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New minimum fees for bags take effect July 1:
Edmonton’s Single-use Item Reduction Bylaw (20117) helps reduce waste by targeting items such as shopping bags, cups and straws that can easily be avoided or replaced with reusable options. The goal is to reduce single-use items, not to switch from plastic items to non-plastic items.
As of July 1, paper bags will cost at least 25 cents, and new reusable bags will cost at least $2. Until June 30, the minimum fee is 15 cents for a paper bag and $1 for a new reusable bag.
A few things to know about bag fees:
Watch on YouTube to use translated captions.
Minimum fees for shopping bags will increase on July 1, 2024 to 25 cents for a paper bag and $2 for a new reusable bag. Businesses will continue to charge GST where required.
Single-use plastic shopping bags (including compostable or biodegradable plastic shopping bags) can no longer be distributed. Businesses must charge a minimum fee for paper shopping bags and new reusable shopping bags (including those provided by restaurants for take-out orders).
Note: Businesses keep these fees.
The fee serves 2 purposes:
The bylaw does not apply to bags used for containing these types of items:
It also does not apply to bags used solely to protect dry cleaned clothes, newspapers, plants and other types of items that might become dirty or unusable from exposure.
Restaurants are expected to serve dine-in drink orders in reusable cups and have a written policy for accepting reusable customer cups.
Reusable cups are made from durable materials like metal, ceramic or hard plastic, and can withstand repeated washing, sanitizing and use.
Drive-thrus are encouraged, but not required, to accept reusable cups. If you feel it would not be safe or sanitary to fill a customer’s own reusable cup, you can politely refuse it.
Some restaurants hold food handling permits that require single-use cups. These permits must be posted in a visible location.
Accessories such as utensils, straws, condiment packets and napkins will only be available by request or self-serve.
Federal Exemption for Single-use Plastic Flexible Straws
To ensure accessibility, Canada’s Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations allow the manufacture, import and sale of flexible straws under certain conditions. Learn more about the federal regulation.
Restaurant employees should ask every customer the following questions:
Do you need a bag?
Do you need straws, napkins, utensils or condiments?
Restaurants are not required to accept reusable cups at drive-thrus, but are encouraged to do so. If you feel it would not be safe or sanitary to fill a customer’s own reusable cup, you can politely refuse.
Asking businesses and customers to use fewer single-use items means:
Through these measures, the City aims to reduce the number of regulated single-use items used in Edmonton by 20% per person within 4 years.
Several bylaw regulations can save businesses money:
Learn more about the bylaw and how it applies to businesses and events.
Businesses following proper health and safety protocols can safely use reusable items. Each year in Edmonton, about 91 million single-use cups are thrown in the garbage. There is a huge opportunity to reduce waste by bringing your own reusable cup!
Be sure to wash your reusable mugs and containers between uses, and visit the business information page to learn more about what businesses can do to ensure reusable items are used safely.
For more information, please review Alberta Health Services’ Practices that Support the Safe Use of Reusable Food Containers.
In November, the Federal Court issued a ruling overturning the federal government’s Ministerial Order designating all plastic manufactured items to be “toxic substances” under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA). This ruling has raised questions about the federal Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations.
The City has its own bylaw to help reduce single-use items made out of all materials, not just plastic. Edmonton’s Single-use Item Reduction Bylaw remains in effect. It is not affected by the Federal Court’s decision.
Here’s why:
Comparing Canada’s Single-use Plastics Regulations with Bylaw 20117
For detailed information about the Government of Canada’s regulations, please see the Technical Guidelines.
Film plastic shopping bags are banned.
Minimum fee required for paper and new reusable shopping bags.
Non-fabric plastic shopping bags are banned.
Regulated as a “foodware accessory”.
Stir sticks of any material available by request only.
Plastic stir sticks are banned.
Regulated as a “foodware accessory”.
Straws of any material available by request only.
Plastic straws are banned.
There are some exemptions including flexible plastic straws sold in packages.
Foam cups, plates, bowls and containers are banned.
Other types of plastics/materials not addressed by the bylaw.
Foam clamshell containers, lidded containers, boxes, cups, plates and bowls used to hold ready-to-consume food are banned.
Regulated as a “foodware accessory”.
Cutlery of any material available by request only.
Single-use cutlery made from some plastics is banned.
Not included in the bylaw.
Flexible plastic ring carriers are banned as of June 20, 2024.
Dine-in drinks are expected to be served in reusable cups.
Restaurants must have a policy for accepting customers’ cups for drinks to go.
Not included in federal regulations.
Edmonton businesses holding retail or food/beverage service business licences are required to comply with the Single-use Item Reduction Bylaw, with some exceptions.
If complaints are received about non-compliance with the bylaw, the City will first respond using direct outreach and education. If a business can demonstrate it is working towards compliance within a reasonable timeframe, it’s unlikely to receive a warning or a fine.
You can help support waste reduction in Edmonton by calling 311 if you notice a business is not complying with the bylaw. Your name will not be shared.
