Montreal urged to ban automatic distribution of Publisacs

Montreal should ban the automatic distribution of plastic bags stuffed with flyers, coupons and weekly newspapers, the city's environmentcommittee says.

Instead, flyer-stuffed bags, commonly referred to by their local brand name,Publisac,should only be delivered to residents who optto receive them.

Among the 10recommendations released Thursday, the committee callsfor a ban on the use of the plastic bags themselves. It says the bags should be recyclable, even if the flyersinside are not removed.

"This is great," said Charles Montpetit, theRosement resident who sounded the alarm more than a year ago over what he calls an "ecological disaster."

Montpetit is wary of celebrating prematurely, knowing the committee's recommendations are not binding on council.

"I don't think the city can possibly say 'no' to this," he said.

Montpetit said he isnot calling on an outright ban on the bags of flyers.

"Everybody who wants the bag, who wants the flyers, will still be able to get them," he said."There's no reason to be afraid of this movement. You can like the Publisac and still agree with our recommendations."

Consultations spurred by petition

The environment committee hosted apublic consultationbefore making its recommendations.

The consultation was spurred by a petition signed by more than 15,000 Montrealers, submitted to the city in June. Itcallsforbags stuffed with flyers to be delivered to consenting residents only and for a ban on the bags used to bundle them.

Montreal has prohibited retailers from usingsingle-use plastic bagssince 2018, but that ban doesnot applyto the flyer-stuffed bags.

According to the city's environmental department, roughly 800,000 Publisacs are distributed on the island of Montreal every week.

Some of the committee's recommendations include:

• Delay implementation of the banuntil a new mode of distribution is established.
• Adopt measures to assure compliance, such as fines for distributors who violate the ban.
• Ask the federal government to adopt a similar flyer-distribution policy for Canada Post.
• Support the development of alternative means of distributing local newspapers.
• Enhance public library services to help vulnerable people improve digital literacy.

Montreal will take "the necessary time" before making a decision, the city saidin astatement on Thursday.

Until then, Montreal MayorValrie Plantecommended those citizens who spearheaded the petition.

"The desire to protect our environment and reduce our ecological footprint is driving a large section of the Montreal population," she says in the statement.

Transcontinental challenges Mirabel's Publisac ban

If Montreal's city council bans the automatic distribution of Publisacs, it wouldn't be the first Quebec municipality to do so.

The off-island suburb of Mirabel, Que., made it illegal to deliver flyer-stuffed bags to homes without consent earlier this fall.

That meansMirabel residents must affix a sticker to their mailbox if they want flyers, rather than the longstanding tradition of posting a sticker indicating the household does not accept flyers.

Transcontinental, which owns Publisac,is already challenging Mirabel's new bylaw in court.

The company has been working to shift the public perception of its service. It contendsnine out of 10 Quebecers read the contents of their Publisac, saving them more than$1,000 annually.

Theflyers are not responsible for killing trees, Transcontinental says, as theyare printed on newsprint made from sawmill residue. As for the plastic bags, the company says they are made from recycled material, are recyclable and keep the flyers dry.

Franois Olivier, president and CEO of Transcontiental,told Radio-Canadathat there are about 200,000 homes in Quebec that have "opt-out" stickersbut, with the opt-in regulation, "we would be asked to manage more than threemillion doors."

"The opt-inwould be so complex, it would generate so much costs, that it would mean the end of Publisac," he said.