Québec EPR fee calculator
Last verified
Québec publishes 21 category rates for packaging in the 2026 fee year, stated in Canadian dollars per tonne, and this calculator turns your weights into an estimate of the fee. For example, Newsprint inserts and circulars is priced at 490.32 CAD/tonne. A flat fee can replace the weight-based total for small volumes.
Estimate your fee
Choose the period you are reporting and the calculator picks the schedule in force, then multiplies the weight of each material you add by the published rate. It runs in your browser and stores nothing. Without JavaScript the example further down shows the same arithmetic.
Enter a weight in any row to see the estimate.
This is an estimate from published rates. Your organisation issues the invoice, and you check, sign and submit any report yourself.
The Instica free plan covers the threshold check, exemption tracking, the deadline calendar, packaging templates and fee sources, so you can start without paying. See what the free plan includes
How the estimate is calculated
The calculator follows the same steps for every place, and it shows each step so you can check it against the schedule.
- Pick the schedule in force for the period you are reporting. Where a schedule is charged on an earlier supply year, the calculator uses the schedule whose data period contains your period.
- Convert each weight to the unit the rates are published in. Québec publishes in Canadian dollars per tonne.
- Multiply each weight by the rate of its category. A category whose rate is not yet published returns not yet published, never a number.
- Add the other charges the schedule lists, if you choose to include them, and where the schedule sets a minimum, apply it or tell you that your total is below it.
- Add the lines to a total in CAD. If you ask for another currency, the calculator converts with a named published rate and says so.
What to have ready
You get the most useful estimate with these figures to hand. This page stores none of them.
- The weight of packaging you place on the market, by material and category.
- The period you are reporting, so the right schedule is chosen.
- In the few places that publish no rate table, the rate your producer responsibility organisation gave you, which you enter yourself.
- Whether you want other charges and any minimum included in the total.
- The currency you report in, if it is not CAD.
Rates for 2026 in Québec
The table lists every category the schedule prices, with the rate as published and the unit it is published in. Category names appear as the schedule prints them, in the language of the source.
| Category as published | Code | Rate |
|---|---|---|
| Newsprint inserts and circulars | QC-newsprint-inserts-and-circulars | 490.32 CAD/tonne |
| Catalogues, publications, magazines, telephone books, paper for general use and other printed paper | QC-catalogues-publications-magazines-telephone-books-paper-for-general-use-and-other-printed-paper | 737.12 CAD/tonne |
| Corrugated cardboard, Kraft shopping bags and Kraft packaging | QC-corrugated-cardboard-kraft-shopping-bags-and-kraft-packaging | 539.67 CAD/tonne |
| Boxboard, other paper packaging and alternative fibres | QC-boxboard-other-paper-packaging-and-alternative-fibres | 712.91 CAD/tonne |
| Gable-top | QC-gable-top | 820.34 CAD/tonne |
| Paper laminants | QC-paper-laminants | 1,199.99 CAD/tonne |
| Aseptic | QC-aseptic | 994.14 CAD/tonne |
| Wood and cork | QC-wood-and-cork | 1,571.00 CAD/tonne |
| PET | QC-pet | 1,006.09 CAD/tonne |
| HDPE < 5 L | QC-hdpe-5-l | 940.31 CAD/tonne |
| Plastic laminants | QC-plastic-laminants | 1,798.11 CAD/tonne |
| HDPE and LDPE films or shopping bags | QC-hdpe-and-ldpe-films-or-shopping-bags | 1,781.92 CAD/tonne |
| Polystyrenes, PVC, PLA and other degradable plastics and synthetic-fibre reusable bags | QC-polystyrenes-pvc-pla-and-other-degradable-plastics-and-synthetic-fibre-reusable-bags | 3,391.42 CAD/tonne |
| Polypropylene | QC-polypropylene | 1,194.26 CAD/tonne |
| Other plastics, polymers and polyurethane | QC-other-plastics-polymers-and-polyurethane | 1,263.10 CAD/tonne |
| Aluminum | QC-aluminum | 444.57 CAD/tonne |
| Steel | QC-steel | 665.80 CAD/tonne |
| Clear glass | QC-clear-glass | 559.78 CAD/tonne |
| Coloured glass | QC-coloured-glass | 561.12 CAD/tonne |
| Ceramic and porcelain | QC-ceramic-and-porcelain | 1,413.93 CAD/tonne |
| Newspapers | QC-newspapers | 492.69 CAD/tonne |
Fee years and data periods
Québec has 2 schedules on record. The calculator picks the one in force for your period; the table shows how they differ.
