Frequently Asked Questions for Restaurants, Bars, Hotels and Institutions (ÉCSP)

The deposit-refund system is a recovery/recycling method based on the temporary collection of a deposit when a beverage container is sold. The deposit amount collected is an incentive for people to take their containers back to a return site for a refund. Only people who choose not to return their redeemable beverage containers lose money.




When you return your beverage containers, you are taking real action to help the environment: separation of materials at source and their processing in a closed-loop system that has proven its worth ensures that 100% of redeemable beverage containers collected are recycled.

Since October 2022, the QBCRA has been the government’s designated management body (DMB) for the beverage container deposit-refund system.

The QBCRA is responsible for the development, implementation, financing and management of the modernized deposit-refund system, in line with the principle of extended producer responsibility (EPR).

The QBCRA acts on behalf of the beverage producers involved in the recovery, reuse, recycling and reclamation of beverage containers in Quebec.

A deposit-refund system for beverage containers means:

• Helping to care for our environment and the planet:
  • Less waste ends up in nature and landfills;
  • Our reliance on raw materials is reduced;
  • There are energy savings compared with extraction, transportation and processing of raw materials for manufacturing of beverage containers;
  • Our environmental footprint is reduced.

• Better-quality materials:
  • The materials recycling process is more efficient and cleaner;
  • The quantity of unwanted residual materials is reduced;
  • There is less sorting to do for the packers;
  • Recovered materials’ resale value is higher.

• Economic benefits, for example through:
  • The creation of thousands of jobs across Quebec;
  • The development of new materials-recycling channels;
  • Innovation in a growth sector;
  • Support for social economy organizations.

See: Fact Sheet 1 – Key Stages in the Modernization of Deposit-Refund System in Quebec.

In Quebec, redeemable beverage containers include:

• The vast majority of soft-drink and beer containers
•  All ready-to-drink beverage cans of between 100 mL and 2 L
• All plastic ready-to-drink beverage containers of between 100 mL and 2 L, including bottles of water, sparkling water, juice, milk, and spirits

To find out which beverage containers are redeemable and which are not, see the page Targeted and non-targeted containers on the website.

See also the List of all redeemable beverage containers and the amounts of the deposit applicable

In Quebec, non-redeemable beverage containers include:

• Glass bottles of wine and spirits (redeemable in 2027)
• Cartons of juice, milk and other beverages (redeemable in 2027)
• Drinkable yogurt and meal supplements
• Family-size canned juices and cans
• All beverage containers of LESS THAN 100 mL and MORE THAN 2 L, regardless of material

To find out which beverage containers are redeemable and which are not, see the page Targeted and non-targeted containers on the website or the List of returnable beverage containers and deposit-refund.

No. The Quebec government has postponed the deposit-refund on wine and spirits bottles and multilayer cartons until March 1, 2027.

It is preferable not to crush redeemable beverage containers, as they may not be recognized by our machines and could be treated as rejects. You would then need to go to the service counter so that our staff can count them manually, which can be very time-consuming.

For Express Return, it is not possible to return crushed cans and plastic bottles in a bag. You will also need to go to the service counter with such a bag so that our staff can assist you.

Yes, but it may not be recognized by our machines, and the beverage containers will be treated as rejects. You would need to go to the service counter to receive a refund per item.

It is no longer necessaryto look for the words “Consignée Québec” on redeemable beverage containers. To find out whether a container is redeemable, refer to the question “Which beverage containers are included in the Quebec deposit system; i.e., redeemable?” in this FAQ list, or view What to return > Targeted and non-targeted containers. You can also view the List of returnable beverage containers and deposit refund applicable.

Yes. Rinsing containers is recommended to reduce the risk of contamination and unpleasant odours. It’s also a mark of respect for the employees handling the containers. Redeemable beverage containers containing liquid or waste will be refused.

The value of a full bag has been established based on the average capacity of the bag for each type of container. For full details, see the online store on the www.consignaction.ca website.

It depends on where you’ll be returning your containers.

Zone Consignaction return points (participating retailers): You can place different-sized beverage containers in a Consignaction clear bag as long as they are the same material. The containers must be sorted, that is, materials (aluminum and plastic) cannot be mixed together in the same bag. Glass is not accepted in Consignaction clear bags. The amount of the refund is established based on the Consignaction bag table of values, available on the online store page.

