Ontario’s Tire Collection Rules Are Changing: What Dealers Should Know

Cover: AI-generated conceptual illustration of tire collection and processing.

Industry update | November 3, 2026

Ontario is changing how its used-tire collection system is organized. For tire dealers and service shops, the practical question is straightforward: who will collect the tires at your location, and what should your team expect as the network changes?

The province amended its Tires Regulation on September 21, 2026. The changes increase the management target for applicable tire producers starting with the 2026 performance year and expand the required collection network starting in 2027. Ontario’s Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA) published further guidance on October 8. Read RPRA’s update.

A higher management target for producers

RPRA says the management requirement rises from 65% to 80% beginning with the 2026 performance year. The target is based on a producer’s average tire supply over the relevant three-year period, rather than a simple count of the tires a particular shop sells this year. RPRA says the 2026 increase is not prorated. RPRA guidance; Ontario’s regulation.

This is a producer responsibility requirement. Whether a particular business is a producer, and whether an exemption applies, depends on its circumstances and the regulation. A retailer should not assume that every producer obligation automatically applies to its shop.

More collection sites are planned for 2027

Ontario says the required network will grow from approximately 4,300 to 6,500 collection sites starting in 2027. The province describes the expansion as 2,200 additional sites, including 220 in Northern Ontario. These figures describe the required network; they do not promise that any particular store will become a collection site or that pickup issues will disappear immediately. Ontario’s decision notice.

The amendments also change reporting for collection networks and limit when reported sites can be substituted. These rules primarily concern producers and producer responsibility organizations (PROs), which may arrange collection and management on producers’ behalf. RPRA’s summary.

What should a tire shop do now?

If your shop collects used tires, this is a useful time to confirm the operating details with your collection provider or PRO:

• Who is responsible for arranging pickup at your location, and whom should staff contact if a pickup is delayed?
• What tire types and quantities does your arrangement cover, and what instructions apply to storage and handoff?
• Is your location expected to remain part of the provider’s collection network in 2027? Ask for confirmation rather than assuming your current arrangement will change.
• If your business imports or otherwise supplies tires, should you assess whether it has a separate producer role? The answer depends on the business and the regulation.

These are planning questions, not a list of new obligations for every retailer. RPRA states that retailers and other organizations collecting tires are not required to register or report as collectors; additional responsibilities can apply if the business also acts in another regulated role. RPRA: Tire Collection Site Operators.

If a collection site is having trouble getting tires picked up, RPRA directs operators to its Compliance and Registry Team at 1-833-600-0530 or through the contact information on its collection-site page.

The takeaway

The revised rules set a higher producer management target and call for a larger collection network. For an individual dealer, the immediate value is in checking the details of its own pickup arrangement and keeping staff informed as 2027 approaches. Follow the official guidance for updates: the practical effect will depend on your role and your provider’s network.

This article is an industry update, not a determination of any individual business’s legal obligations. Information checked November 3, 2026.