What is a container licence fee?

Companies that sell, resell or purchase containers and packaging that is used to market Ontario grown fruit and vegetables are required to collect and remit licence fees as per the Farm Products Containers Act (FPCA). The FPCA legislation can be accessed online at www.ontario.ca/laws/statute/90f07.

What are the fees used for?

The Ontario Fruit and Vegetable Growers' Association (OFVGA) uses the container licence fees to work on behalf of Ontario’s 3,500 fruit and vegetable farmers. To ensure fruit and vegetable farmers are competitive, OFVGA works on issues such as labour, environment, safety nets, crop protection, and energy and infrastructure.

How is the container licence fee calculated?

The container licence fee is 1.5% of the net invoice amount on eligible containers and packaging of Ontario grown fruits and vegetables. HST must be included on the total fee that is remitted.

What types packaging triggers a container licence fee?

The FPCA applies to most packaging purchased and used to market Ontario grown fruits and vegetables. Exempt containers include field boxes or crates, bulk bins, reusable plastic containers.

Appendix 1 (PDF) includes more examples of when fees are assessed.

If purchasers are not charged the container licence fee from their suppliers for any applicable packaging they must self-assess and remit the container licence fee to the OFVGA directly with the completed remittance form.  This includes any packaging purchased from Ontario, another province or international sources (USA, China, Spain etc).

Is there a form for submitting fees?

PDF submission form.
Word submission form.

Does the OFVGA conduct audits?

To ensure all stakeholders in the industry are following their responsibilities under the FPCA, the OFVGA coordinates annual third-party audits to identify any irregularities. The third party audit will review packaging purchases for a minimum of the past 2 years from scheduled audit date.

How does OFVGA use my information?

The OFVGA uses data collected through the container licence fee process for the purposes of assessing container licence fees, audits for fees and monitoring the types and trends of containers used by the industry. Personal or business information will not be shared or sold.  

Who do I contact about container licence fees?

Anyone seeking more information about the FPCA should contact Dan Tukendorf, OFVGA program manager, at dtukendorf@ofvga.org or 519-763-6160 x121.