Alberta urges federal government to accept court decision on plastics ban

The Alberta government is happy with a court decision that ruled Canada's plastics ban was too broad when it came to determining which ones were toxic to the environment.

On Thursday, the Federal Court found the cabinet order that said all items manufactured out of plastic were harmful was not a reasonable determination for the government to make.

The decision could therefore lead to changes for the ban on six single-use plastic items that include straws, grocery bags and takeout containers.

Current federal regulations are banning the manufacture and import of those single-use plastic items, but a full ban on their sale and export isn't expected until 2025.

The Alberta and Saskatchewan governments both went to court to fight the initial ban, calling it unconstitutional.

Now that the court hasagreed, the province says Ottawa should accept the decision that it says "has had wide-ranging consequences for Alberta's economic interests."

"(It) has put thousands of jobs and billions of investment at risk," read a joint statement from Premier Danielle Smith and Environment Minister Rebecca Schulz.

"Alberta is proudly home to Canada’s largest petrochemical sector, a sector with more than $18 billion in recently announced projects that were needlessly put in jeopardy by a virtue-signalling federal government with no respect for the division of powers outlined in the Canadian Constitution."

New regulations on single-use plastics, as well as mandatory fees for alternative products, were approved by Calgary city council on Jan. 18.

In a statement to CTV News, the city responded to the Federal Court’s decision, saying it is closely monitoring the federal government's response.

“Implications concerning the Government of Canada’s ban on single-use plastics remain uncertain at this juncture," officials said.

Under the municipal regulations, Calgarians will have to pay a minimum of 15 cents for paper bags or $1 for reusable bags at checkout counters if they do not have their own.

After one year, the city says those fees will increase to 25 cents for paper bags and $2 for reusable ones.

Administration says the fees are to "incentivize waste reduction, promote reuse and minimize substitution."

Rules were also brought in to govern single-use plastic straws, stir sticks and utensils, items the city said were often "unwanted by the customer."

That bylaw is scheduled to come into effect on Jan. 16, 2024.

AFFECT ON BUSINESSES

 

Royaltea, a takeout beverage company, had begun transitioning away from single-use plastics like straws and bags. Lindsay Do, the owner, is now using paper and plastic-based products which has forced her to raise her prices.

“I do see a decrease in the number of people coming in and it’s just because they don’t want to have to pay for the extra bags or they don’t want to have to pay for the extra straw,” said Do.

The changes have forced Do to hand out two to three paper straws to customers. For her, the recent court ruling is surprising.

“Confused on how I should move forward,” said Do. “Should I wait for another decision to happen sometime soon? What do I do?”

 

(With files from Jacqueline Wilson and the Canadian Press)