Whereas studies by the World Economic Forum, the European Commission, and the United Nations Environment Programme have concluded that single-use plastic bags have negative impacts on the environment;

Whereas the Government of Canada signed the Paris Agreement, and most recently committed towards a G7 plastics charter, and cities such as Guelph have the abilities to help relieve the environmental impact in our community and on a global scale;

Whereas over a trillion single-use bags are used every year, over 12 billion barrels of oil are processed each year for making single-use plastic bags, and 46 000 bits of plastic are floating around in every square mile of the ocean;

Whereas single-use plastic bags can take anywhere from 20 to 1000 years to decompose;

Whereas 94% of all birds on the shores of the North Sea showed signs of plastic in their stomachs; and,

Whereas cities such as Victoria, Vancouver, San Francisco, and Mexico City, and countries such as Australia, Bangladesh and Rwanda, are establishing bans or have done so already, and have shown that bans have contributed positively to both businesses and the environment;

Be It Resolved that we, the undersigned, call upon the Corporation of the City of Guelph to impose a ban upon the distribution of single-use plastic bags from grocery stores, retail stores, restaurants and other businesses within the City of Guelph.