Depot collection is the third phase of Saskatchewan’s full Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) model. This focuses on the municipalities with depot recycling, specifically those smaller communities without curbside or multi‑family recycling collection, and where certain categories of accepted packaging and paper are not collected through curbside or multi‑family recycling programs.
Municipalities must have a minimum of 100 households to be eligible. If a community does not meet the household threshold independently, it may partner with neighbouring communities whose municipal boundaries either touch or are within 5 km of one another to collectively meet the minimum requirement of 100 households.
Questions about eligibility or onboarding? Please contact info@skrecycles.ca if you are unsure whether your community is eligible or if you have any other questions. To ensure you have the most accurate and up-to-date information regarding eligibility requirements, timelines and participation, we encourage communities to verify information directly with SK Recycles.
Depot Classifications
Unsupervised
- No staff required on site
- Glass bottles and jars, flexible plastics and foam packaging are not accepted.
Partially Staffed
- Staff are on site during some operating hours
- Depot is secured
- Glass bottles and jars, flexible plastics and foam packaging may be accepted, but not required to be accepted for collection.
Fully Staffed
- Staff are present during all operating hours
- Depot is secured
- Glass bottles and jars, flexible plastics and foam packaging must be accepted and kept separated for collection.
Key Dates
Completed Milestones
Frequently Asked Questions
How can we determine if our community is eligible for a depot?
SK Recycles’ approved Phase 3 Eligibility Criteria and Depot Collection Standards, Policies and Procedures outlines the criteria that defines a municipality or Regional Waste Authority (RWA) that is eligible to act as a depot collection service provider to SK Recycles in Phase 3 of the transition and how to determine the eligibility of their corresponding depot locations. A population threshold and Regional Waste Authority (RWA) membership are the primary criteria that determine if a community is eligible to join SK Recycles’ depot program under phase 3.
Phase 3 depot standards, policies and procedures describe the additional requirements related to depot “classes” and sub-contracted services.
SK Recycles conducted a stakeholder webinar on June 18, 2026, and presented the approved criteria to stakeholders. View Recording
If your municipality needs support determining depot eligibility, please contact SK Recycles’ representative for further information at info@skrecycles.ca
When and how did SK Recycles consult with stakeholders on depot eligibility criteria?
- SK Recycles held a stakeholder webinar on January 13, 2026, and provided an overview of the draft eligibility criteria. Stakeholders had the opportunity to review the draft criteria document and to submit their feedback to SK Recycles by February 13, 2026.
- Based on the stakeholder feedback, SK Recycles made significant changes to the draft criteria and submitted it to the Ministry of Environment for review and approval on February 27, 2026.
- Notable adjustments based on feedback:
- Removal of the distance threshold requiring a municipality to be within 150 km of a City, Town, or Village with a population of 4,500 or more,
- Removal of language indicating that one depot per community is the starting point.
- Treating Regional Waste Authorities as service areas rather than as individual member municipalities.
- Addition of details regarding standard industrial, commercial, institutional (ICI) deductions with an option to employ an ICI study and/or audit process to support individual determination of assumed ICI material percentages.
- Removal of language that would have enabled SK Recycles to decline contracting a lower‑class depot where a higher‑class depot exists nearby.
- Payment method updated to a per household amount rather than per tonne amount.
- Additional clarity around depot service provider roles and responsibilities.
- Municipalities with fewer than 100 households can jointly partner or share depot recycling services to meet the 100‑household requirement.
Our community is not eligible to have a depot according to SK Recycle’s new criteria. What are our options for maintaining recycling in our community?
SK Recycles recommends that the community reaches out to SK Recycles to confirm eligibility and options to participate in the SK Recycles depot program. The eligibility criteria were carefully designed to include as many of the existing MMSW shared responsibility model collectors and potential new partners as possible, while balancing operational efficiency. SK Recycles has added additional options for municipalities to join the phase 3 depot program even if the population threshold is not met by a municipality on its own. Please reach out to SK Recycles directly to discuss your municipality’s options.
Could towns and rural municipalities (RMs) partner to share services that would help meet the minimum population threshold required as per the eligibility criteria?
If two or more incorporated municipalities (non-RWA) under the 100–household threshold would like to partner or share depot recycling program services to meet the 100–household criteria, SK Recycles will review, assess and provide approval on a case-by-case basis. The incorporated municipalities that partner together must have adjoining municipal boundaries or be no more than five kilometres apart. Partnering municipalities must elect one primary municipality to be the contracted partner to SK Recycles and provide this decision to share depot costs and SK Recycle incentives via a council decision.
Are there flexibilities in population thresholds?
Yes, SK Recycles has added additional options for municipalities to join the phase 3 depot program even if the population threshold is not met by a municipality on its own. The primary option is for municipalities to partner together for depot service. Please reach out to SK Recycles directly to discuss your municipality’s options.
How many communities are excluded overall?
The eligibility criteria were carefully designed to include as many of the existing MMSW shared responsibility model collectors and potential new partners as possible, while balancing operational efficiency. Municipalities that do not meet the minimum population criteria may not be excluded from the program, as there are pathways available for participation based on adjacency criteria. Existing RWA members as of January 1, 2026 do not need to meet the minimum population criteria if the RWA joins as a depot collection partner. Also, two or more municipalities that have adjoining municipal boundaries or that are no more than five kilometres apart, may partner to meet the minimum population criteria, pending SK Recycles’ approval.
Our community is currently not in the MMSW program, but we are interested in joining SK Recycles. What are our options and next steps?
SK Recycles welcomes new eligible depot collectors to discuss their situation and potential onboarding in the depot program by reaching out to info@skrecycles.ca. Additional options for municipalities to join the phase 3 depot program are available even if the population threshold is not met by a municipality on its own. The primary option is for municipalities to partner together for depot service. Please reach out to SK Recycles directly to discuss your municipality’s options.
Will SK Recycles procure services directly (as a program-led option) for depot recycling, in areas where the municipality does not wish to enter a contract with SK Recycles but wants to maintain a depot location in their community?
For the foreseeable future, SK Recycles will not be procuring services directly for household depot recycling or offering an option for municipalities to transition their existing depots into a program-led model. SK Recycles is partnered with SARCAN to accept household flexible plastics, foam and non-deposit glass bottle & jars and may explore partnering with other organizations that operate depot recycling services.
Our municipality decided to go program-led for curbside and if applicable multi-family service in February 28, 2026 will SK Recycles also directly operate our depots as of Feb 1, 2028?
No, SK Recycles will not be procuring services directly for household depot recycling or offering an option for municipalities to transition their existing depots into a program-led model.
Will SK Recycles work with private contractors to establish (new) third-party owned and run depots in communities where the local government does not offer depot collection?
SK Recycles is currently focusing on partnerships with eligible municipalities and regional waste authorities.
When will we receive a formal offer for joining SK Recycles depot program?
SK Recycles is planning to issue an official Letter of Offer package in Fall 2026.
What is the first date our municipality can start depot service under the SK Recycles full EPR program?
The first service commencement date for depots to start service under the SK Recycles full ERP model is Q4 2027.