Walmart stores -- including in northern Ontario -- end use of plastic bags

All Walmart stores in Canada no longer offer single-use plastic bags, the company announced on Earth Day on Friday. (File)

All Walmart stores in Canada no longer offer single-use plastic bags, the company announced on Earth Day on Friday.

The retailing giant began the process in January, completing the rollout to its more than 400 stores officially April 22.

The company has stores in several communities in northern Ontario, including two in Sudbury and outlets in North Bay, Parry Sound, Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, New Liskeard and Kapuskasing.

Lindsay Flint, Walmart's manager of store process and innovation implementation, said in a post on Walmart's website that eliminating single-use plastics at stores reduces the annual demand by 680 million bags each year.

"Growing up in northwestern Ontario, surrounded by lakes and forests, I’ve always been a champion for the environment," Flint wrote.

"Since my daughter’s birth, preserving the environment has become even more important for me – I want her to grow up with the same respect for and access to nature that I did. I’ve seen these values within our customers, too – it’s a big moment for all of us to see this change come to life at Walmart."

She also suggested alternates to plastic bags, including:

- Leave them in the cart and unload directly into your vehicle. Keeping laundry baskets in the trunk helps make unloading at home easier.

- Reusable bags that fold up and fit in your jacket pocket or purse make it easy to remember reusable options for shopping trips.

- Always keep an emergency reusable bag in the glove compartment for unexpected shopping trips.