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‘Baby step’: RM of Alexander to ban single-use plastics in a year
The rural municipality of Alexander approved a motion to ban all single-use plastics within the next year.The RM of Alexander is moving to ban all single-use plastics within the next year. (Jack Taylor/Getty Images)The rural municipality of Alexander has approved a motion to ban all single-use plastics within the next year. Cherhyl Corrie is a…
The rural municipality of Alexander approved a motion to ban all single-use plastics within the next year.
The rural municipality of Alexander has approved a motion to ban all single-use plastics within the next year.
Cherhyl Corrie is a councillor for the RM who brought forward the motion which was passed on Oct. 22.
“I'm just a small cog in a small wheel, but it's got to start somewhere,” she told CBC News over the phone on Sunday.
The RM of Alexander, which is northeast of Winnipeg, includes cabin country spanning from Victoria Beach on Lake Winnipeg to a stretch of Bird River east of Lac du Bonnet.
Corrie says the area is in danger.
“We're suffering from … pollution of our lake with overload of phosphorus, we've got zebra mussels, and basically, our lake is dying,” she said.
“We've gotta start taking care of our areas. We cannot keep doing this and expect it'll just take care of itself.”
Corrie calls this motion a “baby step.” The RM doesn't have the capacity, she says, to tackle the larger issues of pollution and invasive species that threaten the lake, but it can do this.
She said the ban will be part of a paradigm shift for the community.
“I think that rather than giving in to our weak sides, which is the lazy side, we start behaving as though there's a real reason to make a change,” Corrie said.
She hopes the RM will continue to make all decisions through a lens of environmental sustainability.
Lori Cyr is the owner of Hillside Beach Store and Eatery in Traverse Bay, Man. which falls within the RM of Alexander. She said she hadn't heard about the move to ban single-use plastics.
“I don't know if it will impact because we'll all be in the same boat,” she said.
“I'm sure it will impact me, I just don't know how. I guess I'll have to switch to canned products instead of plastic bottles.”
The City of Thompson banned single-use plastic bags in 2010.
Days after winning a second term, Premier Brian Pallister said his Progressive Conservative government will begin consultations with the private sector on ways to eliminate the use of plastic bags.
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