Province Increases Eco Fees For Some Electronics

Eco fees in Ontario will be hiked on large screen
televisions and a host of other electronics starting May 1, but some of the recycling charges will decrease.
The Ontario Electronic Stewardship will increase fees on TVs over 29 inches to $39.50 from $27.60, but will lower eco fees on a home theatre in a box to $7.10 from $7.80.
Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak calls the eco fees “another tax grab by the Liberals,” and flatly dismisses claims the money goes to the industry-led stewardship agency and not the government.
Hudak says people who have to pay nearly $40 extra for their televisions “are calling bull on that one.”
The Liberals had to back down in 2010 when, with no warning, eco fees were slapped on thousands of household items from fire extinguishers to laundry detergent, sparking public outrage.
It didn’t help that the eco fees on household products were
introduced the same day Ontario moved to a harmonized sales tax.