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Recyclable Material Wholesaling in Canada Industry Data and Analysis
The Canadian trade in recovered metal, paper and other recyclables is likely to end 2025 on softer footing than many operators had hoped. Sales are still expected to expand at about a 2.4% CAGR through 2025, yet early signs point to a possible revenue dip of roughly 4.3% this year, which would leave turnover near $14.0 billion. One of the backdrops to that pull-back is the rapid shift of curbside collection costs from town halls to the firms that put packaging on store shelves. This change promises cleaner, more reliable feedstock and lower pressure on municipal budgets, but it also introduces new paperwork and fees for processors. Large yards that already run optical scanners and keep good data appear better placed to protect profit, while smaller, labour-heavy outfits face the twin squeeze of weaker prices and tighter rules.
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What's included in this industry analysis
IBISWorld's research coverage on the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada includes market sizing, forecasting, data and analysis from 2015-2030. The most recent publication was released September 2025.
About this industry
What's this industry report about?
The Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada operates under the NAICS industry code 41810CA. The Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada wholesales automotive scrap, industrial scrap and other recyclable materials. Recyclable material wholesalers include auto wreckers that dismantle motor vehicles for wholesale scrap material. Also included are wholesalers that break up, sort and wholesale all forms of scrap iron and steel using power-processing equipment such as cranes, hydraulic shears, baling equipment and cable strippers. Related terms covered in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada include ferrous metal, nonferrous metal , scrap, smelting, cullet and electric arc furnaces.
What's included in this industry?
Products and services covered in Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada include Ferrous metal scrap, Nonferrous metal scrap and Paper and paperboard scrap.
What companies are included in this industry?
Companies covered in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada include Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc., AIM and Sims Metal Management Limited.
Performance
What's included in the Performance chapter?
The Performance chapter covers detailed analysis, datasets, detailed current performance, sources of volatility and an outlook with forecasts for the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada.
Questions answered in this chapter include what's driving current industry performance, what influences industry volatility, how do successful businesses overcome volatility, what's driving the industry outlook. This analysis is supported with data and statistics on industry revenues, costs, profits, businesses and employees.
Products & Markets
What's included in the Products and Markets chapter?
The Products and Markets chapter covers detailed products and service segmentation and analysis of major markets for the for the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada.
Questions answered in this chapter include how are the industry's products and services performing, what are innovations in industry products and services, what products or services do successful businesses offer and what's influencing demand from the industry's markets. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by product and service segmentation and major markets.
Geographic Breakdown
What's included in the Geographic Breakdown chapter?
The Geographic Breakdown chapter covers detailed analysis and datasets on regional performance of the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada.
Questions answered in this chapter include where are industry businesses located and how do businesses use location to their advantage. This includes data and statistics on industry revenues by location.
Competitive Forces
What's included in the Competitive Forces chapter?
The Competitive Forces chapter covers the concentration, barriers to entry and supplier and buyer profiles in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada. This includes data and statistics on industry market share concentration, barriers to entry, substitute products and buyer & supplier power.
Questions answered in this chapter include what impacts the industry's market share concentration, how do successful businesses handle concentration, what challenges do potential industry entrants face, how can potential entrants overcome barriers to entry, what are substitutes for industry services, how do successful businesses compete with substitutes and what power do buyers and suppliers have over the industry and how do successful businesses manage buyer & supplier power.
Companies
What's included in the Companies chapter?
The Companies chapter covers Key Takeaways, Market Share and Companies in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada. This includes data and analysis on companies operating in the industry that hold a market share greater than 5%.
Questions answered in this chapter include what companies have a meaningful market share and how each company is performing.
External Environment
What's included in the External Environment chapter?
The External Environment chapter covers Key Takeaways, External Drivers, Regulation & Policy and Assistance in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada. This includes data and statistics on factors impacting industry revenue such as economic indicators, regulation, policy and assistance programs.
Questions answered in this chapter include what demographic and macroeconomic factors impact the industry, what regulations impact the industry, what assistance is available to this industry.
Financial Benchmarks
What's included in the Financial Benchmarks chapter?
The Financial Benchmarks chapter covers Key Takeaways, Cost Structure, Financial Ratios, Valuation Multiples and Key Ratios in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada. This includes financial data and statistics on industry performance including key cost inputs, profitability, key financial ratios and enterprise value multiples.
Questions answered in this chapter include what trends impact industry costs and how financial ratios have changed overtime.
Industry Data
What's included in the Industry Data chapter?
The Industry Data chapter includes 10 years of historical data with 5 years of forecast data covering statistics like revenue, industry value add, establishments, enterprises, employment and wages in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the market size of the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada in 2026?
The market size of the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada is $14.0bn in 2026.
How many businesses are there in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada in 2025?
There are 2,211 businesses in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada, which has declined at a CAGR of 0.3 % between 2020 and 2025.
How may import tariffs affect the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada?
The Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada is unlikely to be materially impacted by import tariffs with imports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
How may export tariffs affect the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada?
The Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada is unlikely to be materially impacted by export tariffs with exports accounting for a low share of industry revenue.
Has the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada grown or declined over the past 5 years?
The market size of the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada has been growing at a CAGR of 2.4 % between 2020 and 2025.
What is the forecast growth of the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada over the next 5 years?
Over the next five years, the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada is expected to grow.
What are the biggest companies in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada?
The biggest companies operating in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada are Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc., AIM and Sims Metal Management Limited
What does the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada include?
Waste bottle wholesaling and Waste box wholesaling are part of the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada.
Which companies have the highest market share in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada?
The company holding the most market share in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada is Schnitzer Steel Industries Inc..
How competitive is the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada?
The level of competition is high and steady in the Recyclable Material Wholesaling industry in Canada.
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