Victoria’s mayor, councillors opt for consultation on plastic bag ban

Victoria will consider banning the use of plastic bags in November.

In the meantime, the city will conduct citizen engagement and ask the Capital Regional District to consider drafting a model bylaw phasing out the use of plastic bags that could be adopted by municipalities across the region.

“I want to make sure we do it with the community, not to the community,” Mayor Lisa Helps said.

Coun. Ben Isitt, who with Coun. Jeremy Loveday 18 months ago introduced a motion to ban the use of plastic bags in the city, said his preference would be for the city to introduce a bylaw banning the bags now.

Others have done it, he said.

“We aren’t going to get unanimity in the community on this issue, and that’s OK. But I think council should show some leadership,” Isitt said

Even if there isn’t much uptake from other municipalities, Victoria should press on with a ban this year, he said.

Councillors endorsed a staffrecommended “road map” toward elimination of single-use plastic bags that should see the issue coming back to them in October or November for a decision.

That plan includes: • Inviting groups and volunteers to inform the community about the detriments of plastic-bag waste and benefits of reusable bags. • Workshops for businesses, industry, advocates and resident groups to share their views on potential regulation. • Business-led voluntary bag fee and ban actions. • A design competition for a City of Victoria reusable retail bag with a $2,000 prize to be funded through the city’s solid waste budget. • A public hearing in October to determine what, if any, regulatory action should be taken.

“I’m happy to see this as a first step and I think it’s reasonable to go down the path in this manner because I do think there are some regional issues to discuss as well,” said Coun. Marianne Alto.

“But I do think we have to start, and I do think we have to indicate our intention to end up in a place where plastic is no longer used as a bag for anything.”

Loveday called it a “good approach to try to strike up this conversation across the region.”