Calgary's single-use items bylaw repealed, businesses no longer required to charge bag fee

Calgary city council has repealed the single-use items bylaw, which means businesses will no longer be required to collect a fee from customers for single-use or reusable bags.

The goal of the bylaw, passed in January 2023, was to limit the amount of single-use items that end up in city landfills. 

According to a 2019 City of Calgary study, over 3.5 million plastic bags, 6.4 million disposable utensils, 2.4 million takeout containers and 2.4 million disposable cups were thrown away every week in Calgary. The bylaw emulated similar legislation that had been brought forth in other Canadian cities.

The bylaw came into effect on Jan. 16, and it required businesses to not provide foodware, straws and other single-use items unless customers asked for them. It also required companies to charge 15 cents for a single-use bag and $1 for a reusable bag. These prices were scheduled to rise to 25 cents and $2, respectively, starting in 2025.

It was immediately contentious — particularly regarding drive-thru service — and even drew criticism from Alberta Premier Danielle Smith, who blasted the bylaw in a Calgary Herald column. She encouraged residents to call their city councillors.

Just two weeks after the bylaw came into effect, city council voted on Jan. 30 to start the repeal process due to what councillors acknowledged as pushback from the public. 

Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek says city council doesn't always get things right but "will do better next time."

"I think behaviour change is an important component here. But how you drive that behaviour change is even more important," said Gondek. "So it was clear that using the approach of a charge, especially at food service locations, was not the way that Calgarians were going to engage with us on this."

"We've repealed a bylaw that wasn't working for our citizens."

Three councillors voted against the repeal:

Walcott believes waste management changes require time to roll out and inform citizens.

"There's a massive pushback about behaviour change at the beginning, and when given time, we're able to make the adjustment as necessary," he told reporters at city hall following the vote.

"Everything takes time. And two weeks was not enough time to even inform people."

Meanwhile, Coun. Jennifer Wyness, who opposed the bylaw from Day 1, said the repeal shows that the city needs to do a better job of engaging with residents.