Consignaction and Consignaction+ return sites: You can place unsorted beverage containers in a clear bag (max 90L). The containers will be counted individually and the amount of your refund will correspond to the exact number of redeemable containers you’ve returned.

Collection frequency is determined on a case-by-case basis, based on a set of logistical parameters (e.g., number of bags, business hours), so as to prevent undue accumulation of containers on the establishment’s premises.

• Collection frequency may be modified at any time by the QBCRA, on 15 days’ prior notice.
• The establishment may cancel a pick-up at least two days before the pick-up date scheduled by the QBCRA or by its designated recover operator, unless otherwise stipulated by the QBCRA.

To request a change to a pick-up, write to [email protected] or call 1 877 CANETTE (1 877 226-3883).

• Collection frequency may be modified at any time by the QBCRA, on 15 days’ prior notice.
• The establishment may cancel a pick-up at least two days before the pick-up date scheduled by the QBCRA or by its designated recover operator, unless otherwise stipulated by the QBCRA.

Beginning March 1, 2025, these boxes will be supplied for recovery operators.

ÉCSPs that are not eligible for collection are urged to take their redeemable beverage containers to a Consignaction or Consignaction+ return site, or to a Zone Consignaction return point (participating retailer). See the Map of return sites.

If volumes of redeemable beverage containers fluctuate at different times of year, the establishment can adjust the collection frequency using the collection form available on the website.

An establishment offering on-site consumption (known by its French abbreviation ÉCSP) is “an establishment that is not mobile that offers meals, snacks and drinks for sale or otherwise for immediate consumption on the premises, including but not limited to a hospital, a detention centre, a penitentiary, an establishment housing the elderly, a childcare centre and an educational institution.” The establishments concerned are, therefore, restaurants, bars, hotels and essentially all institutional cafeterias.

To learn more, read Article 2 of the Regulation Respecting the Development, Implementation and Financial Support of a Deposit-Refund System for Certain Containers

This is a free redeemable beverage container collection service for establishments offering on-site consumption targeted by the Regulation and that meet certain conditions.

The collection program is for:

• Commercial food services:
  • Full-service restaurants
  • Limited-service restaurants (fast food)
  • Drinking places (alcoholic beverage outlets), e.g., bars, taverns, nightclubs

• Non-commercial food services:
  • Accommodation services, inns, hotels, motels, etc.
  • Institutional services (self-managed):
  • Healthcare, e.g., hospitals, CHSLDs
  • Education, e.g., schools, CEGEPs, universities
  • Shopping centres
  • Transport, e.g., railway stations
  • Correctional services, e.g., prisons
  • Daycares
  • Leisure and entertainment centres

ÉCSPs must comply with the following 9 conditions:

1. The ÉCSP must have accumulated a minimum of:
   1. 5 bags(750 units); or
   2. 10 crates (250 units); or
   3. 3 bags and 5 crates.
2. Someone must be available to hand over the accumulated redeemable beverage containers to the recovery operator.
3. Bags and crates must be deposited near the building exit.
4. There must be no liquid at the bottom of the bags.
5. Bags must be in good condition and filled up to the line. If a bag is torn open or not filled to the line, it will be rejected.
6. Bags used must be those identified and supplied by the QBCRA. Any other bag may be rejected.
7. Bags must not contain any beverage containers that are not redeemable under the deposit-refund system.
8. Bags must not contain waste or glass.
9. Glass containers must be placed in cardboard boxes

No. Every collection carried out by a recovery operator must enable the establishment to dispose of all the redeemable containers it has stored for pick-up.

No. Participation in the ÉCSP collection program is free of charge for all on-site consumption establishments that serve meals to at least 20 people at a time, that are registered on the QBCRA ÉCSP portal and that have completed the collection registration form on the www.consignaction.ca website.

Certain conditions apply, however. The Regulation stipulates a threshold (number of containers accumulated) below which the frequency of collection may be modified, or collection discontinued.

To register on the ÉCSP portal.

To learn more, read Article 63 of the Regulation Respecting the Development, Implementation and Financial Support of a Deposit-Refund System for Certain Containers.

The QBCRA provides all ÉCSPs with a starter kit that includes bins and bags. Establishments must pay for renewal of this equipment, however. Bins and bags can be ordered from the Store.

