Canadians back single-use plastic bans as plastic use declines

A majority of Canadians support the federal government's restrictions on several categories of single-use plastics, according to the latest survey from Research Co.

The poll conducted by Research Co on Plastics in Canada found that 60% of respondents back the ban on flexible plastic rings used for beverage multipacks. Support was also recorded for bans covering plastic stir sticks (59%), checkout bags (58%), plastic foodservice ware such as clamshells, cups and bowls (56%), single-use plastic straws, with exemptions for medical and accessibility needs (56%), and plastic cutlery (52%).

The survey also examined changes in consumer behaviour relating to plastic use. More than half of respondents (55%) said they now use fewer plastic products in their daily lives than they did five years ago. Around 31% reported no significant change, while 8% said they use more plastic products than they did in 2021.

Reusable shopping bags continue to be widely adopted across Canada, with respondents reporting that they use them on an average of 84% of grocery shopping trips.

Use of reusable bags was highest among Canadians aged 55 and over, who reported using them on 92% of grocery trips. This compared with 84% among those aged 35 to 54 and 77% among respondents aged 18 to 34.

Regional differences were also identified. Respondents in Alberta reported the highest use of reusable bags, at 89% of grocery trips, followed by Atlantic Canada (88%), Quebec (87%), British Columbia (84%), Ontario (82%), and Saskatchewan and Manitoba (78%).

Beyond plastic reduction, the survey explored other environmental behaviours. More than three-quarters of respondents (77%) said they recycle bottles, cans and other materials correctly all or most of the time.

A further 55% said they regularly reduce hot water consumption through measures such as taking shorter showers or only running washing machines and dishwashers with full loads.

Lower participation was reported for other environmentally focused habits. Around 42% said they routinely unplug electrical devices when not in use, while 37% regularly purchase biodegradable products and 32% said they frequently buy organic or home-grown food.

The findings are based on an online survey of 1,001 Canadian adults conducted between 29 June and 1 July 2026. Research Co. said the results were weighted to reflect the country's population by age, gender and region, with a margin of error of ±3.1 percentage points, 19 times out of 20.