From Waste to Resource — Tracked.Compliant.
Canada's packaging landscape is shifting fast — 6 federal bans, 9 provincial EPR programs, and a Supreme Court challenge. Navigate the regulatory maze with data infrastructure that keeps you compliant.
Single-use plastic items banned federally
Provincial EPR programs for packaging
Target year for 100% recyclable packaging
The Regulatory Journey
In June 2022, Canada banned six categories of single-use plastics under CEPA — straws, cutlery, checkout bags, stir sticks, six-pack rings, and food service ware made from problematic plastics. It was the most aggressive federal move on packaging waste in Canadian history.
But the legal ground shifted. In November 2023, the Federal Court ruled CEPA's Schedule 1 listing of “plastic manufactured items” was unconstitutional. The Federal Court of Appeal upheld the listing in January 2026, but a Supreme Court challenge is expected by April 2026.
Meanwhile, provinces are building their own regimes. Ontario completed its transition to full producer responsibility in January 2026. BC, Quebec, and 6 other provinces run independent EPR programs with different PROs, fee schedules, and targets. The Federal Plastics Registry is live with Phase 1 reporting.
The regulatory patchwork is only getting more complex.
Key Regulatory Milestones
FCA Ruling
Federal Court of Appeal upheld CEPA Schedule 1 listing of plastic manufactured items. Supreme Court appeal expected ~April 2026.
Ontario Full EPR
Ontario completes transition to full producer responsibility. Blue Box Program now 100% industry-funded via Circular Materials.
Federal Plastics Registry
Phase 1 active: resin-level tracking for producers placing >1 tonne of plastic on market. Reporting portal live, de minimis thresholds apply.
CEPA P2 Notice
Pollution Prevention Notice for primary food packaging — applies to companies with $4B+ grocery revenue. Requires reuse and plastic-free targets.
The Packaging Ecosystem
Canada's packaging compliance landscape involves dozens of actors across federal, provincial, and industry lines. Understanding who connects to whom — and what data flows between them — is the first step to navigating it.
The Compliance Ecosystem
Click any participant to explore their role in the ecosystem
Obligated Producers
System Actors
Circular Return
Recycled content flows back to manufacturers. Reusable packaging returns from consumers. Material recovery feeds the next production cycle.
What's Banned: The SUP Regulations
Six categories of single-use plastics banned under CEPA since December 2022. Manufacturing and import ban in effect. Enforcement subject to SCC appeal outcome.
Checkout Bags
Plastic bags < 57 microns at point of sale
Cutlery
Forks, knives, spoons, sporks, chopsticks
Food Service Ware
Clamshells, lidded containers, bowls, plates, cups
Stir Sticks
Used to stir beverages or prevent splashing
Straws
Drinking straws (medical exemptions apply)
Ring Carriers
Six-pack rings and multi-pack connectors
Federal Plastics Registry (FPR)
Phase 1 is live. Resin-level tracking for producers placing >1 tonne of plastic on the Canadian market.
Who Reports
- Manufacturers & converters
- Brand owners placing on market
- Importers of packaged goods
reports to
What's Tracked
- Resin type and weight
- Packaging format & application
- Recycled content percentage
Supreme Court Appeal Expected ~April 2026
The plastics industry has signaled a SCC appeal of the FCA ruling. If the SCC overturns CEPA Schedule 1 listing, the federal SUP ban and P2 Notice lose their legal foundation. Provincial EPR programs remain unaffected. Smart companies prepare for both outcomes.
Who's Affected
Seven stakeholder groups navigating Canada's packaging regulation landscape. Each has unique compliance burdens — and unique opportunities.
Packaging Manufacturers
Federal Plastics Registry requires resin-level reporting for anyone placing >1 tonne on market. Most manufacturers lack material tracking infrastructure.
Automated material flow tracking from resin to finished packaging. FPR-compliant reporting with audit trail. Recycled content verification integrated into production.
Compliance-ready before enforcement ramps up. Recycled content verification unlocks ecomodulation fee reductions in Quebec and BC.
Model: Per-facility SaaS license
CPG & Brand Owners
Multi-province EPR obligations mean 9 different filing regimes. Packaging composition data scattered across suppliers. CEPA P2 reuse targets looming.
Single dashboard for all provincial filings. Supply chain packaging composition database. Scenario planning for material switching to hit recycled content targets.
Reduce compliance admin by 70%. Model material switches before committing. Demonstrate progress on voluntary commitments (Golden Design Rules, Canada Plastics Pact).
Model: Per-SKU portfolio license
Importers & Distributors
As the 'first person to place on market,' importers bear EPR liability for packaging they didn't design. Many don't know their obligations exist.
Importer obligation discovery tool. Automated calculation of provincial fees based on import manifests. Supplier packaging data collection portal.
Avoid penalty exposure from unreported obligations. Shift upstream: use data to negotiate packaging specs with foreign suppliers.
Model: Per-import-volume tier
Retailers & Grocers
P2 Notice targets companies with $4B+ grocery revenue. Must report on primary packaging and commit to reuse/plastic-free targets. Private label adds direct EPR liability.
Store-level packaging audit tools. Private label compliance tracking. Supplier packaging data aggregation for EPR reporting.
Demonstrate P2 compliance before enforcement. Identify lowest-cost material substitutions. Consumer-facing sustainability transparency.
