Canadian Cities Receiving Money for Recycling Programs

Cities in Ontario are slated to receive money totaling $9.1 million to help pay for blue box recycling programs.

In announcing the third set of money allocated to municipalities in the province, Damian Bassett, CEO of Stewardship Ontario, said, “Even though the industry blue box funding program is only 11 months old, so far, Stewardship Ontario has sent 189 municipal recycling programs $20.3 million in industry funding."

The next installment, also amounting to $9.1 million is scheduled for distribution in late March, 2005.  Checks will continue quarterly after that. The first checks under the industry funding program totaling $6.7 million were sent out in early June and the second set amounting to $4.5 went out in late October.

"More than 1,640 companies that produce and distribute products in Ontario have registered as blue box program stewards according to the requirements of the Waste Diversion Act," he said. "Together, they represent 91 percent of the total fees that Stewardship Ontario needs to raise to pay industry's share of the blue box system costs.

    The funds are distributed to municipalities under the requirements of the Waste Diversion Act, 2002 and the Blue Box Program Plan, which was developed by Waste Diversion Ontario (WDO) and approved by the Minister of the Environment. The program obligates brand owners and first importers who use packaging or printed papers that are ultimately handled through Ontario municipal residential waste management programs to contribute to a fund equal to 50 percent of the net cost of municipal residential blue box recycling programs.

A portion of the fees paid by the stewards is used to fund activities designed to increase material recycling rates and to reduce program costs including strengthening markets for recovered materials, public education and awareness, and innovations to promote blue box program efficiency and effectiveness.