{"id":74362,"date":"2024-02-09T12:33:49","date_gmt":"2024-02-09T19:33:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/?p=74362"},"modified":"2024-02-09T14:52:26","modified_gmt":"2024-02-09T21:52:26","slug":"incredibly-annoying-calgarians-react-to-single-use-item-bylaw","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/2024\/02\/09\/incredibly-annoying-calgarians-react-to-single-use-item-bylaw\/","title":{"rendered":"\u2018Incredibly annoying’: Calgarians react to single-use item bylaw"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
Refuse and Reduce:<\/strong> Consumers and establishments comply with single-use item bylaws in Calgary, Alta, on Feb. 5, 2024. The bylaw focuses on reducing items that can be replaced with reusable options. (Photo by Janille Delos Reyes\/The Press)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

C<\/span>algary’s single-use item bylaw\u2014 implemented by Calgary City Council on Jan. 16 \u2014 \u00a0is generating a passionate reaction from Calgarians.<\/span><\/p>\n

The bylaw aims to reduce all types of single-use items, such as utensils, straws, pre-packaged condiments, shopping bags, and food containers. These items are provided by request only, to prevent unnecessary waste.<\/span><\/p>\n

The regulations also require business licence holders to charge a minimum of 15 cents for paper shopping bags and $1 for reusable cloth bags. In 2025, the rates will increase to 25 cents and $2, respectively.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u00a0Calgarians are expressing reservation despite the environmental motivation behind the bylaw.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt’s incredibly annoying, I’m going to be honest,\u201d said retail worker Jaunelle Ellis.
\n<\/span><\/p>\n

Ellis said that corporations should shoulder the charge for producing items with polluting materials.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIf they have to pay extra to get these single-use plastics, they’re either going to switch to a different material or stop altogether,\u201d Ellis said. “I think they will just change. The same thing with the straws. Some companies did find alternatives.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As of 2023, the <\/span>Government of Canada banned the sale of plastic checkout bags, straws, cutlery, and non-recyclable items<\/span><\/a>. In 2025, the government will prohibit the manufacture, import and sale for export of these items.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, in November 2023, the federal government\u2019s ministerial order of the single-use plastic ban was <\/span>pronounced unconstitutional by the Federal Court<\/span><\/a>. The order labelled all plastic-manufactured items as ” toxic substances\u201d under the <\/span>Canadian Environmental Protection Act<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

However, according to Calgary city council, the federal ruling will not affect the single-use plastics prohibition regulations. As such, the bylaw will remain in effect.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople dislike spending more money than necessary, and there will be a decline in people buying bags,\u201d said Ellis. \u201cBut if it does get repealed, plastics will still be getting out there, and nothing will change.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Registered nurse Kristine Rugg says she feels encouraged due to the bylaw’s positive environmental impact while acknowledging its downside.<\/span><\/p>\n

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The bylaw requires foodware accessories to be provided by request only. (Photo by Janille Delos Reyes\/SAIT)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u201cI think, in theory, it’s a really good idea to reduce how much we use these things, and getting rid of those is a great thing,\u201d said Rugg. “But I think, in reality, it’s not enough money to deter people from not using single-use products, and in essence, I think it’s just an extra cost passed on to consumers right now.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Rugg, council should modify some areas of the bylaw.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cSome single-use items are already compostable,” she said. “I don’t know if those should have a charge to them. I think amending it so that it doesn’t include compostable items would be a good idea.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Kayne Johnson, a film and video production student from SAIT, said that the bylaw diminishes consumer convenience.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI guess, to a degree, it can benefit the environment,\u201d Johnson said. \u201cBut prices are going up, as well. We see that in our current economy, where everything’s going up in price.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Another student, Vanessa Fernandez, shared a similar concern.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cI think increasing the charge price is not fair at all,\u201d Fernandez said. \u201cI think they should keep it as cheap as possible, especially for people who can\u2019t afford it.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Apart from concerned Calgarians, politicians such as Coun. Andre Chabot are adocating to have council repeal the bylaw.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cPeople are going to go out of their way to not follow it when you start telling folks \u2018you must do this,\u2019\u201d Chabot told the Calgary Herald on Jan. 29.<\/a> \u201cNot only do you have to buy it, you have to ask for it.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

At the end of January, council officially initiated the repeal process of the bylaw. Coun. Jennifer Wyness pushed the notion forward during the council meeting. The <\/span>motion received 10-5 support.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Mayor Jyoti Gondek and councillors Courtney Walcott, Kourtney Penner, Gian-Carlo Carra, and Jasmine Mian voted against the motion.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Penner said it\u2019s too soon to abolish the bylaw.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cWe haven\u2019t given this a shot \u2014 two weeks is not a shot,\u201d she said during the Tuesday meeting. \u201cWe need to give it much longer.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The bylaw will remain in effect at least until a public hearing in May.<\/span><\/p>\n

As the public awaits the verdict, Johnson hopes more people will become informed about the current bylaw.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cJust spread the message more and keep the people in the loop of what\u2019s going on.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

\"\"
Refuse and Reduce: <\/strong>Consumers and establishments comply with single-use item bylaws in Calgary, Alta. on Feb. 5, 2024. The bylaw focuses on reducing items that can be replaced with reusable options. (Photo by Janille Delos Reyes\/The Press)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The City Council officially implemented the single-use item bylaw on Jan. 16, 2024, and it\u2019s generating varying reactions from Calgarians. [ READ MORE ]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":865,"featured_media":74364,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_ef_editorial_meta_text_assignment-slug":"S2 Single-Use Bylaw JDR","footnotes":""},"categories":[1432,3,13],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-74362","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business-jobs","8":"category-city","9":"category-news"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74362","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/865"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=74362"}],"version-history":[{"count":15,"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74362\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":74732,"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/74362\/revisions\/74732"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/74364"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=74362"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=74362"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/saitjournalism.ca\/thepress\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=74362"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}