Businesses to charge a minimum fee on single-use cups: City of Vancouver

Vancouver councillors have voted narrowly to keep a 25-cent single-use cup fee for all takeout drinks sold in the city — but council tweaked the rules to ensure the fee doesn't hurt low-income residents or keep companies from implementing reusable options.

The charge was imposed January 1st — in part to reduce some of the estimated 80-million coffee and beverage cups thrown away in Vancouver every year — but unintentionally added costs to meal voucher recipients or those using gift cards or reward programs.

News release: City makes refinements to ground-breaking cup by-law.
Learn more ➡️ https://t.co/a5d0UZThJE pic.twitter.com/em71yFaqYx

— City of Vancouver (@CityofVancouver) March 3, 2022

As of March 29th, the fee will be waived in those situations and for cups of water while all businesses will be required to accept reusable cups by July.

Councillors have also voted to support creation of a low barrier cup-share program to help low-income residents cope with the added environmental fees. 

Photo courtesy of IStock.