Quebec Blue Box levy increase soars for magazines

The province of Quebec has changed its Blue Box recycling program and according to calculations by Magazines Canada  costs to publishers will be up about 340% in the province in 2012 when industry is expected to cover 90% of costs.
Bill 88 was adopted June 10 and amendments mean that magazines  (previously categorized as "written media" are now lumped in with all other "printed matter" (flyers, inserts, catalogues, phone books etc.) as the province attempts to collect 100% compensation from industry for the net costs of running the Blue Box program by 2013.

Quebec's levy is now to be seven times its Ontario equivalent:

Cents/kg QC ON Magazines & catalogues 14.366 1.97 Other printed matter 14.366 1.97 Plastic film 26.026 24.65

Magazines Canada points out that, unlike "other printed matter", magazine paper is in demand, comparatively easy to recycle and desirable environmentally -- all things that are not reflected in the new tariff.

Another change is that magazines will no longer be able to pay their levy through a swap of advertising pages, though newspapers still will.

In neither Ontario nor Quebec has the longstanding issue of U.S. magazines paying nothing towards the program been addressed, despite the fact that it is estimated they account for a large part of the magazines going into the recycling stream.