The Waste Reduction and Recycling Support (WRARS) Program was established to improve Manitoba’s waste diversion rate, encourage sustainable waste management practices and enhance municipal waste diversion activities.

Beginning July 1, 2009, all solid waste disposed at Manitoba landfills is subject to a $10 per Tonne WRARS Levy. The Levy applies to all residential, industrial, commercial and institutional waste, construction and demolition waste and other solid waste materials.

The WRARS Levy functions as a disincentive to waste disposal by increasing waste disposal costs. The program rewards municipal recycling efforts through a revenue sharing formula. Municipal governments and businesses can reduce their waste bill by reducing the amount of waste sent to landfill and municipalities can increase their financial reward through enhanced recycling and waste diversion activities.

All WRARS Levy revenues are deposited in the WRARS Fund established under The Waste Reduction and Prevention Act and are used to pay program administration costs, incentive payments to municipal recycling programs and the delivery of provincial electronic waste (e-waste) and household hazardous waste (HHW) collection programs.

The WRARS program is being introduced in three phases. Application of the WRARS Levy is related to landfill size and classification. Private industrial landfills that do not accept municipal solid waste and First Nations landfills are exempt from the WRARS Levy. First Nations may voluntarily participate in order to receive the WRARS recycling support rebate.

Phase 1 – July 1, 2009: Class 1 landfills that receive more than 30,000 tonnes of waste per year will begin paying the WRARS levy.

Phase 2 – January 1, 2010: All Class 1 landfills will begin paying the WRARS levy.

Phase 3 – January 1, 2011: All qualifying Manitoba landfills, including Class 2 and Class 3, begin paying the WRARS levy.