Leaf Rapids led the way: Manitoba town was 1st in North America to ban plastic bags 15 years ago
CBC
Bond Ryan knew he had a good idea but didn't realize he was on the threshold of a movement that would soon sweep through cities and towns across the continent.
On April 2, 2007, the northwestern Manitoba town of Leaf Rapids became the first municipality in North America to ban retailers from using plastic bags — just ahead of San Francisco.
"Probably one of the best things I've ever done in life," said Ryan, who was Leaf Rapids' town administrator at the time. "Looking back, I can say this is something I done, or I helped do, and saw the benefits of it right away."
The ban came with a steep $1,000 fine for any store that breached it. It also came with a lot of attention.
The town, with a population then of about 540, was suddenly in a global spotlight. Ryan, who spearheaded the ban and wrote the bylaw, was fielding all of the questions.
"I did interviews worldwide, basically. I did interviews in Germany even, and Australia. All over," he said.
He also had governments asking about the pros and cons and the pushback.
"The response from it was pretty overwhelming. Everybody was interested," he said.
As for resistance? There was very little, said Ryan.
Leaf Rapids is a community that prides itself on its pristine northern environment along the Churchill River, about 750 kilometres northwest of Winnipeg. But in the years leading up to the bylaw, it was clear something had to be done, Ryan said.
Bags were blowing into the river, snagging in brush, getting caught in trees and gathering in windblown corners around town.
Despite its small population, Leaf Rapids saw some 50,000 plastic retail bags being used every year, Ryan said.
In 2006, the town forced retailers to charge three cents on each plastic bag used by customers. That helped cut usage by about half but the bags were still a nuisance — esthetically and financially.
"The town was spending a pile of money on cleanup, and the bags were a big part of it," Ryan said.
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