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Canada’s Minister of the Environment and Climate Change, the Hon. Steven Guilbeault, has announced the publication of the final regulations to prohibit the manufacture, import, sale, and export of six single-use plastic items (the “Regulations”). The government has stated that it estimates this ban will result in the elimination of over 1.3 million tonnes of plastic waste and more than 22,000 tonnes of plastic pollution over the next decade.[1]

The six items being banned by the Regulations include: (1) checkout bags, (2) cutlery, (3) foodservice ware made from or containing problematic plastics that are hard to recycle, (4) ring carriers, (5) stir sticks, and (6) straws (with some exceptions, see below).

Business owners should be aware of the following key dates:

The Regulations include a number of exceptions to the ban, which exceptions include:

The announcement concludes almost 2 years of consultations with provincial and municipal governments, industry and individual Canadians. The public consultation process included a Science Assessment of Plastic Pollution, a discussion paper on an integrated management approach to plastic products, and a draft regulation.

During the press conference announcing the publication of the Regulations, Minister Guilbeault stated that Canada is not opposed to restricting additional items in the future. He also acknowledged that the plastic pollution problem cannot be solved through bans alone and that other actions are necessary to reach the government’s goal of zero plastic waste by 2030.

The Regulations are part of a larger movement, as outlined in Canada’s Zero Plastic Waste Agenda, which includes developing targets, standards and further regulations aimed at eliminating plastic pollution in Canada in the years to come.[2] Businesses should continue to evolve to meet new requirements and find alternatives to single-use plastics being produced, sold or used in their operations, including researching, testing and comparing alternative products and contacting existing suppliers to determine if they have suitable product offering capabilities. Lastly, businesses should refer to the government’s guidance document, which is intended to help businesses and organizations adapt to the proposed requirements and outlines important considerations for businesses navigating alternative products or systems. [3] Business owners should familiarize themselves with this guide to ensure that their business decisions are aligned with the new Regulations and industry best practices.

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