Extended Producer Responsibility: What We Heard Executive Summary extended Producer responsibility1 (ePr) is defined as a policy approach in which a producer’s2 responsibility for a product is extended to the post-consumer stage of a product’s life-cycle. In practice, ePr involves producers taking responsibility at end-of-life for the products and packaging they put on the market. ePr is a policy approach that helps keep valuable materials, like plastics, packaging and paper, in the economy and out of the biophysical environment and landfills. ePr achieves this by shifting the responsibility for the collection and management of recyclables from local governments to the producers who supply the products that create the need for recycling services. Alberta environment and Parks (AeP) is drawing from the experience and lessons learned from other Canadian jurisdictions as it moves forward to implement its province-wide approach, providing greater efficiency, economies of scale for recycling, and support innovation in recycling. AeP engaged on three policy changes related to ePr in spring 2021: 1. Create an over-arching ePr framework to support ePr programs • This included engagement on the topics of: producer responsibility; defining producer; oversight, compliance and enforcement (e.g., producer compliance including , individual producer responsibility and collective producer responsibility); role of municipal governments; performance and reporting; and pollution prevention hierarchy. 2. Develop an ePr program for single-use plastics, and packaging and paper products (PPP) • This included engagement on the topics of: definitions; harmonization with other jurisdictions; targets; service standards; accessibility; small businesses considerations; newspapers; and, exclusions. 3. Develop an ePr program for hazardous and special products (HSP) • This included engagement on the topics of: definitions; targets; accessibility; and, service standards. Stakeholders generally expressed support for Alberta to create an ePr framework. Stakeholders agreed that the experiences of other jurisdictions within Canada could be helpful to learn from, but that Alberta’s ePr system should be built for Alberta’s unique needs. This What We Heard document summarizes the key findings received to date to inform ePr in Alberta, and serves as an update to stakeholders and Albertans on the progress to date towards ePr.