Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
After a brief public hearing Tuesday, councillors gave three readings to repeal the bylaw, which was first enacted in January.
Following political and public pressure, council voted in favour of starting the repeal process just two weeks after it was first enacted.
Tuesday's vote saw council vote 12-3 in favour of repealing the controversial bylaw.
- Sign up for breaking news alerts from CTV News, right at your fingertips
- The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
"I think the message has been sent out really clearly that we're scrapping this and we're starting again," said Ward 3 Coun. Jasmine Mian, who moved the repeal motion on Tuesday.
Under the now-repealed bylaw, rules required a minimum fee of 15-cents for paper bags, $1 for reusable bags and included requirements for food establishments to only provide napkins, cutlery and condiments when requested.
The rules end immediately.
"We do need to have a serious conversation about how we change our behaviors, because education first isn't working," said Ward 11 Coun. Kourtney Penner, who voted against repealing the bylaw.
In speaking to businesses since the bylaw was brought into place, administration said in January that one fast food restaurant reported between 10-20 per cent of drive-thru customers were opting out of asking and paying for a paper bag.
New path forward needed
City administration will now work to bring forth recommendations for a new single-use bylaw to try to curb the amount of waste going into Calgary landfills.
The city says about 15 million single-use items go to the landfill every week. Of that, up to a million of those items are drive-thru bags.
Councillors heard Tuesday the process to come up with another plan could take at least three months, after which it will have to come back to council chambers.
"We need to get this figured out. This is an egg we need to crack in our community," said Ward 12 Coun. Evan Spencer.
Prior to council voting to start the repeal process, Alberta Premier Danielle Smith was highly critical of the bylaw.
She even asked her minister at the time to look into whether single-use bylaws enacted by municipalities were appropriate.
"We have had to step in when we think that municipalities are going a step too far on certain issues, and I've asked my minister if he thinks that is one of those areas," Smith said in January.
Smith's UCP government has since introduced Bill 20, the Municipal Affairs Statutes Amendment Act, which could allow the province to order municipalities to repeal or alter bylaws.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Robert Pickton stabbed with toothbrush and broken broom handle: victim's family
The family of one of Robert Pickton's victims says the convicted serial killer suffered an incredibly violent death at the hands of another inmate.
Republicans join Trump's attacks on justice system and campaign of vengeance after guilty verdict
Embracing Donald Trump's strategy of blaming the U.S. justice system after his historic guilty verdict, Republicans in Congress are fervently enlisting themselves in his campaign of vengeance and political retribution in the GOP bid to reclaim the White House.
Daughter of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt files court petition to remove father's last name
A daughter of actors Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt filed paperwork to legally remove "Pitt" from her name on the day she turned 18.
Ex-husband charged with murder in death of Lumby, B.C., woman
The ex-husband of Tatjana Stefanski – the woman whose disappearance and death set the small town of Lumby, B.C., on edge last month – has been charged with her murder.
U.K. ambassador to Mexico out after video allegedly shows him pointing a rifle at a colleague
The U.K.’s ambassador to Mexico has left his post after a video was posted on social media that purportedly shows him pointing an assault rifle at an embassy employee.
Hezbollah fighters shoot down an Israeli drone in southern Lebanon
The militant Hezbollah group said it shot down an Israeli drone over southern Lebanon on Saturday, after hours Israeli drone strikes killed at least one person and wounded others.
Is intermittent fasting better than counting calories? Maybe not, but you might stick with it
As weight-loss plans go, it's easy to see the allure of intermittent fasting: Eat what you want, but only during certain windows of time — often just eight hours a day.
U.S. defense secretary says war with China neither imminent nor unavoidable, stressing need for talks
United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin told a gathering of top security officials Saturday that war with China was neither imminent nor unavoidable, despite rapidly escalating tensions in the Asia-Pacific region, stressing the importance of renewed dialogue between him and his Chinese counterpart in avoiding "miscalculations and misunderstandings."
Oilers beat Stars, one win away from Stanley Cup berth
Ryan Nugent-Hopkins scored two power-play goals as Edmonton smothered the Dallas Stars 3-1 to take a 3-2 lead in the NHL's Western Conference final on Friday.