The Trudeau government paid $45,076 for in-house polling that found most Canadians don’t care about Ottawa’s attempt to brand plastics as toxic.According to the Department of Environment survey, 51% of Canadians are “neutral consumers” who have no strong views on the issue. Blacklock's Reporter said just 44% described themselves as “engaged environmentalists” willing to spend more or change their habits, while 4% were outright skeptics and 2% said they would only back regulations if they didn’t raise costs.Despite the lack of enthusiasm, cabinet in 2021 declared all plastic manufactured items toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, lumping plastics in with asbestos and lead. .A Federal Court judge struck down the order in 2023 as unconstitutional, saying Ottawa had no evidence every plastic product posed a danger. The ruling is under appeal.Instead of backing down, Ottawa is pressing ahead with new rules. Starting September 29, manufacturers must register resin production and hundreds of plastic goods, from footwear to dental floss, with a new federal registry.
