Labels packaging EPR Alberta: what a paper label costs per 1,000 packs, 2027
Last verified
In Alberta, 1,000 paper labels of the Paper label size (2 g) carry an estimated packaging fee of CA$0.96 to CA$2.18 on the 2027 schedule. The range comes from the published rates of Circular Materials Alberta (ARMA PPP) that fit each part of the pack. Instica estimates it; you confirm the weights, then sign and submit.
What this page estimates for a paper label in Alberta
The paper label on this page is a paper label that is stuck on the product or its pack. It has one component, each matched to the published rates of the 2027 schedule of Circular Materials Alberta (ARMA PPP) for Alberta; weight times rate gives a fee per 1,000 packs in CAD. The figures are estimates built on starting weights.
What is in a paper label
The label is one paper component. Adhesive and backing liner are part of the same weighed unit in the starting estimate.
Starting weights, an Instica estimate for a typical pack and not a measured weight: label (paper, 2 g).
- Label
- paper, 2 g (Instica starting estimate)
Worked example: 1,000 paper labels in Alberta
One paper label of the Paper label size weighs 2 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Label | 2 g | Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging to Kraft Paper Carry-Out Bags | CA$0.96 to CA$2.18 | CA$0.0010 to CA$0.0022 |
Alberta: 1,000 paper labels of the Paper label size are estimated at CA$0.96 to CA$2.18 in packaging fees.
Added together, the estimate for 1,000 packs is CA$0.96 to CA$2.18.
Divide by 1,000 for a single pack: about CA$0.0010 to CA$0.0022.
What the fee tool returns for 1,000 paper labels in Alberta
Entered into the public fee tool for Alberta (2027 schedule, effective January 1, 2027), 1,000 paper labels 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Label | Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging | 2 g | CA$0.96 | Kraft Paper Carry-Out Bags | CA$2.18 |
Alberta: the fee tool returns CA$0.96 at the lowest matched rates and CA$2.18 at the highest for 1,000 paper labels of the Paper label size (2 g each).
The tool total is CA$0.96 at the lowest matched rates and CA$2.18 at the highest.
Which published rates were matched in Alberta
2 published rates were matched to the pack in Alberta from the 2027 schedule. Each is quoted from the programme’s own fee table; the page does not change the rate or round it.
Label, 2 g: 2 matched rates
| Category | Published rate | Per kilogram | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging | 48 cents per kilogram | CA$0.48 | CA$0.96 | CA$0.001 |
| Kraft Paper Carry-Out Bags | 109 cents per kilogram | CA$1.09 | CA$2.18 | CA$0.0022 |
Alberta 2027: the category “Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging” is published at 48 cents per kilogram.
Alberta 2027: the category “Kraft Paper Carry-Out Bags” is published at 109 cents per kilogram.
What if the paper label used another material?
Suppose the main component of the paper label, weighing 2 g, were made of another material. The table prices the same weight in each material class that Alberta 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 | 48 cents per kilogram | CA$0.96 | 109 cents per kilogram | CA$2.18 |
| plastic | 176 cents per kilogram | CA$3.52 | 176 cents per kilogram | CA$3.52 |
| glass | 41 cents per kilogram | CA$0.82 | 41 cents per kilogram | CA$0.82 |
| aluminium | 98 cents per kilogram | CA$1.96 | 98 cents per kilogram | CA$1.96 |
| steel | 62 cents per kilogram | CA$1.24 | 62 cents per kilogram | CA$1.24 |
| Material | Category | Published rate | Fee per 1,000 packs | Fee per pack |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| plastic | LDPE/HDPE Film | 176 cents per kilogram | CA$3.52 | CA$0.0035 |
| plastic | LDPE/HDPE Film Carry-Out Bags | 176 cents per kilogram | CA$3.52 | CA$0.0035 |
| glass | Clear Glass | 41 cents per kilogram | CA$0.82 | CA$0.0008 |
| glass | Coloured Glass | 41 cents per kilogram | CA$0.82 | CA$0.0008 |
| aluminium | Aluminum Food Containers | 98 cents per kilogram | CA$1.96 | CA$0.002 |
| steel | Other Steel Containers and Packaging | 62 cents per kilogram | CA$1.24 | CA$0.0012 |
A fee comparison only: another material changes weight and protection too.
What a larger run of paper labels costs in Alberta
Fees scale with the number of packs, because the schedule charges by mass. The table repeats the worked example for larger runs of the Paper label paper label in Alberta. 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 | 0.2 kg | CA$0.10 | CA$0.22 |
| 500 | 1 kg | CA$0.48 | CA$1.09 |
| 1,000 | 2 kg | CA$0.96 | CA$2.18 |
| 5,000 | 10 kg | CA$4.80 | CA$10.90 |
| 10,000 | 20 kg | CA$9.60 | CA$21.80 |
| 50,000 | 100 kg | CA$48.00 | CA$109.00 |
| 100,000 | 200 kg | CA$96.00 | CA$218.00 |
| 500,000 | 1,000 kg | CA$480.00 | CA$1,090.00 |
| 1,000,000 | 2,000 kg | CA$960.00 | CA$2,180.00 |
Alberta: a single paper label is estimated at CA$0.0010 to CA$0.0022 in packaging fees.
