Every day grocery stores across Canada are doling out tens of thousands of thin plastic bags. We all know how many of these bags end up on our streets and sidewalks, in our trees and waterways. Effective January1 of this year Montreal's new bylaw banning single-use plastic bags went into effect, making it the first major Canadian city to put forward such a law. Retailers will have a grace period to adjust to the new bylaw, during which time city officials will meet retailers to help them figure out how to conform to the new way of doing things. After June 5, World Environment Day, retailers will be subject to penalties if they continue to hand out thin, single-use bags. This is encouraging news as we can surely anticipate other municipalities will follow. Hopefully, this is just the beginning of another positive trend for the greater good of us all.
- Lisa James
