Under the Pesticide Control Bylaw, you're permitted to apply pesticides on City lands and residential lots for controlling pests which have caused an infestation (as defined under the bylaw). But, the bylaw requires that the pesticides be applied by a provincially-certified pesticide applicator.
"Infestation" means the presence of a Pest in numbers or under conditions that involves an immediate risk of damage to property or significant financial loss in respect of the use of property. The determination of what is an infestation is left to a provincially certified pesticide applicator.
"Pests"are any unwanted organisms such as weeds, insects, fungus or rodents that may occur in your yard. A pesticide is a product used to control or destroy these "pests" and include herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and rodenticides, as well as weed and feed type products.
Pesticide may be applied to Private Lands or Public Lands for:
(a) controlling or destroying a Pest which has caused an Infestation; or
(b) ensuring the safety of pedestrian surfaces or sport surfaces,
provided that the application of the Pesticide is carried out by a Certified Applicator and by no other person.
Pesticides may also be used for the following:
(a) Agriculture and any other form of crop production on Agricultural Land;
(b) controlling a Pest on the residential portion of Agricultural Land;
(c) forestry operations;
(d) controlling or destroying a Noxious Weed;
(e) controlling a Pest on buildings or structures, or inside buildings or structures;
(f) low environmental and human health impact Pest control treatment with a Permitted Pesticide;
(g) managing of outbreaks of an introduced invasive exotic or foreign Pest;
(h) managing of Pests that threaten Sensitive Ecosystems;
(i) preventing the deterioration of hard landscapes;
(j) purifying water used for human or animal consumption; and
(k) responding to human or animal health issues.
Under the bylaw, you must avoid pest control products that contain the active ingredients such as: (Note: this is only a partial list.)
- 2,4-D
- Mecoprop
- Dicamba
- Glyphosate
- Carbaryl
- Diazinon
Note that the Bylaw doesn't apply to any control measures and/ or remedies regarding West Nile Virus, for public health reasons and not for landscape maintenance. But, it does include all pesticides used to control pests on lawns or in gardens on single family lands or on city lands, unless they are on the list of permitted pesticides in Schedule 2 of the Integrated Pest Management Act.
