Bill 32: Resource Recovery and Circular Economy Amendment Act (Beverage Container Deposit Program), 2025

The businesses most directly affected are grocery store owners in Ontario — specifically stores with more than 4,000 square feet of retail space where food products occupy at least 10,000 square feet or half the floor space. These retailers, who spend their days stocking shelves, managing checkout lines, and handling perishable inventory, will now also need to set up and run beverage container return operations on-site, including accepting returned containers and issuing deposit refunds to customers. Brewers Retail Inc. (The Beer Store) locations are equally affected and must act as collection depots. Size matters significantly: smaller convenience stores and pharmacies are excluded, but mid-size and large grocery operators — whether independent or chain-affiliated — face new infrastructure, staffing, and logistics demands to handle container returns, and non-compliance is an offence under the Act.