One of those is the Municipality of South Bruce that recently submitted a resolution dated January 8 to Saugeen Shores Town Council asking for support in its position.  According to the resolution, a provincial ban will send a signal to the public that pesticides are inherently dangerous whereas, South Bruce feels that the dangers are related more to irresponsible use than to the products themselves. 

Councilor, Victoria Serda, who lived on an organic farm in Oregon and who is an advocate for the environment said that, "There are 30 communities in Ontario that have passed pesticide use by-laws and more than 120 across Canada.  The entire Province of Quebec has banned them.  I, personally, spent more than 200 hours at university researching this subject.  Almost every medical organization, including the Canadian Cancer Society, College of Family Physicians and the World Health Organization (WHO), has come out against the use of pesticides because of the impact they have on the environment and human and animal health." 

In Canada, Quebec is the first province to have taken the lead on this issue by controlling, phasing in, then banning a whole list of pesticides from the market. 

Opposed to a complete ban, South Bruce is advocating instead that a 'Responsible Use Plan' be implemented rather than imposing a complete ban on cosmetic pesticide use. The plan would include:

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• a requirement for 'minimum training' for anyone wanting to purchase or apply urban pesticides which is similar to the Grower Pesticide Safety Certificate that is in the agricultural sector.
• a 'minimum training' requirement for vendors selling urban pesticides, also similar to the Vendor Pesticide Certificate in effect in Agriculture.
• 'some' pesticide schedules to be applied by professionals/licensed exterminators only
• a media campaign to educate homeowners on proper pesticide use and to discourage cosmetic  pesticide use. 

The agricultural community asserts it has been very proactive in the education, training, warehouse and application standards and licensing for pesticide use in agriculture. 

Councilor Fred Shildroth pointed out that, "This matter is clearly a Provincial Responsibility." 

Currently, the Ministry of the Environment in Ontario issues various licences to regular/commercial users of pesticides, such as commercial applicators and golf courses, through the Pesticides Act, Regulation 914.   

There is however, no formal on-going education or re-certification audit required for renewal of these licences.  As pesticides are currently a legal product, they are available for sale throughout the province, even in cities with pesticide by-laws in place.

Quebec's phased-in approach, on the other hand, has been to restrict and then remove the products themselves from store shelves.  

Saugeen Shores Town Council chose to support the Municipality of South Bruce in its resolution.   

For more information on the subject of pesticides visit sites:

www.cape.ca/toxics/pesticides.html

www.davidsuzuki.org

www.pesticidefree.ca