In response to the recent article and letters concerning the Royal Canadian Mint's study into the possible introduction of a $5 coin to replace the current $5 bill and reduce the cost of producing currency, one fact seems to have eluded everybody. Savings could also be garnered by changing the current paper money to plastic.
Countries such as Australia and New Zealand have introduced bills made of plastic that last much longer than paper bills. So Canada could reduce the costs of producing money without adding to the weight of change in our pockets.