The City of Prince Albert says its bylaw enforcement on the use of plastic checkout bags will depend on the province’s state of emergency in place for the novel coronavirus pandemic.
It was announced on Tuesday that city council passed a motion to temporarily suspend the implementation of the bylaw.
Fines were originally set to take effect on Aug. 1, the city said.
“Many stores are offering plastic bags for free as a sanitary measure to reduce the handling of reusable bags which may contribute to the spread of COVID-19,” Prince Albert Mayor Greg Dionne said in a press release.
“To give businesses more flexibility, we are suspending the implementation of fines until the state of emergency is declared over in Saskatchewan.”
The Saskatchewan government last extended its provincial state of emergency for an additional two weeks on May 27.
The bylaw, which originally passed in November 2019 and has already taken effect, bans the use of plastic bags at the checkout counter by retail and foodservice businesses in Prince Albert.
A grace period was instituted for businesses to familiarize themselves with the bylaw regulations and make changes to accommodate the move away from plastic.
According to the city, it was estimated at least three million plastic bags are handed out annually in Prince Albert, not including regional customers, with many ending up in the landfill or scattered throughout the community.
Questions about COVID-19? Here are some things you need to know:
Symptoms can include fever, cough and difficulty breathing — very similar to a cold or flu. Some people can develop a more severe illness. People most at risk of this include older adults and people with severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease. If you develop symptoms, contact public health authorities.
To prevent the virus from spreading, experts recommend frequent handwashing and coughing into your sleeve. They also recommend minimizing contact with others, staying home as much as possible and maintaining a distance of two metres from other people if you go out. In situations where you can’t keep a safe distance from others, public health officials recommend the use of a non-medical face mask or covering to prevent spreading the respiratory droplets that can carry the virus.
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