Vancouver delays plastic-bag ban one year due to impact of COVID-19 on businesses

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — A planned ban on plastic shopping bags and implementing fees on disposable cups in Vancouver has been postponed because of the pandemic.

A bylaw, which will prevent businesses from giving out plastic bags while forcing them to charge a 25-cent fee for single-use cups, has been pushed back by a year to Jan. 1, 2022.

The city says businesses have been struggling financially this year and haven’t had a chance to prepare for the ban.

Before the pandemic, the plan had been to implement the ban next month.

In a statement, the city says it still remains committed to reducing waste from single-use items by 2040, but acknowledges significant economic challenges have prevented businesses from preparing for the new bylaws.

Outreach and education to help people and businesses shift away from single-use items and prepare for the new bylaws will continue, according to the city.

RELATED: Federal plastic ban could increase costs for Canadian businesses: CFIB

The federal government has also proposed a ban on single-use plastics, including grocery bags, stir sticks, six-pack rings, plastic utensils, and plastic straws. A plan won’t be finalized until next year.

For more information on the city’s single-use item bylaws, click here.