Single-Use Items Reduction

Update
Thank you to the residents and businesses who provided feedback in response to the City's Consultation Paper on reducing single-use items in the community. The survey is now closed. Public input from this engagement process was included in an information package presented to City Council in April 2022.

At the April 21, 2022 Committee of the Whole Meeting, staff presented a report to Council summarizing the proposed regulations and associated community feedback. Council approved the report and directed staff to draft a bylaw for the purpose of reducing single-use items and promoting re-use.

City staff are now drafting the Single-Use Items Reduction Bylaw and will be presenting it to Council in spring 2023.

Background

Zero Waste Victoria is the City’s plan to reduce waste disposal by 50% by 2040. In December 2020, Council approved a Short Term Action Plan to guide zero waste initiatives from 2021 through 2023. Included in this Short Term Action Plan is the development of new single-use item regulations.

Single-use items are things you use once and throw away. These items include coffee cups, takeout containers, cutlery and straws. While these products exist momentarily in our lives, they generally exist forever in the landfill. These items are also often lightweight plastic materials that become litter, contaminating the environment including parks, beaches, waterways and oceans.

Single-use plastic in particular, has been identified by scientists, and recently by the Government of Canada, as a threat to the environment.

What We Engaged On

We engaged on the City of Victoria’s proposed actions to reduce single-use items in the community. We wanted to hear your personal or business needs and values, and how the proposed actions within the Consultation Paper will impact you.

How We Got Here

Zero Waste Victoria was adopted in December 2020. Along with its adoption, Council provided direction to develop new single-use item regulations.

Victoria’s initial action on single-use items began in 2018 with the adoption of the Checkout Bag Regulation Bylaw, which has recently been approved by the Province and restarted in April of this year.

Further action on single-use items will build on this momentum towards a more environmentally sustainable city. With growing evidence of the problem of plastic pollution, and an improved understanding of health and safety needs, the City is now in a position to make informed decisions about the transition away from single-use items in Victoria.

How Was Input Sought?

From October 20 to November 22, 2021, we collected feedback on the City’s proposed actions to reduce and eliminate problematic single-use items where reusable or sustainable alternatives exist. Residents and business owners were asked to complete an online survey. People without access to the internet or a computer could also request paper versions of the survey by calling 250.361.0210.

What Was the Level of Public Participation?
The purpose of this public participation was both to inform and consult on the City’s proposed actions to reduce single-use items through municipal regulations.