As required by the approved Blue Box Transition Plan and subsequent amendments (the “Transition Plan”), funds remaining in Stewardship Ontario’s General Reserve, apart from an amount required to complete the organizational wind up, will be disbursed to stewards by the end of 2025.
Stewardship Ontario’s budget for 2025 included a contingency of $5M to ensure it had sufficient funds to address unanticipated expenses, with the intent that any remaining funds would be returned to stewards in December 2025. Each eligible steward will receive a proportionate share of the total refund, which will be determined in November 2025 after Stewardship Ontario’s revenues and expenses are finalized.
To be eligible to receive a refund, a steward must be in “good standing” with Stewardship Ontario as of October 31, 2025, which includes the following criteria:
- A steward has been issued a 2025 fee invoice and has paid the 2025 fee invoice in full;
- Please note, de minimis stewards – those paying no fees in 2025 – are not eligible for refunds.
- A steward has no outstanding fees due to Stewardship Ontario for prior obligation years; and
- A steward has not exited the program for reasons such as, but not limited to, bankruptcy, creditor protection or business closure.
To receive a refund, stewards are asked to complete this secure form and provide the required information by October 31, 2025. When completing the form, stewards must choose one of the following three options for their preferred refund method:
- Option 1 – Receive refund by Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT): Stewards will be asked to provide their banking information where funds will be deposited.
- Option 2 – Receive refund by Interac E-Transfer: Stewards will be asked to confirm the email address where funds will be directed. Please note, only email addresses registered for Interac e-Transfer Autodeposit are eligible to select this option. Security questions will not be supported.
- Option 3 – Receive refund by mailed cheque: Stewards will be asked to verify their mailing address for cheque delivery.
- If we do not receive confirmation from a steward on their preferred refund option by October 31, 2025, a cheque will be mailed to the address on file before December 31, 2025.
Please log in to the WeRecycle Portal to validate your address, view account details and to access copies of your invoice(s). Refunds will not be issued for amounts less than $25.
If you have any questions about the fee refund process or the wind up of Stewardship Ontario, please contact us at info@stewardshipontario.ca.