Thompson city council is going ahead with its plan to eliminate 90 per cent of all single-use plastic bag usage in the city by this fall, over the objections of an industry group calling for smaller targets over a longer time span.

A bylaw which would ban the vast majority of single-use plastic bags within the city passed first reading at the July 19 council meeting by a 4-1 vote – Mayor Tim Johnston and Coun. Charlene Lafreniere were absent, while Coun. Stella Locker voted against the proposed bylaw.

Locker’s objection came on the grounds that such a major change will hurt local businesses, especially grocery stores and others who traditionally use single-use bags. “Maybe a way to approach this problem is to have a litter bylaw and actually enforce it,” she suggested. Locker pointed out that plastic bags by no means account for all the litter in Thompson, and that in the proposed bylaw “there’s nothing to stop anybody from dropping their cigarette package on the street.”

The bylaw, which is based on but not an exact replica of a similar piece of legislation used in Toronto, would ban all single-use plastic bags from being either sold or offered free-of-charge in Thompson. Exempt from this bylaw would be bags used to purchase bulk items, such as bags offered in grocery stores for produce and breads, or in hardware stores for nuts and bolts, bags used to contain or wrap frozen food, meat, fish, flowers, or potted plants, bags provided to protect prepared foods, bags used by pharmacists containing prescription drugs, bags which hang on doorknobs and contain flyers and advertisements, laundry dry-cleaning bags, and bags sold in packages containing multiple bags for use as garbage bags, pet waste bags, et cetera. Additionally, stores would not be allowed to stop people from using any reusable container (such as a basket or a cloth bag) that they wish to use. It would be enforced by bylaw officers, who could place fines for any person or business not complying, and would come into effect October 4.

“We’re in the midst of getting feedback,” explained Coun. Oswald Sawh, noting that the city is talking to businesses about their concerns, and that he hopes to have a more in-depth report by the time the bylaw reaches second reading. It does appear that the retail industry is wary of a total ban on plastic bags, with Locker relaying that “Safeway and Shoppers in particular are quite concerned with us banning them … people coming from out of town are not going to bring their shopping bags with them.”

Coun. Harold Smith noted that while there are advantages in single-use plastic bags for certain people and especially for businesses, “the people who want plastic bags haven’t done a good job of explaining the benefits to society in general … the presence and the effort has underwhelmed me.” Sawh pointed out that city retailers had been invited to a series of three working group meetings to explain their positions on the single-use bags, and that only two businesses showed up, both at the final meeting. On the topic of getting public support, Smith suggested that “what’s needed is a strong effort to educate the consumers and transform their habits.”

Earlier in the evening, council heard a presentation from Karen Melnyshuk of Multi-Material Stewardship Manitoba (MMSM), a group formed in response to the packaging and printed paper stewardship regulation set out by the provincial government in 2008, and composed of industry stewards, who MMSM notes are “responsible for 80 per cent of the net costs of operating the program.” MMSM’s board of directors includes representatives of the Retail Council of Canada, the Canadian Restaurant and Food Services Association, and the Canadian Federation of Independent Grocers, among others.

Melnyshuk explained to council that MMSM is against a total and immediate ban on the single-use bags, but that they have set a goal of reducing single-use plastic bag usage across Manitoba by 50 per cent over five years. Acknowledging that “single-use plastic bags have attracted negative attention from environmental advocates,” Melnyshuk nonetheless noted that “plastic bags constitute less than one per cent of landfill waste by weight” and that if stores no longer able to offer plastic bags use paper bags as their preferred alternative, the amount of greenhouse emissions produced in the production of paper bags is greater – in fact, the amount of petroleum consumed in one trip from Thompson to Winnipeg would be able to produce an average annual supply of plastic bags for 63 people. Additionally, even though the bags are referred to as “single-use”, they are often multi-use, used again to collect household garbage or cat litter.

“Bans are not required to eliminate the use of single-use plastic bags,” Melnyshuk said, “there are other ways to go around and get that result.” She then listed off a list of ways to reduce the usage of single-use bags, including an “eco-charge” with money going to environmental awareness and instruction, reducing usage through more efficient bagging methods, and ensuring that alternatives such as cloth bags and reusable containers are easily available and highly visible. “A more holistic approach is needed,” Melnyshuk said, also noting that MMSM “would like to develop a Thompson-specific approach” and that the two groups “need to work together,” while calling for “a level playing field among chains, brands, and stores.” She also pointed out that in many communities – though not in Thompson – plastic bags are included in municipal recycling programs.

Smith suggested that it was only the possibility of a total ban that led retailers to show any concern for the issue at all, saying “I didn’t see industry pushing hard to get a 50 per cent reduction before that.” He went on to note that city council exists to deal with problems brought to their attention by those who voted them in, and that on the plastic bag issue, “we’ve heard loud and clear that this is one they want us to fix. Fifty per cent in five years doesn’t cut it with us.” Coun. Judy Kolada explained that although she would prefer not to ban the bags, citing times when she has to use them because she forgot cloth bags in her trunk and at that point single-use bags are the most convenient option, she was nonetheless voting in favour of the bylaw because “in the springtime, when you’re driving around, there’s flags on every tree, and that’s not the welcome to Thompson I want to see.”

Sawh noted that the city’s working group on the issue had recently “had a very good meeting” via phone with representatives of the Canadian Council of Grocery Distributors (CCGD), who are also represented on MMSM’s board of directors, and that he would like to see both the CCGD and representatives of the provincial government to come up to Thompson so they could meet in person.

The city has previously stated that its goal is to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags by 90 per cent by this fall. Extra Foods in the Thompson Plaza has been charging shoppers five cents per bag since April 2009. A provincial plan announced in 2008 aimed to reduce usage of plastic bags in Manitoba by 50 per cent by 2013.