Cosmetic pesticides could soon become legal again in Manitoba for some uses.
On March 14 the province introduced amendments to the Environment Act, which would allow homeowners to apply Health Canada approved pesticides in their yards. Municipalities would be permitted to spray pesticides on areas like boulevards, sidewalks, rights-of-way and fairgrounds.
Jeff Wharton, Manitoba’s environment minister, said the province will now rely on the expertise of federal scientists to determine whether pesticides are safe.
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“Health Canada approves all cosmetic pesticides used in Canada, which must meet strict health and safety measures,” he said. “The federal government has a robust approval process that assesses the risk of pesticides to human health and the environment, and they have deemed products safe when used appropriately.”
The amendments will partially reverse Manitoba’s ban on cosmetic pesticides. The former NDP government introduced the ban in 2013 and it became law in 2015.
The legislation prohibited pesticide use on lawns, gardens, school grounds, playing fields, health-care centres and most green spaces.
As a result, homeowners were not permitted to use Roundup and other products to kill dandelions on their lawns.
The NDP, at the time, said the ban was necessary to protect the health of children.
“Medical experts are clear that synthetic chemical lawn pesticides pose risks to human health, especially in the early stages of life,” said former conservation minister Gord Mackintosh.
The legislation didn’t apply to farms but agriculture groups in Manitoba pushed back against the government, arguing the ban wasn’t based in science. As well, the ban suggested that pesticides were a serious health risk to the public.
“MBP (Manitoba Beef Producers) has concerns regarding the artificial distinction being made between so called cosmetic use of pesticides and agricultural use,” MBP said in a 2014 letter to the province.
“We do not believe that products can be considered safe in one environment and toxic in another. It is our view that this distinction between different uses of products sends an unfortunate (and ultimately dangerous) mixed message to the public at large.”
The proposed amendments to the legislation will extend the ban on cosmetic pesticides for certain uses.
“New provisions would restrict pesticide use in municipal playgrounds, dog parks, picnic areas and provincial parks. The legislation would maintain protections for schools, child-care centres and hospitals,” the province said.
The Association of Manitoba Municipalities supports the proposal. For the last eight years, municipalities have used expensive organic pesticides to control weeds and other pests.
“The (regulation) increased costs tenfold for some municipalities that were forced to use alternative products which proved ineffective,” the AMM said in a release.
The Manitoba Nursery Landscape Association also praised the proposed changes to the pesticide ban.
“We support the Province of Manitoba’s decision to rely on Health Canada for science-based regulation and information on the products used to protect the health of Manitoba green spaces.”
Contact robert.arnason@producer.com
