BANFF – Enforcement of new municipal legislation banning shopping bags and a requirement for reusable items at on-site dining places like coffee shops and fast-food restaurants have been pushed back until January 2024.
At a meeting Monday (Feb. 13), council passed a watered down version of a bylaw regulating single-use items following pressure from businesses concerned about timing and need for some voluntary action. To complement voluntary programs and initiatives, the bylaw aims to accelerate the reduction in single-use items going to the dump.
Council removed initial proposals to require businesses that do not have consumption on the premises to provide reusables for takeaway services, and a rule that any remaining disposable food-ware must be recyclable or compostable within Banff’s waste streams.
Town of Banff officials say they heard loud and clear from the business community that there’s a strong desire for voluntary action on reusables for takeaway services.
“We’ve held on the ones that are very important and the most important to show leadership,” said Town Manager Kelly Gibson.
Plastic shopping bags will be banned effective Jan. 1, 2024, instead of July 1 this year as originally proposed. Businesses must also charge a minimum fee of $0.25 for paper bags and $2 for reusable bags.
Also on Jan. 1, businesses such as fast-food chains and coffee shops are also required to provide reusable products for dine-in services. This includes any food or beverages that are consumed on the premises of a business such as plates, bowls, cups, and accessory items.
They are, however, permitted to provide food and drinks in non-reusable food containers at the request of a customer, as long as reusable food-ware is also available.
Effective July 1, a customer must request accessory items such as disposable utensils, straws, and pre-packaged condiments to receive them. But businesses or event organizers can have self-serve stations for disposable single-use items.
In addition, businesses and event organizers serving food or beverages must have a written policy to accept reusable cups and containers that customers bring to the business or event.
Wanda Bogdane, executive director of Banff and Lake Louise Hospitality (BLLHA), said she was thankful administration heard the business community during recent consultations.
“The bylaw that is proposed today is positioned for meaningful change in real life, not just on paper,” she said.
“The timing is appropriate and supported by industry.”
Carla Bitz, the Town of Banff’s environmental coordinator, said the requirement for reusables for onsite dining means Banff will be one of the first municipalities in Canada to implement such as a requirement.
“We’ve seen U.S. municipalities and European municipalities go forward with that requirement, but there’s only a couple in Canada,” she said.
“That will be a huge leadership action on our end.”
Mayor Corrie DiManno supported the bylaw as amended.
“It’s important that we do this together and if this is the feedback we heard from industry, then I think we need to move in this direction,” she said.
“Looking at the long-term big picture, I think that making these types of amendments will help us get there a lot faster.”
Coun. Hugh Pettigrew was the lone voice of opposition to the amended bylaw amid concerns it was not as strong as it needed to be.
“I see this, maybe incorrectly, as a dilution of the original proposal,” he said.
But Bitz said the bylaw as passed is a good start.
“There’s a need to get started with some of the initial requirements and initial voluntary collaborations, and then reassess as to where we are at and how that goes, but it’s definitely going to get us further along than where we are now,” she said.
“It’s a really good start and it sets a tone of leadership, in particular with reusables for onsite dining being one of the first communities to do that, and having the visitor base we have, that has really strong potential for a good ripple effect.”
The Biosphere of the Bow Valley supported the bylaw as originally proposed written as one that positions Banff well to meet its environmental and waste targets of zero waste to landfill by 2050 and shows strong municipal environmental leadership.
However, the local organization was disappointed to see the removal of those sections, adding it risks delaying progress on reaching Banff’s waste targets and weakening Banff’s reputation as a leader in the environment.
In particular, the organization believed a requirement that any remaining disposable food ware must be recyclable or compostable within Banff’s waste streams was an important provision, providing clear direction on appropriate disposable containers to organizations that may not yet have reusable food ware.
“We believe the absence of Section 7 removes the strength of this bylaw to make progress on reducing sort line contamination and land-filled single-use items, which is one of the main identified needs this bylaw is addressing,” said Hugh Notman, board chair of the Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley.
