Four Winnipeg high school students have launched a petition, calling on the city to ban single-use plastic bags.
The students, who attend West Kildonan Collegiate, told CTV News they’re hoping to reduce waste in the province.
Victor Selby, one of the students pushing the petition forward, said the inspiration came from Montreal’s ban on single-use plastic bags. Montreal implemented a ban in January, making it the first major Canadian city to do so.
“We really figured that the situation is right, and the time is right for us to give it a shot,” he said.
All four students are in their senior year and Selby said the group felt it was their personal responsibility to step up.
“A lot of the problems with the environment are going to be affecting us directly,” said Selby.
‘Why not it be us?”
In offering up alternatives to single-use shopping bags, the group is suggesting consumers simply carry small items, or opt for boxes and reusable bags instead.
Selby said the group garnered over 1,100 signatures by Sunday afternoon, and hoped to hit 1,200 signatures by the end of the day.
“Our goal is to try to take it all the way,” he said.
The effort is being applauded by Sustainable Development Minister Rochelle Squires, who told CTV News she’d set up a recycling task force to find ways to reduce plastic waste across Manitoba.
“We certainly want to reduce the number of single-use plastic bags in the province. We know that there are 160 million-plus going into Brady Landfill every year,” said Squires.
While a potential ban hasn’t been ruled out, Squires said stakeholders were being consulted to look at the implications of a ban and any “unintended consequences”.
“We still have a long way to go, so we’re looking at all measures,” said Squires.
Bans on single-use shopping bags have already been implemented in Leaf Rapids, Snow Lake, Thompson and The Pas.
