Nova Scotia vs Yukon EPR: Rules Compared
Last verified
Nova Scotia and Yukon both run packaging EPR, but the rules differ. Both set the lowest revenue exemption at CA$1,000,000. 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 Yukon. Yukon publishes the higher per-kilogram fee in 5 of 5 shared material classes.
Nova Scotia and Yukon side by side
5 of 9 rows have a verified figure on each side of Nova Scotia and Yukon; 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 | Yukon | Stricter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Registration duty | not yet published | not yet published | Not comparable |
| Producer organisation | one producer responsibility organisation | one producer responsibility organisation | Not comparable |
| Lowest revenue exemption | CA$1,000,000 | CA$1,000,000 | Same |
| 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 | 136 cents per kilogram | Yukon |
| Plastic fee, cheapest matched rate | 217 cents per kilogram | 588 cents per kilogram | Yukon |
The lowest revenue exemption is the same on both sides: CA$1,000,000. A seller just under that line is out of scope in Nova Scotia and in Yukon alike.
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 Yukon, 31 days apart. Nova Scotia leaves less time to prepare, so its data has to be ready first.
Across 5 shared material classes, Yukon publishes the higher cheapest per-kilogram fee in 5, and Nova Scotia in 0. A higher fee is not the same as a stricter rule; it is simply a larger published number per kilogram.
Who runs the programme in Nova Scotia and Yukon
Who collects and who the producer files with, in Nova Scotia and then Yukon.
| Aspect | Nova Scotia | Yukon |
|---|---|---|
| Regime | Environmental Goals and Climate Change Reduction Act, Part IX (packaging and paper EPR regulations) | Extended Producer Responsibility Regulation, OIC 2024/19 (effective 2024-01-25; launched 2025-11-01) |
| Regulator | Resource Recovery Fund Board (Divert NS), as Administrator | Government of Yukon, Ministry of the Environment |
| Producers obligated | Yes | Yes |
| Producer organisation | one producer responsibility organisation: Circular Materials; membership optional | one producer responsibility organisation: Circular Materials; membership required |
| Transfer of responsibility | Allowed | not yet published |
| Revenue counted as | gross revenue inside the jurisdiction, CAD, year | gross revenue inside the jurisdiction, CAD, completed 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, online marketplace; shipping: brand owner, importer, seller, online marketplace; tertiary: brand owner, importer, seller, online marketplace |
Both programmes organise producer responsibility the same way: one producer responsibility organisation. The practical differences between Nova Scotia and Yukon therefore sit in thresholds, fees, dates and report formats rather than in whom a producer deals with.
What Nova Scotia and Yukon 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 Yukon has no verified entry for it in the dataset.
| Aspect | Nova Scotia | Yukon |
|---|---|---|
| Materials covered | paper, plastic, metal, glass, printed paper, packaging | not yet published |
| Product classes covered | packaging, paper products | not yet published |
| Excluded from scope | small producers | not yet published |
| Sales channels addressed | retail, online, distance sale | not yet published |
| 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 | 36, material category |
| Exemption 1 | Small producers and societies (except educational) are exempt | Charity, under CAD 1,000,000 Yukon revenue or under one tonne |
| Producer duty: shipping packaging | not yet published | brand_owner; importer; seller; marketplace |
| Producer duty: service packaging | not yet published | seller; marketplace |
| Producer duty: other packaging | not yet published | brand_owner; importer; seller; marketplace |
Thresholds and exemptions in Nova Scotia and Yukon
Every verified threshold Nova Scotia and Yukon 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 |
| Yukon | revenue | CA$1,000,000 | exempt below | revenue in Yukon |
| Yukon | packaging tonnage | 1 tonne | exempt below | supply |
Nova Scotia exemption: Small producers and societies (except educational) are exempt It does not have to be applied for.
Yukon exemption: Charity, under CAD 1,000,000 Yukon revenue or under one tonne 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 the same on both sides: CA$1,000,000. A seller just under that line is out of scope in Nova Scotia and in Yukon alike.
The lowest weight exemption is the same on both sides: 1 tonne of packaging.
