Toronto bans single-use plastic bags
Posted Jun 7, 2012 05:43:43 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO – Toronto has become the first major Canadian city to do away with single-use plastic shopping bags.
City council passed a motion to scrap the five-cent tax on each bag — a move supported by Mayor Rob Ford.
Moments later, council went further by voting 24-to-20 to ban the bags altogether starting next January 1st on the grounds they’re bad for the environment.
Mayor Ford spoke out against the ban, saying plastic bags are useful for a number of things.
Five years ago, Leaf Rapids, Manitoba became the first Canadian community to ban single-use plastic shopping bags.
Last month, Los Angeles became the biggest American city to pass such a ban.
L-A’s ban will be phased in over 12-months.
After that, L-A retailers will charge shoppers 10-cents per paper bag.