Government bodies, educational institutions, non-profit organizations and charities are entitled to free renewal of equipment, with the cost covered by the QBCRA.

Yes, a comprehensive guide for establishments offering on-site consumption is available, outlining targeted and non-targeted containers, how the collection service works, and the conditions and rules to be followed to receive the service. See the Guide de l’ÉCSP in the Toolbox.

Yes. If an ÉCSP has exceeded its storage capacity and requires an additional pick-up, or they wish to modify the collection schedule, they must follow the steps below, in order:

Step 1: Call their primary recovery operator.

If they do not respond within 24 hours, go on to Step 2.

Step 2: Call the substitute recovery operator.

If that second operator does not respond within 24 hours, go on to Step 3 (emergency line).

Step 3 (emergency line): Only if no response has been received after Steps 1 and 2, call 1 877 223-7975.

If an ÉCSP has accumulated 20 crates (glass containers) that have not been picked up by their primary recovery operator, they may also contact the QBCRA to arrange a pick-up.

Yes. Multi-fill containers (MFCs) must be placed separately, as they are collected separately. ÉCSPs who already use a brewer-operated recovery service for pick-up of MFCs will continue to operate the same way. ÉCSPs that sell beverages in MFCs and have no collection service will be able to request service from the QBCRA.

Yes. The storage area must be neither accessible nor visible to customers. It must be laid out so that odours from the redeemable beverage containers do not bother customers or the surrounding public. The beverage containers must also be inaccessible to animals.

The Government of Québec has postponed the expansion of deposit-refund to wine and spirits bottles and milk and juice cartons until March 1, 2027. That said, we recommend that you recover all of these containers and deposit them in curbside recycling bins or a glass collection depot.

To find out whether the containers in which products are sold are redeemable and eligible for collection, see theList of returnable beverage containers and deposit-refund applicable from November 1, 2023.

To be eligible for a pick-up, the establishment must have accumulated a minimum of:

• 5 bags (750 units); or
• 10 crates (250 units); or
• 3 bags and 5 crates.

There is no maximum quantity for pick-up.

When requesting a pick-up, it is important to notify us of the number of bags and crates to be picked up.

Yes. Every establishment must sort redeemable containers according to the  Table of deposit-refund amounts and bag values as of March 1, 2025. Aluminum and plastic containers (light-flow recovery) must be deposited in separate Consignaction bags, available from the online Store. Note: It will soon be possible to combine light-flow-recovery containers (aluminum and plastic) in the same bags. This new measure will come into effect shortly, and ÉCSPs will be notified in due course.

Glass bottles (heavy-flow recovery), meanwhile, must be stored in crates or cartons. Glass containers must not be deposited in light-flow-recovery bags, for reasons of handling and safety in the event of container breakage.

The establishment must store all redeemable containers indoors until the scheduled pick-up time. They must agree with the recovery operator on a regular collection schedule on the location where the crates and bags of containers are to be deposited and collected. Someone must be available to hand over the crates and bags to the recovery operator.

For full details on refund methods, see Return sites on the website.

To find out the value of bags and crates of redeemable beverage containers, see the table of bag values at the bottom of the Store page.

You can donate a refund amount to an organization by contacting them directly.

For a given month, the refund is issued by the QBCRA or the designated recovery operator for the establishment. The refund is issued within approximately 15 working days after the end of the month or at any other interval agreed upon between the recovery operator and the establishment.

The payment method (bank transfer or cheque) is determined by the QBCRA or the recovery operator, and may be subject to change. No cash refunds are issued.

Complete information is available on the Map of return sites on the website.

ÉCSPs are informed of upcoming changes in a variety of ways, including:

• Various communications from their associations.
• The QBCRA website, at consignaction.ca.
• Newsletters sent to ÉCSPs via their associations.
• The Toolkit available on the website consignaction.ca in the ÉCSP section.
• Communications to the media, which then relay the information to the general public.

ÉCSPs can also contact QBCRA Customer Service for more information, by calling 1 877 CANETTE (1 877 226-3883), or using the e-mail address reserved for ÉCSPs, [email protected].

ÉCSPs that have any questions are invited to contact the QBCRA Customer Service department by calling 1 877 CANETTE (1 877 226-3883), or using the e-mail address reserved for ÉCSPs, [email protected].