,
2. based on the weight of Blue Box materials supplied into Ontario, and
3. for producers of newspaper

1. Any producer whose gross annual Ontario revenue from products and services is less than $2,000,000 is exempt from all producer requirements under the regulation. In the case where the producer is a franchisor, it is the gross annual revenue of the system that is used to determine if an exemption applies.

Any producer who meets the exemption must keep any records that demonstrate its gross annual Ontario revenue is less than $2,000,000 in a paper or electronic format that can be examined or accessed in Ontario for a period of five years from the date of creation.

See our FAQs to understand what revenues municipalities and registered charities should consider when determining whether or not they are an exempt producer.

2. A producer who is above the revenue-based exemption level may still be exempt from performance requirements (collection, management and promotion and education) if their supply weight is below the exemption levels outlined in the table below.

If a producer’s annual revenue is more than $2,000,000 and supply weight in all material categories is less than the tonnage exemption threshold, the producer is required to register and report.

If a producer’s annual revenue is more than $2,000,000 and supply weight in at least one material category is above the tonnage exemption threshold, the producer is required to meet all obligations (registration, reporting, collection, management, and promotion and education). However, producers are only required to meet their minimum management requirement in material categories where they are above the exemption level.

3. As outlined in the amended Blue Box Regulation (released April 19, 2022), producers of newspapers may be exempt from collection, management, and promotion and education requirements. For the purposes of this exemption, “newspapers” includes newspapers and any protective wrapping and any supplemental advertisements and inserts that are provided along with the newspapers.

For a producer to qualify for this exemption, newspapers must account for more than 70% of their total weight of Blue Box materials supplied to consumers in Ontario in a calendar year. If exempt, the producer is not required to meet collection, management, and promotion and education requirements for all Blue Box materials they supply in Ontario in the following two calendar years.

A producer whose newspaper supply accounts for 70% or less of their total weight of Blue Box materials is subject to collection, management, and promotion and education requirements for all Blue Box materials they supply in Ontario.

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?

Large producers for supply data verification

Producers whose average supply meets the large producer threshold in the below chart must submit a verification report for that reporting year.

Example: Producers of oil filters that have an average weight of supply in their 2023 supply report that exceeds 100 tonnes are considered a large producer and must submit a verification report for oil filters in 2024.

Small producers for supply data verification

Producers who are below the threshold are considered small producers. Small producers are only required to submit a verification report but will be subject to inspections.

When to register as a producer 

Producers of oil filters and non-refillable pressurized containers, oil containers, antifreeze, pesticides, refillable pressurized containers, solvents, paints and coatings  

If the producer’s average weight of supply in 2018, 2019, 2020 was above the threshold in the table below, the producer was required to register with RPRA by November 30, 2021. Obligated producers who have not yet registered are out of compliance with the regulation and may face compliance action by RPRA. 

If a producer was not required to register in 2021, they must register on or before July 31 of the first calendar year that they exceed the threshold in the table below. 

For assistance in calculating your average weight of supply, contact RPRA’s Compliance Team at registry@rpra.ca.  

Producers of mercury-containing barometers, thermometers and thermostats, fertilizers and refillable propane containers

If a producer met the definition of an HSP producer in 2021, they were required to register with RPRA by November 31, 2021.

If you meet the definition of an HSP producer after November 31, 2021, you must register with RPRA within 30 days. 

How to register as a producer

1. Go to RPRA’s Registry at https://registry.rpra.ca/s/login/?language=en_US 
   • Note: The Registry will not work with the Internet Explorer web browser. Google Chrome is the recommended web browser to use.
2. Click “Don’t have an Account? Create a new Account”.
3. Follow the prompts to fill out your account details. 
   • Information needed at time of registration: 
     • CRA business number, business name, address, contact information, and 
     • Name, contact information of the person who will be responsible for completing registration.
4. You’ll receive an email with a link to create your password.
5. Select the program you want to enroll in.
6. Submit a supply report with the total weight of each type of HSP that was supplied to consumers in Ontario in the previous years. 

For more information and step by step instructions on how to submit a supply report, view our supply reporting guides here. 

The brand holder is the obligated producer.

A marketplace facilitator only becomes obligated for products supplied through its marketplace where the producer would have been a retailer. If the producer is a brand holder or an importer, they remain the obligated producer even when products are distributed by a marketplace facilitator.

A retailer is a business that supplies products to consumers, whether online or at a physical location.

A battery producer qualifies for an exemption if their average weight of supply for that calendar year is:

• Less than or equal to 2,500 kg of rechargeable batteries, or
• Less than or equal to 5,000 kg of primary batteries.

Average supply weight is determined using the following formula:

Average weight of rechargeable batteries = (Y3 + Y4 + Y5) / 3

• Eg. 2025 average weight of supply = (2022 + 2021 + 2020) / 3

Average weight of primary batteries = (Y2 + Y3 + Y4) / 3

• Eg. 2025 average weight of supply = (2023 + 2022 + 2021) / 3

Battery producers that meet the exemption criteria are exempt from:

• Registering and reporting to RPRA.
• Establishing a collection and management system.
• Meeting management requirements.
• Promotion and education requirements.

Producers must verify that they continue to meet the exemption annually, since their average weight of supply will change from year to year.

Exempt producers must keep records related to the weight of batteries (by category) supplied into Ontario each year and provide them to RPRA upon request.

Producers are advised to confirm their exemption with the Compliance Team at 833-600-0530 or registry@rpra.ca.

Also see our FAQ: ‘How are battery producers’ minimum management requirements determined?‘

An ITT/AV producer qualifies for an exemption if their average weight of supply for that calendar year is less than or equal to 5,000 kg.

