The Quebec Supreme Court has ruled that a suburb north of Montreal is allowed to stop the distribution of flyers to homeowners unless they explicitly request that a plastic bag full of colorful coupons and promotional materials be left on their doorstep.
Wednesday’s settlement settled a dispute between Mirabel, Que., And TC Transcontinental, the company that distributes the package leaflet known as Publisac.
The suburb adopted a regulation in 2019 restricting the distribution of all print advertising to those who request it by sticking a sticker in their mailbox. Other municipalities, including Montreal, have since announced they will soon follow Mirabelle’s example.
TC Transcontinental claims that the regulation violates the freedom of expression guaranteed by the Charters of Rights and Freedoms of Canada and Quebec.
TC Transcontinental wanted to distribute its Publisac to all households, except those who explicitly asked not to receive it, as was the case in the past. But the 50-page court ruling says otherwise.
Mayor Patrick Charbono said in a press release that the decision was “a major turning point for Mirabel and other cities that will follow suit in reducing paper consumption”.
Mirabel is now encouraging TC Transcontinental to stop violating the municipality’s ordinance.
The company claims that imposing a selection system would end the distribution of Publisac in Mirabel.
The decision gives Montreal an impetus to move forward with its own plan to draft such a regulation.
Mayor Valerie Plante said the city will make its move in 2023. Approximately 800,000 leaflets and other unsolicited advertisements arrive at the doors of homes in Montreal each week, representing more than 41 million leaflets a year that end up in recycling and recycling areas. landfills.
Montreal is aiming for zero waste by 2030. In the Plante administration’s plan to limit leaflets, the city will also require ads to be delivered in paper bags rather than plastic.
Add Comment