City Council in Ontario, Canada to Vote on Pesticide Ban

To spray, or not to spray?

That question may finally be answered over the next few weeks, when the city council reconvenes to consider a proposed bylaw to ban pesticide use in Oakville, Ontario, Canada.

After hearing from 39 delegations during two marathon meetings this week, councillors ran out of time Tuesday night to debate and vote on the issue.

A date for a decision-making meeting has yet to be determined, but is expected to take place before the end of February. Once established, the date will be publicized by the town clerk, and posted on the Town's web site.

The bylaw being considered would ban the use of pesticides within the town's boundaries, except on land used for the commercial production of food, and on golf courses accredited in Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques.

Pesticides would still be allowed for the purposes of controlling termites, rodents and other plants or organisms harmful to human health. They would also be permitted as wood preservatives, in swimming pools, tree injections, inside buildings and to purify water.

A councilman proposed the bylaw, which would take effect on Jan. 1, 2008, to protect the health of residents from the "non-essential" use of pesticides.

However, over the 10 hours of meetings held Monday and Tuesday night, council heard a variety of opinions on the health risks of pesticide use.

Cam Davreux, an Oakville resident employed by CropLife Canada, the association of pesticide manufacturers, argued that most lawn and garden care products are less harmful than many other chemicals people use regularly.

"Caffeine is more toxic than 75 per cent of the pesticides in use in Canada today," he said, adding that gasoline fumes are a known carcinogen. "As a homeowner, I'd like to have the right to maintain our property with these federally-regulated products.'

Ljuba Simovic, a local retired chemical engineer, told council she thinks much of the pesticide issue is based on fear and ignorance, and that neither the public, nor councillors have a good understanding of the variety of different pesticide formulations or their chemical properties.

She noted that people use a variety of chemicals in their everyday life - from toothpaste and shaving cream to dishwasher soap - and understand that those products could be harmful if they aren't used with common sense.

But council also heard from a number of delegations outlining studies that suggest links between pesticides and human health problems.

Representatives from the Canadian Cancer Society, the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, the Ontario College of Family Physicians and the Registered Nurses Association of Ontario all urged councillors to adopt a pesticide ban.

"We need to be reducing our chemical burden, and this is such an obvious area because there are safe and effective alternatives," said naturopathic doctor Erika Ristok.

Added Liz Benneian, president of the Oakvillegreen Conservation Association: "This is a public health issue. We need to put our children's health above corporate profits."

The owner of a local lawn care franchise told councillors that alternatives are available to replace pesticides and maintain healthy lawns.

"It's becoming easier every year," said Lech Sobun, noting that organic products have become more widely available and less expensive.

Some delegations questioned whether council should be even considering a pesticide ban, given that the issue wasn't widely debated during last November's municipal election, and that 52 per cent of voters in the 2003 municipal election said they didn't support such a ban.

"Bringing this forward now, I submit, is betrayal," said local resident Douglas Hauser. "How many times does it take for no to be heard?"

His comments were echoed by Morris Lewicky, who added, "I think the next step will be to see council declare the dandelion the heritage flower of Oakville."