Cartons packaging EPR Québec: what a folding carton costs per 1,000 packs, 2027
Last verified
In Québec, 1,000 folding cartons of the Medium (cereal-size box) size (30 g) carry an estimated packaging fee of CA$24.21 on the 2027 schedule. The range comes from the published rates of Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) that fit each part of the pack. Instica estimates it; you confirm the weights, then sign and submit.
What this page estimates for a folding carton in Québec
The folding carton on this page is a paperboard box that wraps the product, such as a soap, tea or cereal box. It has one component, each matched to the published rates of the 2027 schedule of Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) for Québec; weight times rate gives a fee per 1,000 packs in CAD. The figures are estimates built on starting weights.
What is in a folding carton
The carton is one paperboard component. A plastic window or a coating is not weighed separately in the starting estimate.
Starting weights, an Instica estimate for a typical pack and not a measured weight: carton (paperboard, 30 g).
- Carton
- paperboard, 30 g (Instica starting estimate)
Worked example: 1,000 folding cartons in Québec
One folding carton of the Medium (cereal-size box) size weighs 30 g in total. For each component the table gives its weight, the matched published rates, and the fee for 1,000 packs.
| Component | Weight each | Matched published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carton | 30 g | Boxboard, other paper packaging and alternative fibres | CA$24.21 | CA$0.0242 |
Québec: 1,000 folding cartons of the Medium (cereal-size box) size are estimated at CA$24.21 in packaging fees.
Added together, the estimate for 1,000 packs is CA$24.21.
Divide by 1,000 for a single pack: about CA$0.0242.
What the fee tool returns for 1,000 folding cartons in Québec
Entered into the public fee tool for Québec (2027 schedule, effective January 1, 2027), 1,000 folding cartons give the figures below. The tool is the same engine that prices a report, so this page and the tool agree.
| Component | Category at the lowest rate | Weight | Fee | Category at the highest rate | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carton | Boxboard, other paper packaging and alternative fibres | 30 g | CA$24.21 | Boxboard, other paper packaging and alternative fibres | CA$24.21 |
Québec: the fee tool returns CA$24.21 for 1,000 folding cartons of the Medium (cereal-size box) size (30 g each).
The tool total is CA$24.21.
| Size | Weight each | Total, lowest rates | Total, highest rates | Per pack, lowest | Per pack, highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (soap or tea box) | 15 g | CA$12.10 | CA$12.10 | CA$0.0121 | CA$0.0121 |
| Medium (cereal-size box) | 30 g | CA$24.21 | CA$24.21 | CA$0.0242 | CA$0.0242 |
| Large (gift box) | 70 g | CA$56.48 | CA$56.48 | CA$0.0565 | CA$0.0565 |
Which published rates were matched in Québec
One published rate was matched to the pack in Québec from the 2027 schedule. Each is quoted from the programme’s own fee table; the page does not change the rate or round it.
Carton, 30 g: one matched rate
| Category | Published rate | Per kilogram | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxboard, other paper packaging and alternative fibres | 806.84 CAD/tonne | CA$0.8068 | CA$24.21 | CA$0.0242 |
Québec 2027: the category “Boxboard, other paper packaging and alternative fibres” is published at 806.84 CAD/tonne.
How size changes the fee for a folding carton
The weight of a folding carton depends on its size. The table prices each of the 3 sizes with the same matched rates, so the only thing that changes between rows is the weight.
| Size | Weight each | Fee per 1,000 packs, lowest rates | Fee per 1,000 packs, highest rates | Per pack, lowest | Per pack, highest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small (soap or tea box) | 15 g | CA$12.10 | CA$12.10 | CA$0.0121 | CA$0.0121 |
| Medium (cereal-size box) | 30 g | CA$24.21 | CA$24.21 | CA$0.0242 | CA$0.0242 |
| Large (gift box) | 70 g | CA$56.48 | CA$56.48 | CA$0.0565 | CA$0.0565 |
Each component of the folding carton priced at every size, at the matched rates for Québec.
| Component | Small (soap or tea box) | Medium (cereal-size box) | Large (gift box) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carton | 15 g: CA$12.10 | 30 g: CA$24.21 | 70 g: CA$56.48 |
What if the folding carton used another material?
Suppose the main component of the folding carton, weighing 30 g, were made of another material. The table prices the same weight in each material class that Québec publishes a rate for, at the lowest published rate in that class.
| Material | Lowest published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs at that rate | Highest published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs at that rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| paper and board | 806.84 CAD/tonne | CA$24.21 | 806.84 CAD/tonne | CA$24.21 |
| plastic | 1,882.29 CAD/tonne | CA$56.47 | 3,453.34 CAD/tonne | CA$103.60 |
| glass | 654.24 CAD/tonne | CA$19.63 | 655.92 CAD/tonne | CA$19.68 |
| aluminium | 476.19 CAD/tonne | CA$14.29 | 476.19 CAD/tonne | CA$14.29 |
| steel | 703.17 CAD/tonne | CA$21.10 | 703.17 CAD/tonne | CA$21.10 |
| Material | Category | Published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| plastic | HDPE and LDPE films or shopping bags | 1,882.29 CAD/tonne | CA$56.47 | CA$0.0565 |
| plastic | Polystyrenes, PVC, PLA and other degradable plastics and synthetic-fibre reusable bags | 3,453.34 CAD/tonne | CA$103.60 | CA$0.1036 |
| glass | Clear glass | 654.24 CAD/tonne | CA$19.63 | CA$0.0196 |
| glass | Coloured glass | 655.92 CAD/tonne | CA$19.68 | CA$0.0197 |
| aluminium | Aluminum | 476.19 CAD/tonne | CA$14.29 | CA$0.0143 |
| steel | Steel | 703.17 CAD/tonne | CA$21.10 | CA$0.0211 |
A fee comparison only: another material changes weight and protection too.
