General
BACKGROUNDER: Busting the myths about cosmetic pesticide bans (EcoJustice) worth repeating every year at this time when cosmetic pesticide use starts in earnest.Well-researched 10 point backgrounder. Full of links.
Summary of Pesticide Regulations across Canada (Federal, Provincial and Municipal): Urban Landscapes FINAL DRAFT (British Columbia Landscape & Nursery Association. 2019) includes list of products banned and List of Canadian municipalities with pesticide bylaws. Population Statistics by Municipality (June 2016 update) is no longer available. The lack of adequate protection from unwanted exposure to lawn pesticides at the federal and provincial level has fueled a growing surge in municipal pesticide ordinances designed to enhance the protection of public health and the environment.
Cosmetic Pesticides – Provincial Policies & Municipal Bylaws: Lessons Learned & Best Practices (Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 2016) As of June 2016 the aggregate number of municipal by-laws in Canada totaled over 200.
Environmental groups claim victory for municipal, provincial pesticide bans (Ecojustice, Jun 24, 2011) In a settlement reached between the Canadian government and Dow, Dow waived its legal actions and claims and accepted no compensation, implicitly confirming the legality under NAFTA of Quebec’s ban on the cosmetic use of 2, 4-D herbicides.
A Chemical Reaction – movie trailer Scroll down to Healthy Garden and Lawn care. A Chemical Reaction is a movingdocumentary tracing the rise of the natural lawn care movement in Canada and the U.S., and the success Canadians — and a few U.S. communities — have had in reducing and eliminating cosmetic pesticide use. The National Coalition for Pesticide-Free Lawns, led by PAN Partner Beyond Pesticides, provides information on pesticides, safe pest-control how to's, links to local groups and organizing tools to help you get dangerous pesticides off your lawn and help others do the same. Buy the movie (scroll down, to the bottom right) from SafeLawns.org.
Timeline on Pesticide By-laws & Non-essential Use in Canada
Banning Cosmetic Pesticide Use Collection of materials in support of municipal and province-wide pesticide bans by the Canadian EnvironmentalLaw Association (CELA).
Court of Appeal Upholds Toronto Pesticide Bylaw
Is Halifax's pesticide bylaw working? You bet!
Ontario and Nova Scotia lead the way on pesticide bans (May 17, 2011) The David Suzuki Foundation's second 'Pesticide-Free Oui' report found that some of the safest lawns and gardens in the country can be found in Ontario and Nova Scotia, thanks to strong laws that ban the use of cosmetic pesticides. The report also finds that Quebec, the first province in the country to have a ban, is now lagging behind. accompanying press release
Pesticide Free? Oui! (first report) analyzes the strengths and weaknesses of Quebec’s Pesticides Management Code, the first provincial ban in Canada on the use and sale of certain cosmetic pesticides. The report makes recommendations for developing province-wide bans on cosmetic pesticides in other provinces, based on the Quebec experience, and for strengthening existing policy in Quebec.
Report available to download in English and French. Paper copies can be ordered for $10.00.
Halifax: How the list of allowable pesticide products (Administrative Order 23) came to be
The Impact of By-Laws and Public Education Programs on reducing the Cosmetic/Non-Essential Residential Use of Pesticides: A Best Practice Review. Bylaws work and education alone does not. Full report; for Power Point
Lawn and Order: Pesticide Bylaws by Wendy Mesley and CBC MARKETPLACE http://www.cbc.ca/marketplace/
October 10th, 2007 7:30pm NO LONGER ON LINE, WHY? This program exposed how stores in municipalities with bylaws encourage home owners to break the law.
To Spray or not to Spray --CBC Marketplace - Broadcast: October 12, 1999 Canadians use hundreds and thousands of kilograms of pesticides -weed killers and insecticides- on their lawns. http://www.cbc.ca/consumers/market/files/health/lawnchem/index.html NO LONGER ON LINE- IS IT TOO LONG AGO?
Pesticide Bylaws: Why We Need Them; How To Get Them By Merryl Hammond Ph.D., Citizens for Alternatives to Pesticides (CAP), 150 pages, illustrated, published April 1995. Cost $20 plus $5 postage; make check payable to Merryl Hammond, and mail to #6 Sunny Acres, Baie d’Urfe, Quebec H9X 3B6. To order, contact Merryl Hammond by phone (514) 457-4347, by fax (514) 457-4840, or by email, merryl.hammond@videotron.ca This is a very useful and comprehensive guide - well worth ordering. OCTOBER 2012: THE BOOK IS NOW OUTDATED AND OUT OF PRINT.