Last August, the CIF initiated consultation toward developing a new three year Strategic Plan. The goal was to ensure that CIF services continue to meet the needs of municipalities and other stakeholders in light of the current challenges facing the Blue Box Program. After significant input from a broad range of stakeholders, CIF Committee resolved to finalize the plan in May of this year and forward it on to RPRA for final approval.
UPDATE: On June 27, 2019, the CIF Three-Year Strategic Plan (2019 – 2021) was approved by the RPRA Board of Directors.
Day to day, Ontario Blue Box program operators are faced with challenges of uncertainty, continuing questions about transition to full producer responsibility and with dramatic shifts in end markets and quality standards. The new CIF Strategic Plan recognizes these impacts and lays a path for the CIF staff to provide support to stakeholders responding to these challenges and preparing for change.
2018 to 2021 Strategic Priorities Build on the Past to Prepare for Transition
While the CIF’s mandate and guiding principles remain unchanged, stakeholders asked that the new Strategic Plan focus on priorities that contribute to collective benefits for Ontario municipalities including:
- Centralized cost savings initiatives
- Support for transition to FPR
- Market research and development
- Research and development for new collection and processing technologies
- Waste composition studies and data analysis activities
- Performance/cost/business case analytics and research into better practice
The CIF will also continue to provide support to individual municipalities to aid them in making informed decisions that will improve program performance. This includes:
- Guidance for procurement and contract management support to manage recycling service within current political and market conditions
- Initiatives to develop, test and share learnings about better practices through CIF-managed working groups
- Providing training for staff to expand expertise in the broad range of competencies required to increase effectiveness of the Provincial program
- Limited assistance for Municipal and First Nations staff to locate resources to apply to individual circumstances
Funding available
This year’s project funding process or REOI remains open with the remaining funds being available on a first come, first served basis. Municipalities wishing to explore funding options are encouraged to contact CIF staff.
For more information
You can learn more about the new 2018 to 2021 CIF Strategic Plan by reviewing the plan consultation process. However, we hope you’ll take time to review the plan in its entirety, if you haven’t already. There’s great value in the document, that reflects the interest and input of many stakeholders through the consultation period and sets direction with new opportunities to strengthen the Blue Box program over the years to come.
CIF staff welcome your comments or questions.