News Releases

Council Updates

Posted on: February 27, 2023

Council briefs for February 13, 2023

Bylaw to help reduce single-use items going to landfill or littering Banff

Banff Town Council passed a bylaw this week to bolster practices many businesses have voluntarily initiated, as part of a town-wide strategy to reduce the consumer use of items like plastic shopping bags, disposable cutlery and coffee cups that are used once, then sent to landfill.

The Single-Use Items Reduction Bylaw targets items that are used once then are thrown away, and helps businesses fully transition to serving customers with reusables. Unlike other jurisdictions, the bylaw does not target plastics, but helps the community reduce all service items that are quickly discarded, and return to a time when people regularly used food ware and shopping bags that were reused many times. 

Effective July 1, 2023, the bylaw requires businesses such as coffee shops, restaurants and bars to serve food and beverages without disposable accessories like plastic straws and utensils, cup lids and pre-packaged condiments. Customers must request these items. Businesses can offer self-serve stations for disposable accessories, but must also offer reusable items. 

Also starting July 1, businesses and event organizers serving food or beverages must accommodate customers who ask to be served using reusable cups and containers that customers bring with them.

Effective January 1, 2024, plastic shopping bags are banned. Businesses and event organizers must not provide NEW plastic shopping bags to customers, and must allow customers to use their own bags for shopping. Businesses may provide paper (minimum 40% recycled) or reusable bags, if requested, and businesses must charge a minimum fee on paper ($0.25) and reusable ($2) bags to motivate customers to bring their own.

Also starting in 2024, dine-in food and beverages must be served in reusables. Businesses ranging from fast-food restaurants to fine dining establishments and bars must provide reusable food ware, such as plates, bowls, glasses, cups, cutlery and other accessory items, for any food or beverages consumed on the premises

Starting immediately, all NEW businesses that serve food and beverages ready for consumption must have suitable dishwashing facilities to clean the reusable food ware, and provide adequate seating (minimum of 10 seats) for consumption on the premises. This means that new businesses that want to offer take-away service only will no longer be permitted in Banff. Starting in 2024, all existing businesses will need to comply with this requirement, or apply for an exemption.

Banff’s Single-Use Item Reduction bylaw follows other jurisdictions in the U.S. and Europe that have introduced requirements for reusables for on-site dining. However, it is one of the first municipalities in Canada to introduce the requirement, along with the City of Edmonton, which requires reusable cups for dine-in, along with several smaller municipalities in Quebec. 

The Town will explore additional support programs in 2023 to incentivize businesses to comply with bylaw requirements and reward additional leadership actions. Incentives could entail an expansion to the existing commercial dishwasher rebate program and providing funding for expenses associated with transitioning to reusables. 

To review the Bylaw and other details on the single-use reduction strategy, visit banff.ca/SingleUseItems 

