Let’s take the regional pesticide bans one step further, and bypass Health Canada in the process.

I’m bewildered at how local government can override all the data and research and chemists, ecologists, microbiologists, toxicologists, MD’s and Phd’s who work at Health Canada in the PMRA. That means the PMRA’s highly valued, educated, and respected scientists put in years of work for nothing? It certainly doesn’t guarantee the pesticide can be used.

Banning, or by passing restrictive legislation effectively making it impossible to use, should be a slap in the face to Health Canada. The end effect is something like ”We know what you say, but we don’t believe you.”

I would have thought the PMRA would have led the charge in defending their decisions when local governments start banning uses of federally approved products.

Then look at all the ripple effects with these localized bans.  That’s the major concern, and not just with pesticides, but with where the decision power comes down to uneducated individuals running the show.

Any half brained pesticide company is going to look at the situation in Canada and is going to stop submitting new products for registration.   Why spend all this cash at the Federal level only to have your product banned throughout the country.   And remember Structural Pest Control Industry is the smallest consumer of pesticides, so if they can take the same money and invest it in canola and wheat, or the golf course market, you know where we would stand.

The obvious solution?  Change the dynamics, and give the power to approve products to every level of government!

The City of Kamloops, or Peel Region, or all of Manitoba should have the right to approve pesticide products, if they have the power to ban. It only makes sense.

So no-brainer products like thyme oil will never make it to market in Canada.  This is approved by the EPA under 25b exemptions for products generally regarded as safe (GRAS). 

All the “green” and “safer” pesticides available in the US, like peppermint oil, garlic mists, DE and even natural py can be deemed exempt without any Ottawa intervention. Get your product labelled at your local city hall by paying for their next session’s coffee and cupcakes.

Then we can safely guarantee 75% control while homeowners buy US product from Amazon or drive to Walmart in Buffalo instead of calling you.

Sometimes logic prevails. But not often.