BBOT Asks Government to Put the Brakes on MMBC

The Burnaby Board of Trade is urging the provincial government and the Minister of Environment to delay the implementation of the new recycling regulations under the Multi Materials BC (MMBC) stewardship program due to the continued concerns of a variety of industries.

The Burnaby Board of Trade already advocated directly to MMBC regarding the impact of the regulations on small businesses, and applauded the recent decision to introduce changes that will exempt businesses with less than one million in annual revenue, which produce less than one tonne of printed paper or packaging, or which operate as a single point of retail sale from the cost and burden of participating in the MMBC program. These changes will exempt more than 95% of businesses in the province.

The Burnaby Board of Trade is now asking that similar attention be paid to the growing concerns of other businesses and sectors which will be negatively impacted by the regulations. There are serious concerns being raised by these industries about the impact of the MMBC regulations on their competiveness and long-term viability. Until these concerns are appropriately addressed, the Burnaby Board of Trade believes the program’s implementation should be put on hold.

“As there are many industries and businesses that still have concerns and questions about the MMBC program, I feel it is appropriate that we put the brakes on these regulations until this can be sorted out,” stated Paul Holden, Burnaby Board of Trade President & CEO. “After 30 years in the newspaper and magazine sector, I understand their concerns particularly and appreciate the unique importance of that industry to our communities. But there are also many other businesses who do not understand how MMBC will impact them or do not feel that they have been appropriately consulted.”

The Burnaby Board of Trade was encouraged by the actions taken by the provincial government earlier this year to alleviate the undue burden placed on small businesses by these regulations, and will be in contact with its local MLAs and with the Minister of Environment to encourage the provincial government to pause the implementation of the regulations and take the time to address these current concerns.

Through the Burnaby Board of Trade’s Pledge for a Sustainable Community initiative and its exclusive Climate Smart scholarship program, businesses can learn strategies to cut their energy use, waste, and fuel costs and reduce the costs of complying with future regulations.