Average supply weight is determined using the following formula:

Average weight of ITT/AV supply = (Y3 + Y4 + Y5) / 3 

Eg. 2025 average weight of supply = (2022 + 2021 + 2020) / 3 

ITT/AV producers that meet the exemption criteria are exempt from:

• Registering and reporting to RPRA
• Establishing a collection and management system
• Meeting a management requirement
• Promotion and education requirements

Producers must verify that they continue to meet the exemption annually, since their average weight of supply will change from year to year.

Exempt producers must keep records related to the weight of ITT/AV supplied into Ontario each year and provide them to the RPRA upon request.

Producers are advised to confirm their exemption with the Compliance Team at 833-600-0530 or registry@rpra.ca.

Yes. You are required to submit 2018, 2019 and 2020 supply data when registering with the Authority if you are a producer of oil filters, oil filters, oil containers, antifreeze, pesticides, solvents, paints and coatings, refillable or non-refillable pressurized containers and:

• supplied materials between January 1, 2018, and October 31, 2021, and
• your average weight of supply is above the threshold stated in the below table

Otherwise, a producer must register on or before July 31 of the first calendar year in which the producer exceeds the above threshold. To calculate your average weight of supply, reference the Registration Form.

A lighting producer qualifies for an exemption if their average weight of supply for that calendar year is less than or equal to 700 kg.

Average supply weight is determined using the following formula:

Average weight of lighting supply = (Y3 + Y4 + Y5) / 3 

Eg. 2025 average weight of supply = (2022 + 2021 + 2020) / 3 

Lighting producers that meet the exemption criteria are exempt from:

• Registering with and reporting to RPRA
• Establishing a collection and management system
• Meeting a management requirement
• Promotion and education requirements

Producers must verify that they continue to meet the exemption annually, since their average weight of supply will change from year to year.

Producers that are exempt must keep records of the materials they supplied, as set out in section 30 of the regulation.

Producers are advised to confirm their exemption with the Compliance Team at 833-600-0530 or registry@rpra.ca.

See our FAQs: “How are lighting producers’ minimum management requirements determined?” and “What do I have to do if I am an exempt lighting producer?”

A producer’s management requirement is how much Blue Box material they must ensure is collected and processed into recovered resources each year. Management requirements are calculated based on what they supplied into Ontario one year prior and the resource recovery percentage as set in the regulation. A producer’s management requirement is calculated separately for each Blue Box material category (beverage container, glass, flexible plastic, rigid plastic, metal and paper).

Some producer are exempt from having a management requirement based on their supply data, for more information on exemptions see the FAQ Are there exemptions for Blue Box producers? A producer that does not have a management requirement does not have any collection, management or promotion and education obligations.

A producer with a management requirement must also provide collection and promotion and education services in Ontario. Most producers will contract the services of a producer responsibility organization (PRO) to meet their collection, management and promotion and education obligations.

To view your management requirement(s), log into your registry account, download a copy of your Blue Box Supply Report and review the section with your minimum management requirements. Management requirement for a given year are determine by supply data from two years prior. For example, 2023 management requirements were based on 2021 supply data (submitted in producers’ 2022 Supply Report).

Unsure if you are a Blue Box producer? See our FAQs Am I a producer of Blue Box product packaging? And Am I a producer of paper products and packaging-like products?

A tire producer qualifies for an exemption if their average weight of supply for that calendar year is less than 1,175 kg.

Average supply weight is determined using the following formula:

Average weight of tire supply = (Y3+Y4+Y5) / 3

E.g. 2025 average weight of supply = (2022 + 2021 + 2020) / 3

Tire producers that meet the exemption criteria are exempt from:

• Registering and reporting to RPRA
• Establishing a collection and management system
• Meeting a management requirement

Producers must verify that they continue to meet the exemption annually, since their average weight of supply will change from year to year.

Exempt producers must keep records related to the weight of tires supplied into Ontario each year and provide them to RPRA upon request.

Producers are advised to confirm their exemption with the Compliance Team at 833-600-0530 or registry@rpra.ca.

Brand holders and producers that supply products and packaging are required by legislation to meet individual mandatory collection and resource recovery requirements and may face compliance and enforcement consequences for failing to do so. The executive attestation ensures that executives responsible for managing the brand holder’s or producer’s business are aware of these requirements and can ensure that appropriate measures are put in place to achieve compliance with the regulations.

There is no audit verification requirement for the first two supply data reports submitted to the Authority. Therefore, data submitted for single-use batteries supplied in 2018, 2019, and 2020, as well as rechargeable batteries supplied in 2018 and 2019 will not have to be verified in accordance with the Registry Procedure – Verification and Audit.

As shown in the table below, under section 15 of the Battery Regulation, the first supply data report for which there are audit and verification requirements will be submitted in 2022. This supply data report is for single-use batteries supplied in 2021 and rechargeable batteries supplied in 2020.

As shown in the table below, verification of the ITT/AV supply data reported in 2020 and 2021 is not required. Verification of supply data for ITT/AV will be required starting in 2022 for products supplied in 2020. All subsequent years of supply data are required to be verified when the data is reported.

For more information on the required verification and audit of data, view the Registry Procedure: EEE Verification and Audit.

For most producers and for all municipalities, little has changed:

1. Rule creators and the rule creation process, including the allocation table, have been removed. Instead, each producer is responsible for providing Blue Box collection to every eligible source in Ontario and creating a province-wide system for collection.
2. Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) are now required to submit a report to RPRA on how they will operate the Blue Box system on behalf of producers.
3. Newspaper producers whose newspaper supply accounts for more than 70% of their total Blue Box supply to consumers in Ontario are exempt from collection, management, and promotion and education requirements.

The amendments do not change or impact:

• Producer registration or 2020 supply data reporting to RPRA
• Most producers’ 2021 supply data reporting to RPRA
• The materials collected in the Blue Box system
• The communities that receive collection or the collection requirements
• The transition schedule and its timelines

The Manage PRO option will appear on the dashboard below your list of supply data reports when your supply data reporting is complete and if you have management requirements. If your supply data reporting is below the supply exemption threshold you will not have management requirements, and therefore not need to assign a PRO to assist with your obligations.

