Éco Entreprises Québec signs its first partnership agreement with a municipal body

Montreal, October 12, 2023 — Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ) and the Marguerite-D’Youville Regional County Municipality (RCM) have signed a partnership agreement to modernize the curbside recycling system in the six municipalities of the RCM: a first in Quebec! ÉEQ and the RCM are formalizing their new relationship regarding the operation, management, supervision and financing of the collection of recyclable materials in this RCM in Montérégie.

“Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a great addition to this new partnership. By prioritizing both service to residents and system efficiency, we have reached a first agreement where everyone wins. This partnership with the Marguerite-D’Youville RCM marks the beginning of a new era and paves the way to a promising and lasting collaboration.”

— Maryse Vermette, CEO of Éco Entreprises Québec

“The partnership agreement signed with ÉEQ allows for a smooth transition of curbside recycling services for all our municipalities, keeping in mind the needs and particularities of our region. Our residents will always be able to count on efficient collection of recyclable materials.”

— Daniel Plouffe, Warden of the Marguerite-D’Youville RCM

Highlights

Starting on January 1, 2024, ÉEQ will assume the costs of collecting and transporting recyclable materials in the RCM and its ecocentres. In addition, ÉEQ will compensate the RCM for eligible management fees and the costs of information services for citizens.

The partnership agreement lays the groundwork, while the related customization appendices set out the particularities of the curbside recycling services in the RCM.

The terms of the signed agreements and the customization appendices are primarily intended to:

a) State the respective responsibilities of both parties;

b) Supervise the implementation of curbside recycling services;

c) Establish a list of materials accepted in recycling bins;

d) Determine the parameters for reimbursement and compensation by ÉEQ.

The deployment of the new curbside recycling system will be rolled out elsewhere in Quebec on January 1, 2025. In the meantime, municipal organizations and Indigenous communities are required to enter into a contractual agreement with ÉEQ within the time limits prescribed by regulation.

About Éco Entreprises Québec

Since 2005, Éco Entreprises Québec (ÉEQ), a private non-profit organization, has represented producers of containers, packaging and printed matter regarding their financial responsibilities for curbside recycling. Named Producer Responsibility Organization (PRO) in 2022, ÉEQ manages the curbside recycling system in Quebec from a sustainable development perspective.

As a leader in extended producer responsibility (EPR), ÉEQ develops, manages and provides circular economy solutions to its member producers so they can reduce their environmental footprint. To achieve this, ÉEQ places ecodesign, recyclability and traceability at the core of all actions with its partners. ÉEQ will continue its role as a certified organization throughout the transition from the compensation plan to EPR curbside recycling.

About the Marguerite-D’Youville RCM

The Marguerite-D’Youville RCM covers an area of about 350 km2 and has more than 82,000 citizens on its territory. It has a consultation mandate between its six municipalities which are Calixa-Lavallée, Contrecœur, Saint-Amable, Sainte-Julie, Varennes and Verchères. The RCM also oversees the management of services at the regional level and activities resulting from consultation. Among its municipal powers, the RCM is also in charge of the management of waste collection. In this regard, the municipal organization is carrying out several projects which position it as a leader in this area. The RCM also received additional responsibilities following agreements between municipalities.

Additionnal information

The English text of the framework partnership agreement (French only) between ÉEQ and the signatory organizations will be available shortly.   

For more details on the curbside recycling system in the Marguerite-D’Youville RCM, consult the residual materials management section (French only). 

Photo credit: Josée Lecompte 

Bottom line (from left to right): Sylvain Berthiaume, General Manager and Clerk-Treasurer of the Marguerite-D’Youville RCM, Daniel Plouffe, Warden of the Marguerite-D’Youville RCM and mayor of Calixa-Lavallée, and Maryse Vermette, CEO of Éco Entreprises Québec. 

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Source
Marie-Claude Rivet
Manager, Strategy and Public Affairs
Éco Entreprises Québec
514-987-1491, ext. 237
medias@eeq.ca

Dominic Gauthier
Coordinator, Communications & Public Relations
Marguerite-D’Youville RCM
450 583-3301 ext. 327
dgauthier@margueritedyouville.ca