| Fee year | Applies from | Applies until | Priced categories |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | January 1, 2026 | December 31, 2026 | 21 |
| 2027 | January 1, 2027 | December 31, 2027 | 21 |
Spread of the published rates
Rates in Québec differ widely between materials. Converted to one unit, the table above runs from the lowest to the highest rate as follows.
The lowest published rate in fee year 2026 is CA$0.4446 per kilogram, for Aluminum.
Flat fees for small volumes
For small volumes the schedule sets a flat fee that can replace the weight-based total. The calculator shows both so you can compare, and it applies a tier only when you choose it.
| Who it covers, as published | Supplied weight | Flat fee |
|---|---|---|
| A producer that puts between 1 and 15 tonnes of containers, packaging and printed matter on the Québec market may pay a flat fee for its band instead of the per-tonne rates. | 1 tonne to 2.5 tonne | CA$1,430 |
| A producer that puts between 1 and 15 tonnes of containers, packaging and printed matter on the Québec market may pay a flat fee for its band instead of the per-tonne rates. | 2.5 tonne to 5 tonne | CA$3,070 |
| A producer that puts between 1 and 15 tonnes of containers, packaging and printed matter on the Québec market may pay a flat fee for its band instead of the per-tonne rates. | 5 tonne to 10 tonne | CA$6,150 |
| A producer that puts between 1 and 15 tonnes of containers, packaging and printed matter on the Québec market may pay a flat fee for its band instead of the per-tonne rates. | 10 tonne to 15 tonne | CA$10,240 |
Modulation of fees
How fees are modulated for design or recyclability is not yet published for Québec, so the calculator applies the base rates and says so.
Worked example for Québec
A producer supplies 1,000 kg of each category below in 2026. The weights are an illustration, not a typical pack, and the arithmetic is the same the calculator performs with your own figures.
| Category as published | Quantity | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aluminum | 1,000 kg | 444.57 CAD/tonne | CA$444.57 |
| Catalogues, publications, magazines, telephone books, paper for general use and other printed paper | 1,000 kg | 737.12 CAD/tonne | CA$737.12 |
| Clear glass | 1,000 kg | 559.78 CAD/tonne | CA$559.78 |
| Plastic laminants | 1,000 kg | 1,798.11 CAD/tonne | CA$1,798.11 |
| Total | – | – | CA$3,539.58 |
The total of the 4 lines is CA$3,539.58. Other charges and any minimum are not included.
Each line is the quantity in the rate unit multiplied by the rate, rounded to the nearest cent. The total is the sum of the lines.
The same 4 lines scale with the quantity. At the smaller quantity the total is CA$353.96, at the worked quantity CA$3,539.58 and at the larger quantity CA$35,395.80; your own figures fall between or beyond these.
| Category as published | 100 kg | 1,000 kg | 10,000 kg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Catalogues, publications, magazines, telephone books, paper for general use and other printed paper | CA$73.71 | CA$737.12 | CA$7,371.20 |
| Plastic laminants | CA$179.81 | CA$1,798.11 | CA$17,981.10 |
| Clear glass | CA$55.98 | CA$559.78 | CA$5,597.80 |
| Aluminum | CA$44.46 | CA$444.57 | CA$4,445.70 |
| Total | CA$353.96 | CA$3,539.58 | CA$35,395.80 |
What to watch for in Québec
These points come from the schedule on record, so they differ from place to place.