Also note that Account Admin are the only portal users that can manage your PRO’s responsibility, so this widget is not viewable to primary and secondary users.

For the purposes of battery supply reporting verification:

• “Large single-use battery producer” means a battery producer with a minimum management requirement greater than or equal to 50,000 kilograms of single-use batteries in the previous calendar year.
• “Large rechargeable battery producer” means a battery producer with a minimum management requirement greater than or equal to 5,000 kilograms of rechargeable batteries in the previous calendar year.

To view your management requirements, log into your Registry account, download a copy of your previous year’s Supply Report and review the section with your minimum management requirements for your reporting year.

Beginning in 2023, only large producers are required to submit a Supply Data Verification Report. Small producers will no longer be required to submit a verification report but will be subject to inspections. Review the Registry Procedure – Verification and Audit for more information.

For the purposes of ITT/AV supply reporting verification:

• “Large ITT/AV producer” means an ITT/AV producer with a minimum management requirement greater than or equal to 200,000 kilograms in the previous calendar year.

To view your management requirements, log into your Registry account, download a copy of your previous year’s Supply Report and review the section with your minimum management requirements for your reporting year.

Beginning in 2023, only large producers are required to submit a Supply Data Verification Report. Small producers will no longer be required to submit a verification report but will be subject to inspections. Review the Registry Procedure – Verification and Audit for more information.

Public sector institutions, such as colleges and universities, are suppliers of Blue Box materials to consumers in Ontario. They supply Blue Box materials to consumers on-site (e.g., food service packaging, unprinted paper in photocopiers, etc.) and off-site (e.g., mailings).

For the purposes of supply reporting, colleges, universities, and other public sector institutions must determine the total amount of Blue Box material they supply to consumers in Ontario. One way to gather this data is by canvassing internal departments to obtain annual weights of Blue Box materials supplied to consumers on-site and off-site.

Also see:
FAQ: What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?
Compliance Bulletin: What Blue Box materials need to be reported?

Yes. If you are a producer with retailers or distributors supplying your obligated EEE into Ontario, you can email us at registry@rpra.ca to discuss options on how to report your supply data. There are several options available, including an easy-to-use sales formula and weight conversion factors. See the EEE Verification and Audit procedure for more information.

One option is to have your supply data reported by each of your retailers or distributors on a piecemeal basis. The piecemeal option requires that extra steps be undertaken by you and the Authority. You must contact the Authority in advance if you wish to pursue this option.

Note that even if you have a retailer or distributor providing data on your behalf, it remains the producer’s obligation to ensure that all the required data gets reported and that it is reported accurately to the Authority in accordance with the EEE Regulation. The entry of inaccurate information by someone on your behalf is not a defense to non-compliance.

Yes, producers are legally required to register and report to RPRA. There are some differences between which materials were reported to Stewardship Ontario as a steward and what must now be reported to RPRA as a producer. Differences include:

• newly obligated materials
• brand holder in Canada now obligated (rather than Ontario)
• producer must report total supply, and then report any weight to be deducted separately.

During transition years, stewards must meet their requirements (e.g., paying fees to Stewardship Ontario) under the Blue Box Program Plan and the WDTA. Producers also have requirements under the new Blue Box Regulation and the RRCEA, which includes registering, reporting, paying their program fee to RPRA and establishing collection, management and promotion and education systems for Blue Box materials.

You are considered a battery producer under the Batteries Regulation if you market batteries into Ontario and meet the following requirements:

• Are the brand holder of the battery and have residency in Canada;
• If there is no resident brand holder, have residency in Ontario and import batteries from outside of Ontario;
• If there is no resident importer, have residency in Ontario and markets directly to consumers in Ontario (e.g., online sales); or
• If there is no resident marketer, does not have residency in Ontario and markets directly to consumers in Ontario (e.g., online sales).

Even if you do not meet the above definition, there may be circumstances where you qualify as a producer. Read the Batteries Regulation for more detail or contact the Compliance and Registry Team for guidance at registry@rpra.ca or (647) 496-0530 or toll-free at (833) 600-0530.

You are an information technology, telecommunications, audio-visual (ITT/AV) producer if you market ITT/AV into Ontario and:

• Are the brand holder of the EEE and have residency in Canada;
• If there is no resident brand holder, have residency in Ontario and import EEE from outside of Ontario;
• If there is no resident importer, have residency in Ontario and market directly to consumers in Ontario (e.g., online sales); or
• If there is no resident marketer, do not have residency in Ontario and market directly to consumers in Ontario (e.g., online sales).

Even if you do not meet the above definition, there may be circumstances where you qualify as a producer. Read the Electrical and Electronic Equipment Regulation for more detail or contact the Compliance and Registry Team for guidance at registry@rpra.ca or (647) 496-0530 or toll-free at (833) 600-0530.

See our FAQs to understand “What are paper products?” and “What are packaging-like products?”.

For paper products and packaging-like products, a person is considered a producer:

• if they are the brand holder of the paper product or packaging-like product and are resident in Canada
• if no resident brand holder, they are resident in Ontario and import the paper product or packaging-like product from outside of Ontario
• if no resident importer, they are the retailer that supplied the paper product or packaging-like product directly to consumers in Ontario
• if the retailer who would be the producer is a marketplace seller, the marketplace facilitator is the obligated producer
• if the producer is a business that is a franchise, the franchisor is the obligated producer, if that franchisor has franchisees that are resident in Ontario

Yes, there have been some key changes to the producer hierarchies which may affect what a producer is obligated for and should be considered if using data previously reported to Stewardship Ontario:

• If a retailer is determined to be the producer based on hierarchies, but they are a marketplace seller, the marketplace facilitator is the obligated producer.
• Brand holders that are resident in Canada are obligated, which varies from the Stewardship Ontario program where brand holders that are resident in Ontario are obligated.

