New charges for bags in B.C. begin July 15

As of July 11, province-wide regulations will kick in that will require stores to charge at least 25 cents for paper bags and at least two dollars for reusable bags.

Changes are coming in just a few days to the way British Columbians shop and specifically how they carry their purchases home.

As of July 15, province-wide regulations will kick in that will require stores to charge at least 25 cents for paper bags and at least two dollars for reusable bags.

The government said the changes are necessary to reduce pollution caused by plastic waste.

“Even in the Fraser Valley I think most consumers aren’t expecting this, so across most of British Columbia outside the Lower Mainland and Lower Island, this will come as a surprise on Monday that they’ll be charged 25 cents for a bag, or two dollars for a re-usable bag,” Greg Wilson with the Retail Council of Canada told Global News.

There are some exceptions for the availability of plastic bags as they will still be available for fruit and vegetables free of charge because they are not considered shopping bags.