Whereas Recycle BC is currently conducting a review of its stewardship program, and appears that the following section from the Recycle BCs March 2018 Packaging and Paper Product Extended Producer Responsibility Plan Plan will have serious impacts on many local governments in establishing new curbside collection recycling programs: 4.3.2 New Curbside Programs: Local governments in communities that did not have PPP curbside collection programs by May 2014, when the program was launched, are eligible to join the Recycle BC program as contractors collectors if the employment a PPP curbside collection program, provided each of the following criteria is met. Packaging and Paper Product Extended Producer Responsibility Plan: 1 A curbside garbage collection program was in place by May 2014; 2 The community represents an incorporated municipality; and 3 The community has a minimum population of 5,000 residents.; And whereas the impact of the proposed changes to the above section will leave numerous communities and electoral areas within British Columbia ineligible to receive any Recycle BC incentives to administer new curbside collection programs in the future, leaving new curbside collection programs initiated to increase diversion of packaging and printed paper to be funded solely by the taxpayer: Therefore be it resolved that the Province of BC immediately act to improve legislation in order to hold the stewardship agencies accountable for the total cost associated with the delivery of the depot program and, specifically, the Minister of Environment address the proposed changes in the Plan and acknowledge the tax funded subsidies in the Plan to ensure that all British Columbians have access to Recycle BC services through a fully funded producer responsibility stewardship model.
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy The Recycle BC RBC program has been consulting on a revised program plan for the next five years, including establishing a revised threshold on curbside delivery. The revised plan proposes that for new curbside services a community must be: an incorporated municipality, have a minimum population of 5,000 residents, and have provided garbage collection as of May 2014. Other communities would be served by depots. Consultation on the revised program plan has been ongoing since November 2017 and concluded with RBC receiving comments on the latest revised plan Phase II through September 6th, 2018. The Ministry recently issued guidance to stewardship agencies for the demonstration of producers paying the costs in their stewardship plans. The Ministry is aware of RBCs proposed threshold for curbside service. The final plan will be provided to the Ministry to be reviewed by a statutory decision maker. The review will include rural access criteria, an evaluation of producer paying the cost and ensuring a satisfactory consultation process took place.