The federal government has quietly moved to keep Canadian factories producing straws, bags and other single‑use plastics — but only for shipment to the United States.The move comes as Ottawa continues fighting a court ruling that struck down its attempt to label all plastics as toxic.According to Blacklock's Reporter, Environment Minister Julie Dabrusin issued the legal notice on Saturday, confirming cabinet will permit manufacturing for export despite the pending appeal. Her department said the shift is meant to limit economic fallout after a judge ruled in 2023 that Ottawa overreached in blacklisting every plastic product under federal environmental law.In a Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement, the department said the amendments were necessary to avoid major losses in a sector that generates $35 billion in annual sales, including $14.9 billion in exports — almost all headed to the U.S. Officials noted that banning exports would not cut global pollution because foreign producers would simply fill the gap.The Trudeau government introduced its Single Use Plastic Prohibition Restrictions in 2022, phasing in a ban on six common items:strawsgrocery bagssix‑pack ringsstir stickscutlerypolystyrene takeout containers .Ottawa estimated the policy would cost consumers $205 million a year. The export ban — one of the final pieces of the plan — drew heavy pushback from manufacturers who argued it would cause serious economic harm without environmental benefit.Environmental groups opposed the reversal, warning it could signal Canada is backing away from its climate and waste‑reduction goals, though the department did not expand on those concerns.Former environment minister Steven Guilbeault had promoted the plastics ban as proof of Canadian leadership, saying in 2022 that a world free of plastic pollution was essential for sustainability. But a federal evaluation later found no evidence the ban reduced pollution, noting Ottawa lacked reliable data on diverted waste.The government also suffered a major legal setback when the Federal Court ruled cabinet had no basis to declare all “plastic manufactured items” toxic. Justice Angela Furlanetto wrote that not every plastic product poses a reasonable risk of harm, unlike substances such as lead or carbon dioxide.
