Nova Scotia vs Ontario EPR: Rules Compared
Last verified
Nova Scotia and Ontario both run packaging EPR, but the rules differ. Nova Scotia exempts only producers below the lower revenue floor, CA$1,000,000 against CA$2,000,000 in Ontario. Both set the lowest weight exemption at 1 tonne. Nova Scotia asks for its first annual report earlier, on April 30 against May 31 in Ontario.
Nova Scotia and Ontario side by side
3 of 9 rows have a verified figure on each side of Nova Scotia and Ontario; a cell reads “not yet published” when a side has none, and an exemption row reads “none recorded; see thresholds” when no exemption is on record.
| Measure | Nova Scotia | Ontario | Stricter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration duty | not yet published | Required | Not comparable |
| Producer organisation | one producer responsibility organisation | more than one producer responsibility organisation | Not comparable |
| Lowest revenue exemption | CA$1,000,000 | CA$2,000,000 | Nova Scotia |
| Lowest weight exemption | 1 tonne | 1 tonne | Same |
| First annual report date | April 30 | May 31 | Nova Scotia |
| Published penalties | not yet published | not yet published | Not comparable |
| Report file | csv | csv | Not comparable |
| Paper fee, cheapest matched rate | 75 cents per kilogram | not yet published | Not comparable |
| Plastic fee, cheapest matched rate | 217 cents per kilogram | not yet published | Not comparable |
The lowest revenue exemption is CA$1,000,000 in Nova Scotia and CA$2,000,000 in Ontario. Nova Scotia therefore reaches smaller sellers: a business with revenue between the two lines is exempt in Ontario but still in scope in Nova Scotia.
The lowest weight exemption is the same on both sides: 1 tonne of packaging.
The earliest annual report date is April 30 in Nova Scotia and May 31 in Ontario, 31 days apart. Nova Scotia leaves less time to prepare, so its data has to be ready first.
Who runs the programme in Nova Scotia and Ontario
Who collects and who the producer files with, in Nova Scotia and then Ontario.
| Aspect | Nova Scotia | Ontario |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, Part IX (packaging and paper EPR regulations) | Full producer responsibility for Blue Box material (packaging, paper products, packaging-like products) under the Blue Box Regulation |
| Regulator | Resource Recovery Fund Board (Divert NS), as Administrator | Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA) |
| Producers obligated | Yes | Yes |
| Registration | not yet published | Required, RPRA Registry |
| Producer organisation | one producer responsibility organisation: Circular Materials; membership optional | more than one producer responsibility organisation; membership optional |
| Transfer of responsibility | Allowed | Allowed |
| Revenue counted as | gross revenue inside the jurisdiction, CAD, year | regional revenue, CAD, calendar year |
| Who counts as the producer | primary: brand owner, importer, seller; secondary: brand owner, importer, seller; tertiary: brand owner, importer, seller | other: brand owner, importer, seller, online marketplace; primary: brand owner, importer, seller, online marketplace; secondary: brand owner, importer, seller, online marketplace; service: seller; shipping: brand owner, importer, seller, online marketplace; tertiary: brand owner, importer, seller, online marketplace |
The two programmes are organised differently. Nova Scotia uses one producer responsibility organisation; Ontario uses more than one producer responsibility organisation. For a seller in both, that usually means two different counterparties, two different sign-up routes and two different sets of terms to read before the first report is due.
What Nova Scotia and Ontario cover, side by side
Each row below is one published feature of the two programmes; a cell reads “not yet published” when Nova Scotia or Ontario has no verified entry for it in the dataset.
| Aspect | Nova Scotia | Ontario |
|---|---|---|
| Materials covered | paper, plastic, metal, glass, printed paper, packaging | paper, glass, metal, plastic, other |
| Product classes covered | packaging, paper products | primary packaging, secondary packaging, shipment packaging, other |
| Excluded from scope | small producers | producers under revenue exemption, newspaper producers for collection management and promotion |
| Sales channels addressed | retail, online, distance sale | retail, wholesale, online, online marketplace |
| Producer duty: primary packaging | brand_owner; importer; seller | brand_owner; importer; seller; marketplace |
| Producer duty: secondary packaging | brand_owner; importer; seller | brand_owner; importer; seller; marketplace |
| Producer duty: tertiary packaging | brand_owner; importer; seller | brand_owner; importer; seller; marketplace |
| Reporting categories | 33, material category | 7, material category |
| Exemption 1 | Small producers and societies (except educational) are exempt | Producers with gross annual Ontario revenue under 2,000,000 dollars are exempt from all producer requirements. |
| Producer duty: shipping packaging | not yet published | brand_owner; importer; seller; marketplace |
| Producer duty: service packaging | not yet published | seller |
| Producer duty: other packaging | not yet published | brand_owner; importer; seller; marketplace |
| Published targets | not yet published | paper_management_requirement 80 by 2027-12-31; rigid_plastic_management_requirement 50 by 2027-12-31; flexible_plastic_management_requirement 10 by 2027-12-31; glass_management_requirement 75 by 2027-12-31; metal_management_requirement 67 by 2027-12-31; beverage_container_management_requirement 75 by 2027-12-31 |
| Exemption 2 | not yet published | Producers above the revenue level but below the per-category supply weights are exempt from collection, management and promotion and education, but still register and report. |
| Exemption 3 | not yet published | Producers whose newspaper supply is more than 70 percent of their total Blue Box weight are exempt from collection, management and promotion and education. |
Thresholds and exemptions in Nova Scotia and Ontario
Every verified threshold Nova Scotia and Ontario publish, as each states it.