See our FAQ to understand “Who is a marketplace facilitator?”.

Producers are not required to collect and manage their own branded products and materials. Instead, a producer is expected to collect and manage a portion of similar materials in Ontario. The portion of material that a producer collects and manages is known as their minimum management requirement. A minimum management requirement, which is set based on calculations outlined in the applicable Regulation, is the weight of the products or packaging that the producer must ensure is collected and managed. The calculated amount is proportionate to the weight of materials that producer supplied into the province.

For example, a producer who supplied laptops into Ontario does not need to collect and manage their own branded laptops. Instead, they must ensure that they collect and manage an equivalent weight of information technology, telecommunications, and audio-visual equipment (ITT/AV) materials.

Similarly, a producer who supplied cardboard boxes into Ontario does not need to collect and manage those exact cardboard boxes. Rather, they need to ensure that an equivalent weight of paper is collected and managed.

Almost all producers will work with producer responsibility organizations (PROs) for the purposes of meeting their obligations to collect and manage materials. PROs establish collection and management systems across Ontario for different material types. A producer can meet their obligations to collect and manage materials by entering into a contract with a PRO to provide these services on their behalf.

A marketplace facilitator is a person who contracts with a marketplace seller to facilitate the supply of the marketplace seller’s products by:

• Owning or operating an online consumer-facing marketplace or forum in which the marketplace seller’s products are listed or advertised for supply and where offer and acceptance are communicated between a marketplace seller and a buyer (e.g., a website), and
• Providing for the physical distribution of a marketplace seller’s products to the consumer (e.g., storage, preparation, shipping of products).

Under the Blue Box Regulation, if a retailer (online or at a physical location) is determined to be the producer based on hierarchies, but they are a marketplace seller, the marketplace facilitator is the obligated producer. A marketplace seller is a person who contracts with a marketplace facilitator to supply its products.

Starting in 2022, producers are required to report their supply data annually to RPRA.

Each year, producers will need to provide the previous years’ supply data in each of the seven material categories – beverage container, glass material, flexible plastic, rigid plastic, metal material, paper material, and certified compostable products and packaging material – as well as any deductions.

See our FAQ to understand “What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?”

Yes, there are some key changes to the data reported to Stewardship Ontario and what needs to be reported under the new regulation, which may affect what a producer is obligated for and should be considered if using data previously reported to Stewardship Ontario:

• There are fewer reporting categories than under the Stewardship Ontario program
• Certified compostable packaging and products now must be reported separately, but this category does not have management requirements
• There are only two deductions permitted under the Blue Box Regulation, and producers must report total supply and then report any weight to be deducted separately
• Exemptions are based on tonnage supply under each material category instead of a total supply weight threshold of less than 15 tonnes as in Stewardship Ontario’s program

See our FAQ to understand “What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?”; “Are there exemptions for Blue Box producers?“; “Are there any differences in Blue Box producer hierarchies between the current Stewardship Ontario program and the new Blue Box Regulation?”; and “Are there are any differences in obligated Blue Box materials between the current Stewardship Ontario program and the new Blue Box Regulation?”

If a producer misreports their supply data to RPRA, they must contact the Compliance and Registry Team immediately by emailing registry@rpra.ca. Please include the following information in the email:

• The rationale for the change in the data
• Any data that supports the need for a correction (e.g., sales documents, audit)
• Any other information to support the change

While it is an offence to submit false or misleading information under the RRCEA, RPRA wants this corrected as quickly to ensure a producer’s minimum management requirement is calculated using accurate supply data.

RPRA can only receive these requests from the primary contact on the company’s Registry account. Your request for an adjustment will be reviewed by a Compliance and Registry Officer.

A newspaper is a regularly (usually daily or weekly) printed document consisting of large, folded, stapled or unstapled, sheets of paper containing news reports, articles, photographs, and advertisements. Newspapers include broadsheet, tabloid, and free newspaper categories.

Newspapers have traditionally been published in print on low-grade paper known as newsprint. However, not all documents printed on newsprint are considered newspapers. For example, flyers printed on newsprint quality paper supplied separately from newspapers are not newspapers for the purpose of supply data reporting under the Blue Box Regulation.

For the purpose of supply reporting, newspapers include any supplemental advertisements and inserts that are provided with/inserted in them (e.g., a flyer or circular that is placed within the folds of a newspaper). Inserts may be composed of any material including, but not limited to, paper. See the FAQ: How do newspaper producers report their supply of newspapers?

Note that magazines are not considered newspapers; a magazine is a periodical publication containing articles and illustrations, typically covering a particular subject or area of interest, and printed on high-quality paper.

No, beverage containers are not eligible for this deduction.

The allowable deduction is permitted for Blue Box materials that are deposited into a “non-eligible source,” meaning a place where consumers dispose of Blue Box materials that are not included in the producer-run collection system.

Under the Blue Box Regulation, beverage containers that are supplied to Ontario consumers for personal, family, household or business purposes are obligated Blue Box materials. The inclusion of “business purposes” is unique to the beverage container material category.

Because supplying a beverage container can mean either supplying for “personal, family and/or household purposes” that will likely be consumed and disposed of in a residential context (e.g., a home, apartment, long-term care facility, etc.) or supplying for “business purposes” that will likely be consumed and disposed of in a commercial or institutional context (e.g., a restaurant, college or gym), there are no “non-eligible sources” for beverage containers. All beverage containers must be reported and collected from all sources, whether they are residential, business, commercial or institutional.

See our FAQ to understand “What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?”

Lighting producers report supply data in kilograms from two years prior (i.e., 2023 supply data is reported in 2025) in their annual supply report.

