Resolutions

Be it resolved that SUMA request that the Province of Saskatchewan return the Environmental Handling Charge collected from each community back to the community from which it was collected so that these monies could be used to fund the communities’ recycling programs and other environmental initiatives.

Environmental handling charge revenue collected through the province's Beverage Container Collection and Recycling Program is intended to be used to fund the collection and recycling of designated, non-refillable beverage containers. Saskatchewan Environment currently contracts SARCAN Recycling, a division of the Saskatchewan Association of Rehabilitation Centres (SARC), to operate a province-wide depot collection system for the designated beverage containers. The Government of Saskatchewan signed a new three-year contract with SARC that provides an additional $700,000 per year to SARCAN. In 2006-07 the government funding to SARCAN will total $11.344 M, which is approximately a $700 K increase from the amount of funding that SARCAN provides stable and predictable funding to support SARCAN operations and promotes the province's commitment to the Beverage Container Collection and Recycling Program. Surplus revenue generated through the Beverage Container Collection and Recycling Program is retained in the province's General Revenue Fund. Revenue from the General Revenue Fund is used to fund Saskatchewan's Environment's environmental protection and resource management activities.