The city of Montreal will expand its single-use plastic bag ban this year to include all bags, says mayor Valérie Plante, which could present sales opportunities for distributors in Quebec.

The prohibition currently on the books, implemented in January 2018 after the law was passed two years earlier, bans single-use conventional plastic shopping bags (less than 50 microns, or 0.05 millimeters, thick), as well as oxo-degradable, oxo-fragmentable and biodegradable bags, no matter their thickness. Now, the mayor is calling for the prohibition to include all plastic bags.

“I ask that we change the bylaw which is currently in force concerning the thickness and that we modify it so that it is a complete ban on plastic bags on the territory of the City of Montreal,” Plante said during a recent executive committee meeting at city hall, adding that the expansion must be put into action this year. “We have a bylaw that we can change quickly,” she said at the meeting. “This is the last year with plastic bags in Montreal, I think that’s what we have to say. … It’s not what’s going to fix everything, but it’s a concrete gesture, and that’s what’s fabulous.”

As rationale for the expansion, Plante said the 2018 prohibition didn’t have the effect the local government had wanted, namely that overall use of plastic bags would be significantly reduced. Instead, consumers simply purchased thicker plastic ones not covered by the ban that were provided by retailers for a small fee.

While smaller plastic bags, like those used for produce, aren’t officially included in this newly announced ban, Plante told Canada’s Global News that the status of smaller bags would be reviewed later.

Alexandre Brault, vice president and partner of Tango Communication Marketing (asi/341612) in Montreal, told ASI Canada that his company has seen an increase in orders for reusable totes since the 2018 prohibition, and he anticipates a further increase now that the expanded ban has been announced. “Reusability and sustainability are definitely becoming major trends across our accounts,” he said. “Almost all industries want to be part of the reusable trend, but cosmetics manufacturers, supermarkets and wine/liquor distributors in particular have been increasing their quantities for reusable totes.”

Similarly, Christine Courtemanche, vice president of Lineaire Infographie Inc. (asi/253727) in Montreal suburb Laval, anticipates increases in orders for reusable totes as well. “Clients are looking for eco-friendly products way more than before,” she said, adding that key markets include schools, healthcare facilities, real estate brokerages, banks, cheese and meat shops and bakeries.

The mayor’s announcement comes just weeks after recycling program woes in Montreal reached a breaking point. Product to be sorted has been piling up at city recycling centers because of a lack of buyers, two years after China stopped taking Canadian recyclables. Much of it sits out in the open, which could render it unfit for reuse once it’s sorted.

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