Producers can use the actual weight of the obligated lighting, or RPRA’s weight conversion factors found in the EEE Verification and Audit Procedure.

For further questions, contact the Compliance Team at registry@rpra.ca or 1-833-600-0530.

Yes, RPRA may issue a refund in two circumstances: 

1. Misreported Supply Data: If a producer misreports their supply data, they must contact RPRA immediately to request an adjustment that will be reviewed by the compliance team. For more information on what to do if you misreport supply data, please click here. 
2. Correction to a Completed Manifest: If a correction to a completed manifest is required, the generator or authorized generator delegate (AGD) must contact RPRA to request a correction.  

Yes, cheques are an obligated material and should be reported under the paper material category. If you have questions regarding how to determine whether you are the brand holder and are obligated to report the supply of cheques, please reach out to the Compliance & Registry team at registry@rpra.ca.

Unbranded products are products that do not have any mark, word, name, symbol, design, device or graphical element, or any combination of these, including a registered or unregistered trademark, which identifies a product and distinguishes it from other products.

The retailer who supplied the product to a consumer in Ontario, either online or at a physical location, is the obligated producer for the supply of Blue Box packaging on that unbranded product.

For example: A cucumber in plastic film sold at a grocery store that does not have any stickers, labeling or any other information associated with a brand is considered unbranded. As the retailer for that unbranded product, the grocery store is the obligated producer for the packaging supplied with the cucumber.

Any public sector institution, including colleges and universities, that offers a self-serve hot drink machine for use by students and employees (i.e., consumers) must report all the Blue Box materials supplied with the machine to serve the hot drinks. This includes branded and unbranded single-use cups, lids, etc.

Public sector institutions must report all branded and unbranded Blue Box packaging supplied or sold with food served in their owned and operated on-site facilities. These facilities include but are not limited to cafeterias, pubs, cafes, and in the case of a college or university, faculty offices.

It is important to consider other situations where food service Blue Box packaging is supplied to consumers. For example, a college must report the packaging used in their Culinary and Hospitality programs that allow students to take home food prepared in class.

You may be required to provide a verification report for the annual tire supply report. You will be required to provide verification if you meet the definition of a medium or large producer. Small producers will not be required to submit a verification report, however a percentage of small producers selected annually by the Registrar will be subject to an inspection. If exceptions are identified during the inspection, a comprehensive review may be carried out. For more information on this, read Tires Registry Procedure – Audit.

Producer supply data is used to calculate their individual minimum management requirements under the Batteries Regulation.

To learn how calculations are formulated, visit the FAQ How are battery producer minimum management requirements determined?

A producer’s individual management requirement is determined by formulas found in section 13 of the Regulation. See the table below for details:

*For reports submitted in 2024, producers should use RPRA’s manual calculator.

It is important to note that producers must ensure that all collected batteries are managed, regardless of what their minimum management requirement is.

Note: Producers with a management requirement below a certain threshold may be exempt from registering with and reporting to RPRA.

See our FAQ ‘How do I determine if I am an exempt battery producer?’ to learn more.

Producer supply data is used to calculate their individual minimum management requirements under the EEE Regulation.

To learn how calculations are formulated, visit the FAQ How are ITT/AV producer minimum management requirements determined?

The HSP Regulation has 13 materials obligated under it. Materials that share the same obligations have been grouped into categories.

Category A:

• Oil Filters: produced and/or arriving in Ontario, and which are for sale, directly or as part of a product
  a) a spin-on style filter or element-style fluid filter that is sold separately or as part of a product, that is used in hydraulic, transmission or internal combustion engine applications,
  (b)  a filter used for oil, diesel fuel, storage tank fuel, coolant, household furnace fuel, and
  (c)  a sump type automatic transmission filter

• Non-refillable pressurized containers: that are used for the supply of a gas product, including propane, but cannot be refilled

Category B:

• Refillable pressurized containers: that are used for the supply of a gas and can be refilled
• Antifreeze: that contains ethylene or propylene glycol used or intended for use as a vehicle engine coolant
• Oil containers: that have a capacity of 30 litres or less and that was manufactured and used for the purpose of containing new lubricating oil
• Solvents: that are used to dissolve or thin a compatible substance, comprised of 10% or more of water-immiscible liquid hydrocarbons, including halogen-substituted liquid hydrocarbons
• Paints and coatings: that contain latex, oil or solvent-based architectural coatings whether tinted or untinted, non-pesticide marine paints, paints for automotive craft and industrial applications
• Pesticides: fungicides, herbicides or insecticides that are registered under the Pest Control Products Act

Category C:

• Barometers: that contain mercury, are intended for residential use and may contain electronic components
• Thermometers: that contain mercury, are intended for residential use to measure body or air temperature and may contain electronic component
• Thermostats: that contain mercury, and may contain electronic components

Category D:

• Fertilizers: any substance or mixture of substances containing nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium or other plant food, manufactured, sold or represented for use as a plant nutrient and regulated under the Fertilizers Act (Canada)

Category E:

• Refillable propane containers: A pressurized container that can be refilled, has a water capacity of 109 litres or less and is used only for propane

See our FAQ to understand “Is the packaging of antifreeze, pesticides, solvents, paints and coatings obligated?” and “What are the key changes to antifreeze, solvents, refillable pressurized containers, paints and coatings material definitions?”

While foam insulating containers were included under the MHSW Program, the HSP Regulation defines a non-refillable pressurized container as a pressurized container that is used for the supply of a gas product.

Foam insulation containers are used to supply an insulating foam, which is not a ‘gas product,’ and therefore they do not meet the definition of a non-refillable pressurized container under the HSP Regulation.

For the purpose of reporting annual supply data under the Blue Box Regulation, the weight of newspaper must be reported in the appropriate material categories. For example, newsprint must be reported in the ‘paper’ category, while any protective plastic wrapping must be reported as ‘flexible plastic’.

