On this page:
1. What is Blue Box transition?
2. Who is responsible for Blue Box collection?
3. Why are these changes happening?
4. Why did the Government of Ontario legislate these changes?
5. I am a resident, how does it impact me?
6. What this means for you right now?
7. Moving forward
8. Resources
What is Blue Box Transition?
From July 2023 to the end of December 2025, all municipalities in Ontario will transition their blue box program to a new collection model. Under the new model, the companies that produce blue box materials will be required to fully fund and operate the recycling system.
In Timmins, the transition to a new blue box collector will occur on January 1, 2025.
Who is responsible for Blue Box collection?
As of July 2023, the companies that produce blue box materials sold in Ontario will be responsible and held accountable for collecting these materials and recycling them into new products.
These companies, also known as Producers, will fulfill their regulatory obligations collectively through Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs). The PROs have come together to run a single, new, province-wide common collection system. The approved common collection system administrator is a non-profit company called Circular Materials. See also the Circular Materials website for Timmins: www.circularmaterials.ca/resident-communities/timmins/
Circular Materials will be responsible for the collection of blue box materials from homes and residential buildings across Ontario, including the residential portion of mixed commercial and residential properties.
By January 2026, all municipalities in Ontario will be switched over to this new producer responsibility collection system.
Why are these changes happening?
The Government of Ontario has introduced provincial legislation that changes how blue box materials are managed and collected in Ontario.
The Blue Box Regulation, made under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act, is a key pillar of the Government of Ontario’s Strategy for a Waste Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy. Under the regulation, municipalities and First Nation communities in Ontario will move from the current system, which splits costs between municipal taxpayers and Producers of blue box materials, to a new system which requires the Producers to pay for and operate the system and achieve performance targets. Producers will be responsible for collecting and recycling blue box materials, reporting to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority, and meeting increasing targets for materials they collect and recycle.
Placing full financial, operational, and performance accountability for the blue box program on the Producers of blue box materials creates a direct incentive to reduce waste and improve recycling which decreases natural resource extraction and pollution, including greenhouse gases.
Why did the Government of Ontario legislate these changes?
The goal is to make Producers (e.g., Amazon, Walmart, Nestle, Coca Cola, etc.) responsible and accountable for managing the waste they create and incentivize them to generate less waste and to make materials easier to recycle. The legislation will also make the recycling system easier to use and consistent across Ontario and provide free collection to all residential buildings, non-profit retirement and long-term care homes, and Kindergarten to Grade 12 schools.
I am a resident, how does it impact me?
As the City prepares for upcoming changes to blue box recycling programs and collection models for Ontario municipalities, there are no immediate alterations to Timmins residents’ current recycling schedule or accepted items.
What This Means for You Right Now:
- No Collection Changes Yet: The City of Timmins’ transition kicks off on January 1, 2025. Curbside recycling schedules for residents remain the same, and you recycle the same materials as before.
Moving Forward:
In 2026, there will be two new enhancements to the blue box program, including:
- Ontarians will be able to recycle more types of materials and this list of materials will be the same across Ontario for the first time.
- There will be free blue box collection for schools (public and private that teach Kindergarten to Grade 12), non-profit retirement and long-term care homes, and multi-residential properties (e.g., apartments and condos).
Resources: