Changes to Saskatchewan’s Noxious Weed Act are in the works, but it will be a while before they are official.
Provincial weed specialist Clark Brenzil said the first round of consultations will take place this summer and fall and will include municipalities, producer and environmental organizations and industries that work in “critical pathways of spread.”
He is early in the process of examining how the legislation could and should be changed to fit the current environment and practices.
The act is 99 years old and was last revised in 1984.
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There is a long history of concern about weeds. An ordinance recommending action at early stages of growth can be found under Northwest Territories legislation from the 1800s, Brenzil said.
However, society and agriculture have changed.
“Some things are not as relevant as they used to be,” he said.
One example is the cost of destroying noxious weeds. The legislation lists a maximum expense of $100 per acre to a total maximum of $4,000 when rural municipalities have to destroy weeds.
Brenzil said inflation should be considered.
The act also includes a maximum fine of $500 for knowingly spreading noxious weeds or allowing them to flourish.
Brenzil said weed management has also changed, shifting from agricultural weeds to invasive species.
“The invasive plant concept evolves beyond agriculture,” he said.
“As weeds become more invasive they are recognized as a threat to the natural environment as well as agriculture.”
There is room in the act to add or remove plants and that may be an outcome of the consultations.
The act currently designates 41 plants as noxious weeds, including the ubiquitous dandelion and wild oat and the invasive leafy spurge and scentless chamomile.
