After Implementing Mitigation Measures, Éco Entreprises Québec Starts Discussions with the Government of Quebec to Address Business Concerns
Montreal, February 20, 2025 — Further to the concerns raised by some businesses about the increase in curbside recycling rates for 2025, the CEO of Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ), Maryse Vermette, said she understands their concerns. She also confirmed that some mitigation measures have been put in place while others are being studied with the Quebec government. However, she pointed out that ÉEQ fulfills – on behalf of producers – the obligations set out in the Regulation according to the principle of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR).
Two mitigation measures are already in place
No interest or administrative fees will be charged for late payments until March 1, 2025;
A procedure for staggering payments of the 2025 Producer Financial Participation (PFP), also in the case of lump sums, has been implemented to support producers who are having difficulty paying, particularly those affected by the postponement of the deposit-refund system.
Mitigation measures are being studied with the Government of Quebec
Staggering of the upcoming payment of the 2025 Schedule of Contributions;
Postponement to 2030 and subsequent years of new EPR regulatory obligations currently planned for the years 2026 to 2029;
Establishment of a special assistance fund for producers, particularly those affected by the postponement of the deposit-refund system to March 2027, for glass and multi-layer beverage containers and for the small producers.
Éco Entreprises Québec has nearly 2,700 producer members who market containers, packaging and printed paper in Quebec. Nearly 84% of all costs are paid by 133 of these producers, whether their place of business is in Quebec or elsewhere in the world.
To respond to producers’ concerns and questions, in addition to the information provided to members since last spring on the topic, Éco Entreprises Québec recently held working meetings with its members, as well as with sectoral associations. Monthly meetings will be organized in the coming months.
Overall, the increase is due to five factors, most of which are directly related to the Regulation respecting a system of selective collection.
The current transition period means that producers have to pay two years in one: there is an overlap of the two systems.
Inflation, the marked increase in collection, transportation and sorting costs throughout the province, especially in the past two years.
Additional responsibilities in 2025 for ÉEQ, including the new service to multi-unit buildings, small roadside businesses and remote areas, such as the Far North;
The upgrading of sorting centres, the costs of which are integrated into the sorting contracts in force.
The government’s recent decision to postpone the expansion of the deposit-refund system on glass beverage containers and multi-layer containers, which are expensive to collect, transport, sort and recycle.
Various figures have been circulating recently and Éco Entreprises Québec wants to set the record straight. The average invoice increase of the 2024 Schedule, which covers 2023 municipal costs, and the 2025 financial participation of producers (PFP), which pays the system’s current costs in 2025, is 76.8%, while 1% of ÉEQ member companies – or about 20– must absorb an increase of more than 100%.
Thus, the cost charged to producers for 2025 operations totals $457 million, including about $50 million for the management of beverage containers that will not be subject to the deposit system on March 1, due to the postponement of the expansion of the deposit-refund system decided by the government. The cost charged to producers is 80% of the total cost of the system for the current year. The balance will be paid out of ÉEQ’s revenues.
The financial participation of producers is calculated on the basis of the type and weight of materials marketed by them in Québec and the expected costs of providing curbside recycling services throughout the province.
“Éco Entreprises Québec fully understands the impact on producers and the concern that the increase in their financial contribution may cause for them. Remember that, as the producer responsibility organization (PRO), we apply a Regulation which has ambitious objectives. We are actively working with the government to find solutions that will address producers’ concerns. However, for the moment, we are implementing measures that will make payment terms more flexible for targeted companies.”
— Maryse Vermette, President and CEO of Éco Entreprises Québec.
Éco Entreprises Québec is a private non-profit organization that is now responsible for managing the entire curbside recycling system and representing companies that sell containers, packaging and printed paper in Quebec. Our mission is to allow Quebecers to recycle more materials more effectively, make sure they can be reprocessed second life for recyclable materials, and help power the province’s circular economy. Bin Impact, the new reference in curbside recycling in Quebec, aims to educate people on the right way to sort waste and raise awareness of the impact of what we put in our bins.
Learn more:
For more information about the modernization of curbside recycling, see our website.
For further information:
Marie-Claude Rivet
Manager, Public Affairs and Internal Communications
Éco Entreprises Québec
514 987-1491, 237
medias@eeq.ca