Model: Per-store + enterprise license
Food Service & QSRs
SUP ban directly hits food service (straws, cutlery, bags, containers). Transition to compliant alternatives increases costs 15-40%. Cross-border chains face conflicting rules.
Alternative material sourcing database. Cost modeling for SUP replacement strategies. Province-by-province compliance mapping for multi-location operators.
Minimize transition costs. Identify best-value compliant alternatives. Avoid enforcement penalties ($50K-$200K per violation).
Model: Per-location monthly
Recyclers & MRFs
PROs demand recovery targets but contamination rates remain 25%+. Design-for-recycling is inconsistent. No standardized material identification across brands.
Packaging design-for-recycling scoring. Contamination source tracking. MRF-level performance dashboards. Connection to producer design improvement programs.
Increase material value recovery. Justify capital investment with data. Influence upstream design through evidence-based feedback to producers.
Model: Per-facility license
Sustainability Consultants
Packaging regulation is the fastest-moving compliance space in Canada. Consultants need to serve clients across 9+ provincial regimes with limited tooling.
White-label compliance platform for client management. Regulatory change alerts with impact analysis. Multi-client portfolio reporting and benchmarking.
Serve 3x more clients with the same team. Position as the go-to packaging compliance partner. Data-driven advisory that commands premium fees.
The Platform
Four phases, each building on the last. From regulatory intelligence to national data infrastructure.
Regulatory Intelligence
Q1-Q2 2026
Compliance dashboard for CEPA, FPR, and provincial EPR. Real-time tracking of regulatory changes, filing deadlines, and enforcement actions.
Multi-Jurisdiction Compliance
Q2-Q4 2026
Automated reporting across all 9 provincial EPR programs. Material-level fee calculations, cross-province reconciliation, and audit-ready documentation.
Circular Economy Tracking
2026-2027
Material flow tracking from production to end-of-life. Recycled content verification, ecomodulation incentive optimization, and lifecycle assessment data.
National Packaging Data Platform
2027+
Industry-wide benchmarking, harmonized reporting standards, and data products for policy makers. Position Canada as a circular economy leader.
Regulatory Intelligence
Compliance dashboard for CEPA, FPR, and provincial EPR. Real-time tracking of regulatory changes, filing deadlines, and enforcement actions.
Multi-Jurisdiction Compliance
Automated reporting across all 9 provincial EPR programs. Material-level fee calculations, cross-province reconciliation, and audit-ready documentation.
Circular Economy Tracking
Material flow tracking from production to end-of-life. Recycled content verification, ecomodulation incentive optimization, and lifecycle assessment data.
National Packaging Data Platform
Industry-wide benchmarking, harmonized reporting standards, and data products for policy makers. Position Canada as a circular economy leader.
Global Context
Packaging regulation is a global movement. Canada is catching up to Europe and Asia — and exporters face compliance on both sides of the border.
European Union
2030Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) mandates 70% recycling by 2030. Binding recycled content minimums and reuse targets for all member states.
United Kingdom
EPR LiveExtended Producer Responsibility for packaging launched 2024. Producers pay full net cost of managing household packaging waste. Modulated fees by recyclability.
South Korea
95%Achieved 95% packaging waste recycling rate through aggressive producer fees, deposit-return systems, and mandatory recycled content requirements.
Germany
63%Highest packaging recycling rate in the EU at 63%. Dual system (Der Grune Punkt) pioneered EPR for packaging in 1991. Now transitioning to full circular model.
Canada's packaging regulations are still fragmented across 9 provincial programs.
No harmonized national EPR. No unified reporting. Companies operating nationally face 9 different compliance regimes with different rules, PROs, and deadlines.
Global Sustainable Packaging Market (Canada)
Food Industry Obligations
The packaging rules hit food companies hardest. From the P2 Notice for major grocers to the circular economy targets that reshape procurement decisions.
CEPA Pollution Prevention Notice
Primary food packaging • $4B+ grocery revenue threshold
The P2 Notice requires Canada's largest grocers to develop pollution prevention plans for primary food packaging. Companies must set targets for reusable packaging and plastic-free alternatives. This is separate from and additional to EPR obligations. Non-compliance carries CEPA enforcement authority.
100%
All plastic packaging must be designed to be recyclable or compostable. No more “wishful recycling” labels.
50%
Minimum recycled content in plastic packaging. Drives demand for PCR (post-consumer recycled) material supply.
55%
National recycling rate target for all packaging materials. Current rate: ~27%. Requires massive infrastructure investment.
Provincial EPR Programs at a Glance
Ontario
Circular Materials
Full EPR Jan 2026
British Columbia
Recycle BC
Full EPR since 2014
Quebec
Eco-Entreprises Quebec
Transitioning to full EPR
9 programs. 9 sets of rules. 1 compliance headache. National brands must file separately in each province where they sell. Different PROs, different fee schedules, different deadlines. A unified platform eliminates the patchwork.
Funding Strategy
Canada's grant ecosystem is uniquely aligned with agriculture data infrastructure. Two stacking layers of non-dilutive capital.
Compliance Grants
Innovation assistance for compliance tech
Export market compliance readiness
Circular Economy Funding
Zero plastic waste initiatives
Clean technology for packaging innovation
$3-7M over 3 years
Stacking strategy
75% government assistance
Maximum eligible assistance
Get Compliance-Ready
The regulatory landscape is shifting. Whether you're a manufacturer navigating the FPR, a brand owner managing multi-province EPR, or a grocer facing P2 Notice obligations — preparation beats reaction.