Vancouver City Council has approved a revised start date of January 1, 2022 for the shopping bag and single-use cup by-laws. Businesses will now have an additional year to prepare for the ban on plastic shopping bags and requirement to charge fees for paper shopping bags, new reusable shopping bags and single-use cups.

The City remains committed to reducing waste and litter from single-use items as we transform Vancouver into a zero waste community by 2040.

However, as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, local businesses are experiencing significant economic challenges and are working hard to adapt to Provincial Health Officer orders, severely limiting their capacity to prepare for new regulations like the single-use item by-laws.

In preparation for the by-laws, the City will continue to use outreach and education to support residents and businesses in the shift away from single-use items.

A public awareness campaign, by-law guide and business toolkit will launch in early 2021 to encourage behaviour change and help businesses prepare for, comply with, and communicate the upcoming requirements to their staff and customers.