Almost a year ago, Toronto City Council passed the first phase of the Single-Use Reduction Strategy. Phase one includes a “voluntary measures program” to encourage and educate businesses on reducing single-use plastics and disposable foodware. But nearly a year later, this program still hasn’t been launched. 

We spoke last week at the Infrastructure and Environment Committee (IEC) to urge the City to keep moving forward with the Single-Use Reduction Strategy. This voluntary measures program is only the first step - we need to move on to phase 2, which will include local regulations on single-use plastics and disposable foodware. 

Watch the committee meeting recording and hear from our Waste Campaigner Emily Alfred - start watching at 21:05 in the recording.

At the committee meeting, other organizations, local businesses and researchers also spoke and reminded the committee that there is strong public support for this strategy, and people are watching. 

Thanks to a motion from Councillor Layton and Councillor Robinson, City Staff will report back at next month's IEC meeting on the Strategy's timelines and progress. We’ll share more updates then about how we can keep the momentum for local action to reduce disposables and shift towards reuse!

READ OUR SUBMISSION TO THE INFRASTRUCTURE AND ENVIRONMENT COMMITTEE.