Montreal, November 28, 2024 – The Quebec government has announced a postponement of the expansion of the deposit system for glass (alcohol) and cardboard (juice and milk) containers. While a challenging decision, retailers welcome this delay as it addresses significant delays in the modernized network rollout led by the Quebec Beverage Container Recycling Association (QBCRA). The postponement ensures a smoother transition to the updated system. However, the inclusion of plastic water and juice bottles remains scheduled for March 1, 2025, adding over one billion containers to the 2.3 billion already returnable.
A modernized network still under construction
By the end of 2026, the modernized network will have 400 Consignaction and Consignaction+ depots and nearly 200 kiosks at merchants, offering a simple and fast customer experience.
The main challenge between now and March 1 lies in the logistics of recovering the 3.5 billion returnable containers.
A collective commitment to a successful transition
The postponement provides stakeholders with an opportunity to advance several critical elements:
- Finalize the transport logistics, which are essential to efficiently collect returnable containers, which will mainly be taken back from merchants until the full deployment of the network;
- Sign transport contracts with waste pickers who are still without a contract as of March 1, 2025;
- Deploy Consignaction depots and kiosks at merchants to increase network capacity;
- Equip yourself with the right tools, working with OEMs to ensure the implementation of suitable infrastructure and temporary solutions if necessary;
- To enable consumers to adapt, by gradually integrating the concept of “New Materials – New Places” into their habits.
A step towards a successful transition
“The delayed deposit system expansion is a pragmatic and essential decision. It gives all the players involved time to meet the logistical challenges rigorously and to build a modernized network that meets the expectations of citizens. Retailers, fully committed, are redoubling their efforts to support this ambitious project and ensure the success of a crucial transition for our society,” said Michel Rochette, President of the Retail Council of Canada for Quebec.
“As of today, we are putting our energies into the important logistics project of recovering the billion bottles of water that will be brought back to our shops from March 1. The challenges are great and this postponement should not mean slowing down the deployment of sustainable solutions in all regions of Quebec,” added Pierre-Alexandre Blouin, President and CEO of the Association des détaillants en alimentation du Québec.
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About the Retail Council of Canada
Recognized as the Voice of Retailers™ in Quebec and Canada since 1963, the Retail Council of Canada is an industry-funded, not-for-profit association that represents small, medium and large retail businesses that are embedded in people’s daily lives. The organization has more than 17,000 businesses and establishments, including the largest banners in Quebec – and nearly 60,000 in Canada –; from department stores to food distribution, specialty stores, pharmacies, independent retail and online stores. RCC is a hub where unique expertise converges, developing guides, tools and certified training, in addition to being a true source of data and analysis. The retail sector employs more than half a million Quebecers and generates sales of nearly $110 billion (2022).
For more information, please contact:
Elysa Adornato
Executive Assistant & Member Services
Retail Council of Canada
EAdornato@cccd-rcc.org
514 816-1876
