Manitoba leader to propose provincial plastic bag ban

Jon Gerrard, provincial leader for the Liberal party in Manitoba, will ask the Manitoba Legislative Assembly to consider a province-wide ban on plastic bags this fall.

According to a report in the Winnipeg Sun, Gerrard wants the province to follow the lead of Leaf Rapids, Man. Earlier this year, Leaf Rapids became the first North American municipality to impose a ban on single-use plastic bags.

“We want to look at how we can significantly reduce the use of plastic bags across the province,” he told the newspaper. “One plan is banning them, the other option is a levy.”

The leader met with the mayor of Leaf Rapids last week to discuss the benefits of being a plastic bag-free community.

The Canadian plastics industry, meanwhile, has spoken out against measures that place unilateral bans against plastic bags.

“Litter is a behavioural problem, and bags are not a solution,” said Canadian Plastics Industry Association’s Cathy Cirko in response to the Leaf Rapids ban earlier this year. “Wise waste management practices are part of the solution, and reuse and recycling of the bags is what we are promoting.”