On June 8, 2021, the Ontario Ministry of Environment Conservation and Parks posted the final Hazardous and Special Products (HSP) regulation (O. Reg.449/21) under the Resources Recovery and Circular Economy Act. The CPA continues to press government to exempt all refillable propane cylinders from the new regulatory regime as proposed in the draft regulation posted in February 2021, and for a meeting with the minister responsible.
Meanwhile, the oversight and enforcement body for the new regime - the Resource Productivity and Recycling Authority - has conducted stakeholder consultations and continues to develop program parameters. Over the summer, the Authority consulted with industry on fees for the new administrative regime. The Authority initially proposed a $7,500 flat annual fee for all Category E producers/marketers (refillable propane cylinders) to administer and maintain the registry.
The CPA’s August 3 submission in response to this proposal asserted that a fee in this amount was exorbitant and not reflective of the limited duties the Authority would be conducting for this producer category. As a result, later in August 2021, they set a flat registration fee of $1,000 per annum for Category E producers.
The CPA continues to advocate on members’ behalf with respect to exclusion from the regulation and on key issues that require Authority clarification. Members with input on any of the issues identified above are asked to email Ontario Government Relations Director Marcelline Riddell at marcellineriddell@propane.ca.
For specific questions regarding your business situation, the RPRA requests submitting an inquiry via the registry@rpra.ca or calling 833-600-9530.