Alberta: across all its components, a paper label is priced at CA$0.48 to CA$1.09 per kilogram of packaging.
Taken as a whole, the pack is priced at CA$0.48 to CA$1.09 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 paper labels has moved on Alberta schedules
Alberta has published 3 per-mass fee schedules that price this pack. The same Paper label paper labels 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | January 1, 2025 | CA$0.76 | CA$1.38 | CA$0.0008 to CA$0.0014 | - |
| 2026 | January 1, 2026 | CA$0.80 | CA$2.02 | CA$0.0008 to CA$0.0020 | +5.3% |
| 2027 | January 1, 2027 | CA$0.96 | CA$2.18 | CA$0.0010 to CA$0.0022 | +20% |
Alberta: on the 2025 schedule, effective January 1, 2025, 1,000 paper labels of the Paper label size were priced at CA$0.76 to CA$1.38.
Alberta: on the 2026 schedule, effective January 1, 2026, 1,000 paper labels of the Paper label size were priced at CA$0.80 to CA$2.02.
Alberta: on the 2027 schedule, effective January 1, 2027, 1,000 paper labels of the Paper label size were priced at CA$0.96 to CA$2.18.
The same matched categories on each Alberta schedule, per kilogram; a dash means the schedule does not publish that category.
| Category | 2025 (2025-01) | 2026 (2026-01) | 2027 (2027-01) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging | CA$0.38 | CA$0.40 | CA$0.48 |
| Kraft Paper Carry-Out Bags | CA$0.69 | CA$1.01 | CA$1.09 |
The fee schedule behind these figures for Alberta
The rates come from the 2027 schedule of Circular Materials Alberta (ARMA PPP) for Alberta, effective January 1, 2027. The facts below record where it was published and what else the schedule charges.
Alberta: the 2027 fee schedule of Circular Materials Alberta (ARMA PPP), effective January 1, 2027, is the source of the per-kilogram rates used on this page.
Ways to lower the fee on a paper label
A label is very light, so the fee per label is small. The figure that matters is the total weight across a large run.
Some programmes price a label that is stuck to a pack together with that pack, and others price it separately; check which applies to you.
A plastic or foil label moves out of the paper category and is priced as plastic or metal.
Label fees are small enough that they rarely decide a packaging choice, but they still count toward the reported weight.
Questions sellers ask
How much is the EPR fee for a paper label in Alberta?
For 1,000 paper labels of the Paper label size, the estimated fee is CA$0.96 to CA$2.18 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.
What is extended producer responsibility for packaging?
Alberta: the 2027 fee schedule of Circular Materials Alberta (ARMA PPP), effective January 1, 2027, is the source of the per-kilogram rates used on this page. Alberta: 1,000 paper labels of the Paper label size are estimated at CA$0.96 to CA$2.18 in packaging fees.
What are the deposit amounts for bottles in Alberta?
Alberta: 1,000 paper labels of the Paper label size are estimated at CA$0.96 to CA$2.18 in packaging fees. Alberta 2027: the category “Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging” is published at 48 cents per kilogram. Alberta 2027: the category “Kraft Paper Carry-Out Bags” is published at 109 cents per kilogram.
What are the labeling requirements for PPWR packaging?
Alberta 2027: the category “Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging” is published at 48 cents per kilogram. Alberta 2027: the category “Kraft Paper Carry-Out Bags” is published at 109 cents per kilogram. Alberta: a label of 2 g is estimated at CA$0.96 to CA$2.18 per 1,000 packs, at CA$0.48 to CA$1.09 per kilogram.
What are EPR packaging fees?
Alberta 2027: the category “Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging” is published at 48 cents per kilogram. Alberta 2027: the category “Kraft Paper Carry-Out Bags” is published at 109 cents per kilogram. Alberta 2027: the category “LDPE/HDPE Film” is published at 176 cents per kilogram.
How these figures are made
Sources
- knowledge.werecycle.ca: Report to Producers 2026 OCT15 retrieved
Original wording: Circular Materials in Alberta Fee Schedule (Cents/Kg)
Original wording: Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging 48 40 20.0%
Original wording: Kraft Paper Carry-Out Bags 109 101 7.9 %
Original wording: LDPE/HDPE Film 176 198 -11.1%
Original wording: Clear Glass 41 45 -8.9%
Original wording: Aluminum Food Containers 98 77 27 .3%
Original wording: Other Steel Containers and Packaging 62 69 -10.1%
Original wording: LDPE/HDPE Film Carry-Out Bags 176 198 -11.1%
Original wording: Coloured Glass 41 45 -8.9%
- circularmaterials.ca: Circular Materials Report to Producers 2025 retrieved
Original wording: Boxboard and Other Paper Packaging 40 38 5.3%
The free plan is enough to start. We estimate and prepare; you sign and submit.