Reducing single-use and takeaway items supports recommendations established in the City’s Long Term Waste Management Strategy, which was adopted by City Council in July 2016.
In June 2021, Toronto City Council approved the voluntary Reducing Single-Use program as Stage 1 of the Reduction Strategy to help reduce single-use and takeaway items in Toronto. The City is now moving forward into Stage 2 of the Reduction Strategy. A staff report was approved by Toronto City Council on December 15, including the adoption of the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw.
The bylaw applies to retail business establishments in Toronto. The primary goal of the bylaw is to reduce the use and disposal of specific single-use and takeaway items, regardless of the material and which waste stream (i.e. garbage, recycling or organics) they are managed in.
Under the bylaw a retail business establishment is required to:
| Targeted Items | Mandatory Measures as of March 1, 2024 |
|---|---|
| Single-use accessory food items | Ask-first/by-request |
| Paper shopping bags | Ask-first/by-request
Compatibility |
| Reusable shopping bags provided by customers | Mandatory acceptance |
| Reusable beverage cups provided by customers | Mandatory acceptance |
It is the responsibility of of the retail business establishment operator to determine how best to operationalize the requirements of the bylaw in its own internal procedures to ensure compliance.
As the following are not considered retail business establishments, the bylaw does not apply to shelters, hospitals and medical facilities, places of worship, school nutrition programs and similar facilities that may provide single-use accessory food items as part of their operations. However, the bylaw does apply to retail business establishments locations within these organizations (e.g. a gift shop inside a hospital).
Retail business establishments that provide or permit the provision of accessory food items, single-use use paper shopping bags and beverages to a customer at a City property event or a a restricted event will not be subject to the bylaw. Definitions for these types of events are included below.
A City property event is a single or multi-day public or private event that has been permitted by the City of Toronto to occur on city property.
A restricted event is a single day or multi-day public or private event restricted through requirement of a ticket or otherwise not open to the general public.
A retail business establishment is a premise, location or operation where goods and/or services are offered for sale, such as stores, online businesses, eating or drinking establishments, convenience stores, grocery stores, delicatessens, caterers, mobile food vendors, street vendors, vending machines, book stores and clothing stores.
A retail business establishment operator is a person who owns, manages, supervises, runs or controls a retail business establishment and includes a person who owns the premises where the retail business is operated
The Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy – Stage 1 staff report was approved by Toronto City Council in June 2021.
A Voluntary Measures Program (Program) is the first stage of the Reduction Strategy. The Program encourages businesses to voluntarily implement actions to reduce single-use and takeaway items. This includes:
The Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy – Stage 2 staff report was approved by Toronto City Council on December 15, 2023.
City Council adopted the Update and Action Plan on the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy, including the Circular Food Innovators Fund with amendments including the adoption of a new Single-Use and Takeaway Items Bylaw, which took effect March 1, 2024.
The City is committed to helping retail business establishments comply with the bylaw through targeted education and outreach activities.
In 2025, Solid Waste Management Services will report back to City Council on further measures to reduce single-use and takeaway items, including the feasibility of expanding the Single-Use and Takeaway Items By-law to include:
Reducing single-use and takeaway items supports recommendations established in the City’s Long Term Waste Management Strategy (Waste Strategy 
), which was adopted by City Council in July 2016.
The Waste Strategy places priority on reducing waste and minimizing the amount sent to landfill, and directs the City to explore where greater waste reduction can be achieved through:
In July 2018, City Council directed staff in Solid Waste Management Services to:
Phase 1 public and stakeholder consultations were held in the fall of 2018.
More than 20,000 people participated in Phase 1 consultation through the following:
Watch the October 2, 2018 public event webcast online or view the presentation 
.
As summarized in the Executive Summary Public Consultation Report on Phase 1 Consultation , the majority of participants expressed support for:
Results of Phase 1 consultations are available in the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Public Consultation Report .
A summary and the results of the Phase 1 consultations are outlined in a report to the Infrastructure and Environment Committee on May 23, 2019.
The responses to the quantitative questions in the online survey are available through the City of Toronto Open Data Portal.
Phase 2 public and stakeholder consultations were held in the fall of 2019.
More than 41,000 people participated in Phase 2 consultation stakeholder and public consultation activities including:
Watch the September 24, 2019 public event webcast online or view the presentation .
Results of the Phase 2 consultations are summarized in the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy Phase 2 Public Consultation Report.
In Phase 2, results from the independent polling found that:
Results from the online survey indicate that:
A third phase of consultation activities were undertaken in February and March 2022.
To help inform the City of Toronto’s decisions on a proposed bylaw to reduce single-use and takeaway items, the City sought feedback from stakeholders and the general public to:
More than 12,000 people participated in interested parties and public consultation activities including:
View the Narrated Virtual Public Meeting Presentation
View the Non-Narrated Virtual Public Meeting Presentation
Key findings from stakeholder and public feedback include:
Results of the 2022 consultations are summarized in the Single-Use and Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy Stage 2 Consultation Report.
Solid Waste Management Services collects personal information under the legal authority of the City of Toronto Act, 2006, SO 2006, Chapter 11, Schedule A, s 136(b) and (c) and the City of Toronto By-law No 1321-2018. All information collected is in accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.
The information collected to connect participants to the Telephone Town Hall in Phase Two of the Single-Use and Takeaway Items consultations was used to call participants with the telephone number provided and send a link to the presentation by email.
Questions about this collection can be directed to the Manager, Public Consultation, Metro Hall, 19th Floor, 55 John Street, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 3C6 or by telephone at 416-392-2990.
To receive updates about the City’s Single-Use & Takeaway Items Reduction Strategy, subscribe to the Long Term Waste Management Strategy email list.