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Quebec Experience in Disposal Levies. Recycling Council of Ontario & Ontario Ministry of the Environment Waste Diversion Act (WDA) Consultation Toronto, January 20th 2010. André G. Bernier. Directeur de l’analyse et des instruments économiques. The new policy.
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Quebec Experience in Disposal Levies Recycling Council of Ontario & Ontario Ministry of the EnvironmentWaste Diversion Act (WDA) Consultation Toronto, January 20th 2010 André G. Bernier Directeur de l’analyse et des instruments économiques
The new policy • Commitment to sustainable development • 3 main challenges • Ending resource waste • Promoting the goals of the Climate Change Action Plan and the Québec Energy Strategy • Making all stakeholders involved responsible for residual materials management
Goals • Make end waste the only residual material sent for disposal in Québec • By 2015 : Reduce the quantity of residual materials sent for disposal to 700 kg per resident(In 2008: 810 kg/res.)
10 Interventions strategies • 3rd- Discourage and monitor disposal
Funding • Raise of the disposal levy • Compensation for municipal services provided to recover and reclaim residual materials: The compensation will pass from 50% to 100% of recognized costs
The levy story • 2002-2003, first trial • 2004, project approval • 2005-2006 public consultation and negotiation with municipal associations • June 23rd 2006 promulgation • $10/ton • 85 % of revenues to municipalities
Why a disposal levy? • Some actions in the 1998-2008 policy were not reaching their goals • Lack of financing for “blue box” • Almost nothing done for putrescible • cost of disposal< cost of recycling • Regional residual materials management plan not adopted • Landfill neighbours’ compensation
5 options • Voluntary measures and individual initiatives • Extended producer responsibility to manage putrescible materials • Ban some materials • Pay-as-you-throw • Create a disposal levy • to the government consolidated fund • to finance recycling and valorising activities
How do we fix the levy? • 2003: $8 per ton • Gap between disposal fees and recycling costs +$40 • Average landfill disposal fee $41 • $49 in New Brunswick and between $55 and $65 in Ontario • Residual material management expenses: • Municipal ~ 400 M$ in 2000 • Ministry’s ~10 M$
Goals for the levy • We wanted to find a levy that would be: • Simple • Significant • Having an impact on the sector • Helping municipalities to implement their regional plan • We did not want to upset the sector
How do we build the regulation? • Environment Quality Act, article 31, subparagraph e.1, commonly call “economic instrument article” • BNAA • Main landfills and incinerators • Payment conditions like taxes • Respect of small businesses
The redistribution program • 85% of all revenues must be shared between admissible municipalities • To be admissible, a municipality must: • Pay disposal fees • Have adopted a legal regional plan • Report yearly
The redistribution program • The program accepts different municipal organizations • Subsidies will be gradually given according to the municipal performance with regards to reducing landfilling and incinerating • During the first two years the subsidies were shared on a per habitant basis
What do we do to obtain adhesion? • Consulting • Agreement with municipal associations • Commitment to return 85% to municipalities for regional plans • Green Fund • Some changes
How do we implement? • Regulation • Firmly but with help • Program • Partnership • Consensus on performance equation • No subsidy without a regional plan • Withholding subsidies in case of problems
Results • Capacity to manage an important economic instrument • This kind of instrument can get good results. The financial incentive works • Since the beginning: • Revenues: 213 M$ • Redistribution program: 182 M$ to 750 municipalities
Courbe de tendance Results Graph: Quantity trend
The increase of the levy • Finance biomethanation and compost equipment • Finance the new policy • 31% return to municipalities for residential residual material
Lessons • Keep it simple • Admit your mistakes to be able to correct them
More information www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/matieres/redevances/index.htm www.mddep.gouv.qc.ca/matieres/pgmr/index_en.htm redevances@mddep.gouv.qc.ca Tél. : 418 521- 3929