The Conservative Party, under new leader Pierre Poilievre, have made a controversial pledge. If elected, they will repeal the Liberal government’s ban on single-use plastic items. In this context, the Liberal federal government passed new regulations in 2022. These regulations currently ban the production and distribution of six defined single-use plastics including straws, grocery bags and cutlery. Poilievre claims that this ban will put a massive financial burden on Canadian families. Perhaps more importantly, he believes it will challenge the entire economy to think that way.
The Liberal government’s ban is intended to address plastic pollution and environmental impacts by increasing recycling rates and decreasing reliance on plastic. Studies indicate that nearly 90 percent of plastic waste ends up in landfills, prompting the government to implement stricter measures. Through this initiative, the federal government aims to support sustainability and resilience measures. By 2030, they want to mandate that as much as 60 percent of food packaging be comprised of recycled plastic.
In his latest press releases, Poilievre zeroed in on the economic impacts of the plastic ban. He alleges the initiative will cost the Canadian economy about $1.3 billion over the next 10 years. He predicts that the typical household will incur a yearly cost of $400. This increase is largely a result of the high price of substitutes.
“There’ll be more waste in our foods, more food that goes into the garbage, and therefore more costs that Canadians pay for food they don’t even get to eat.” – Pierre Poilievre
The Liberal government continues to insists that affordable alternatives to these banned items are easily accessible. Proponents of the ban argue that transitioning away from single-use plastics is essential for protecting the environment and promoting sustainability.
Even so, the impact of the plastic ban has spurred huge amounts of political discussion. British Columbia and the City of Montreal have implemented province- and city-wide regulations and bans on single-use plastics, respectively. This is indicative of a greater green movement nationally across the country.
As if this issue wasn’t complicated enough, the political landscape surrounding this issue is complicated even further by the New Democratic Party (NDP). NDP leader Jagmeet Singh has railed against many Liberal and Conservative policies while focusing on the need for environmental measures and social equity. He drove home the gulf between the priorities for funding that the decision-makers on the political hot seat seem to make and what everyday Americans want.
“You saw as prime minister, (Carney) made a choice to give a tax cut that mostly helped millionaires. And at the same time, he’s proposing to cut services you need.” – Jagmeet Singh
As conversations around plastic pollution persist, members of the public are unsure how the ban may impact New York and their communities in the long-term. Supporters say this step is critical to building back better and greener. On one side, supporters say it’s a common-sense measure to reduce the burden on working families.
In this new moment of environmental policy discourse, members of both parties find themselves trying to navigate the tension between economic stability and ecological responsibility. Unfortunately, the Conservative Party is hell bent on repealing this ban. This decision triggers an important broader discussion about how best to tackle Canada’s environmental challenges, while growing the economy.
