Ottawa can fix recycling industry market failures to benefit Canada

Canada already has the collection systems, recycling know-how, and manufacturing base needed to drive a circular economy for plastics. What it lacks is a federal policy framework that treats a distorted market as the solvable problem it is.

Crucially, what's being asked of Ottawa is a targeted response to market distortions that are undermining demand for recycled plastic and putting Canadian recycling capacity at risk, write Allen Langdon, Elena Mantagaris, and Maryse Vermette.Photograph courtesy of Pexels/Mart Production

Opinion

BY ALLEN LANGDON, ELENA MANTAGARIS, MARYSE VERMETTE

October 7, 2026

Walk into almost any Canadian household and you'll broadly find the same blue bin with Canadians supporting and participating in recycling. But behind the scenes, the industry that turns your yogurt tubs and water bottles into new products needs Ottawa’s support. If the fe...

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