Fees per kilogram for shared materials
5 material classes have a published rate on both sides; each row shows the cheapest rate that fits the class.
| Material class | Nova Scotia (CAD per kg) | Yukon (CAD per kg) | Higher fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| paper and board | 75 cents per kilogram | 136 cents per kilogram | Yukon |
| plastic | 217 cents per kilogram | 588 cents per kilogram | Yukon |
| glass | 53 cents per kilogram | 122 cents per kilogram | Yukon |
| aluminium | 100 cents per kilogram | 455 cents per kilogram | Yukon |
| steel | 90 cents per kilogram | 211 cents per kilogram | Yukon |
Scaling the cheapest published rate by weight shows what the gap between Nova Scotia and Yukon amounts to for a given tonnage of one material. The amounts are the rate times the weight, nothing added.
| Material class | Kilograms | Nova Scotia fee (CAD) | Yukon fee (CAD) | Yukon minus Nova Scotia (CAD) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| paper and board | 1 | CA$0.75 | CA$1.36 | +CA$0.61 |
| paper and board | 10 | CA$7.50 | CA$13.60 | +CA$6.10 |
| paper and board | 100 | CA$75.00 | CA$136.00 | +CA$61.00 |
| paper and board | 1,000 | CA$750.00 | CA$1,360.00 | +CA$610.00 |
| paper and board | 10,000 | CA$7,500.00 | CA$13,600.00 | +CA$6,100.00 |
| paper and board | 100,000 | CA$75,000.00 | CA$136,000.00 | +CA$61,000.00 |
| plastic | 1 | CA$2.17 | CA$5.88 | +CA$3.71 |
| plastic | 10 | CA$21.70 | CA$58.80 | +CA$37.10 |
| plastic | 100 | CA$217.00 | CA$588.00 | +CA$371.00 |
| plastic | 1,000 | CA$2,170.00 | CA$5,880.00 | +CA$3,710.00 |
| plastic | 10,000 | CA$21,700.00 | CA$58,800.00 | +CA$37,100.00 |
| plastic | 100,000 | CA$217,000.00 | CA$588,000.00 | +CA$371,000.00 |
| glass | 1 | CA$0.53 | CA$1.22 | +CA$0.69 |
| glass | 10 | CA$5.30 | CA$12.20 | +CA$6.90 |
| glass | 100 | CA$53.00 | CA$122.00 | +CA$69.00 |
| glass | 1,000 | CA$530.00 | CA$1,220.00 | +CA$690.00 |
| glass | 10,000 | CA$5,300.00 | CA$12,200.00 | +CA$6,900.00 |
| glass | 100,000 | CA$53,000.00 | CA$122,000.00 | +CA$69,000.00 |
| aluminium | 1 | CA$1.00 | CA$4.55 | +CA$3.55 |
| aluminium | 10 | CA$10.00 | CA$45.50 | +CA$35.50 |
| aluminium | 100 | CA$100.00 | CA$455.00 | +CA$355.00 |
| aluminium | 1,000 | CA$1,000.00 | CA$4,550.00 | +CA$3,550.00 |
| aluminium | 10,000 | CA$10,000.00 | CA$45,500.00 | +CA$35,500.00 |
| aluminium | 100,000 | CA$100,000.00 | CA$455,000.00 | +CA$355,000.00 |
| steel | 1 | CA$0.90 | CA$2.11 | +CA$1.21 |
| steel | 10 | CA$9.00 | CA$21.10 | +CA$12.10 |
| steel | 100 | CA$90.00 | CA$211.00 | +CA$121.00 |
| steel | 1,000 | CA$900.00 | CA$2,110.00 | +CA$1,210.00 |
| steel | 10,000 | CA$9,000.00 | CA$21,100.00 | +CA$12,100.00 |
| steel | 100,000 | CA$90,000.00 | CA$211,000.00 | +CA$121,000.00 |
Both schedules are in CAD, so the figures compare directly.
Yukon: the 2027 fee schedule of Circular Materials Yukon, effective January 1, 2027, is the source of the per-kilogram rates used on this page.
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.
