What is this engagement about?
The Province invites you to contribute your knowledge and ideas to inform the development of policy approaches that will improve the prevention and recycling of non-residential packaging waste in communities across B.C.
Timeline: April 23 to July 23, 2024
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How to participate
This engagement was open to everyone across the province, with specific opportunities for contributions from:
- Residents
- Local governments
- Indigenous governments
- Businesses
- Other impacted organizations
One of the specific audiences we wanted to hear from was Indigenous Peoples, including Rights and Title holders; Métis, Inuit, and First Nations in urban settings.
The waste sorting bins you may see in schools and malls are just one small part of waste prevention programs that occur outside the home. The non-residential (ICI) sector includes diverse sources of waste, including:
- Light industrial sources such as agriculture, manufacturing, and jobsites
- Businesses such as retail stores, tourism, and restaurants
- Institutions including hospitals, schools, and universities
Packaging can include everything used to protect, store, and contain products, such as a carboard boxes, plastic containers and film, and also many reusable solutions such as containers, cups, pallets, and crates.
Your input matters as we look for solutions to keep packaging waste out of landfills and the environment. Your ideas can help prevent non-residential packaging waste at schools, offices, job-sites, cafés, and other spaces outside the home.
Learn more about waste prevention in B.C.
- Discussion paper on non-residential packaging waste
- Preventing plastic waste in B.C. at gov.bc.ca/reuse
Ways to participate
Online questionnaire
All people in British Columbia were welcome to share their feedback through the online questionnaire until July 23, 2024.
Info sessions and workshops
Representatives of local and Indigenous governments, businesses, and organizations were invited to attend an info session to learn more about non-residential waste in B.C. and policy options for prevention. Two discussion workshops were also hosted with businesses, local governments, institutions and other interested parties.
Written submissions
Submissions were open for interested parties, including businesses, associations, local governments, and other organizations to submit a formal response to the discussion paper until July 23, 2024. If you would like to contribute after this deadline, please email circularcommunities@gov.bc.ca for more information.
Indigenous engagement was open until Sept 15. If you are an Indigenous community or organization and would like to contribute after this deadline email circularcommunities@gov.bc.ca for more information.
Indigenous Roundtables
Indigenous Peoples and communities were invited to participate in a series of virtual engagements, led by Mahihkan Management, an Indigenous facilitation and engagement company.
Next steps
Feedback will be used to help develop policies for preventing waste from non-residential packaging, plastic and paper across the province. The Province is looking for policy approaches that will have the best environmental outcomes and build on current successes.
A What We Learned report and written submissions that meet the submission guidelines are expected to be ready for publication in Fall 2024.
Who’s listening
The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy is leading this engagement as part of its Extended Producer Responsibility Five-Year Action Plan. The results will be shared with a number of other ministries as we work together to prevent packaging waste in our province.
Commitment to Anti-Racism
The Government of B.C. is committed to addressing racism and to ensuring this engagement process is anti-racist and safeguards human rights. Disrespectful and racist comments will not be accepted or considered and will be removed from the engagement record. Please ensure comments are constructive and focused for this engagement.
Engagement timeline
Engagement launch
April 23, 2024
Public questionnaire
April 23 to July 23, 2024
Info sessions and workshops
May–June 2024
Survey and written submissions close
July 23, 2024
What We Learned Report posted
Fall 2024