November 27, 2019
Pesticide Act amendments proposed by Ontario Government
The Ontario Government is proposing amendments to province’s Pesticide Act, including the removal of the Ontario Pesticide Advisory Committee (OPAC).
“We are proposing to end Ontario’s duplicative classification of pesticides and align with the federal government’s pesticide categories, as other provinces do,” the Ontario Government stated in a media release. “Health Canada’s PMRA [Pest Management Regulatory Agency] is resourced and equipped to review and register pesticides for all of Canada, something all other provinces have recognized. Ontario would continue to maintain Ontario’s general regulatory requirements, including licensing and permitting realigned to the federal categories.”
The general cosmetic pesticides ban will be retained, including existing exceptions, but a single list of permitted pesticides would replace the current classes.
“Eliminating Ontario’s classification process would also remove administrative cost and time delays associated with the application and classification process, improving the efficiency in accessing pesticides for sale and use in Ontario,” the government stated. “Positive impacts are also estimated for small businesses and farmers by making pesticides immediately available for sale and use upon federal registration, eliminating the time-lag in pesticides available in Ontario compared to those available in other provinces.”
The comment period for the amendments was set to end on Dec. 12, 2019.
“We are proposing to end Ontario’s duplicative classification of pesticides and align with the federal government’s pesticide categories, as other provinces do,” the Ontario Government stated in a media release. “Health Canada’s PMRA [Pest Management Regulatory Agency] is resourced and equipped to review and register pesticides for all of Canada, something all other provinces have recognized. Ontario would continue to maintain Ontario’s general regulatory requirements, including licensing and permitting realigned to the federal categories.”
The general cosmetic pesticides ban will be retained, including existing exceptions, but a single list of permitted pesticides would replace the current classes.
“Eliminating Ontario’s classification process would also remove administrative cost and time delays associated with the application and classification process, improving the efficiency in accessing pesticides for sale and use in Ontario,” the government stated. “Positive impacts are also estimated for small businesses and farmers by making pesticides immediately available for sale and use upon federal registration, eliminating the time-lag in pesticides available in Ontario compared to those available in other provinces.”
The comment period for the amendments was set to end on Dec. 12, 2019.