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A bee collects pollen from a dandelion blossom on a lawn in Klosterneuburg

Since June 2001, when the Supreme Court of Canada upheld the pesticide by-law passed by the Town of Hudson, several municipalities in Ontario have implemented similar by-laws.  To date, Cobalt, Perth, Caledon, North Bay, Toronto, Peterborough,  The Archipelago and Thorold have passed by-laws to restrict pesticide use within their boundaries. Many others have opted to public education options.  This approach, however, provides limited protection to Ontario residents. (more…)

19 Apr 2013

Canadian Pesticide Bylaws

Canadian Pesticide Bylaws

The lack of adequate protection from unwanted exposure to lawn pesticides at the federal and provincial level has fueled a growing surge in municipal pesticide restrictions designed to enhance the protection of the environment and public health. The number of municipal/regional by-laws currently in place across Canada has now increased to 140. Many additional pesticide by-laws are at the draft stage pending adoption.

1286 municipalities of all sizes have passed or are under the protection of various forms of pesticide by-laws passed by their regions or provinces. The largest is the City of Toronto with a population of 2.5 million while some are as small as Lac- Saint-Joseph, Québec with a population of 229.

There are over 14 million Canadians, or approximately 44.3% of Canada’s total population (based on the 2006 Census), benefiting from enhanced protection from unwanted exposure to synthetic lawn and garden pesticides. This figure includes the enhanced province-wide protection provided under Québec’s Pesticide Management Code. There are 1141 municipalities (cities, villages and townships) within Québec.

Canada By population
Rank Municipality Prov Population Pesticide By-law Status
1-93 Quebec*  1141 municipalities QC 7 636 710 Adopted
94 Toronto ON 2 503 281 Adopted
95 Vancouver BC 578 041 Adopted
96 Hamilton ON 504 559 Adopted
97-103 Waterloo Region** ON 450 000 Adopted
104 Halifax Region NS 372 679 Adopted
105 London ON 352 395 Adopted
106 Markham ON 261 573 Adopted
107 Vaughan ON 238 866 Adopted
108 Windsor ON 208 402 Adopted
109 Oakville ON 157 000 Adopted
110 St Catherines ON 131989 Adopted
111 Kingston ON 117 207 Adopted
112 Guelph ON 114 943 Adopted
113 Peterborough ON 71 446 Adopted
114 Maple Ridge BC 70 000 Adopted
115 Newmarket ON 70 000 Adopted
116 North Bay ON 52 771 Adopted
117 Caledon ON 50 595 Adopted
118 New Westminster BC 54 656 Drafted
119 Georgina ON 45 000 Adopted
120 North Vancouver(City) BC 44 303 Adopted
121 West Vancouver BC 41 421 Adopted
122 Brandon MB 39 716 Adopted
123 Georgina ON 39 263 Adopted
124 Stratford ON 30 461 Adopted
125 Orangeville ON 25 248 Drafted
126 Port Moody BC 23 816 Adopted
127 Collingwood ON 22 662 Adopted
128 Thorold ON 18 048 Adopted
129 Cobourg ON 17 172 Adopted
130 North Vancouver (District) BC 16 774 Adopted
131 Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield ON 16 000 Adopted
132 Russell ON 13883 Adopted
133 Comox BC 12 200 Adopted
134 Nelson BC 9 298 Drafted
135 Perth ON 6 003 Adopted
136 Sackville NB 5 361 Adopted
137 Shediac NB 4 892 Adopted
138 Caraquet NB 4 442 Adopted
139 Deep river ON 4 000 Adopted
140 Invermere BC 4000 Drafted
141 Gibsons BC 3 906 Adopted
142 Cumberland BC 2 618 Adopted
143 Nipigon ON 2000 Adopted
144 St. Andrews NB 1 869 Adopted
145 Cobalt ON 1 229 Adopted
146 The Archipelago (Parry Sound) ON 505 Adopted
*Quebec Code – protects the entire province of Quebec, 1141 municipalities

**Waterloo, Kitchener, Wilmot, Cambridge, Woolwich, North Dumfries, Wellesley

 

Largest Cities Status – Total 5 427 089 Adopted

Rank Municipality Prov Population Pesticide By-law Status
1 Toronto ON 2 503 281 Adopted
2 Montreal QC 1 620 693 Adopted
3 Calgary AB 988 193 None
4 Ottawa ON 812 129 Report Pending
5 Edmonton AB 730 372 None
6 Missisauga ON 668 549 None
7 Winnipeg MB 633 451 Report Pending
8 Vancouver BC 578 041 Adopted
9 Hamilton ON 504 559 Adopted
10 Halifax NS 372 679 Adopted
11 London ON 352 395 Adopted

