Phase 2 Transition

SK Recycles is the new provincial household packaging and paper recycling program, responsible for the collection, processing and recycling of household packaging and paper in Saskatchewan. 

Since 2016, SK Recycles (formerly known as Multi-Material Stewardship Western) has provided shared funding for community recycling programs to cover costs associated with collecting, sorting, processing and marketing household packaging and paper to end markets to be made into new products. 

On February 1, 2028, the shared responsibility model for community recycling will end and be replaced by a new full Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model. 

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

Phase 2 of the SK Recycles transition to full Extended Producer Responsibility includes focuses on curbside and multi-family collection in smaller and more remote communities that were not eligible under Transition Phase 1, as well as multi-family collection in Transition Phase 1 communities that did not meet the multifamily thresholds outlined in the SK Recycles Program Plan. 

The Phase 2 Eligibility and Efficiency Criteria were approved by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Environment in April 2025. They were developed to support the transition to full Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) by clearly defining which communities are eligible to participate in curbside and multi-family service via Phase 2 of the SK Recycles program, and how collection services will be delivered. 

The criteria outlines eligibility for curbside and multi-family collection and establishes how SK Recycles will determine whether communities act as collection service providers (Community-led service model) or receive collection services directly (Program-led service model). They are intended to reduce administrative burden, improve operational efficiency, and support an effective, province-wide recycling system. 

The main difference between the (interim) community-led model and program-led model is the level of involvement required by SK Recycles. 

In the Community-led model, communities or RWAs keep running their own curbside and/or multi-family recycling collection and education program. They are responsible for contracts with haulers to collect recycling, with SK Recycles taking care of post-collection services, such as contracts with material recovery facilities that sort, bale, and send material for processing in end markets. SK Recycles also verifies and selects end markets, where materials are sold to manufacturers to make new products. SK Recycles will provide support to communities that decide to transition to the interim community-led model. 

In the Program-led model, communities are not responsible for their own curbside and/or multi-family recycling collection and education programs the programs are handed over to SK Recycles to take on responsibility for both collection and post-collection of material. The Program-led model requires SK Recycles to finalize all operational details (i.e., household lists, container procurement/ownership, collection routing and scheduling, service level readiness, etc.) with the applicable program-led community and inform the public in the service area of any changes to service delivery via communication and tactical planning.  

Once a community has submitted a letter of intent and chosen the model(s) that works best for them, the community should expect to hear from SK Recycles’ collection team representatives on next steps before each transition. 

You are considered a Phase 2 community if you meet one of the following considerations: 

  • All municipalities and Regional Waste Authorities (RWAs) with existing curbside collection programs participating in the shared responsibility model of the SK Recycles program (previously known as Multi-Material Stewardship Western) as of July 1, 2024 will be eligible to participate in Transition Phase 2.
  • All municipalities, RWAs and First Nation and Métis communities participating in the SK Recycles program as a curbside collection service provider (whether under the shared responsibility program, Transition Phase 1 or Transition Phase 2) are eligible to launch and operate a multi-family collection program in the same service area if applicable. 
  • Transition Phase 1 communities without established multi-family collection programs that do meet the multi-family eligibility requirements (as outlined in Section 4.4.3 and 4.4.4, with input from interested parties). 
  • Non-SK Recycles Municipalities: Communities that did not have curbside collection programs participating in the SK Recycles program as of July 1, 2024 will be eligible to participate in Transition Phase 2 provided all of the following criteria are met: 
    • The community is an incorporated municipality and either a Town, Northern Town, Village or Northern Village;
    • The community has a minimum population of 1,000 residents per the 2021 Census; and
    • A curbside garbage collection program is in place and operated by the municipality, whether directly or through a contract with a private collection company, or scheduled to launch no later than coinciding with the introduction of packaging and paper curbside collection.

Phase 2 communities had the following decisions to make (1) to join SK Recycles program beginning February 1, 2028 on the Program-led model or (2) to join SK Recycles’ new program as Community-led for the two-year (only) transition period from June, September or December 1, 2026, to February 1, 2028, after which the Program-led model will take effect. Both decisions are outlined in more detail below. 

Decision 1: Receive curbside and multi-family service directly from SK Recycles beginning February 1, 2028. 

  • Community will no longer be responsible for curbside and multi-family recycling services for residents or the associated costs; SK Recycles will directly provide collection and post-collection services. 
  • Communities that do not join the new program after February 1, 2028, may continue to provide recycling services directly to residents; however, the community will not participate in the SK Recycles program and will no longer receive funding from SK Recycles (or MMSW) to support recycling. 
  • A decision should have been submitted to SK Recycles by February 1, 2026, to receive this service in 2028. Please reach out to SK Recycles (info@skrecycles.ca) if you have questions regarding decision timing. 

Decision 2: Remain under the current program or join SK Recycles’ new program as community-led for the two-year (only) transition period beginning June, September or December 1, 2026, to February 1, 2028. 

