►Leading Canadian Producer Responsibility Organizations Receive Recycling Leadership Award for the Development of Canada-Wide Ecodesign Guidelines for Packaging and Paper
New guidelines serve as an important step towards harmonized national framework
February 25, 2026 – Five Canadian producer responsibility organizations – Circular Materials, Éco Entreprises Québec, Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba, SK Recycles and Recycle BC – have received the Outstanding Leadership Award from the Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR). The award is for individuals or organizations who are going above and beyond to adopt recyclable packaging within their field.
Last fall, the organizations began collaborating to develop ecodesign guidelines to support greater recyclability of packaging and paper products building on the packaging ecodesign and recyclability guidelines originally developed by Éco Entreprises Québec in 2024. This initiative marked a major step towards a harmonized national framework that will provide clear guidance to thousands of producers who market their goods in more than one province or territory across Canada. The development of the guideline is underway and the anticipated completion date is December 2026.
With extended producer responsibility (EPR) regulations for packaging and paper being rolled out in several provinces and territories, ecodesign is a key tool to improve the performance and cost efficiency of recycling systems. By better matching product packaging with current and developing sorting and recycling infrastructure, ecodesign can support increasing overall material recovery rates, meet EPR regulation requirements and enable a circular economy across Canada.
“We are very excited to be recognized for our leadership in the development of national ecodesign and recyclability guidelines by the APR. The guidelines reflect a national collaboration and shared vision to support better packaging and paper recycling across Canada, enhance environmental performance and build a more circular economy.” — Joint quote from the leaders of Circular Materials, Éco Entreprises Québec, Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba, SK Recycles and Recycle BC.
The second annual APR Recycling Leadership Awards recognize individuals and organizations whose outstanding innovations are shaping the future of plastics recycling. The APR Recycling Leadership Awards program was established in honor of the 30th anniversary of the APR Design® Guide for Plastics Recyclability. Since 1994, the APR Design® Guide has helped thousands of companies design packaging that is truly compatible with recycling processes, leading to millions of items successfully getting recycled and avoiding landfill. Good design reduces costs throughout the recycling value chain, improves productivity, and ensures high-quality post-consumer resin (PCR) that can reduce the need for new plastic.
Representatives from the organizations accepted the award today at the Plastics Recycling Conference in Chula Vista, California.
About Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba (MMSM)
MMSM is an industry-funded, not-for-profit organization that funds and provides support for Manitoba’s residential recycling programs for packaging and printed paper, in accordance with the Packaging and Printed Paper Stewardship Regulation. Its goal is to promote the reduction, reuse, and recycling of the materials managed in its program while increasing recovery rates.
About Circular Materials
Circular Materials is a national not-for-profit producer responsibility organization (PRO) that supports producers in meeting their extended producer responsibility (EPR) obligations across Canada. Created by producers for producers, Circular Materials develops, implements and supports effective and efficient recycling programs to advance innovation, deliver improved environmental outcomes and drive value across the recycling supply chain. Our full-service offerings include collection, management, promotion and education, and reporting. Together, we are advancing the circular economy where materials are collected, recycled and can be returned to producers for use as recycled content in new products and packaging. As we develop enhanced recycling systems across Canada, we work to ensure more materials are looped into the circular economy, benefiting both people and the environment. Learn more at www.circularmaterials.ca.
About Éco Entreprises Québec
Éco Entreprises Québec, a private non-profit organization, is the new manager of the entire curbside recycling system and represents companies that market containers, packaging, and printed paper in Québec. Our mission is to enable Quebecers to recover more and better, ensure a second life for recyclable materials and contribute to the circular economy throughout the province. Bin Impact, the new reference in curbside recycling in Québec, aims to educate on the right way to sort materials and to raise awareness of the impact of what we put in the bin. Éco Entreprises Québec counts close to 2,700 producer members, whether their place of business is here or elsewhere in the world. The latest list of members is published in the annual report. Learn more at eeq.ca.
About SK Recycles
SK Recycles is a not-for-profit organization responsible for managing and recycling household packaging and paper, distributed to Saskatchewan residents, on behalf of producers. Using an extended producer responsibility (EPR) model, SK Recycles partners with local governments, First Nations and Métis communities, private companies and other organizations to collect, receive, sort, manage and recycle packaging and paper. SK Recycles also provides support and education, while expanding opportunities to make recycling easier and more consistent across the province. Learn more at SKRecycles.ca.
About Recycle BC
Recycle BC is a not-for-profit organization responsible for residential packaging and paper recycling throughout British Columbia. Recycle BC ensures packaging and paper products are collected from residential households and recycling depots, sorted and responsibly managed and recycled, working closely with communities and partners to ensure efficient and responsible recycling. The organization also educates the public on proper recycling practices to support a cleaner, more sustainable environment. As a full extended producer responsibility (EPR) program, Recycle BC program is funded by producers like brand-owners, manufacturers and retailers that supply packaging and paper to BC residents. Learn more at RecycleBC.ca.
