Author of the article: Yutaro Sasaki • Local Journalism InitiativePublished Apr 12, 2025 • Last updated 18 hours ago • 3 minute readEnvironment Minister Gilles Arsenault says legislation is coming this spring that will increase the amount people get back when they return bottles and cans. Contributed ContributedAfter planning to triple the refund on bottles and cans, the Progressive Conservative government is scaling back how much of their deposit people will get.Last year, then environment minister Steven Myers announced there would be an increase to the cost of deposits on bottles and cans, along with higher refunds than the current five cents.Now, the province promises to increase the refund to 10 cents for bottles and cans that are returned instead of the previously announced 15 cents.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentIn an interview with The Guardian on April 8, Environment Minister Gilles Arsenault acknowledged that many Island residents are waiting for the increase to happen while they continue to collect many cans and bottles.“I’m as anxious as they are to bring this to the finish line to make sure that we can get more money in the pockets of Islanders,” he said. P.E.I. Environment Minister Gilles Arsenault says he will be tabling the bottle deposit refund increase this spring sitting of the legislature. Photo by Stu Neatby /Guardian fileThe planThe environment department is looking at an extended producer responsibility (EPR) policy, Arsenault said.“We did have a further conversation with our sister provinces, and we value regional parity as well. And it is a very complicated file even though it seems to be very simple,” he said.At the moment, all provinces and territories besides P.E.I., Nunavut and Northwest Territories maintain a fully comprehensive framework of the EPR policy.“P.E.I. is going to be having the EPR model which will be a 10-10 system. So we will be doubling the amount of money the Islanders will be able to keep in their pockets,” Arsenault said.Article contentAs for the hold-up, Arsenault said barriers around legislation and legal issues are the reason for the delay.The issueDuring question period, Arsenault said he would be tabling the legislation on the bottle deposit increase this spring.“People are waiting with anticipation. We will be making it a reality in this sitting of the legislature,” he said.However, interim Green Leader Karla Bernard offered advice to the current provincial government.“They need to stop announcing things if they can’t do the necessary work and follow through for Islanders,” she said. On April 8, interim Green Leader Karla Bernard said in the legislature that the government needs to stop announcing things if it can’t follow through on them. Photo by Stu Neatby /The GuardianBernard says such actions are the behavioural patterns of the current provincial government.“With almost no background work done and then backtracking and delaying the rollout. The bicycle rebate, the caregiver grant, the new mental health hospital, or the recent promise to buy houses on Park Street. This is just another example,” she said.In a question to the environment minister, Bernard asked why P.E.I. residents should trust him as a minister if he cannot get the simple things right.Article content“I’ll repeat myself,” said Arsenault in response.“It took two weeks for us to get to this point, and we will be doing it in this sitting of the legislature. We will be working on that, and people will be happy to have more money in their pockets while they’ll be able to return their cans very shortly,” he said.TimelineIn an interview with The Guardian on April 8, Arsenault said he will be tabling the legislation on the bottle deposit increase in a couple of weeks.“We’re working as quickly and staff have been engaged in this process from the get-go and as we move forward we’re discovering new challenges all the time,” he said.“It’s a very comprehensive approach and we think that we’re going to get it right and we’re really hopeful that Islanders will be happy with the outcome,” Arsenault added.Yutaro Sasaki is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter, a position funded by the federal government. He can be reached at ysasaki@postmedia.com and followed on X @PEyutarosasaki.Article content
P.E.I. environment minister plans to increase bottle deposit refund soon
