Fort Frances, Ont. moves to ban single use plastics

Single use plastic bags and foam takeout food containers could be a thing of the past in the near future in Fort Frances, Ont.

The town's council earlier this week unanimously approved a proposed bylaw that would prohibit stores from giving out the bags and restaurants from using the foam packaging. Single use plastic straws would only be provided upon request, and wouldn't be available for self-serve or handed out by default.

'Action from all of us'

Coun. Douglas Judson brought forward the motion after he started looking into the matter last summer and addressed the Fort Frances Chamber of Commerce in November.

Being one of the first municipalities to implement a single use plastics ban is an opportunity for Fort Frances to be a leader, he said.

"I think these kind of issues require action from all of us," Judson said. "That means from us in our homes, through our organizations, through our sports teams, in our businesses. I think it also requires action and thought from all levels of government."

The bylaw, which requires final approval, would go into effect on Jan. 1, 2021 but fines wouldn't be enforced until a year later at the start of 2022.

Positive response

Judson said it doesn't solve the problem if businesses are forced to quickly dispose of plastic shopping bags in the landfill because the bylaw was enacted immediately.

"We're taking a phased approach in order to allow consumers and businesses in the community to adapt their practices and exhaust any existing inventories that they might have of some of the problematic products we're trying to address," Judson said.

Judson said the community's response has been generally positive.

"We haven't encountered much negativity on this from the members of either our local BIA or our Chamber of Commerce," he said. 

"Most of the comments have actually just sought clarity on what the process is, what the rules would be. I think there is an understanding across the board that something needs change, that this is coming and it's going to come sooner or later so it better be sooner."

The bylaw is scheduled to be brought back to Fort Frances council for final approval at their next meeting later this month.