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Edmonton’s helps reduce waste by targeting items that can easily be replaced with reusable options or avoided altogether.
Some exemptions exist for charities, organizations without a business licence and some types of businesses.
Watch on YouTube to use translated captions.
Single-use plastic shopping bags (including compostable or biodegradable plastic shopping bags) can no longer be distributed, and businesses must charge at least 15 cents for a paper shopping bag (including those provided by restaurants for take-out orders) and at least $1 for a new reusable shopping bag.
Businesses keep these fees.
The fee serves 2 purposes:
These minimum fees will increase on July 1, 2024 to 25 cents for a paper bag and $2 for a new reusable bag. Businesses will continue to charge GST where required.
The bylaw does not apply to bags used for containing these types of items:
It also does not apply to bags used solely to protect dry cleaned clothes, newspapers, plants and other types of items that might become dirty or unusable from exposure.
Restaurants must serve dine-in drink orders in reusable cups and have a written policy for accepting reusable customer cups.
Reusable cups are made from durable materials like metal, ceramic or hard plastic, and can withstand repeated washing, sanitizing and use.
Drive-thrus are encouraged, but not required, to accept reusable cups. If you feel it would not be safe or sanitary to fill a customer’s own reusable cup, you can politely refuse it.
Some restaurants hold food handling permits that require single-use cups. These permits must be posted in a visible location.
Accessories such as utensils, straws, condiment packets and napkins will only be available by request or self-serve.
Federal Exemption for Single-use Plastic Flexible Straws
To ensure accessibility, Canada’s Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations allow the manufacture, import and sale of flexible straws under certain conditions. Learn more about the federal regulation.
The minimum fee for bags applies to drive-thru orders. There are ways to avoid a bag. For example, restaurants can use a reusable tray or container to deliver food to customers.
Restaurant employees should ask customers if they need accessories.
Restaurants are not required to accept reusable cups through drive-thrus, but are encouraged to do so. If you feel it would not be safe or sanitary to fill a customer’s own reusable cup, you can politely refuse it.
Drive-thru Posters: Customer Facing
Drive-thru Posters: Employee Facing
Several bylaw regulations can save businesses money:
Events expecting more than 1,500 attendees are required to comply with these parts of the bylaw:
If the event is organized by a charity or community organization, different rules may apply. Check out the Charities Toolkit on the Charities and Exemptions page for more information.
Events are not required to charge the minimum fee for paper or new reusable bags, or serve dine-in drinks in reusable cups.
Event vendors (such as food vendors) must also comply with the bylaw.
Use these tools to help make sense of the bylaw, apply it to your business and inform your customers.
Use these videos to hear the information in the Bylaw Guide, or turn on captions in the language of your choice.
Video 1: Bylaw Overview
Video 2: Bylaw Requirements
Video 3: Transition Tips
Video 4: Shopping Bags
Video 5: Accessories
Video 6: Foam
Video 7: Cups
Video 8: Sustainable Foodware Guide
Video 9: Going Beyond the Bylaw
Single-use Item Reduction Bylaw and New Rules for Businesses Webinar
Print on 8.5" x 11" paper, cut and fold as directed, or request printed tent cards by emailing singleuse@edmonton.ca.
Cups and accessories
Reusable bags
To-go cup
Cups to stay and to go
Takeout containers
If your business currently uses foam cups, plates or containers, consult the Sustainable Food Service Guide to find a suitable substitute.
Once you’ve determined what type of cups and containers work best for your business, find a supplier.
If your business is following proper health and safety protocols, you can safely use reusable items.
Follow these tips to ensure customers’ reusable cups are handled safely:
If you feel it would not be safe or sanitary to fill the customer’s cup, you can politely refuse it.
For more information, please review Alberta Health Services’ Practices that Support the Safe Use of Reusable Food Containers. It includes recommendations for safely using customers’ cups and containers in a variety of scenarios.
