They may have thought it was in the bag - but Victoria city councils' impending plastic bag bylaw is facing a court challenge from the Canadian Plastic Bag Association.
The lobby group has filed a court petition seeking to overturn the "Checkout Bag Regulation Bylaw".
The bylaw passed by an 8 - 1 vote earlier this month and is slated to come into effect on July 1, with bag charges and fines for businesses that do not comply. Victoria is the first city in B.C. to enact a bag ban.
The plastic bag group maintains the city acted outside it's jurisdiction and under the Community Charter cannot ban businesses from providing plastic bags, nor can they force retailers to charge a minimum fee for paper or reusable bags.
The City of Victoria's legal staff are reviewing the petition and preparing a response.
They also seeking any costs and "other relief" the court deems justified.
Under the bylaw business would be allowed to provide paper or reusable bags ONLY to customers if they ask for them, and must charge a minimum 15 cents for paper, and $1 for reusable bags, with costs rising in January 2019.