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Toronto Plastic Bag Fee: Mayor Rob Ford Closer To Ditching Five-Cent Charge

CP  |  By Posted: Updated: 05/18/2012 8:05 am

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Toronto Plastic Bag Fee
Toronto's executive committee has voted in favour of eliminating the city's five-cent plastic bag fee. (Shutterstock)

TORONTO - Toronto's executive committee has voted in favour of eliminating the city's five-cent plastic bag fee.

Mayor Rob Ford wants to get rid of the fee effective July 1, saying taxpayers are telling him that's what they want.

Following Monday night's executive committee vote, the full city council will consider the issue next month.

A number of city councillors feel the fee helps the environment by discouraging people from using plastic bags.

The fee was introduced in 2009 by former mayor David Miller.

Ford has said the fee has served an environmental purpose because it has changed consumer habits, but that it's time to stop forcing stores to charge the fee. (680News, CFRB)

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TORONTO - Toronto's executive committee has voted in favour of eliminating the city's five-cent plastic bag fee.Mayor Rob Ford wants to get rid of the fee effective July 1, saying taxpayers are tellin...
TORONTO - Toronto's executive committee has voted in favour of eliminating the city's five-cent plastic bag fee.Mayor Rob Ford wants to get rid of the fee effective July 1, saying taxpayers are tellin...
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cdncommentator
446 Fans
10:38 PM on 05/16/2012
I hope city council kiboshes Ford's plan. I like the idea of the 5c going to fund new trees.
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DeeW
49 Fans
04:19 AM on 05/17/2012
Then why not have the manufacturers of the plastic bags pay for it. They`re not producing any less just because we`re being charged extra if we use one.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
cdncommentator
446 Fans
10:43 AM on 05/17/2012
The point is also to encourage people to bring their own reusable bags.  And it's only 5c (enough of an incentive without being punitive, as well as being able to fund environment projects in Toronto).  I say, leave it as it is.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Doogs62
To see by faith is to shut the eye of reason
143 Fans
02:47 PM on 05/15/2012
So 5 cent bags are supposed to save the environment? What about all the stuff people put into those bags? Shrink wrapped and blister packed goods and foods. If you agree with the fee I hope you are also buying foods and goods that are not wrapped in plastic otherwise you're a hypocrite. Do you use plastic garbage bags and bin liners? Then where does that put you? Last time I checked there's a thing called recycling where they actually come to your house and pick up all your plastic and it's free (kinda).
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michty6
Looking for facts and truth not ignorance and lies
146 Fans
03:51 PM on 05/15/2012
Are you seriously arguing that if a proposal doesn't single handedly save the environment, but encourages more environmentally responsible behaviour, that we should get rid of it? So we should basically get rid of every single environmental policy then since none of them single handedly 'save the environment' (whatever that is supposed to mean).

I really dislike this sort of criticism from people. It is like those people who criticise other people who give to charity 'because what about all the other 'better' charities out there'.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Doogs62
To see by faith is to shut the eye of reason
143 Fans
04:49 PM on 05/15/2012
No! I'm arguing that charging 5 cents for a grocery bag is not going to stop the landfills from being full of plastic. Why charge someone for a plastic bag when they throw it in the recycle bin when they get home. Or why not have a 5 cent surcharge on everything that is packaged in plastic if you are going to charge for a grocery bag. This is nothing more than a bureaucratic boondoggle. Where does this 5 cent charge go anyway ? Who gets this money, the taxpayers, the government, the grocery stores? Also where's the cost benfit studies on this
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yer
Stop the Alberta Taliban
241 Fans
03:56 PM on 05/15/2012
Oscar Wilde: What is a cynic? A man who knows the price of everything and the value of nothing.
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Doogs62
To see by faith is to shut the eye of reason
143 Fans
05:56 PM on 05/15/2012
To paraphrase P.T. Barnum" There's a sucker born every minute" And you hit the nail on the head with "the value of nothing"

Do you seriously think the production of grocery bags has decreased because of this by-law. I'd like someone defending this fee to produce one study proving it's effectiveness. And stating there's less plastic grocery bags being distributed doesn't count. I want to see some figures on the environmental benefits.
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yer
Stop the Alberta Taliban
241 Fans
02:24 PM on 05/15/2012
It is appropriate that the 5 cent fee be with the company. It lowers the overhead of implementing the fee. Also it acts as further incentive to people to stop using plastic because you're just needlessly enriching a business with your immense 5 cents. It's a cost for you I know you can't possibly bear. Oh the inhumanity of 5 cents. You try to be a total cheapskate all your life, then this ... THIS fee shows up! What is anyone to do?... Except use a cloth / recycled bag and never pay the fee again. Oh, but can I do that? Can I really?
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HUFFPOST SUPER USER
Doogs62
To see by faith is to shut the eye of reason
143 Fans
06:37 PM on 05/15/2012
I've got an idea. How about parking meters in the parking lots, a grocery shoppers carbon tax if you will. Or real solutions, how about bus routes stopping at the local grocery stores.
Nobody talks about the hundreds of tonnes of food that gets thrown out every day because it doesn't look fresh enough and the constant loads of semi's dropping off the fresher food daily. Or the fact most grocery stores leave there lights on even when they are closed. Every little bit helps right? Or how about the anti-competitive major grocery chains forcing local small mom and pop outfits out of business, You know the ones you could walk to with your reusable grocery bags and shopping cart. /s on
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yer
Stop the Alberta Taliban
241 Fans
02:10 PM on 05/15/2012
I'd vote for someone to bring it back, and make it 10 cents, even 25 cents ... if that's what it takes to get people to change.

