Prince Albert plastic bag ban put on hold due to pandemic
Mayor says fines and enforcement won't start until state of emergency is over
City council in Prince Albert, Sask., has decided to delay the city's ban on plastic bags.
Council voted last November to approve the ban on plastic checkout bags used by retail stores, groceries and restaurants.
Many communities around North America have raised concerns about the environmental impact of single-use bags and have instituted similar bans to keep the plastic out of landfills.
In Prince Albert, fines and enforcement were supposed to take effect on Aug. 1, but now due to the pandemic, that has been put off.
Mayor Gregg Dionne said the idea is to reduce the handling of reusable bags, which may contribute to the spread of COVID-19.
Many stores are offering plastic bags for free as a sanitary measure, he said.
Dionne said fines will be suspended until the province's current state of emergency is over.
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