Single-Use Plastics Ban Will Hurt Canadian Manufacturing Jobs

OTTAWA, ON, June 20, 2022 /CNW/ - The federal government detailed its plans to ban the import and manufacture of single-use plastics, including checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws by December 2022.

Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) and the manufacturing industry share the federal government's commitment to reducing plastic waste in our environment, but Canadian manufacturers do not believe an outright ban will accomplish this goal. As industry has repeatedly said, the better approach is to develop a circular economy that treats plastics as a resource to be managed and recycled back into the Canadian economy rather than ending up in a landfill.

"Canada acting alone to ban single-use plastics without coordinating with other countries will do little to move the needle on reducing plastic pollution. It will punish Canadian manufacturers and all their suppliers." Said Dennis Darby, President and CEO of CME. "Production of these products will just move to the US or to other countries and we will still have not solved the problem," he added.

Moreover, CME is disappointed to see the government will also prohibit the export of plastics in these categories by 2025, affecting more Canadian jobs tied to this sector. Many businesses will be unable to access export markets as a result of this decision and that will drive down our exports.

CME will continue to work with the government to reduce the impacts of these bans on Canadian businesses and to find solutions to plastics pollution. "We must create a circular economy that manages plastics and actually tackles this problem rather than targeting manufacturing workers and their jobs," concluded Darby.

• The manufacturing sector represents more than 10% of Canada's gross domestic product.
• Manufacturers directly support more than 1.7 million jobs in Canada.
• The total manufacturing sales in 2019 surpassed $685 B.

SOURCE Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters