Ontario addresses ‘huge’ tire problem but will the new rules be enough?

The Ontario government has unveiled significant changes aimed at addressing the "huge" issue of discarded tires piling up at repair shops and collection sites throughout the province. These modifications come after complaints from tire dealers and vehicle repair shop owners who have struggled to retrieve tires despite consumers paying fees to recycle them.

The Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA), responsible for the province's recycling program, adjusted collection targets and sites in January 2025, leading to the accumulation of two large stockpiles in Stitsville and Sudbury, containing around 300,000 to 500,000 tires.

In response, the RPRA plans to boost recycling targets from 65% to 80% by weight, effective this year, and increase the number of required collection sites. Penalties for companies failing to meet targets will also be heightened.

While tire dealers and shop owners are cautiously optimistic about these new rules, they acknowledge that the outcome remains uncertain. Adam Moffatt of the Ontario Tire Dealers Association stated that the success of the measures hinges on the implementation by Producer Responsibility Organizations (PROs) – the for-profit firms tasked with picking up the tires. The PROs have yet to disclose their strategies and timelines for enacting the regulatory changes.

John Rouvas, owner of Optimum Auto Inc., anticipates the true measure of these regulations in the coming months, particularly as tire accumulation typically peaks in the autumn. "Crunch time is coming in the next month or so," he noted, emphasizing the urgency of a clear strategy from the PROs.