Facebook Twitter Email

Other News in Council Updates

Council briefs for May 8, 2023

Posted on: May 17, 2023

Council briefs for April 24, 2023

Posted on: April 28, 2023

Council briefs for April 10, 2023

Posted on: April 13, 2023

Council briefs for March 27, 2023

Posted on: April 3, 2023

Council briefs for March 13, 2023

Posted on: March 17, 2023

Council briefs for February 27, 2023

Posted on: March 6, 2023

Council briefs for December 19, 2022

Posted on: December 30, 2022

Council briefs for December 12, 2022

Posted on: December 14, 2022

Council briefs for November 28, 2022

Posted on: December 5, 2022

Council briefs for November 14, 2022

Posted on: November 27, 2022

Council briefs for October 24, 2022

Posted on: November 4, 2022

Council briefs for October 11, 2022

Posted on: October 17, 2022

Council briefs for September 26, 2022

Posted on: September 29, 2022

Council briefs for September 12, 2022

Posted on: September 14, 2022

Council briefs for August 8, 2022

Posted on: August 15, 2022

Council briefs for June 13, 2022

Posted on: June 15, 2022

Council briefs for May 24, 2022

Posted on: June 8, 2022

Council briefs for May 9, 2022

Posted on: June 8, 2022

Council briefs for April 25, 2022

Posted on: April 29, 2022

Council briefs for April 11, 2022

Posted on: April 18, 2022

Council briefs for March 28, 2022

Posted on: March 31, 2022

Council briefs for March 14, 2022

Posted on: March 16, 2022

Council briefs for February 28, 2022

Posted on: March 2, 2022

Council briefs for February 14, 2022

Posted on: February 16, 2022

Council briefs for January 24, 2022

Posted on: January 26, 2022

Council briefs for January 12, 2022

Posted on: January 12, 2022

Council briefs for January 10, 2022

Posted on: January 11, 2022

Council briefs for December 13, 2021

Posted on: December 14, 2021

Council briefs for December 6, 2021

Posted on: December 10, 2021
CP crossing

Council briefs for November 22, 2021

Posted on: November 25, 2021

Council briefs for November 8, 2021

Posted on: November 10, 2021

Council briefs for November 1, 2021

Posted on: November 3, 2021

Council briefs for November 9, 2020

Posted on: November 10, 2020

Council briefs for October 26, 2020

Posted on: October 27, 2020

Council briefs for October 13, 2020

Posted on: October 16, 2020

Council Briefs for September 21, 2020

Posted on: September 23, 2020

Council briefs for September 8, 2020

Posted on: September 9, 2020

Council briefs for March 9, 2020

Posted on: March 11, 2020

Council briefs for February 24, 2020

Posted on: February 25, 2020

Council briefs for February 10, 2020

Posted on: February 11, 2020

Council briefs for January 27, 2020

Posted on: February 4, 2020

Council briefs for November 25, 2019

Posted on: November 27, 2019

Council briefs for November 12, 2019

Posted on: November 13, 2019

Council briefs for October 28, 2019

Posted on: October 31, 2019

Council briefs for October 15, 2019

Posted on: October 16, 2019

Council briefs for September 23, 2019

Posted on: October 7, 2019

Council briefs for September 9, 2019

Posted on: September 11, 2019

Council briefs for August 12, 2019

Posted on: August 14, 2019

Council briefs for July 15, 2019

Posted on: July 16, 2019

Council briefs for June 24, 2019

Posted on: June 25, 2019

Council briefs for June 10, 2019

Posted on: June 21, 2019

Council briefs for May 13, 2019

Posted on: May 15, 2019

Council briefs for April 23, 2019

Posted on: April 25, 2019

Council briefs for April 8, 2019

Posted on: April 11, 2019

Council briefs for March 25, 2019

Posted on: March 27, 2019

Council briefs for March 11, 2019

Posted on: March 12, 2019

Council briefs for February 25, 2019

Posted on: February 26, 2019

Council briefs for February 11, 2019

Posted on: February 12, 2019

Council briefs for January 28, 2019

Posted on: January 30, 2019

Council Briefs for January 14, 2019

Posted on: January 16, 2019

Council briefs for December 19, 2018

Posted on: January 16, 2019

Council briefs for December 10, 2018

Posted on: December 12, 2018

Council briefs for November 26, 2018

Posted on: November 27, 2018

Council briefs for November 13, 2018

Posted on: November 15, 2018

Council briefs for October 22, 2018

Posted on: October 25, 2018

Council briefs for September 24, 2018

Posted on: September 26, 2018

Council briefs for September 10, 2018

Posted on: September 12, 2018

Council briefs for August 13, 2018

Posted on: August 15, 2018

Council briefs for July 16, 2018

Posted on: July 18, 2018

Council briefs for June 25, 2018

Posted on: June 27, 2018

Council briefs for June 11, 2018

Posted on: June 13, 2018

Council briefs for May 28, 2018

Posted on: May 29, 2018

Council briefs for May 14, 2018

Posted on: May 15, 2018

Council briefs for April 30, 2018

Posted on: May 1, 2018

Council briefs for April 23, 2018

Posted on: April 25, 2018

Council briefs for April 9, 2018

Posted on: April 10, 2018

Council briefs for March 26, 2018

Posted on: March 27, 2018

Council briefs for January 22, 2018

