Public hearings set on city’s bag ban

Consultation intended to forestall lawsuits

The public will be given a chance to have its say on Toronto’s plan to ban plastic shopping bags as of Jan. 1.

City council voted 24-20 for the ban in June, and reaffirmed that wish by declining to reopen the issue at council Wednesday.

However, in deference to concerns that the public and stakeholders haven’t been consulted, council voted Thursday to hold public hearings. Citizens can make five-minute deputations at the public works committee at city hall on Nov. 14.

The move came after the city re- ceived legal advice that it could be taken to court for not consulting affected parties. City staff will also meet with retailers to assess their concerns with the surprise ban.

The Canadian Plastics Industry Association, which continues to consider legal action, said the move to consult is puzzling because it comes after council approved a ban.

“This really feels like a Band-Aid solution to a very flawed process that prohibited meaningful public consultation to give council the information they needed to make a real informed decision,” said association technical adviser Joe Hruska.

Councillor Peter Milczyn described the public hearings as merely an attempt to strengthen the city’s legal position. “Having some round of consultation to try and safeguard us from lawsuits likely will be too little, too late,” Milcyzn said. Councillor David Shiner, who proposed the bag ban, said the hearings may delve into the mechanics of a ban but won’t lead to it being overturned. He said people might make recommendations in such areas as phasing in the ban, allowing retailers to use up existing stock, and refining the types of bags covered by the ban. The bylaw will then go to the city council meeting of Nov. 27-28, at which time it’s expected to be enacted. However, Milczyn said council could defeat the bylaw by a simple majority vote, in which case “there is no bylaw.”