| Place | Measure | Amount | Effect | Basis as published |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia | revenue | CA$1,000,000 | exempt below | gross Nova Scotia revenue |
| Nova Scotia | packaging tonnage | 1 tonne | exempt below | designated material supplied in the Province |
| Ontario | revenue | CA$2,000,000 | exempt below | gross annual Ontario revenue from products and services |
| Ontario | packaging tonnage | 9 tonnes | exempt below | paper supplied in Ontario per year (9,000 kg) |
| Ontario | packaging tonnage | 2 tonnes | exempt below | rigid plastic supplied in Ontario per year (2,000 kg) |
| Ontario | packaging tonnage | 2 tonnes | exempt below | flexible plastic supplied in Ontario per year (2,000 kg) |
| Ontario | packaging tonnage | 1 tonne | exempt below | glass supplied in Ontario per year (1,000 kg) |
| Ontario | packaging tonnage | 1 tonne | exempt below | metal supplied in Ontario per year (1,000 kg) |
| Ontario | packaging tonnage | 1 tonne | exempt below | beverage containers supplied in Ontario per year (1,000 kg) |
Nova Scotia exemption: Small producers and societies (except educational) are exempt It does not have to be applied for.
Ontario exemption: Producers with gross annual Ontario revenue under 2,000,000 dollars are exempt from all producer requirements. It does not have to be applied for.
Ontario exemption: Producers above the revenue level but below the per-category supply weights are exempt from collection, management and promotion and education, but still register and report. It does not have to be applied for.
Ontario exemption: Producers whose newspaper supply is more than 70 percent of their total Blue Box weight are exempt from collection, management and promotion and education. It does not have to be applied for.
Read the basis column first: the same amount can exempt a producer in one programme and only simplify its report in another.
The lowest revenue exemption is CA$1,000,000 in Nova Scotia and CA$2,000,000 in Ontario. Nova Scotia therefore reaches smaller sellers: a business with revenue between the two lines is exempt in Ontario but still in scope in Nova Scotia.
The lowest weight exemption is the same on both sides: 1 tonne of packaging.
Fees per kilogram for shared materials
Nova Scotia publishes per-kilogram rates in the dataset; Ontario does not. The rows therefore show Nova Scotia only. Until both sides publish per-kilogram rates for the same material class, a fee comparison between Nova Scotia and Ontario would mean inventing a figure, and this page does not do that.
Nova Scotia: the 2027 fee schedule of Circular Materials Nova Scotia, effective January 1, 2027, is the source of the per-kilogram rates used on this page.
Nova Scotia 2027: the category “Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging” is published at 75 cents per kilogram.
Nova Scotia 2027: the category “LDPE/HDPE Film” is published at 217 cents per kilogram.
Nova Scotia 2027: the category “Clear Glass” is published at 53 cents per kilogram.
Deadlines in Nova Scotia and Ontario
Each verified date, with the period it covers when one is given.
| Place | Kind | Date | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nova Scotia | report | May 31 | calendar year before the year the report is due (s 29(4)) |
| Nova Scotia | report | April 30, 2030 | the 4 immediately preceding years |
| Nova Scotia | payment | October 1, 2026 | 2026 Divert NS EPR oversight fees |
| Nova Scotia | registration | January 1, 2024 | not yet published |
| Ontario | report | May 31, 2026 | calendar year 2025 |
| Ontario | report | May 31, 2026 | calendar year 2025 |
The earliest annual report date is April 30 in Nova Scotia and May 31 in Ontario, 31 days apart. Nova Scotia leaves less time to prepare, so its data has to be ready first.
Penalties in Nova Scotia and Ontario
What each side has published; a side without an amount says so.
Report formats in Nova Scotia and Ontario
How the report file for Nova Scotia compares with the one for Ontario.
| Aspect | Nova Scotia | Ontario |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Nova Scotia producer annual report Fee-year categories, reviewed 2026-09-29 | Ontario Blue Box supply report (working layout) Working layout, sources reviewed 2026-11-04 |
| Recipient | Resource Recovery Fund Board (Divert NS) / Circular Materials | Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA) |
| How it is submitted | WeRecycle Portal | RPRA Registry (online). The customer signs in and enters or submits. |
| File type | csv | csv |
| Encoding | utf-8 | utf-8 |
| Delimiter | , | , |
| Decimal separator | . | |
| Columns | 4 | 4 |
| Required columns | 4 of 4 | 4 of 4 |
| Weight unit | kg | kg |
| Period basis | calendar year | calendar year |
The two layouts share a file type and a delimiter, but each programme names its own columns and categories, so one file cannot be sent to both programmes. Each report is built from the same underlying measurements and exported separately.
