Are forks illegal in Canada?

Are forks illegal in Canada? You must have heard this surprising fact on Twitter and TikTok. You might be confused about what is going on in the land of the Maple leaf. Let’s dive into this new policy.

Great Canadian Fork Fight of 1812: From where it all started

The rumor of the fork ban came from a TikTok video back in 2020. In this video, Taylor Jackson claimed that forks are illegal in Canada because of the ”Great Canadian Fork Fight”. They also stated that forks are not available for online purchase either. The video got over 10 million views and 24,000+ comments.

While this ”great Canadian fork fight” was a tongue-in-cheek comment for boasting the views, the news of the fork ban was true to some extent! Canada did not ban the forks in total; it planned to do so soon.

So, it was ‘plastic ban’ not ‘fork ban’!

In October 2020, the Canadian government announced its plan to impose a total ban on single-use plastic. They were expecting to achieve this target by the end of 2021. Canada is also trying to develop new standards of plastic manufacturing. All plastic items must contain a minimum amount of recycled material.

Canadian Minister for Environment and Climate Change Jonathan Wilkinson told the media that Canada wants to achieve zero plastic waste by 2030. He clarified that banning plastic forks is a part of their primary ‘zero plastic’ campaign.

How will Canadians eat pasta without forks?

Maybe restaurants will switch to metal forks or spoons! Minister Wilkinson has tried to cool down the nation by offering them other choices. He said local stores would provide people with plastic alternatives after the ban.

Are only plastic forks banned?

As we said earlier, the fork is not an enemy; plastic is! All commonly used plastic items are on the ban list_ plastic bags, plastic utensils, food containers, shopping bags, stir sticks and plastic straws.

Did Canadians fight with Forks?

The answer is a big no. In the viral Tik Tok video, the creator intended to tell a weird fact about Canada. He said that forks are strictly banned in Canada. You can neither buy them in stores nor online. It’s all because of The Great Canadian Fork Fight of 1812.

He forwarded a well-edited Wikipedia article about the Great Canadian Fork Fight. However, the web page was fake. TikTok is a hoax afterall!

Plastic Pollution: The most pressing issue of the era

Plastic Pollution is a very pressing issue in today’s industrial world. No corner of this Earth is safe from this adversary. More than 8 tons of plastic waste goes into the oceans every single year. Millions of animals die, including fish, birds, and other marine life.

Plastic production stood at 2.3 million tons during the mid of twentieth century. In 2015, it shot up to 448 million tons. Experts are predicting that production figures will hit 896 million tons in 2050.

As an active member of the Climate Change movement, Canada took an initiative to curb plastic Pollution. Although banning forks doesn’t seem a game-changer, it is still a good start for a zero-plastic campaign.

Ban on single-use plastic: Canadians can expect it anytime in 2022

In November 2021, the federal government said that final regulations would take effect sometime in 2022. Canadian spokesperson for Environment and Climate Change said that government would prepare a draft of the proposed regulation in the coming weeks. Draft would be susceptible to public comment. Finally, there will be a transition period for the retail businesses to adjust to the ban.

How much Canadians are to blame for Plastic Pollution

Environment and Climate Change Canada says Canadians dump three million tonnes of plastic waste every year. 91 % of this waste is unrecycled.

According to a study, the Majority of the Canadian market plastic waste consists of packaging materials. It mainly includes items of the food and beverage industry, like bottles, juice packs, and plastic bags.

Why the delay in implementing the ban

Explaining the reason behind the delay, the government says that the plastic ban can’t come into force until the ready alternatives are available. The government first has to ensure that all stakeholders are ready to go.

Federals also declared COVID-19 as a big reason for the hitch. However, many industry players have started making adjustments like eliminating plastic containers and replacing straws with environment-friendly options.

Are forks illegal in Canada: Some hilarious answers

Internet swarmed with puns and funky comments after the TikTok video of the fork ban went viral. Some of them are listed below:

1. ”They’re looking into banning plastic forks because they could conceivably be used as a weapon or used incorrectly, which would be rude, and Canadians can’t be rude…”
2. ” You’ll have to give them up at the border, like your guns and MAGA hats.”
3. ”They are highly dangerous and can only be used in selected restaurants with certification and a proper permit.”
4. ” In Canada, forks have been banned, Many Canadians gave forks to the wild Canadian geese outside of Tim Hortons, and the geese used them as weapons, enslaving half of Ontario. Since then, forks have been banned from many Canadian provinces. As I am writing this, I am eating salad with a knife, Stupid geese.
5. ” The great Canada fork ban was a troubling event that caused chaos and terror for many Canadians.’
6. ”Yes, of course, they are! Metal forks are weapons, and we don’t have a second amendment in Canada, so weapons are not allowed.”
7. ”My cousin made a fork out of tinfoil, and he got arrested.”

Another Weird Canada Facts video by Jackson

Jackson blew up TikTok with another video explaining how iced coffee is illegal in Canada. He commented that KFC is now sponsoring the entire Canadian government (bringing an additional revenue of $300 million to the country).

Final Words

Whether forks are illegal in Canada or not, TikToker Taylor Jackson truly nailed it with his bogus but hilarious content. Canadians might be angry, but they can confuse the outside world at least!