About APR
The Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) is an international non-profit and the only North American organization focused exclusively on improving recycling for plastics. APR’s tools & resources help companies design packaging that can be recycled, support innovations that overcome existing recycling challenges, and encourage stable and reliable markets for post-consumer recycled content. Visit plasticsrecycling.org for more information.
For more information:
Christina Demare – SOMA PR
604-617-5311 | christina@somaworks.com
► Board of Directors Special Announcement
Following a national search conducted this fall, it is my pleasure, on behalf of MMSM’s Board of Directors, to announce that Christa Rust has accepted our offer to become the next Executive Director of MMSM, effective January 12, 2026.
Christa is an accomplished sustainability and recycling leader with more than 15 years of experience in Manitoba program development and operations. She currently serves with the Manitoba Chambers of Commerce, where she leads the Green Advantage program and the development of Manitoba’s roadmap to net zero. Many of MMSM’s long-serving team members will also recall her decade with CBCRA’s Recycle Everywhere program, where, as Senior Program Director, she built and scaled the initiative, leading a team that grew to nine permanent and 20 seasonal staff.
Christa brings deep industry expertise and a strong understanding of the partners and stakeholders central to MMSM’s success. She is well known and highly respected across the province, with established relationships among municipalities, First Nations, provincial officials, producers, and other key partners—relationships that will be invaluable as MMSM grows into its significant future role.
Christa is looking forward to joining MMSM and working alongside and learning from such a dedicated and highly regarded team. We have shared with her that MMSM’s strong reputation is a direct reflection of the team’s commitment and professionalism.
We also extend our sincere appreciation to Karen Melnychuk, who has led MMSM with dedication and vision for 15 years. When she steps down as Executive Director on December 31, 2025, we are pleased that she has agreed to continue supporting the organization for a limited period of time, as needed and at Christa’s discretion, to ensure a seamless transition for both the team and the organization.
We are very pleased to welcome Christa to MMSM.
► 2024 Annual Producer Meeting Resources
The 2024 Annual Producer Meeting (APM) was on Thursday, October 24.
The 2024 APM shared program updates and 2025 budgets and fees for Circular Materials programs in New Brunswick and Alberta, Stewardship Ontario, Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba, Multi-Material Stewardship Western (SK Recycles) and Recycle BC. The Report to Producers, presentation file, and webinar replay are available below.
Webinar resources:
- 2024 APM Webcast
- 2024 APM Presentation Deck
- 2024 Report to Producers
- Fee Rate Cause of Change – graphs have been developed to illustrate the factors driving changes from 2024 to 2025. Files from each program include all materials: MMSM
- 2025 National Material Fee Rates
* Please note, following the APM webinar and Report to Producers publication in October 2024, Recycle BC announced a reduction in the 2025 fee budget in December 2024. For more information on these fee changes visit the Recycle BC website. The national material fee rates document above have been updated to reflect these changes.
► National Integration for Blue Box in Canada
September 14, 2023
We are pleased to share an update on a nationally integrated approach that is being developed to support Canada’s transition to extended producer responsibility (EPR).
The transition to EPR is expected to occur separately but concurrently across provinces between 2023 – 2025, and producers are experiencing significant financial and operational considerations as this transition commences.
To support this change and manage impact, Circular Materials, Recycle BC, Multi-Material Stewardship Western and Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba are working together to review an optimal business model for delivering EPR across Canada. This includes developing a nationally integrated approach and roadmap that identifies activities the respective organizations will collaborate on to achieve common goals and efficiencies together.
The purpose of the work is to mitigate cost increases and achieve productivity gains that can come from national integration and local/regional presence, looking at:
- maximizing efficiency of current and future reserves,
- improving environmental outcomes while driving economies of scale and cost savings,
- providing producers with a unified national voice in support of existing and future regulations,
- capitalizing on the efficiencies of a common, harmonized approach (processes and technology),
- delivering a model that is reflective of regional needs and priorities,
- meeting the needs of all producers, regardless of size or industry, and
- developing national standardization of both material inputs and outputs to enable efficiencies within the system, all while appropriately managing and mitigating risks.
There are many opportunities to leverage the strengths, capabilities, and investments we have built over the years across producer responsibility organizations to deliver national integration.
We look forward to sharing more as we evolve this nationally integrated approach to support producers and improve environmental outcomes.
► Department of Environment and Climate Letter
MMSM received a letter from the Department of Environment and Climate on extending the current program plan, as well as the next steps on the draft Transition Plan to full EPR. The letter can be viewed here.
June 6, 2023