Nova Scotia 2027: the category “Aluminum Food Containers” is published at 100 cents per kilogram.
Nova Scotia 2027: the category “Other Steel Containers and Packaging” is published at 90 cents per kilogram.
Yukon 2027: the category “Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging” is published at 136 cents per kilogram.
Yukon 2027: the category “LDPE/HDPE Film” is published at 588 cents per kilogram.
Yukon 2027: the category “Clear Glass” is published at 122 cents per kilogram.
Yukon 2027: the category “Aluminum Food Containers” is published at 455 cents per kilogram.
Yukon 2027: the category “Other Steel Containers and Packaging” is published at 211 cents per kilogram.
Real packs usually land in a dearer category, so use the calculator for Nova Scotia and Yukon.
Deadlines in Nova Scotia and Yukon
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 |
| Yukon | report | May 31 | the previous calendar year |
| Yukon | report | July 1 | the previous calendar year |
| Yukon | report | every three years, on or before September 1, beginning with the second annual report submitted for the program; not annual | verifies the annual report most recently submitted for the program |
The earliest annual report date is April 30 in Nova Scotia and May 31 in Yukon, 31 days apart. Nova Scotia leaves less time to prepare, so its data has to be ready first.
Penalties in Nova Scotia and Yukon
What each side has published; a side without an amount says so.
Report formats in Nova Scotia and Yukon
How the report file for Nova Scotia compares with the one for Yukon.
| Aspect | Nova Scotia | Yukon |
|---|---|---|
| Layout | Nova Scotia producer annual report Fee-year categories, reviewed 2026-09-29 | Yukon steward annual report Fee-year categories, reviewed 2026-09-29 |
| Recipient | Resource Recovery Fund Board (Divert NS) / Circular Materials | Government of Yukon / Circular Materials |
| How it is submitted | WeRecycle Portal | WeRecycle Portal |
| 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 Yukon
Plan around the earlier report date first. Nova Scotia asks for its first annual report on April 30, before Yukon, so its data has to be ready first.
Questions about comparing these two programmes
Is Nova Scotia or Yukon stricter on packaging EPR?
Both set the lowest revenue exemption at CA$1,000,000. 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 Yukon. Yukon publishes the higher per-kilogram fee in 5 of 5 shared material classes.
Do I register in both Nova Scotia and Yukon?
Nova Scotia has not yet published its registration duty. Yukon has not yet published its registration duty.
How do the fees per kilogram compare in Nova Scotia and Yukon?
Across 5 shared material classes, Yukon publishes the higher cheapest per-kilogram fee in 5, and Nova Scotia in 0. A higher fee is not the same as a stricter rule; it is simply a larger published number per kilogram.
Which deadline comes first, Nova Scotia or Yukon?
The earliest annual report date is April 30 in Nova Scotia and May 31 in Yukon, 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
Original wording: Average fee rate (cents per kg) (Total fee budget/supply tonnes) 227 c/kg
- laws.yukon.ca: 2024 0019 retrieved
Original wording: On or before May 31 of each year, a steward must
Original wording: completed year of less than $1,000,000,
Original wording: (A) the brand holder of the product, if the brand holder is resident in Canada,
Original wording: imported into or supplied in Yukon in the most recently completed year less than one tonne of designated materials
Original wording: On or before May 31 of each year, a steward must submit the records described in paragraphs (1)(d) to (f)
Original wording: On or before July 1 of each year, the operator of a stewardship program must
Original wording: Every three years, the operator of a program must submit an audit report on or before September 1
- 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%
Original wording: Aluminum Food Containers 100 104 -3.8%
Original wording: Other Steel Containers and Packaging 90 91 -1.1%
Original wording: Circular Materials in the Yukon Fee Schedule (Cents/Kg)
Original wording: Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging 136 127 7.1 %
Original wording: LDPE/HDPE Film 588 566 3.9%
Original wording: Clear Glass 122 116 5.2%
Original wording: Aluminum Food Containers 455 410 11.0%
Original wording: Other Steel Containers and Packaging 211 191 10.5%
The free plan is enough to start. We estimate and prepare; you sign and submit.