Prohibition of Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less

Share Prohibition of Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less on Facebook Share Prohibition of Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less on Twitter Share Prohibition of Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less on Linkedin Email Prohibition of Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less link

Background

On August 22, 2023, a delegation from Surfrider Pacific Rim presented to Council regarding the impact of single-use plastic bottles on the environment, and particularly the local marine environment of Vancouver Island’s west coast. Surfrider representatives noted that over 60,000 plastic bottles have been recovered from regional, local and remote west coast beaches on Vancouver Island since 2015, and that 60% of plastic bottles are never recycled, ending up in waterways and marine environments. The presentation included letters of support from First Nations in the region, and a list of +70 local businesses that are already voluntarily observing the ban. The delegation urged Mayor and Council to ban the sale of plastic water bottles 1 litre and under within the District of Tofino to reduce ocean plastics and their impact on the local environment.

Proposed Bylaw Amendment

During a November 28 Regular Council Meeting, Tofino Mayor and Council authorized staff to proceed with amending The District of Tofino's Single-Use Item Regulation Bylaw No. 1277, 2020, to include a provision to prohibit the sale of plastic water bottles 1 litre and less. Please note, this is not a blanket ban on all plastic water bottles, but only smaller plastic water bottles 1 litre and less.

During this meeting, Council also authorized staff to conduct a public consultation process to gather feedback from consumers of plastic water bottles 1 litre and less.

Proposed Exemptions

If Council proceeds to include the prohibition of the sale of water bottles 1 litre and under in the Single-Use Item Regulation Bylaw, exemptions will be considered as follows:

  • Emergency Operations Centre Activation: If the Emergency Operations Centre should be activated, the Emergency Operations Director, Mayor, CAO or Council may choose to issue an exemption of this prohibition to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and no reasonable alternative to single-use plastic water bottles will serve the same purpose.
  • State of Local Emergency Declaration: If a State of Local Emergency should be declared, the Emergency Operations Director, Mayor, CAO or Council may choose to issue an exemption of this prohibition to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and no reasonable alternative to single-use plastic water bottles will serve the same purpose.
  • Stage 3 and 4 Water Restrictions: If the District of Tofino should post notice of either Stage 3 or Stage 4 Water Restrictions, the prohibition will be lifted to ensure convenient, safe and reliable access to water bottles 1 litre and less while the restrictive stages are in effect.
  • Accessibility & Mobility Exemptions: will be provided where a reasonable accommodation is needed by an individual due to a medical or physical condition.

** Emergency drinking water repositories are also available locally in storage through the Tofino Emergency Program for crisis events, including mass-scale evacuations.

Ministerial Approval

On July 24, 2025, the District of Tofino received a letter from the Province granting the District permission to proceed with adopting the bylaw.

Background

On August 22, 2023, a delegation from Surfrider Pacific Rim presented to Council regarding the impact of single-use plastic bottles on the environment, and particularly the local marine environment of Vancouver Island’s west coast. Surfrider representatives noted that over 60,000 plastic bottles have been recovered from regional, local and remote west coast beaches on Vancouver Island since 2015, and that 60% of plastic bottles are never recycled, ending up in waterways and marine environments. The presentation included letters of support from First Nations in the region, and a list of +70 local businesses that are already voluntarily observing the ban. The delegation urged Mayor and Council to ban the sale of plastic water bottles 1 litre and under within the District of Tofino to reduce ocean plastics and their impact on the local environment.

Proposed Bylaw Amendment

During a November 28 Regular Council Meeting, Tofino Mayor and Council authorized staff to proceed with amending The District of Tofino's Single-Use Item Regulation Bylaw No. 1277, 2020, to include a provision to prohibit the sale of plastic water bottles 1 litre and less. Please note, this is not a blanket ban on all plastic water bottles, but only smaller plastic water bottles 1 litre and less.

During this meeting, Council also authorized staff to conduct a public consultation process to gather feedback from consumers of plastic water bottles 1 litre and less.

Proposed Exemptions

If Council proceeds to include the prohibition of the sale of water bottles 1 litre and under in the Single-Use Item Regulation Bylaw, exemptions will be considered as follows:

  • Emergency Operations Centre Activation: If the Emergency Operations Centre should be activated, the Emergency Operations Director, Mayor, CAO or Council may choose to issue an exemption of this prohibition to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and no reasonable alternative to single-use plastic water bottles will serve the same purpose.
  • State of Local Emergency Declaration: If a State of Local Emergency should be declared, the Emergency Operations Director, Mayor, CAO or Council may choose to issue an exemption of this prohibition to protect the public health, safety, and welfare, and no reasonable alternative to single-use plastic water bottles will serve the same purpose.
  • Stage 3 and 4 Water Restrictions: If the District of Tofino should post notice of either Stage 3 or Stage 4 Water Restrictions, the prohibition will be lifted to ensure convenient, safe and reliable access to water bottles 1 litre and less while the restrictive stages are in effect.
  • Accessibility & Mobility Exemptions: will be provided where a reasonable accommodation is needed by an individual due to a medical or physical condition.

