A city councillor is proposing that Edmonton drop its single-use bag fee requirement for restaurants. Coun. Jon Morgan introduced the motion during Monday’s utility committee meeting, where members reviewed the results of a restaurant survey on the reduction of single-use items. The councillor for Ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi says the bag fee is unfair to customers, particularly at fast-food drive-thrus, and has had little effect on reducing waste. “People have gotten used to the grocery bags; you bring your own bags at retail, no problem. Single-use items like straws and forks and what have you, same thing, but the bags are a really sticking point for people,” Morgan told reporters at city hall, adding he has heard the fee is not reducing costs or bag usage. “When you go and get a meal for a family of four, you’re going to need a bag to take that home.” Other councillors are not convinced, saying the bylaw introduced in July 2023 has been effective. “I had told my constituents who were maybe frustrated when that change first came in, the bags at takeout, for example, if we weren’t seeing a reduction in time, that I would certainly be supportive of relooking at that,” Ward O-day’min Coun. Anne Stevenson said. “The information that we have in front of us today, though, is that the bylaw is working as intended. We’ve seen a 77-per-cent reduction in single-use bags, which is incredible. That’s a huge result, so I feel that we’ve seen the answer to whether this bylaw is working, and that answer is yes.” Feedback from the 196 restaurants surveyed showed varying levels of reduction in single-use items, with many reporting no change since the bylaw took effect. The city also heard that several restaurants are recovering some costs or even making a profit from bag fees, while fewer reported the fees were not enough to cover their costs, suggesting suppliers have increased prices for the items. Calgary repealed its own single-use items bylaw about two-and-a-half years ago, just months after introducing it. Edmonton city council will debate Morgan’s motion later this week. With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Jeremy Thompson