Then, producers will be asked to indicate what percentage of their total Blue Box material supply was newspaper, including any protective wrapping and supplemental advertisements and inserts, in that calendar year.

See our FAQs: “What is a newspaper?” and “Who is a newspaper producer?”

Producers are obligated parties under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act and are ultimately responsible for their data submitted through RPRA’s Registry. Producers can choose to contract with an external consultant to support their data submission, but third parties have limited permissions in the Registry as they are not regulated parties.

A producer can choose to assign a primary or secondary user profile in their Registry account to an external consultant. An external consultant may submit supply data reports and/or pay registry fees on the producer’s behalf.

External consultants cannot submit and/or sign registration, executive attestations, account admin changes or supply data adjustment documentation on behalf of a producer. External consultants cannot be account admins, nor can they manage a PRO within the Registry on behalf of a producer.

Under the Blue Box Regulation, allowable deductions for producers include Blue Box materials that are deposited into a receptacle at a location that is not an eligible source and where the product related to the Blue Box material was supplied to a consumer and used or consumed.

This applies to locations such as arenas, college and university campuses and food courts.

A producer must demonstrate the following with regards to an allowable deduction:

1. They are the obligated producer for the materials for which they are claiming a deduction, and the weight of those materials was included in their reported supply data.
2. The materials were supplied onsite to a consumer for personal, family or household purposes.
3. The same materials that were supplied, were used or consumed onsite and disposed of in a receptacle onsite.

Blue Box materials that were disposed of in a building’s receptacles but were not supplied and used or consumed within that physical building are not deductible. This deduction applies to all Blue Box materials supplied for personal, family or household, but not those supplied for business purposes. This deduction is not available for beverage containers.

This does not reduce the obligation of a producer to provide complete and accurate supply data or limit the ability of an Authority inspector to review the data and related records for the purpose of determining compliance.

Any donated or re-supplied paper products or other Blue Box materials that are supplied to consumers through a reuse store or upcycling event should not be included in your supply report.

Each Blue Box producer is required to report the Blue Box packaging they add to a product.

For example: a college or university bookstore plans to ship a book to a consumer in Ontario. The bookstore staff packages the book in a small box with the packing slip and inserts the box into a plastic mailer supplied by the delivery service with the required label affixed.

In this scenario, the college or university is the obligated producer of the small box and packing slip and must report these materials in their supply report, whereas the delivery company is the obligated producer of the plastic mailer and label and must report these materials in their supply report.

Also see:
Am I a producer of Blue Box product packaging?

Yes, any tire type collected and managed within a collection system can be used to meet a producer’s management requirement.

Producers who supplied large tires have to ensure that large tires recovered equals at least 60 per cent of their average weight of supply.

There have been some key changes to the producer hierarchies in the HSP Regulation. This may affect what a producer is obligated for and should be considered if using data previously reported.

Hierarchy change for producers in all categories:

• Brand holders that are resident in Canada are obligated (previously was resident in Ontario)

Hierarchy change for producers of oil filters, oil containers, antifreeze, pesticides, non-refillable pressurized containers, refillable pressurized containers, solvents, paints or coatings:

• Producer hierarchy’s introduction of marketers with or without residency in Ontario

See our FAQ to understand “Am I an HSP Producer?”

The Authority recognizes the commercially sensitive nature of the information that parties submit to the registry. The Authority is committed to protecting the commercially sensitive information and personal information it receives or creates in the course of conducting its regulatory functions. In recognition of this commitment, the Authority, in addition to the regulatory requirements of confidentiality set out in the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act 2016 (section 57), has created an Access and Privacy Code that applies to its day-to-day operations, including the regulatory functions that it carries out.

Obligated material supply, collection, and resource recovery data will only be made public in aggregate form, to protect the confidentiality of commercially sensitive information.

The Authority will publish the names and contact information of all registered businesses – producers, service providers (collectors, haulers, processors, etc.), and producer responsibility organizations. The public will also have access to a list or method to locate any obligated material collection sites, as this information becomes available.

As part of its regulatory mandate, the Registrar will provide information to the public related to compliance and enforcement activities that have been undertaken.

The information that is submitted to the Registry will be used by the Registrar to confirm compliance and to track overall collection and management system performance. It will also be used by the Authority to update its policies and procedures and by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks for policy development.

Producers are required to report single-use (primary) and rechargeable batteries that:

• Weigh 5 kg or less, and
• Are sold separately from products.

Examples include button cells, AA, AAA, C, D, 9V, lantern batteries, small, sealed lead acid (SLA) batteries, and replacement batteries for products such as drills, cell phones, and laptops.

Batteries that do not need to be reported are those that:

• Are sold with or in products (e.g., batteries included with cordless power tools, cell phones, laptops, toys, vapes, fire alarms)
• Weigh over 5 kg (e.g., car batteries, forklift batteries, stationary batteries)

Producers who wish to confirm if they are exempt because the type(s) of batteries they supply do not need to be reported should contact the Compliance Team at registry@rpra.ca or 833-600-0530.

You may have obligations as an ITT/AV producer. To determine if you are a producer, see the FAQ Am I an ITT/AV producer?

If you are not a producer, then under the EEE Regulation you are not required to report supply data to the Authority or anyone else.

No. The list of products obligated under the EEE Regulation is different from the list of products included in the OES Program. The OES Program required producers to report the number of units they supplied, while the EEE Regulation requires producers to report the total weight of products.

To help producers calculate the weight of their products, we have included weight conversion factors in our Verification and Audit procedure, which is included as a weight conversion tool on the registration form.  Once a producer determines the units of products on which they are obligated to report, they can enter the units into the conversion tool to get a calculated weight to report to the Authority.

For more information, see the Determining Supply Data section of the Registry Procedure: EEE Verification and Audit.

