Role of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board in the funding ecosystem
The Multi-Materials Stewardship Board (MMSB) is a Crown corporation of the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador mandated under the Environmental Protection Act and Waste Management Regulations to advance sustainable waste management. In addition to operating province‑wide deposit‑refund and levy‑funded recycling systems for beverage containers and tires, MMSB manages a portfolio of funding programs that channel revenues from levies and the Waste Management Trust Fund back into communities, businesses, institutions, and research projects across the province.
MMSB’s funding opportunities include the Solid Waste Management Innovation Fund, which provides non‑repayable contributions of up to $50,000 to provincially owned and operated businesses, industry associations, and non‑profit organizations. Since 2008, this fund has supported more than 95 projects that develop new or improved technologies, products, services, and processes at all stages of the waste hierarchy, from reduction and reuse to recycling and recovery.
The Community Waste Diversion Fund targets municipalities, Indigenous community governments, and local service districts with non‑repayable contributions of up to $25,000 for local initiatives that increase waste diversion. Projects commonly include organics diversion, composting, recycling infrastructure, public education, and reductions in single‑use items. MMSB publishes guidelines, budget templates, online application forms, and detailed lists of past recipients so communities can understand the types of initiatives supported.
Other recurring programs include the Compost Bin Distribution Program, through which MMSB issues expressions of interest and supplies subsidized backyard and community compost bins to partner communities, and the Get Matched! School Recycling Program, which matches beverage container refunds for registered K‑12 schools to help them raise funds for environmental and educational projects.
Partnerships, sponsorships and strategic initiatives
Beyond its standing programs, MMSB uses the Waste Management Trust Fund to support major sustainability initiatives through sponsorships and partnership agreements. Examples include substantial investments in the sustainability programs for the Canada Games, Labrador Winter Games, and Newfoundland and Labrador Summer Games, and a multi‑year funding agreement with econext to pilot a Circular Economy Ideas Incubator and expand industry‑specific waste management outreach.
MMSB also collaborates with academic partners, such as Memorial University’s Harris Centre, to co‑fund applied research on waste management, and with municipalities and enforcement partners on programs targeting illegal dumping, household hazardous waste, and expanded curbside recycling and composting.
Supported audiences and overall impact
Through these funding mechanisms, MMSB supports a diverse range of stakeholders: municipalities and Indigenous communities, non‑profit organizations, social enterprises, private businesses, schools, and research institutions. Funded projects span organic waste diversion, textile and plastic reduction, reuse and repair initiatives, innovative recycling technologies, and broad‑based public education. Cumulatively, MMSB’s programs have enabled hundreds of projects and helped divert billions of beverage containers, millions of tires, and significant volumes of organics and other materials from landfills, contributing to a cleaner and healthier Newfoundland and Labrador.
