Sustainable Prosperity commends the Government of Ontario for its ambitious Draft Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario: Building the Circular Economy and we welcome the opportunity to provide input. SP is not an expert in all aspects of waste management and resource recovery, but we do have some expertise to share on potentially enhancing waste diversion and resource recovery outcomes through the use of economic instruments.

SP’s expertise is on approaches that align market prices with environmental objectives. These approaches help internalize both environmental costs and benefits into the price of goods and services in order to create a financial incentive for individuals and firms to minimize environmentally damaging activities and increase environmental protection. Within this context, SP supports the potential use of economic instruments by the Government of Ontario in order to achieve the objectives set out in the Draft Strategy for a Waste-Free Ontario. Smart, targeted and effective economic instruments can help close the gap between current waste diversion rates and the long term vision of a zero-waste, circular economy in Ontario.