PCS LAUNCH PETITION TO STOP TIRE FEE INCREASES

QUEEN’S PARK – Today Ernie Hardeman, Oxford MPP and PC Critic for Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, launched a petition calling on the government to stop the increases in Ontario Tire Stewardship Fees for agricultural tires scheduled to go into effect on April 1.

“This massive increase in Ontario Tires stewardship fees for agricultural tires will take millions out of our agricultural industry and cause losses to our farm equipment dealerships,” said Hardeman. “We need to ask ourselves how it can cost that much more to recycle a tractor tire in Ontario than in other provinces?”

The new fees classify agricultural tires as off the road and the rates range from $5.88 to $1311.24 per tire. Hardeman pointed out that no other province has fees close to the level of those in Ontario. Below is a graph of the stewardships fees for tires on a John Deere 9770 combine.

The PC Party has rolled out a bold, new plan that holds manufacturers and importers of tires responsible for recycling, but will give them the freedom to work with other businesses to find the best way possible to carry out that responsibility.

“We understand that if companies assume responsibility for diverting waste from our landfills as a cost of doing business, they also need to manage it as part of their business,” Michael Harris, PC environment critic said. “Government needs to return to its role as a regulator. That means instead of setting and approving eco-fees, it should be setting measurable and achievable waste diversion targets, establishing environmental standards and monitoring outcomes. That’s it.”

“Once again this government has made policy that will have a huge negative impact on rural Ontario without consulting those that will be impacted,” said Hardeman. “We are calling on the government to stop the increase and look at alternatives like our proposal to lower the costs so we can protect the environment and our agriculture industry.”

Petition to stop the tire fee

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For more information, contact:
Ernie Hardeman, MPP Oxford
(416) 325-1239