Mayor Valérie Plante has announced the city of Montreal will ban single-use plastics as part of a plan to make the city "greener" and reach zero waste by 2030.
Under the change, single-use plastic shopping bags in retail stores will no longer be allowed starting Aug. 23, 2022.
Several other plastic items used in retail, as well as restaurants, will also be banned including plates, containers, polystyrene trays, plastic cups, utensils, straws, and stir sticks, to name a few.
"Montreal decided not to wait after other levels of government," said Plante. "We saw what was being done elsewhere, but we think our plan is the best."
According to the city, Montreal's only landfill which is located in Terrebonne is expected to reach capacity in 2029 if the use of plastics is not dramatically reduced. According to the press release, the decision is being made to accelerate the reduction of residual materials at the source and to prevent a residual materials management crisis.
"We have worked on these new regulations with all industry partners, and I am proud of the consensual result we have achieved," said Mayor Valérie Plante.
"These changes will be implemented gradually so as not to harm merchants and will allow us to achieve the ambitious goals we have set for the future of the city."