Which to plan for first, Nova Scotia or Ontario
Plan around the earlier report date first. Nova Scotia asks for its first annual report on April 30, before Ontario, so its data has to be ready first.
Check the exemption thresholds before anything else. Nova Scotia reaches smaller sellers than Ontario, so a seller that is exempt in Ontario may still have to register in Nova Scotia.
Questions about comparing these two programmes
Is Nova Scotia or Ontario stricter on packaging EPR?
Nova Scotia exempts only producers below the lower revenue floor, CA$1,000,000 against CA$2,000,000 in Ontario. Both set the lowest weight exemption at 1 tonne. Nova Scotia asks for its first annual report earlier, on April 30 against May 31 in Ontario.
Do I register in both Nova Scotia and Ontario?
Nova Scotia has not yet published its registration duty. Ontario requires producers to register.
How do the fees per kilogram compare in Nova Scotia and Ontario?
The dataset does not hold per-kilogram rates for the same material class on both sides, so this page does not compare fees.
Which deadline comes first, Nova Scotia or Ontario?
The earliest annual report date is April 30 in Nova Scotia and May 31 in Ontario, 31 days apart. Nova Scotia leaves less time to prepare, so its data has to be ready first.
How these figures are made
Sources
- novascotia.ca: envpppextproducer retrieved
Original wording: For the purposes of these regulations, the implementation date is December 1, 2025.
Original wording: the Resource Recovery Fund Board established under Section 98 of the Act
Original wording: A producer may designate a producer responsibility organization to operate on its
Original wording: the producer for the purposes of
Original wording: “small producer” means
Original wording: the brand holder of the designated material, if the brand holder is a resident
Original wording: “small producer” means (i) a producer whose gross annual revenue in the Province is less than $1 000 000
Original wording: a producer who supplies less than 1 tonne of designated material in
Original wording: a small producer.
Original wording: On or before May 31 in each year beginning in 2027, a producer of designated material supplied to consumers in the Province must submit
Original wording: On or before April 30, 2030, and every 4th year afterward, a producer must have its practices and procedures respecting Part V
Original wording: but no later than January 1, 2024, every producer must register in the form and manner required by the Administrator.
- divertns.ca: epr oversight fees retrieved
Original wording: Producers will receive an email on October 1, 2026, advising that EPR Oversight Invoices are available in the EPR Portal.
- circularmaterials.ca: Circular Materials Report to Producers 2025 retrieved
Original wording: Newspapers 82
- rpra.ca: regulation retrieved
Original wording: Blue Box producers became fully accountable and financially responsible for collecting and recycling their materials when consumers discard them.
- rpra.ca: producers retrieved
Original wording: Unless otherwise stated, all information must be submitted through RPRA’s registry.
Original wording: if they supply Blue Box material (packaging, paper products or packaging-like products) comprised of paper, glass, metal or plastic
Original wording: Within 30 days of supplying obligated Blue Box materials in Ontario
Original wording: PROs operate in a competitive market, and producers can choose the PRO (or PROs) they want to work with.
Original wording: Producers have the choice of working with one or more producer responsibility organizations (PROs) registered with RPRA
Original wording: Any producer whose gross annual Ontario revenue from products and services is less than $2,000,000 is exempt from all producer requirements under the regulation.
Original wording: if the retailer who would be the producer is a marketplace seller, the marketplace facilitator is the obligated producer
Original wording: is exempt from all producer requirements under the regulation.
Original wording: Paper 9,000
Original wording: Rigid plastic 2,000
Original wording: Flexible plastic 2,000
Original wording: Glass 1,000
Original wording: Metal 1,000
Original wording: Beverage containers 1,000
Original wording: Any producer who meets the exemption must keep any records that demonstrate its gross annual Ontario revenue is less than $2,000,000
Original wording: the producer is required to register and report.
Original wording: newspaper must account for more than 70% of their total weight of Blue Box materials supplied to consumers in Ontario in a calendar year.
Original wording: Deadline: Supply data must be submitted by May 31 of each year.
Original wording: Deadline: Performance reporting is due May 31 of each year.
Original wording: Under the Blue Box Regulation, consumers are individuals who use a product and its packaging for personal, family or household purposes.
Original wording: beverage container, glass, flexible plastic, rigid plastic, metal, paper, and certified compostable products and packaging
Original wording: Management requirement = A × B
- knowledge.werecycle.ca: Report to Producers 2026 OCT15 retrieved
Original wording: Circular Materials in Nova Scotia Fee Schedule (Cents/Kg)
Original wording: Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging 75 74 1.4%
Original wording: LDPE/HDPE Film 217 212 2.4%
Original wording: Clear Glass 53 51 3.9%
The free plan is enough to start. We estimate and prepare; you sign and submit.