September 19, 2017

Dear Program Participant,

We are updating you on an important development in our organization. As of September 18, 2017, the OTS Board of Directors has submitted its resignation to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority (RPRA) and the Minister of Environment and Climate Change (MoECC).

The Board has communicated in a letter to RPRA and Minister of the Environment and Climate Change that the actions, draft regulation and wind up direction from the MoECC and/or RPRA have made it impossible for the Board to comply with and perform their duties as directors, despite repeated requests and submissions made by the Board to both parties. The Board felt its concerns and reasonable requests for amendment were not reflected in the regulation and wind-up direction from MoECC and/or RPRA. In the Board’s opinion, the wind-up process proposed for OTS is not in the best interests of OTS and its stakeholders, including its creditors and the public.

We have been assured by the Board that this decision is not reflective of its commitment to OTS and the current operation of the Program.

While we respect the decision of the Board, we are unable to comment on the implications of this decision until we have spoken to the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority on next steps. It is our intent to work with RPRA and the MoECC to find a mutually agreeable solution to ensure that OTS continues to fulfill its mandate and prepare for wind-up of operations.

In the meantime, we will continue to move forward with the development of the Used Tires Program wind-up plan as outlined by the MoECC directives, and this includes hosting consultations to gather input on various elements of the wind-up.

Our priorities continue to be the successful operation of the Used Tires Program, ensuring that 100% of Ontario’s tires continue to be recycled into high value products and the development of a Wind-Up Plan for the Used Tires Program that will minimize potential disruptions of diversion services and any impacts on stakeholders, setting the stage for a seamless transition to the Resource Recovery and Circular Economy policy regime.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at info@rethinktires.ca or the Resource Productivity and Recovery Authority.