In April 2019, the Provincial Government amended the Environmental Protection Act and drafted regulations to ban the distribution of plastic retail bags. The Plastic Retail Bag Regulations come into effect on October 1, 2020.

Key points of the regulations are:

• As of October 1, 2020, a retailer shall not sell or provide a plastic retail bag to a person;
• A “plastic retail bag” means a bag made of plastic, including biodegradable plastic or compostable plastic but does not include a reusable retail bag;
• Exemptions are outlined in Section 4 of the regulations;
• The cost of alternative bags, such as reusable bags and paper bags, customers may wish to purchase will be at the discretion of the individual business;
• Consumers using their own reusable bags are encouraged to wash them frequently;
• Retailers are encouraged to recycle or find alternative uses for any plastic retail bags remaining in stock; they may not sell or provide a plastic retail bag to a person after the ban comes into effect on October 1, 2020.

Minister Bennett shopping for groceries on the first day of the plastic retail bag ban.