Ontario Liberals Approve Increased Tire Eco-Fee, Which Will Impact Farmers

Ontario Eco-Fee Fees Raised by 2,200 Per Cent Will Cost Farmers More to Recycle Farm Tires

By Amanda Brodhagen, Farms.com

The Ontario Liberals are raising eco-fees by more than 2,200 per cent which is set to come into effect on April 1st.

The raised eco-fee will mean that recycling a front tire on a harvest combine will be raised from $15.29 to $352.80.

Ontario Progressive Conservative (PC) Environment Critic (Kitchener-Conestoga) MPP Michael Harris said on Friday that this new set of eco-fees will take millions of dollars out of the agricultural sector to pay for the Liberals mismanaged recycling program.

“To raise eco-fees by more than 2,200% without properly consulting farmers or other affected industries not only is unfair, but also demonstrates the failure of the Liberals’ tire recycling program,” Harris said in a press release. 

Since the Ontario Tire Stewardship program was created in 2008 its run deficits on off-road tires which would include tires used on dump trucks, tractors, feller benchers and more.

The PCs propose that the government be setting waste diversion targets and developing environmental standards to follow the process.