  • Your community will receive an offer from SK Recycles that includes a new agreement and household incentive rate for the collection of household packaging and paper only. SK Recycles will be responsible for all post-collection operations and costs. 
  • Once your community has an executed agreement with the SK Recycles program you will be sent a Designated Facility Letter to indicate where material must be delivered to as of the service commencement date on your SK Recycles collection agreement. As well as a welcome and information package to help your community transition to the SK Recycles Program.

The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent to join SK Recycles’ program-led collection model (launching Feb 1, 2028) was Feb. 1, 2026. SK Recycles communicated with collectors on multiple occasions over the past two years and encouraged decisions to be made by that date to complete a competitive procurement process (RFP) for these services.  

SK Recycles may consider future dates for additional collectors to join our program, but no firm timelines have been determined at this time. If you are an eligible community that is interested in joining the Program-led model but missed the deadline, please reach out to SK Recycles at info@skrecycles.ca to discuss your options. Note to join the program-led model a letter of intent is required from the applicable municipality’s council.  

SK Recycles will launch Program-led services on February 1, 2028, in Phase 2 communities that committed to the Program-led model via a letter of intent and submitted all necessary information. SK Recycles has divided the province into service areas and will complete a competitive procurement (RFP) process for each of the service areas. An RFP for these services was released on Apr 7, 2026, and proponents for each of the service areas are expected to be selected by August 2026. Once SK Recycles has completed the competitive procurement process, a dedicated project team will be assigned to work closely with the communities in each service area and the awarded service providers on all aspects of transition planning.  

Yes. Communities that opted for the Program-led model can expect to hear from SK Recycles’ after the competitive procurement process for service providers in each of the areas has concluded. SK Recycles will work with the communities on all aspects of transition planning, including kick-off meetings, finalizing operational details and communications planning. 

If you committed to the interim community-led model, SK Recycles first assigns you a launch date (either June 1, 2026, Sep. 1, 2026 or Dec. 1, 2026) and then works with your community to reach an executed Collection Agreement. Once your community has an executed agreement with the SK Recycles program, our collection team will contact you to discuss operational readiness and final steps before official launch with SK Recycles. You will also be sent a welcome and information package to help your community transition to the SK Recycles Program, as well as a Designated Facility Letter, which will indicate where collected material must be delivered as of the service commencement date on your SK Recycles collection agreement.  

Yes.  Please review the SK Recycles Accepted Material List.  

Note that glass bottles and jars are not accepted in mixed container and paper single-stream collection containers and carts but may be brought to a SARCAN for recycling.  

No. Materials are to be collected loose from approved containers (e.g., carts or bins). If your community is currently using single-use bags for collection, a transition to approved containers will be required on a timeline agreed to with SK Recycles or as stated in your Collection Agreement.  

Once a community has submitted a letter of intent and chosen the model(s) that works best for them, the community should expect to hear from SK Recycles’ collection team representatives on next steps before each transition. 

Our online Collector Resources Portal (skrecycles.ca/collector-resources) offers a range of materials to support these efforts, including brochures, posters, social media graphics, material icons and more. New resources are added regularly, with a more comprehensive update planned for mid to late May of 2026. We will let you know once new resources are available for your use.  

SK Recycles communicates transition information to RWAs directly, and RWAs are responsible for providing any relevant information about the transition to their members. Communities should reach out to their RWAs’ representatives for questions.  

This request would require the community to be removed as a member of the RWA Community-led service agreement with SK Recycles and be added to a Program-led service area by SK Recycles.  

The deadline to submit a Letter of Intent to join SK Recycles’ Program-led collection model (launching Feb. 1, 2028) was Feb 1, 2026. SK Recycles is currently conducting a competitive procurement process (RFP) to award contracts for each of the Program-led service areas of the province. SK Recycles may consider future dates for additional collectors to join our program, but no firm timelines have been determined at this time. If you are an eligible community that is interested in joining the Program-led model, but missed the deadline, you may reach out to SK Recycles at into@skrecycles.ca to discuss your options.  

SK Recycles encourages communities that are members of an RWA (and receiving Community-led collection as part of that RWA) to talk to their RWA representative directly about their membership status and commitment.   

Please speak to your collection team representative directly about this request.  

Our online Collector Resources Portal (skrecycles.ca/collector-resources) offers a range of materials to support these efforts, including brochures, posters, social media graphics, material icons and more. New resources are added regularly, with a more comprehensive update planned for mid to late May of 2026. We will let you know once new resources are available for your use.  

Key Milestones

The window for submitting the Letter of Intent template (LOI) for Phase 2 eligible collectors is now closed. SK Recycles may consider future dates for additional collectors to join our program but no firm timelines have been determined at this time.  

Thank you to those eligible Phase 2 collectors who have submitted their LOI to inform SK Recycles on how they wish to proceed with our program.