If you have shopped for forks lately, you know the shelf looks different than it did a few years ago. Canada's single-use plastics rules changed what suppliers can legally sell, and a January 2026 court ruling has settled the matter for the foreseeable future. Here is what restaurants, cafes, food trucks and caterers in Atlantic Canada can actually put in their takeout bags in 2026, and how to pick between the options that remain.
Are plastic forks illegal in Canada?
For everyday takeout use, yes. Under the federal Single-use Plastics Prohibition Regulations, single-use plastic cutlery has been banned from manufacture and import since December 2022 and from sale since December 2023. The rules cover forks, knives, spoons, sporks and chopsticks made from or containing polystyrene or polyethylene, along with any plastic cutlery that cannot survive repeated washing (the test in the regulations is 100 dishwasher cycles).
The ban was challenged in court, and for a couple of years its future was uncertain. That ended in January 2026, when the Federal Court of Appeal upheld the federal decision that underpins the regulations, so the prohibition stands. Practically speaking: if someone offers you a deal on polystyrene forks, walk away. They cannot legally be sold in Canada.
What cutlery can restaurants still buy?
Three options are compliant and easy to source wholesale:
- Wooden cutlery. Birchwood forks, knives, spoons and sporks are the straight swap for old-style plastic. No plastic content, no regulatory questions, and they are available in bulk boxes or individually wrapped.
- Bagasse and moulded fibre. Cutlery pressed from sugarcane fibre is sturdier than most people expect and pairs naturally with bagasse containers and plates if you already run a compostable line.
- Reusable-grade polypropylene. Plastic cutlery is still legal if it is built for reuse: heavy polypropylene that keeps its shape through repeated washing. It costs more per piece, so it makes sense for dine-in or catering where it actually gets washed, not for takeout bags.
One trap to avoid: compostable bioplastic cutlery (PLA or CPLA). The regulations treat compostable plastics as plastics, so most of it fails the same durability test as the old stock. If it looks and feels like plastic, get the supplier to confirm in writing that it complies before you buy.
Wood vs. plastic cutlery: how they compare in real use
Cost. Expect to pay more per piece for wood than you did for old-style plastic, but case pricing narrows the gap quickly. Ordering by the case instead of the sleeve is the easiest way to bring the unit price down, and cutlery is rarely the line item that breaks a food budget.
Performance. Birch is rigid and handles hot food without softening or melting. Lighter weights can feel rough with dense or acidic dishes; moving up a weight or choosing a smooth-finish line fixes most complaints. Match the piece to the menu: a flat wooden taster spoon will not get anyone through a bowl of chowder.
Disposal. Wood reads well with customers and, in much of Atlantic Canada, it can go in the green cart with food scraps. Nova Scotia has kept organics out of landfills for years, and many New Brunswick communities, including greater Moncton, run curbside organics programs. Check your local rules before you print compostability claims on a menu.
Buying tips before you place an order
Wrapped or bulk? Individually wrapped kits with a napkin are the safe pick for delivery apps and catering drop-offs. Bulk boxes cost less per piece and suit counter dispensers. Many operators stock both: bulk at the counter, kits for delivery orders.
Order to your real usage. Cutlery is easy to overbuy because it is cheap per piece. If you have never set par levels for disposables, our guide to calculating par levels for disposables walks through the math in a few minutes.
Do not run down old plastic stock. The sale ban generally covers handing prohibited cutlery to customers with an order, even at no charge, so a leftover case of polystyrene forks is not something to quietly use up. Ask your municipality about proper disposal.
Related reading and where to buy
Fulji Trading stocks wooden cutlery, wrapped cutlery kits and the rest of your disposables wall at our Moncton cash-and-carry (61 Halifax Street), with wholesale supply across New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and PEI.