Vancouver councillors have approved a later start date for the city's new bylaws covering plastic shopping bags and single-use cups.

Businesses will have an additional year until Jan. 1, 2022, to prepare for the ban on plastic bags and the requirement to charge fees for the cups.

The city says in a release it remains committed to reducing waste and litter from single-use items, but businesses are facing challenges as the COVID-19 pandemic wears on, limiting their capacity to prepare for the new bylaws.

It says a public awareness campaign and tool kit for businesses will launch early next year.