Mark Zacharias

Dear Concerned Citizen:

Thank you for your recent email regarding the City of Vancouver’s Single-Use Item Reduction Strategy targeting disposable coffee cups, plastic bags and take out containers. As your enquiry falls under responsibility of the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, I am pleased to respond on behalf of the ministry. Your concerns for the environment are well founded and this initiative by the City is of particular interest to our ministry.

Ministry staff continue to monitor the progression of this initiative as it comes to conclusion. I understand the City of Vancouver is currently reviewing the feedback received from all concerned stakeholders and a consultation and engagement summary report will be made available this spring. As such, I do not wish to presuppose the outcome of this process or the need for any legislative amendments, including the enabling of appropriate financial instruments, at this time. Nevertheless, our ministry supports the underlying premise of waste reduction – especially as it relates to ‘disposable’ items being used in our society today.

I encourage you to continue to participate in this process as it moves forward, and appreciate you bringing your concerns and solution-oriented suggestion to my attention.

Thank you again for taking the time to write.

Sincerely,


Mark Zacharias
Deputy Minister