** Emergency drinking water repositories are also available locally in storage through the Tofino Emergency Program for crisis events, including mass-scale evacuations.

Ministerial Approval

On July 24, 2025, the District of Tofino received a letter from the Province granting the District permission to proceed with adopting the bylaw.

  • Press Release: Tofino Becomes First Municipality in Canada to Ban Sale of Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less

    Share Press Release: Tofino Becomes First Municipality in Canada to Ban Sale of Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less on Facebook Share Press Release: Tofino Becomes First Municipality in Canada to Ban Sale of Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less on Twitter Share Press Release: Tofino Becomes First Municipality in Canada to Ban Sale of Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less on Linkedin Email Press Release: Tofino Becomes First Municipality in Canada to Ban Sale of Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles 1 Litre & Less link

    The District of Tofino has taken another step in its commitment to environmental stewardship, becoming the first municipality in Canada to adopt a bylaw prohibiting the sale of single-use plastic water bottles 1 litre and less.

    The amendment to the District of Tofino’s Single-Use Item Regulation Bylaw was formally adopted at the August 26, 2025, Regular Council Meeting. The regulation will take effect on April 22, 2026 (Earth Day), giving local businesses time to prepare for the transition.

    Exemptions apply for water bottles sold in packaged multiples or flats, as well as during declared local, provincial, or federal emergencies when the Emergency Operations Centre is activated, and during Water Conservation Stage 3.

    BUILDING ON A STRONG FOUNDATION
    Tofino has long been a leader in environmental sustainability efforts. In 2019, the District introduced the Single-Use Item Regulation Bylaw and, throughout the years, banned single-use plastic items, including bags, straws, utensils, and polystyrene foam containers.

    This latest amendment expands the bylaw to cover plastic water bottles, a product often found in shoreline clean-ups and marine debris in the region and around the world. Plastic water bottles are among the most common single-use items that end up in landfills and waterways. According to the Ocean Legacy Foundation, more than 1 million single-use plastic bottles go missing each year in B.C. Since 2015, over 60,000 bottles have been recovered from Vancouver Island’s west coast beaches. Once in the marine environment, plastic bottles break down into microplastics, which pose serious risks to marine life and ecosystems.

    LOOKING AHEAD
    The District, with support from Surfrider Pacific Rim, Tourism Tofino, and the Tofino Chamber of Commerce, will begin a collaborative communications and education campaign throughout the fall and winter to support community, visitor, and business education.

    Visitors are encouraged to bring a reusable water bottle and refill it during their visit with the District’s high-quality drinking water, sourced from rain-fed creeks and old-growth forests protected by ƛaʔuukʷiʔatḥ (Tla-o-qui-aht) Tribal Parks.

    QUOTES
    “By eliminating single-use plastic water bottles 1-litre and less, Tofino is taking another meaningful step to protect our oceans, beaches, and wildlife from plastic waste. This bylaw reflects our shared responsibility to the environment and to future generations and demonstrates what’s possible when communities strive for sustainability.” — Dan Law, Mayor, District of Tofino

    “Surfrider Pacific Rim is thrilled to make history once again with the District of Tofino through this landmark ban on single-use plastic water bottles one litre and under. This community-driven achievement has been many years in the making, and it marks another step forward in tackling the plastic pollution crisis through systems of refill and reuse. We're grateful for the District of Tofino's leadership, and hope to see other communities, the province, and the federal government follow suit.” — Lilly Woodbury, Regional Chapter Manager, Surfrider Foundation Canada

    RELATED INFORMATION
    • District of Tofino Single-Use Item Regulation Bylaw No. 1277, 2020
    • District of Tofino Single-Use Item Regulation Amendment Bylaw No. 1277.02, 2024
    • Surfrider Foundation Canada – Pacific Rim

  • Report to Council: August 26, 2025

    Share Report to Council: August 26, 2025 on Facebook Share Report to Council: August 26, 2025 on Twitter Share Report to Council: August 26, 2025 on Linkedin Email Report to Council: August 26, 2025 link

    At its August 26, 2025, Regular Council meeting, Council adopted an amendment to the Single-Use Item Regulation Bylaw that will prohibit the sale of single-use plastic water bottles 1 litre and less.

    The new regulation takes effect on April 22, 2026 (Earth Day), giving businesses time to prepare.

    The amendment includes the following exemptions:

    1. A declaration of a state of local, provincial, or federal emergency.
    2. An activation of the Emergency Operations Centre.
    3. Water Conservation Stage 3
    4. Water bottles sold in packaged multiples or flats

    --

    Watch the Report to Council beginning at approximately 3 minutes and 45 seconds.

  • Add Your Voice!

    Share Add Your Voice! on Facebook Share Add Your Voice! on Twitter Share Add Your Voice! on Linkedin Email Add Your Voice! link
    CLOSED: This discussion has concluded.

    Thank you for providing feedback.

    number of comments, image icon 17 comments