Vancouver’s single-use cup fee to be reviewed

Just a few weeks after a new single-use fee on cups came into effect in Vancouver, city council has ordered staff to review it.

But those who are already critical of the added charge can’t quite call this a victory.

The motion, which passed on Tuesday, is not to repeal the bylaw, but simply to look at how it is affecting vulnerable people in the city, as well as businesses.

It was introduced by independent city councillor Rebecca Bligh, who says staff need to look at how the fee is affecting food delivery services.

Under the bylaw, a minimum fee of $0.25 must be charged for each single-use beverage cup distributed.

The businesses are then encouraged to take the revenue and reinvest into greener options such as reusable cups for drinks to stay, commercial dishwashers, and reusable cup-share programs.

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On Tuesday, councillors agreed on the importance of reducing waste. However, they admit overall the plan does need some refining.

“I think we do need to do some investigating about the glitches and how we can overcome them,” city councillor Jean Swanson said.

City councillor Sarah Kirby-Yung says she’s heard of some loopholes being used by businesses that need a second look.

She says she’s heard of a coffee shop on Main Street which lowered its price on the cup of coffee so that people weren’t dissuaded from buying one.

“Which sort of defeated the purpose,” she said.

#VanCityCouncil approves New Business – Revisiting the City’s Single-Use Beverage Cup Fee Policy. Now dealing with Enquiries and Other Matters.

— Vancouver City Clerk (@VanCityClerk) January 26, 2022

“It was a challenge that it was rolled out in the pandemic, with a lot of places saying they were concerned about COVID, for example, so they aren’t accepting the reusable cups,” Kirby-Yung said.

She admits the added costs are causing frustration and is affecting those who have very little disposable cash, especially at a time of high inflation and cost of living.

Others have complained that larger companies are blanketly charging customers regardless of the city. For example, someone in Richmond could be charged the fee, with the company only pocketing the cash.

(Click to enlarge. Courtesy City of Vancouver)

“Our big corporate citizens are probably the least agreeable to this work, least supportive of it, and that’s unfortunate,” city councillor Pete Fry said.

The city says it will first educate the business found to be non-compliant. But following that, a business could be fined $500 per offence.

City councillor Melissa De Genova says she wants city staff to also look at the bag fees, which require customers be charged 15 cents per paper bag, adding she has heard that charge also affects vulnerable people as well as people who have mobility issues.

Bligh says that she has heard fewer complaints regarding the bag charge as “there are more options for reusable bags than there are for reusable cups.”

Staff will bring the report back to council in the spring.