Blue Box Program Changes

There's changes ahead for your Blue Box

The Government of Ontario has introduced legislation changing how the materials you put in your blue box are managed and collected across the province.

We'll be transitioning our blue box program, like all municipalities, by the end of December 2025 to a new collection model that aligns with these new provincial rules.

How will these provincial changes affect the Municipality of Kincardine?

As of January 1st, 2026, industrial, commercial, and institutional properties will no longer have blue box service. These properties will be responsible for making arrangements to have their recycling collected.

Residential properties should transition seamlessly, and we'll have more details about any service delivery changes that may apply soon.

All multi-residential properties will become eligible for blue box pick-up throughout the province, even those who've previously had a private blue box collection. For new multi-residential properties that may open in 2025, they'll automatically be eligible for services and won't need to wait until January 1st, 2026.

More information about multi-residential properties and transitioning them into the municipal curbside blue box program will be shared as this project progresses.

Frequently Asked Questions

The changes to the blue box program are impacting the Municipality of Kincardine and all other municipalities across the province. Here's some more details and frequently asked questions (FAQs) that we'll keep adding to as the project evolves.

Why are these changes happening?

The Ontario government's introduction of provincial legislation is why there are changes coming for the blue box program.

The Blue Box Regulation made under the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Act is a key part of the province's Strategy for a Waste Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy.

Under this strategy and the act, all municipalities and First Nation communities across the province will move from the current system where costs are split between municipal taxpayers and producers of blue box materials, to a new system where producers are fully responsible for the cost and operation of system.

Who are producers and what do they now have to do?

The Blue Box Regulation details in Part II who is considered a producer. Specifically, those who will no longer receive blue box services through this new change are industrial, commercial, and institutional properties.

This means many businesses will be affected as the new system requires producers to be responsible for:

their own collection and recycling of blue box materials
reporting to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority
meeting increasing targets for materials they collect and recycle

By placing full financial, operational, and performance accountability for the blue box program on the producers of blue box materials, the Ontario government looks to create a direct incentive to reducing waste and improving recycling which will then decrease natural resource extraction and pollution, including greenhouse gases.

Who is responsible for blue box collection?

On January 1st, 2026, recycling programs across the province will end, with the new program beginning. This is expected to be a seamless transition for residential properties.

A non-profit company called Circular Materials will be responsible for the collection of blue box materials from homes across Ontario, including the residential portion of mixed commercial and residential properties.

Are there any exclusions to the program?

Yes, there are some Industrial, Commercial, and Institutional properties that are exempt from the new regulations. They include:

Kindergarten to grade 12 schools
Non-profit retirement and long-term care facilities

Questions?

If you have more questions, please reach out to our Environmental Services division by e-mail or at 519-396-4660.

The Municipality of Kincardine
1475 Concession 5, R.R.
#5, Kincardine, ON N2Z 2X6
Phone: 519-396-3468
F.: 519-396-8288