- Rates are per tonne, not per kilogram. A weight in kilograms is divided by 1,000 before it is multiplied.
- A flat fee tier exists for small volumes. It replaces the weight-based total only when you elect it.
- More than one schedule is on record. Check that the fee year matches the period you are reporting.
- Some parts of the schedule are not yet published. They appear below as not yet published.
Units the calculator converts
The calculator converts every weight to grams first and then to the unit of the rate, so a mix of units gives the same result as one unit.
- One kilogram is 1,000 grams.
- One tonne is 1,000 kilograms.
- One pound is 453.59 grams.
- One short ton is 2,000 pounds, or 907.18 kilograms.
Not yet published for Québec
These parts of the schedule are not yet published in our data. We show them as not yet published, with the reason, and never as a number.
Frequently asked questions
How is the Québec packaging EPR fee calculated?
Each weight is converted to Canadian dollars per tonne and multiplied by the rate of its category, then the lines are added. Other charges and any minimum are added only if the schedule lists them and you include them.
Which units can I enter?
Kilograms, tonnes, pounds and short tons, or a count of units where the rate is per unit. The calculator converts them before it multiplies.
Does the estimate include other charges?
The schedule on record lists no charges beyond the weight-based rates.
How current are these rates?
They are the rates for the 2026 fee year, as published by the source and last reviewed on November 4, 2026. A rate that has changed since is not reflected until the source is reviewed again.
What if my organisation gave me a different rate?
Where a place publishes a rate table, the calculator uses the published rate. Where no table exists, you enter the rate your organisation gave you for each material, and the calculator labels the line as your rate, not a published one.
Will Instica file or pay for me in Québec?
No. Instica measures, estimates and prepares your figures and files. You register, sign and submit each filing and pay yourself, and Instica never stores portal credentials. This page is information, not legal advice.
How to read these figures
Every figure in the app carries a data-quality label: measured, supplier, estimated or declared. How we measure and label figures. This page is information, not legal advice.
Sources
- eeq.ca: fee schedule to help with your report retrieved
Original wording: Newsprint inserts and circulars 490.32
Original wording: Catalogues and publications Magazines Telephone books Paper for general use Other printed paper 737.12
Original wording: Corrugated cardboard Kraft paper shopping bags Kraft paper packaging 539.67
Original wording: Boxboard and other paper packaging Alternative fibers 712.91
Original wording: Gable-top containers 820.34
Original wording: Paper laminants 1,199.99
Original wording: Aseptic containers 994.14
Original wording: Wood and cork Natural fiber reusable bags 1,571.00
Original wording: Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles PET containers 1,006.09
Original wording: HDPE bottles and containers < 5 L 940.31
Original wording: Stratified plastics 1,798.11
Original wording: Plastic HDPE and LDPE films HDPE, LDPE plastic shopping bags 1,781.92
Original wording: Expanded polystyrene – cushioning packaging Non-expanded polystyrene Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Polylactic acid (PLA) and other degradable plastics Synthetic fiber reusable bags 3,391.42
Original wording: Polypropylene (PP) 1,194.26
Original wording: Other plastics, polymers and polyurethane 1,263.10
Original wording: Food and beverages aluminum containers Other aluminum containers and packaging Aluminum aerosol containers 444.57
Original wording: Steel aerosol containers Other steel containers 665.80
Original wording: Clear glass 559.78
Original wording: Coloured glass 561.12
Original wording: Ceramics 1,413.93
Original wording: Newspapers 492.69
Original wording: Producer financial participation (PFP) and compensation plan 2026 PFP
Original wording: 2027 Producer financial participation (PFP)
- eeq.ca: grilles de taux utiles pour votre declaration retrieved
Original wording: > 1 tm et < 2,5 tm 1 430 $
Original wording: > 2,5 tm et < 5 tm 3 070 $
Original wording: > 5 tm et < 10 tm 6 150 $
Original wording: > 10 tm et < 15 tm 10 240 $
The free plan is enough to start. We estimate and prepare; you sign and submit.