What a larger run of folding cartons costs in Québec
Fees scale with the number of packs, because the schedule charges by mass. The table repeats the worked example for larger runs of the Medium (cereal-size box) folding carton in Québec. Nothing else changes between rows: the same weights and the same matched rates apply.
| Packs | Total weight | Fee at the lowest rates | Fee at the highest rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 3 kg | CA$2.42 | CA$2.42 |
| 500 | 15 kg | CA$12.10 | CA$12.10 |
| 1,000 | 30 kg | CA$24.21 | CA$24.21 |
| 5,000 | 150 kg | CA$121.03 | CA$121.03 |
| 10,000 | 300 kg | CA$242.05 | CA$242.05 |
| 50,000 | 1,500 kg | CA$1,210.26 | CA$1,210.26 |
| 100,000 | 3,000 kg | CA$2,420.52 | CA$2,420.52 |
| 500,000 | 15,000 kg | CA$12,102.60 | CA$12,102.60 |
| 1,000,000 | 30,000 kg | CA$24,205.20 | CA$24,205.20 |
Québec: a single folding carton is estimated at CA$0.0242 in packaging fees.
Québec: across all its components, a folding carton is priced at CA$0.8068 per kilogram of packaging.
Taken as a whole, the pack is priced at CA$0.8068 per kilogram of packaging, so a heavier pack costs more in proportion to its weight.
Flat fee bands, registration fees and minimum charges sit outside this per-kilogram table.
How the fee for folding cartons has moved on Québec schedules
Québec has published 2 per-mass fee schedules that price this pack. The same Medium (cereal-size box) folding cartons are priced on each below, with the same weights and the same matching rules, so only the published rates differ.
| Schedule | Effective from | Fee per 1,000 packs, lowest rates | Fee per 1,000 packs, highest rates | Per pack | Change in the lowest fee |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | January 1, 2026 | CA$21.39 | CA$21.39 | CA$0.0214 | - |
| 2027 | January 1, 2027 | CA$24.21 | CA$24.21 | CA$0.0242 | +13.2% |
Québec: on the 2026 schedule, effective January 1, 2026, 1,000 folding cartons of the Medium (cereal-size box) size were priced at CA$21.39.
Québec: on the 2027 schedule, effective January 1, 2027, 1,000 folding cartons of the Medium (cereal-size box) size were priced at CA$24.21.
The same matched categories on each Québec schedule, per kilogram; a dash means the schedule does not publish that category.
| Category | 2026 (2026-01) | 2027 (2027-01) |
|---|---|---|
| Boxboard, other paper packaging and alternative fibres | CA$0.7129 | CA$0.8068 |
The fee schedule behind these figures for Québec
The rates come from the 2027 schedule of Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) for Québec, effective January 1, 2027. The facts below record where it was published and what else the schedule charges.
Québec: the 2027 fee schedule of Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ), effective January 1, 2027, is the source of the per-kilogram rates used on this page.
Québec: the flat fee band “qc flat 1” (1 to 2.5 tonne) is CA$1,580.00.
Québec: the flat fee band “qc flat 2” (2.5 to 5 tonne) is CA$3,380.00.
Québec: the flat fee band “qc flat 3” (5 to 10 tonne) is CA$6,760.00.
Québec: the flat fee band “qc flat 4” (10 to 15 tonne) is CA$11,270.00.
The schedule also lists 4 flat fee bands for small producers. They can replace the per-kilogram fee and are not part of the estimate on this page.
Ways to lower the fee on a folding carton
Board caliper and box size set the weight, so a snugger box that still protects the product lowers the mass.
Paperboard is usually priced on a line of its own, which can differ from the line for thin paper or for corrugated board.
A carton with a laminated film layer may be read as a composite, so check the coating before choosing a line.
Cartons are printed in runs of thousands, so a small weight change per carton repeats across the whole run.
Questions sellers ask
How much is the EPR fee for a folding carton in Québec?
For 1,000 folding cartons of the Medium (cereal-size box) size, the estimated fee is CA$24.21 on the 2027 schedule, from the published rates that fit each component.
Is this the amount I will pay?
No. It is an estimate for the packaging alone. Registration fees, flat fee bands, eco-modulation and thresholds sit outside the per-kilogram figure. Instica prepares the data; you check, sign and submit it, and Instica never stores regulator login details.
How these figures are made
Sources
- eeq.ca: fee schedule to help with your report retrieved
Original wording: 2027 Producer financial participation (PFP)
Original wording: Boxboard and other paper packaging Alternative fibers $806.84
Original wording: HDPE and LDPE plastic films or shopping bags $1,882.29
Original wording: Clear glass $654.24
Original wording: Containers and packaging, including aerosol containers $476.19
Original wording: Containers, including aerosol containers $703.17
Original wording: Boxboard and other paper packaging Alternative fibers 712.91
Original wording: Polystyrenes PVC PLA and other degradable plastics Synthetic fibre reusable bags $3,453.34
Original wording: Coloured glass $655.92
- eeq.ca: grilles de taux utiles pour votre declaration retrieved
Original wording: Plus de 1 t à 2,5 t 1 580 $
Original wording: Plus de 2,5 t à 5 t 3 380 $
Original wording: Plus de 5 t à 10 t 6 760 $
Original wording: Plus de 10 t à 15 t 11 270 $
The free plan is enough to start. We estimate and prepare; you sign and submit.