Montreal wants to ban single use plastics, polystyrene foam containers

MONTREAL — Montreal says it plans to introduce a bylaw banning single-use items such as plastics and polystyrene foam containers on its territory by spring 2020.

The city said it was inspired by jurisdictions such as Vancouver, which announced its own ban, likely coming next year.

Mayor Valerie Plante said her administration will hold consultations on the bylaw and would move slowly to help businesses transition.

Pollution from single-use plastics and polystyrene is a major environmental problem, Plante said in a statement. She added plastic containers can take several hundred years to decompose.

“The time when we put off decisions to protect the environment because they upset our daily habits is over,” Plante said. “Time is running out and we need to act now.”