Toronto's plastic bag ban threatened by affected industries

Industries affected by Toronto's plastic bag ban are threatening legal action if city council doesn't reverse the ban.

The plastics industry is lobbying hard, saying that 90 per cent of the plastic bags are made in Canada and a majority of them are manufacturedin Ontario.

A letter from the Ontario Convenience Store Association claims the ban was made without consulting major stakeholders.

A motion to reopen the vote on council's original decision is scheduled for next Tuesday, meaning implementation of the ban could be delayed or reversed.

In order for a motion that has already been voted on to change, two-thirds of council would have to vote in favour of it.

On Tuesday, some councillors were rethinking the issue.

"I think we have to make a case for it and we haven't made that case," Coun. Doug Holyday said.

Coun. Karen Stinz added that, "We need to be thoughtful about whether we can confirm the ban or make adjustments."

But the councillor behind the proposed ban, David Shiner, says the time is now.

"So somebody is actually saying the city is moving too fast, I don't think this is too quick," Shiner said.

Council had voted to ban plastic bags in retail stores earlier this year, in asurprise vote. Mayor Rob Ford had put forth a motion to get rid of the five-cent plastic bag fee the city had in placefor the past three years. The vote succeeded and the fee was gone by July 1.

However,council then voted 24-20 in favour of a motion to ban plastic bags altogether starting Jan. 1, 2013.

"We've made a lot of dumb decisions, but this one takes the cake," Ford said in June when the motion was passed.