Montréal, March 10, 2025 – With the end of the financial support program aimed at fostering investments in the responsible management of end-of-life household appliances, GoRecycle is sounding the alarm on the consequences of this decision by the Quebec government. The move is expected to have significant ripple effects on both appliance businesses and consumers. As a recognized Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) managing household appliance recycling, GoRecycle is on the front lines witnessing the cumulative impact of this situation and the widening gap between government targets and on-the-ground realities.
A Program Cut Short Before Delivering Its Full Benefits
In 2019, the ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les Changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP) included household appliances under the Regulation respecting the recovery and reclamation of products by enterprises (RRVPE). Simultaneously, the Ministry announced a program designed to generate $90 million in investments to “mitigate the economic impact of this measure on consumers”.
Since 2021, GoRecycle has repeatedly flagged issues with the program’s conditions, which has led to substantial deficits for the organization’s appliance recovery operations. At the same time, GoRecycle has repeatedly called for regulatory relief to ease the burden on Québec’s appliance businesses and consumers.
Despite initial discussions about adjusting the program, GoRecycle learned of its abrupt cancellation by the MELCCFP—after generating just $4.9 million of the promised $90 million, a mere 5% of the intended investment. This decision came without addressing the requested regulatory adjustments, compounding the strain on the sector.
Unrealistic Targets Directly Impacting Businesses and Consumers
On several occasions, GoRecycle has asked, with the backing of key industry associations, for a reduction in RRVPE’s disproportionate recovery targets for refrigerant and air conditioning appliances. Although the government granted a two-year extension in 2024, the targets themselves remain unchanged.
The elimination of financial assistance program and the refusal to relax regulations will force GoRecycle to significantly increase eco-fees on household appliances—potentially reaching $60 to $80 in the coming years. This price hike threatens Quebec businesses’ competitiveness compared to neighbouring provinces. Yet, this outcome is avoidable: lowering the RRVPE targets and penalties would cost the government nothing while providing considerable relief to a sector already strained by new U.S. tariffs and consumers’ growing financial concerns.
Removing Non-Refrigerant Household Appliances to Avoid Unnecessary Costs
Since 2017, the industry has challenged the inclusion of non-refrigerant household appliances (e.g., washers, dryers, ovens and dishwashers) under the RRVPE. Unlike refrigerant appliances, these products emit no greenhouse gases (GHGs).
These appliances are currently subject to burdensome and costly regulations—even though multiple studies show that PRO-managed recovery of said appliances offers no measurable environmental benefits. Moreover, the MELCCFP has yet to demonstrate any net environmental gains from regulating these appliances.
Supported by numerous organizations and local authorities, GoRecycle is calling for the removal of non-refrigerant appliances from the program, given the lack of environmental justification for their inclusion.
Stronger Oversight to Combat Illegal Recyclers and Free Riders
Despite years of reporting, illegal recyclers continue to handle refrigerant appliances without complying with environmental regulations, releasing harmful halocarbons into the atmosphere and making it harder for GoRecycle to meet its targets. At the same time, free riders sell household appliances in Québec without contributing to the program’s funding, creating unfair competition for compliant businesses.
Amid rising living costs and economic uncertainty, GoRecycle urges the government to act on its requests—measures that would ease the burden on businesses and consumers, maintain environmental goals, and uphold responsible waste management, all without adding to public expenditures.
