Montrealers will soon not be able to reach for water bottles in vending machines in city buildings.
On Tuesday, city council unanimously passed a motion banning single-use water containers from municipal buildings.
Details have not been worked out.
Benoit Dorais, chair of the city executive committee, said it will take some time for water bottles to disappear.
“We will put forward the necessary measures, respecting the jurisdiction of the boroughs,” Dorais said, adding the city is committed to “tackling the overuse of plastic.” How many water bottles do Quebecers use?
Ensemble Montréal says more than 700 million single-use water bottles end up in Quebec landfills annually.
Recyc-Québec last year estimated that the bottled-water industry consumes more than 225,000 barrels of oil annually solely to meet the needs of the Quebec market.
What else is Montreal banning?
Montreal banned the distribution of single-use plastic bags — the kind you get at grocery and retail checkouts — as of Jan. 1.
In December, Montreal city council passed a motion calling for the gradual phasing out of sugary drinks in all municipal buildings like arenas and sports centres in a bid to reduce their negative health effects.