In February 2018, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks directed Ontario Electronic Stewardship (OES) to wind up the Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE) Program on December 31, 2020. The WEEE Program was the second waste diversion program to be wound up under the Waste Diversion Transition Act, 2016.
The WEEE Program was operated by OES who was responsible for electronics recycling in Ontario on behalf of the electronics industry and charged an environmental handling fee to electronic stewards (i.e. producers) to operate the program.
Information technology, telecommunications, audio-visual (ITT/AV) and lighting equipment were the third and fourth materials designated under Ontario’s individual producer responsibility (IPR) requirements. On January 1, 2021, ITT/AV producers became individually accountable and financially responsible for collecting and reusing, refurbishing or recycling their products when consumers discard them. ITT/AV producers, producer responsibility organizations (PROs), and service providers (collection site operators, haulers, refurbishers and processors) are now regulated by the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority. Learn more about IPR.
Wind up process
As directed by the Minister, OES submitted their plan to wind up the WEEE program and OES itself to the Authority in December 2018. Between March and April 2019, the Authority consulted on the plan with municipalities, stewards and other affected stakeholders. Visit the consultation page to learn more about the consultation process.
On April 2, 2019, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks requested that the Authority conduct additional consultation on OES’s Wind Up Plan. The additional consultation sought feedback on options to ensure that OES’s surplus funds be used for the benefit of Ontario consumers; for example, through a consumer rebate program. Read the Minister’s Direction.
The Authority approved OES’s Wind Up Plan in August 2019, with conditions. Learn more:
The Board of Directors of OES have resigned as Directors effective April 1, 2021, and have appointed Deloitte Restructuring Inc., as liquidator of OES. The appointment was made on February 24, 2021, and is effective as of April 1, 2021.
The appointment of a liquidator is part of the process established to wind up a waste diversion program and the industry funding organization responsible for operating it under the Waste Diversion Transition Act, 2016, the Minister’s directions and the Authority’s Wind Up Guide.
As liquidator, Deloitte will act as OES’ agent and be responsible for all decision-making and implementing the remaining provisions of the approved OES Wind Up Plan.
Materials relating to the wind up proceedings will be posted on Deloitte’s website as they become available.
Minister’s direction on single-use batteries
On December 11, 2018, the Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks amended the timelines associated with the wind up of the Municipal Hazardous or Special Waste (MHSW) Program. As per the Minister’s direction, the program for single-use batteries operated by Stewardship Ontario was wound up on June 30, 2020. This timeline change allowed for a coordinated policy approach with the wind up of the WEEE Program. Read the letter or visit our Batteries program page for more information.