Stewards, Remitters & Sub-Remitters
What is a Steward?
The WEEE Program Rules define Stewards as:
- companies or organizations that are resident in Ontario;
- the brand owners, first importers, franchisors and/or assemblers of designated Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE); and
- suppliers of EEE for use in Ontario.
A Steward is obligated to register with OES and file monthly reports on the EEE it supplies into the Ontario market as well as make payments as per the fee schedule.
To confirm whether or not your organization may be obligated as a Steward, try our Steward Obligation Decision Tool.
Steward fees are used to fund the OES collection, consolidation, transportation and recycling network. For more information about the collection network, visit: www.dowhatyoucan.ca.
For companies and organizations that generate large quantities of WEEE we also offer a Direct Ship program to collect and recycle these materials in a secure environment. To find out more, visit: Direct Ship Program.
What is Designated Electrical and Electronic Equipment (EEE)?
Designated EEE is any device—requiring an electric current to operate—that has been identified by the Minister as obligated under the program. The Revised (Phase 1 and 2 ) Program expands Phase 1 EEE with 44 new materials to encompass a wide range of product such as:
- display devices;
- portable computers;
- computer peripherals;
- desktop printers;
- copiers or multifunctional devices;
- telephones and answering machines;
- cellular devices and pagers;
- image, audio and video devices; and
- floor standing printing, copying and multifunctional devices.
What is a Remitters' Process?
The Rules allow a company who may or may not be a Steward to enter into an Agreement with an obligated Steward to file monthly reports and remit fees on behalf of that Steward for obligated materials supplied for use in Ontario. This is called a Remitters' Process.
The Remitter can also enter into a Sub-Remitter’s Agreement. The Sub-Remitter is an organization that agrees to report and remit fees to OES on designated products on behalf of a Remitter. Both Remitters and Sub-Remitters can have multiple agreements. For more information, please visit our Remitters' Process section.