By Keven Drews

The District of Tofino has banned plastic bags, but it will ask residents and business owners to comply with the ban voluntarily.
In a 6-1 vote Monday night, councillors passed a motion banning petrochemical-based, single-use plastic bags.
The ban, however, didn’t include any mechanism like a bylaw to enforce council’s will.
Coun. Kendal Kelly, elected in an April byelection, was the only councillor to oppose the ban. Councillors Peter Ayres, Michael Tilitzky, Owen Strudwick, Derek Shaw, Al Anderson and Mayor John Fraser backed the ban.
“We’re hoping people will effectively switch to compostable bags,” said Shaw, who proposed the idea. “At this point, the ban is effectively sending a message to the community.”
Council has set no timeline for implementation.
If community members complain that local businesses are not voluntarily following the ban then council can pass an enforcement bylaw, said Shaw.
“I think businesses will want to get on to back this,” said Coun. Al Anderson. “Customers will want it.”
Last week, the government of Ontario introduced a plan to reduce the use of plastic bags.
In April, Leaf Rapids, Man, a community about 980 kilometres northeast of Winnipeg became the first community in Canada to ban plastic bags.
San Francisco became the first North American city to ban plastic bags in March.

News: Tofino