As an obligated Blue Box producer, you are required to:

• Register with RPRA
• Report supply data to RPRA annually
• Meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for Blue Box collection systems
• Meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for managing collected Blue Box materials, including meeting a management requirement set out in the regulation
• Meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for promotion and education
• Provide third-party audits of actions taken towards meeting your collection and management requirements, and report on those actions to RPRA through annual performance reports

Producers are required to provide the following information when registering with RPRA:

• Contact information
• PRO information (if a PRO has been retained at time of reporting), including what services they have retained a PRO for
• Their 2020 supply data in each of the seven material categories– beverage container, glass material, flexible plastic, metal material, paper material, and certified compostable products and packaging material – as well as any deductions.

Please note that this information must be submitted to RPRA directly.

See our FAQ to understand “What deductions are available to producers under the Blue Box Regulation?”

RPRA’s Registry fees cover the costs related to compliance and enforcement and other activities required to administer the regulations under the RRCEA, and building and operating the Registry.

The Registry fees cover expenses in a given year (e.g., 2021 fees cover 2021 expenses). 2021 fees for Blue Box cover the Authority’s costs to undertake activities to implement the regulation in 2021, which include:

• helping obligated parties understand their requirements
• ensuring producers register and report their supply data by the deadline in the regulation
• compliance, enforcement, and communication activities

If a producer is exempt in accordance with the chart below, the producer is exempt from the following requirements:

1. Registration with RPRA
2. Requirements related to setting up or operating a collection system
3. Management requirements
4. Promotion and education requirements

Producer categories use the average weight of material (in tonnes) supplied in Ontario in the three previous calendar years. If you have questions on how to calculate your average weight of supply, contact the Registry Support Team at registry@rpra.ca.

There are only two allowable deductions for Blue Box materials. There are for materials that are:

• collected from an eligible source at the time a related product was installed or delivered (e.g., packaging that is removed from the house by a technician installing a new appliance). This is the “installation deduction”.
• deposited into a receptacle at a location that is collected from a business or institution where Blue Box collection services are not provided under the regulation. This is the “ineligible source deduction” that was expanded by the regulation amendment in July 2023.

Ineligible source deductions:

Blue Box Producers may deduct materials that are collected from a business or institution where producers are not required to provide Blue Box collection services. Examples include offices, stores and shopping malls, restaurants, community centres, recreation facilities, sports and entertainment venues, universities and colleges, and manufacturing facilities.

Producers cannot deduct the following materials collected through the collection systems established under the Blue Box Regulation:

• Material that is generated at a facility (including multi-residential buildings, retirement homes, long-term care homes and schools).
• Material that is collected from a residence through a curbside or depot collection service.
• Material that is collected from a public space (including an outdoor area in a park, playground or sidewalk, or a public transit station).
• Material collected under an alternative or supplemental collection system.
• Beverage containers cannot be deducted.

Materials that are deducted cannot count toward a producer’s management requirement.

Please see the Reporting Guidance Ineligible Source Deductions for the 2024 Blue Box Supply Report for more information on how to determine and use these deductions.

Producers can reference the following chart to determine if they are a small, large or exempt HSP producer. To calculate your average weight of supply to confirm that you are an exempt producer, reference the Registration Form.

Producer categories use the average weight of material (in tonnes) supplied in Ontario in the previous calendar year.

As an obligated HSP producer, you are required to:

• register and report annual supply and performance data of obligated materials
• meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for collection and management
• meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for promotion and education
• meet mandatory and enforceable requirements for auditing, verification, and record keeping

These requirements vary based on material type and amount of material the producer supplies.

As of October 1, 2021, producers, or PROs acting on their behalf, are required to establish and operate a management system and must:

• process all oil filters and non-refillable pressurized containers picked up from a collection site within three months from the date of the pickup
• ensure that materials are processed by an HSP processor registered with the Authority that has achieved the minimum recycling efficiency rate (RER)

Beginning January 1, 2022, producers are required to recover an amount of material based on their average supply into Ontario and report on it starting in 2023. For the purposes of accounting for a weight of recovered resources from oil filters and/or non-refillable pressurized containers with respect to 2022, a producer may count the weight of recovered resources from that type of HSP from October 1, 2021 to December 31, 2022.

Beginning October 1, 2021, producers of oil filters and non-refillable pressurized containers, or PROs acting on their behalf, are required to establish and operate a promotion and education program including the following:

• promote their collection and management services with respect to the type of HSP they are obligated for
• provide the following information on a website with respect to that type of HSP:
  • the location of each HSP collection site established or operated by the producer that is accessible to the public and the types of HSP accepted at each site
  • the location and date of each HSP collection event held by the producer and the types of HSP accepted at each event
  • a description of the collection services provided by the producer, other than HSP collection sites and HSP collection events
  • a description of how the producer manages that type of HSP after it is collected
  • create promotional and educational materials with respect to that type of HSP that include the following:
    • the website URL
    • a description of how that type of HSP is collected and managed
  • the producer shall make the promotional and educational materials available to retailers that supply that type of HSP, municipal governments and Indigenous communities, and shall solicit and consider feedback on how the promotional and educational materials can be improved
  • the producer shall promote each HSP collection event for that type of HSP in the local municipality or territorial district where it will be held for at least one week prior to the date of the event using a combination of two or more forms of media, including but not limited to:
    • local print publications
    • local print media
    • local radio
    • local signage or social media

Beginning October 1, 2021, producers, or PROs acting on their behalf, of oil containers, antifreeze, pesticides, solvents, paints and coatings are required to establish and operate a promotion and education program including the following:

