Canada: Proposed Amendments to the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations to Remove the Export Ban

On December 20, 2025, Canada published proposed amendments to the Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations in the Canada Gazette, Part I, initiating a 70-day public consultation ending February 28, 2026. Made under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the proposal would repeal the prohibition on the manufacture, import, and sale for export of six categories of single-use plastics: checkout bags, cutlery, certain foodservice ware, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws. While domestic prohibitions would remain unchanged, the amendments aim to alleviate economic impacts associated with the export ban that came into force on December 20, 2025. The government concluded that the export prohibition does not deliver commensurate environmental benefits relative to its economic costs, particularly for Canada’s highly trade-exposed plastics manufacturing sector. The proposal seeks to restore access to global markets, reduce risks of stranded assets and job losses, and align Canada’s approach more closely with that of key trading partners, while maintaining domestic environmental protections against plastic pollution.