There will be a meeting of City Council on Monday at 9:30 am. On the agenda are reports pertaining to transit services, recreational facility naming, and affordable housing, among others. There will be an Agenda Review Committee meeting at 9:00 am on Tuesday.
Also on Tuesday, there will be a City Council Public Hearing at 1:30 pm. Several land use amendments and zoning bylaws are on the agenda, but the last item is the one to watch. A single-use items bylaw has already passed first reading and Council is seeking public input before moving on to second and third reading. The new bylaw bans plastic bags and will also force restaurant and food service establishments to create a policy that allows customers to bring their own reusable cups. Styrofoam will be banned, and single-use cutlery, straws, and other food service items will only be provided upon customer request. If you don’t have your own reusable bag when you go shopping, you can purchase one at the minimum price set by the City. The bylaw requires that businesses work up to charging $0.25 per paper shopping bag and $2.00 per reusable shopping bag by July 2nd, 2024. Fines for handing out single-use items are hefty - a first offence starts at $500 and fines double for subsequent offences.
On Wednesday, at 9:30 am, there will be a City Council Non-Regular meeting. On the agenda is an Operating Budget and Planning Discussion which will be held in-camera.