 

By Province

a. British Columbia – Total 950 259 Adopted and Drafted

Rank Municipality Prov Population Pesticide By-law Status
1 Vancouver BC 578041 Adopted
2 Burnaby BC 202 799 Drafted
3 Kelowna BC 106707 Drafted
4 North Vancouver (District) BC 82562 Adopted
5 Kamloops BC 80476 Drafted
6 Victoria BC 78057 Adopted
7 Maple Ridge (District) BC 68949 Adopted
8 New Westminster BC 58549 Drafted
9 North Vancouver (City) BC 45165 Adopted
10 West Vancouver BC 42131 Adopted
11 Port Moody BC 27512 Adopted
12 Courtenay BC 21940 Adopted
13 Salmon Arm BC 16012 Adopted
14 Comox BC 12136 Adopted
15 Nelson BC 9258 Drafted
16 Whistler BC 9248 Adopted
17 Sechelt BC 8454 Adopted
18 Gibsons BC 4182 Adopted
19 Invermere BC 4000 Drafted
20 Cumberland BC 2762 Adopted

 

b. Ontario – Total 3 991 883  Adopted

Rank Municipality Prov Population Pesticide By-law Status
1 Toronto ON 2 503 281 Adopted
2 Hamilton ON 504 559 Adopted
3-9 Waterloo Region* ON 508 000 Adopted
10 Markham ON 261 573 Adopted
11 London ON 352 395 Adopted
12 Windsor ON 208 402 Adopted
13 Vaughan ON 238 866 Adopted
14 Oakville ON 144 738 Adopted
15 St Catherines ON 131989 Adopted
16 Guelph ON 114 943 Adopted
17 Kingston ON 117 207 Adopted
18 Waterloo ON 97 475 Drafted
19 Pickering ON 87 139 Drafted
20 Peterborough ON 71 445 Adopted
21 New Market ON 65 788 Adopted
22 North Bay ON 52 771 Adopted
23 Caledon ON 50 595 Adopted
24 Cornwall ON 45 965 Drafted
25 Georgina ON 39 263 Adopted
26 Stratford ON 30 461 Adopted
27 Orangeville ON 25 248 Adopted
28 Thorold ON 18 048 Adopted
29 Cobourg ON 17 172 Adopted
30 Collingwood ON 16 039 Adopted
31 Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield ON 16 000 Adopted
32 Russell ON 13883 Adopted
33 Perth ON 6 003 Adopted
34 Gananoque ON 5 167 Adopted
35 Deep river ON 4 000 Adopted
36 Georgian Bay ON 2 230 Adopted
37 Nipigon ON 2 000 Adopted
38 Cobalt ON 1 229 Adopted
39 The Archipelago (Parry Sound) ON 505 Adopted

*Waterloo, Kitchener, Wilmot, Cambridge, Woolwich, North Dumfries, Wellesley

 

c. Quebec – Total 7 356 128 –  Province-wide ban in force 2006

Rank Municipality Prov Population Pesticide By-law Status
1-93 All Municipalities QC 7 356 128 Adopted

 

d. New Brunswick – Total 16 561 Adopted

Rank Municipality Prov Population Pesticide By-law Status
1 Saint John NB 69 661 Drafted
2 Moncton NB 61 046 Drafted
3 Sackville NB 5 360 Adopted
4 Shediac NB 4 892 Adopted
5 Caraquet NB 4 442 Adopted
6 St. Andrews NB 1 869 Adopted

 

e. Nova Scotia – Total 359 111

Rank Municipality Prov Population Pesticide By-law Status
1 Halifax NS 372 679 Adopted

 

f. Manitoba – Total 39 716

Rank Municipality Prov Population Pesticide By-law Status
1 Brandon MB 39 716 Adopted

 

Percentage by Province

Rank Province Population Percentage
1 Quebec 7 356 128 100%
2 Ontario 3 503 222 29 %
3 British Columbia 707 999 20 %
4 New Brunswick 16 561 2 %
5 Nova Scotia 359 111 38 %
6 Manitoba 39 716 4%

 

For municipalities in the provinces of Québec and Nova Scotia, their authority is in addition based upon provincial legislation, including in the case of Québec a province-wide restriction on the sale and use of many chemical pesticides. The authority of municipalities to pass such bylaws in the Province of Ontario has been strengthened by a superior court ruling.

Related By-laws (Topsoil)

1 St. John’s NF 99 182 Adopted
2 Moncton NB 61 046 Adopted
3 Mount Pearl NF 24 964 Adopted

19 Apr 2013