Get off the plastic Baby Boomers, get off the wanton lust for environmental destruction. We are not going to pay for your mistakes anymore. You are.
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DeeW
49 Fans
04:12 AM on 05/17/2012
As a baby boomer, I take exception to that, especially considering all the techno devices your generation throws away. Where are the cell phones that need to be replaced every year end up. And if you think you`re gonna save the planet by not using grocery bags ... well, good luck with that.
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yer
Stop the Alberta Taliban
241 Fans
05:07 PM on 05/17/2012
that would be the Boomer kids, I'm the older gen between you two, born in the 70's so older but younger than a Boomer. My last phone was 8 years old and I only upgraded two years ago because Rogers changed their pre paid services. I am not an Apple consumer **ore

Again, "the least you can do, you can't even do", would be a fitting epitaph on a generation of demand that is killing the planet and needs to be curbed. Bags are just a ridiculously simple thing. Why can't you even lift a finger?

Certainly if on a person to person level that has occurred then that's great. But as a generation, you can't agree? Boomers got a winfall from their parents to do anything they wanted, so they just kept shopping. Thus their kids expectations are more in line with a new phone a year as you stated

Therefore having concentrated efforts to improve things, even little things, are more important and not less so. Cheers
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yer
Stop the Alberta Taliban
241 Fans
01:56 PM on 05/15/2012
As Fordo has lost every vote for months, there is no indication that he would win on this issue. His reasoning is like this: let's cancel the RIDE program since it worked and reduced drunk driving! Huh?

If anything the 5 cent fee should increase to 10 cents. If you can't afford 10 cents a bag, then why are you in a store at all? The benefits are there as it curbs behaviour and is one of the most successful programs the city has ever done. Therefore because it is successful, Ford needs to make it fail.

Ridiculous. Toronto has a weak mayor system (Thankfully) so the mayor only has one vote. The remaining elected representatives have to agree and those outside of this hand picked inner council simply will not. Thus the motion will not pass. This is a lame duck mayor.
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yer
Stop the Alberta Taliban
241 Fans
02:07 PM on 05/15/2012
I use a cloth bag which takes a lot and is equivalent to two bags at least. In most cases I have not paid the 5 cents. The least I can do, I can actually do. If I need a bag for the cost of 5 cents, then wow, it's 5 cents. Why get your pride in a knot over 5 cents?

If you are still using plastic bags and are upset by the fee, then stop using plastic bags. If you keep ignoring it then the fee should be raised so you are more inclined to stop using plastic. 5 cents was enough of an incentive. Maybe 10 or 25 cents will be enough of an incentive for others.

What's the result? Behaviour is changed, you are not charged the fee, and landfill and the city which pays big bucks to deal with colossal waste managemen tissues then has less garbage floating around. The solution is between keyboard and chair, not your pride in plastic.
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michty6
Looking for facts and truth not ignorance and lies
146 Fans
01:16 PM on 05/15/2012
Another great decision from the Mayor Ford clown show.

I agree with the twitter comment stating that they'd vote against anyone who backs this proposal to drop the fee. Any councillor supporting this is too stupid to be in charge of any decisions at any level imo - the Toronto mayor proves this theory perfectly.

Re-consider the way the fee is collected and where it goes to? Sure.
Drop the fee altogether? Stupid.
Debate the issues sensibly and make intelligent, informed and democratic decisions? Not under this Mayor.
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dresdengirl
2590 Fans
01:08 PM on 05/15/2012
Could't we just ditch Rob Ford instead?
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pinkibus
1812 Fans
12:05 PM on 05/15/2012
Rob Ford - always the man for the twenty first century. It will save a a few bucks for those who don't give a tinker's darn.
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dresdengirl
2590 Fans
01:07 PM on 05/15/2012
Don't you mean a man for the 19th century.
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pinkibus
1812 Fans
01:50 PM on 05/15/2012
dresdengirl I was joking and I think it is a bit of stretch to say he is forthe ninteenth century. Eighteenth is a fit.
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fromdnorth
OK I checked my micro-bio (didn't know I had one
1787 Fans
11:58 AM on 05/15/2012
Its not a fee. It's a scam...
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Opus Fideo
Atheist. Social Democrat. Canadian.
4207 Fans
01:03 PM on 05/15/2012
Yes helping the environment is such a scam
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CarlyQ
Without followers, evil cannot spread.
827 Fans
01:41 PM on 05/15/2012
I agree.

The day manufacturers make products that don't break down the day after the warranty runs out, forcing you to toss your product in the landfill and buy a new one, will be the day I'm convinced the fee for plastic bags isn't just a money-grab.
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pinkibus
1812 Fans
01:55 PM on 05/15/2012
Carly in about twenty five years I have taken about six plastic bags. I don't have green bags either. My garbage is almost nil and I compost my vegetable waste. You should try having no plastic bags. The world got along without them until just after the first Earth Day. Its a bit of an irony. Don't you wonder how the world got along without so much garbage? I mean its ridiculous and the methane released from the dumps isn't even trapped and used to generate electricity.
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michty6
Looking for facts and truth not ignorance and lies
146 Fans
03:43 PM on 05/15/2012
Lol mandatory fee = money grab. Great logic.
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