Posted on: January 23, 2018

Council Briefs for January 15, 2018

Posted on: January 16, 2018

Council briefs for January 8, 2018

Posted on: January 10, 2018

Council briefs for December 18, 2017

Posted on: December 19, 2017

Council briefs for December 11, 2017

Posted on: December 12, 2017

Council briefs for November 27, 2017

Posted on: November 29, 2017

Council briefs for October 10, 2017

Posted on: October 11, 2017

Council Briefs for September 25, 2017

Posted on: September 27, 2017

Council briefs for September 11, 2017

Posted on: September 12, 2017

Council briefs for August 14, 2017

Posted on: August 15, 2017

Council briefs for July 17, 2017

Posted on: July 19, 2017

Council briefs for June 26, 2017

Posted on: June 27, 2017

Council briefs for June 12, 2017

Posted on: June 13, 2017

Council briefs for May 23, 2017

Posted on: May 24, 2017

Council briefs for May 8, 2017

Posted on: May 9, 2017

Council briefs for April 24, 2017

Posted on: April 26, 2017

Council briefs for April 10, 2017

Posted on: April 11, 2017

Council briefs for March 27, 2017

Posted on: March 28, 2017

Council briefs for March 13, 2017

Posted on: March 13, 2017

Council briefs for February 27, 2017

Posted on: February 28, 2017

Council briefs for February 13, 2017

Posted on: February 14, 2017

Council briefs for January 25, 2017

Posted on: January 25, 2017

Council briefs for January 23, 2017

Posted on: January 24, 2017

Council briefs for January 9, 2017

Posted on: January 10, 2017

Council briefs for November 28, 2016

Posted on: November 29, 2016

Council briefs for November 14, 2016

Posted on: November 16, 2016

Council briefs for October 24, 2016

Posted on: October 25, 2016

Council briefs for October 11, 2016

Posted on: October 12, 2016

Council briefs for September 26, 2016

Posted on: September 28, 2016

Council briefs for July 18, 2016

Posted on: July 19, 2016

Council briefs for June 27, 2016

Posted on: June 28, 2016

Council briefs for June 13, 2016

Posted on: June 14, 2016

Council briefs for May 9, 2016

Posted on: May 10, 2016

Council briefs for April 25, 2016

Posted on: April 26, 2016

Council briefs for April 11, 2016

Posted on: April 11, 2016

Council briefs for March 29, 2016

Posted on: March 30, 2016

Council briefs for March 14, 2016

Posted on: March 17, 2016

Council briefs for February 22, 2016

Posted on: February 23, 2016

Council Briefs for February 8, 2016

Posted on: February 16, 2016

Council briefs for January 25, 2016

Posted on: January 26, 2016

Council briefs for January 11, 2016

Posted on: January 11, 2016

Council briefs for December 7, 2015

Posted on: December 8, 2015

Council briefs for November 23, 2015

Posted on: November 25, 2015

Council Briefs for November 9, 2015

Posted on: November 12, 2015

Council briefs for October 26, 2015

Posted on: October 26, 2015

Council briefs for October 13, 2015

Posted on: October 14, 2015

Council briefs for September 28, 2015

Posted on: September 29, 2015

Council briefs for September 14, 2015

Posted on: September 18, 2015

Council briefs for August 17, 2015

Posted on: August 24, 2015

Council briefs for July 20, 2015

Posted on: July 21, 2015

Council briefs for June 9, 2015

Posted on: June 10, 2015

Council briefs for May 25, 2015

Posted on: May 26, 2015

Council briefs for May 11, 2015

Posted on: May 12, 2015

Council briefs for April 13, 2015

Posted on: April 14, 2015

Council briefs for March 23, 2015

Posted on: March 24, 2015

Council briefs for March 9, 2015

Posted on: March 11, 2015

Council briefs for February 23, 2015

Posted on: February 23, 2015

Council briefs for January 26, 2015

Posted on: January 26, 2015

Council briefs for December 18, 2014

Posted on: December 18, 2014

Council briefs for December 8, 2014

Posted on: December 8, 2014

Council Briefs for November 24, 2014

Posted on: November 25, 2014

Council briefs for November 10, 2014

Posted on: November 10, 2014

Council Briefs for October 27, 2014

Posted on: October 29, 2014

Council Briefs for October 14, 2014

Posted on: October 15, 2014

Council Briefs for September 22, 2014

Posted on: September 23, 2014

Council briefs for September 8, 2014

Posted on: September 9, 2014

Council Briefs for August 18, 2014

Posted on: August 19, 2014

Council Briefs for July 21, 2014

Posted on: July 22, 2014

Council Briefs for June 23, 2014

Posted on: June 24, 2014

Council Briefs for June 9, 2014

Posted on: June 10, 2014

Council Briefs for May 12, 2014

Posted on: May 14, 2014

Council briefs for April 28, 2014

Posted on: April 30, 2014

Council Briefs for April 14, 2014

Posted on: April 15, 2014

Council Briefs for March 24, 2014

Posted on: March 25, 2014

Council Briefs for March 10, 2014

Posted on: March 11, 2014

Council Briefs for February 24, 2014

Posted on: February 25, 2014

Council Briefs for February 10, 2014

Posted on: February 12, 2014

Council Briefs for January 13, 2014

Posted on: January 14, 2014

Council Briefs December 9, 2013

Posted on: December 10, 2013