A motion to ban single use plastic bags will be put forward this Thursday, by Councillors Ben Isitt and Jeremy Loveday. They also wish for Mayor Lisa Helps to write to other municipalities to then follow suit.
The movement to ban single use plastic bags has been growing across North America. If Victoria implements this bylaw, it will be the first location on Vancouver Island to do so. Many retailers such as Thrifty Foods have phased out the use of bags, however a bylaw would mean all store would stop handing them out.
The Surfrider Foundation, is an advocacy group pushing for this bylaw. “We’re calling on the City of Victoria to be a leader on this issue and enact a bylaw to ban single-use plastic bags” says Gillian Montgomery, Chair of the Surfrider Foundation Vancouver Island Chapter.
Surfrider has been making presentations to council and has presented the city with a petition in support of the ban as well as 17 letters of support from local retailers including Mountain Equipment Co-op, The Copper Hat, Elemental Body Adornment, Patagonia Victoria and the Good Planet Company.
The ban on single-use plastic bags will be debated by City Councillors at the Governance and Priorities Committee on Thursday, Nov. 5 at 9:00 am at Victoria City Hall.
