Outcome of Consultation on Enhancing the Fairness of the Fee Setting Methodology for Packaging & Printed Paper

Ontario Blue Box Stewards,

Thank you to those stewards who were able to attend the March 20, 2014, consultation on Enhancing the Fairness of the Fee Setting Methodology for Packaging & Printed Paper and to those who submitted comments and feedback on the options presented during the consultation.

Background:

As you aware, Stewardship Ontario is committed to ensuring that the fees paid by stewards to support the Ontario blue box program result in the fair distribution of costs across all material categories and reflect, as closely as possible, the actual costs to manage materials through the recycling system, while also encouraging the use of recyclable materials. 

In a review of the fee setting methodology carried out in 2013, Stewardship Ontario identified opportunities to adjust the methodology in ways that could result in a fairer distribution of costs.  Stewardship Ontario presented two options for adjustments to the fee setting formula to stewards in a webinar in March of this year.  Following the webinar, stewards were invited to provide their feedback on the proposed changes. Stewardship Ontario received written feedback from 35 organizations. 

Outcome of Consultation and Feedback Received:

The results of that feedback can be found here: Consultation Report on Enhancing the Fairness of the Fee Setting Methodology for Packaging and Printed Paper.

The feedback received was clearly divided between those stewards that stand to benefit from the changes being supportive, while those who would bear a higher financial cost largely opposed. 

Given the clear division in responses to the proposed changes, Stewardship Ontario will consult with its board of directors on next steps. Also, we will continue to work with our stakeholders to review and identify relevant changes and improvements to the fee setting methodology.

Thank you to those who took their time to provide their views on the proposed changes to the fee setting formula.

Yours,

Stewardship Ontario