• Promote their collection and management services with respect to the type of HSP they are obligated for
• Provide the following information on a website with respect to that type of HSP:
  • the location of each HSP collection site established or operated by the producer that is accessible to the public and the types of HSP accepted at each site
  • the location and date of each HSP collection event held by the producer and the types of HSP accepted at each event
  • a description of the collection services provided by the producer, other than HSP collection sites and HSP collection events
  • a description of how the producer manages that type of HSP after it is collected
• Create promotional and educational materials with respect to that type of HSP that include the following:
  • the address of the website
  • a description of how that type of HSP is collected and managed
• The producer shall make the promotional and educational materials available to retailers that supply that type of HSP, municipal governments and Indigenous communities, and shall solicit and consider feedback on how the promotional and educational materials can be improved
• The producer shall promote each HSP collection event for that type of HSP in the local municipality or territorial district where it will be held for at least one week prior to the date of the event using a combination of two or more forms of media, including but not limited to:
  • local print publications
  • local print media
  • local radio
  • local signage or social media

Beginning October 1, 2021, producers are obligated to:

• establish and operate a promotion and education program starting in 2022
• provide information on their website about how consumers can use, share and properly dispose of fertilizer with local requirements
• create promotional and education materials that include:
  • The website URL
  • A description of how consumers can use, share and properly dispose of fertilizer
• solicit, consider feedback from, and make the promotional and education materials available to:
  • Indigenous communities
  • Municipal governments
  • Retailers that supply fertilizers
• provide information to municipalities on innovative end-use options for fertilizers as an alternative to disposal

Beginning October 1, 2021, producers or PROs acting on their behalf, of mercury-containing devices are required to establish and operate a promotion and education program that:

• Promotes their collection and management services with respect to the type of HSP they are obligated for
• Provides the following information on a website with respect to that type of HSP:
  • the presence of mercury in that type of HSP
  • how to distinguish that type of HSP from similar products that do not contain mercury
  • the hazards to human health and the environment related to mercury
  • how consumers can properly dispose of that type of HSP
  • a description of the collection services provided by the producer under this Regulation for that type of HSP
  • a description of how the producer manages that type of HSP after it is collected under this Regulation
• Creates promotional and educational materials with respect to that type of HSP that include the following:
  • the address of the website
  • a description of how that type of HSP is collected and managed
• The producer shall make the promotional and educational materials available to retailers that supply that type of HSP or similar products that do not contain mercury, municipal governments, and Indigenous communities, and shall solicit and consider feedback from those retailers, municipal governments and Indigenous communities on how the promotional and educational materials can be improved

Under the Blue Box Regulation, allowable deductions for producers include Blue Box materials that are deposited into a receptacle at a location that is not an eligible source and where the product related to the Blue Box material was supplied and used or consumed.

This applies to food court restaurants located in a mall or in the base of an office tower. Blue Box materials that were disposed of in the buildings’ recycling receptacles and were supplied and used or consumed within that physical building are an allowable deduction. Blue Box materials that were disposed of in the buildings’ recycling receptacles but were not supplied and used or consumed within that physical building are not deductible.

This does not reduce the obligation of a producer to provide complete and accurate supply data or limit the ability of an Authority inspector to review the data and related records for the purpose of determining compliance.

Producers of ITT/AV equipment need to provide the following information when registering in RPRA’s Registry:

• Business information (e.g. business name, contact information)
• The year you began marketing or selling ITT/AV equipment into Ontario
• Any PROs you are contracted with
• Your annual ITT/AV Supply Report

A Verifier can be an individual, either an employee of the business or a hired third-party (including a PRO), who has one of the following designations and is not the same person who prepared the supply report:

• CPA (Chartered Professional Accountants) in Canada or CPA (Certified Public Accountant) in the US
• ACCA (Association of Chartered Certified Accounts) Qualification
• CIA (Certified Internal Auditor)
• CPB (Certified Professional Bookkeeper) in Canada
• RPA (Registered Professional Accountant) in Canada

Producers of batteries need to provide the following information when registering in RPRA’s Registry:

• Business information (e.g. business name, contact information)
• The year you began marketing or selling batteries into Ontario
• Any PROs you are contracted with
• Your annual Supply Report

A newspaper producer is a person who supplies newspapers to consumers in Ontario. For the purpose of the Blue Box Regulation, newspapers include broadsheet, tabloid or free newspaper. For further information, see the FAQ: What is a newspaper?

Note that a producer of supplemental advertisements or flyers that are supplied with a newspaper would not be considered a newspaper producer as they do not supply the actual broadsheet, tabloid, or free newspaper. This producer cannot use the newspaper exemption percentage to be exempt from Blue Box collection and management requirements. See the FAQ: Are there exemptions for Blue Box producers?

Eligible Ontario institutions are obligated to manage their waste under several regulations, each of which imposes different obligations and requirements.

Under the Ontario Environmental Protection Act, Industrial, Commercial and Institutional (IC&I) sector organizations have obligations to establish and operate an internal collection system that separates the waste generated on-site into different material categories (i.e., a source-separation program).

The Blue Box Regulation, under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, obligates producers of Blue Box material to collect, manage, and report on the materials that they supply to consumers both on-site and off-site.

For the purposes of supply reporting, a book is defined as a series of written, printed, or illustrated pages encased in a protective cover bound with glue or sewn with thread.

If you are unsure whether your product qualifies as a book, please contact RPRA’s Compliance and Registry Team at 1-833-600-0530 or by emailing registry@rpra.ca.

Also see:
Compliance Bulletin: What Blue Box materials need to be reported?

Under Ontario’s circular economy laws, businesses that produce or supply batteries, electronics, household hazardous waste, lighting, and tires are required to provide recycling locations and report them to RPRA. Only locations reported to RPRA appear on the map.

Recycling locations you’re already aware of that don’t appear on the map most likely collect materials not listed above or are operated by a municipality who aren’t required to report recycling locations to RPRA.

Producers of tires need to provide the following information when registering in RPRA’s Registry:

• Business information (e.g. business name, contact information)
• The year you began marketing or selling tires into Ontario
• Any PROs you are contracted with
• Your annual Tire Supply Report