Here's how Quebec's bottle deposit-refund system is changing on March 1

As of March 1, you'll be charged 10 cents on all your plastic bottles ranging from 100 millilitres to two litres. 

But you'll get your money back if you return them to one of Quebec's 3,500 participating retailers that currently have deposit-return systems. 

About 1.2 billion new plastic containers will be subjected to a 10-cent deposit. Before today, the measure only applied to plastic bottles for soft drinks.

"There was a lot of job to be done, but we are confident that, for [today], everything will go great and the Quebecers will be able to return the containers," said Normand Bisson, president and CEO of Consignaction, the organization responsible for managing the system. 

He says the plastic is "100 per cent recycled," with around 90 per cent recycled in the province. 

"The material is very clean," he said. "We are able to use them to make new containers."

What this means for you

A comprehensive list of returnable beverage containers is available on Consignaction's website.

"Containers of water, sparkling water, juices, some milk containers, some SAQ containers will be under deposit," said Bisson.

"We will still have the deposit on glass containers, only for soft drink and beer."

Quebec's new bottle deposit and return system was slated to come into effect in 2022, but was delayed until 2023, and again until March 1.

The phases of the plan are being rolled out gradually.

As of November 1, 2023, the system had been extended to all aluminum beverage containers from 100 millilitres to two litres and included cans of ready-to-drink beverages. 

March 1 marks the second phase of the project.

By March 1, 2027, an expansion of the system is expected to cover all glass and multi-layer carton ready-to-drink containers from 100 millilitres to two litres.

Bumps ahead for retailers

The new phase of the project may not go smoothly for all retailers. Out of the 200 return locations planned by Consignaction, only 47 of them have opened their doors so far, and there's no sign that the process will speed up. 

According to regulations, 100 sites must be ready by September, 200 by March 2026, 300 by September 2026 and 400 by March 2027.

"The fact that 1.2 billion new containers enter the system, it's a lot of pressure on the shoulders of retailers," said Francis Mailly, vice-president of public affairs for the Retail Council of Canada. 

He added that the new system has to be efficient to ensure the workload doesn't fall on retailers.

"The primary mission of a grocery store is to sell food, not to serve as a collection and sorting centre," said Mailly.

Consignaction has stopped all new construction for return sites for plastic, glass and aluminum containers due to lack of funding. 

At the end of November of last year, the Quebec government said it was postponing the implementation of the deposit system for glass and multi-layer beverage containers by two years due to delays caused by Consignaction. 

It also launched an administrative investigation to look into those delays.

In the meantime, BMO bankers have suspended financing for the new sites, worried that Quebec will withdraw Consignaction's management of the deposit as a result of its investigation.

"The investigation is on its way. We are co-operating," said Bisson.

Mailly encourages consumers not to hurry to the stores on Saturday.

"The system will be there for a very long time so if you have containers in your basement that you're collecting, just  don't come in the first days," he said.

"Don't rush on the first days to help us make sure that our stores have enough space to manage that."