Ministry of Agriculture
Pesticide Laws and Regulations
Municipal and Regional Legislation
Pesticide By-laws:
The Community Charter gives local governments the ability to make pesticide by-laws. The by-laws may prohibit the use of pesticides for the purpose of maintaining outdoor trees, shrubs, flowers, other ornamental plants and turf on residential or municipal land. Local government pesticide by-laws do not apply to:
- exempted pesticides (Integrated Pest Management Act & Regulations)
- the management of pests that transmit human diseases (i.e. mosquitoes)
- the management of pests that impact agriculture
- residential areas of farms
- buildings or inside buildings
- land used for agriculture
Alien Invasive Pest By-Laws
The Community Charter also gives local governments the ability to make by-laws requiring control and eradication of alien invasive pests. The pests local governments can regulate include insects, weeds and vertebrates. They are listed at: http://www.bclaws.ca/EPLibraries/bclaws_new/document/ID/freeside/41_144_2004.
Pesticide Storage Building Code Requirements
The National Farm Building Code of Canada 1995 regulates pesticide storage facilities. Some municipalities have enacted this code. Where it is enacted the building code requires pesticide storage facilities:
- Have an impervious floor that is curbed to contain spills
- Identified with a sign at entrance stating Danger Chemical Storage- Authorized Person Only
- Separated from all food, feed and water supplies.
- Insulated and heated cabinet for chemicals requiring frost protection.
- Separate oxidizing and flammable chemicals.
Copies of the National Farm Building Code of Canada 1995 are available from http://www.nrc-cnrc.gc.ca/eng/ibp/irc/codes/95-farm-code.html.
Check with your local government to see if they have enacted any by-laws on pesticide use, by-laws on alien invasive pests, or the National Farm Building Code of Canada 1995.
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