Extracts from HRM Council Meeting Minutes for 2004  related to the Pesticide By-law

 

Full minutes can be viewed in PDF documents available at

 

http://www.region.halifax.ns.ca/council/minit2004.html

 

 

April 6, 2004

 

5. PESTICIDE BY-LAW / INSECTICIDE PERMIT PROCESS

 

C A report dated March 1, 2004 prepared for Mayor Kelly and Members of Halifax Regional Council was submitted.

 

C Correspondence dated March 29, 2004 from Dr. Jacobo and Mrs. Erlinda Aslincion was submitted.

 

C Correspondence dated March 28, 2004 from Lisa Comeau was submitted.

 

C Correspondence dated April 2, 2004 from Jane Trible to was submitted.

 

C Correspondence dated March 24, 2004 from David G. Patriquin, Professor of Biology, Dalhousie University was submitted.

 

C Correspondence dated March 27, 2004 from Cathy McNeil was submitted.

 

C Correspondence dated April 6, 2004 from Marek Roland, M.Sc., Ph.D. was submitted.

 

Mr. Stephen King, Manager-Sr. Advisor, SSRM, Environmental Management Services addressed Council and outlined the submitted report, noting that this was the fifth year of the bylaw and that it appears to be meeting the fundamental intent, which is human health and environmental protection. Highlights of Mr. King's presentation are as follows:

 

< with respect to effectiveness of the bylaw, a major report was recently released in the Toronto area concerning 'best practices' review of bylaws that have been

carried out in Canada, United States and Europe. Of the nine top programs in Canada, United States and Europe, HRM had the highest compliance rates and lowest per capita cost.

 

< areas specified in the report for enhancement are currently being actioned, e.g.

fine tuning with the bylaw, handling of data, and online registration.

 

< important to continue to encourage and influence the Provincial and Federal

Governments.

 

< last year, the hardest hit area was the pest permit process, which had a twentyfold increase. Due to timing and requests, it was difficult to adjust the budget at that time and resulted in an approximate $20,000 over budget.

 

< over the past few weeks, staff have held meetings with stakeholders to improve, enhance and ensure the integrity of the bylaw is maintained.

 

< IPM type of system - staff concluded that there would not be a significant

savings financially or time-wise, and there would also be cost predictability

issues.

 

< 'Self Permitting' with one particular group may cause an unlevel playing field for

others in the industry.

 

< Federally, many of the products registered for lawn care, particularly for chinch

bug, have come off the market; therefore, staff want to be cautious they don't set

up an elaborate permitting system that would be rendered moot when all of

these products come off the market.

 

In concluding his remarks, Mr. King advised that it is the view of staff to continue with an enhanced independent third party system that can incorporate some of the principles that industry has through IPM, as well as some of the suggestions from the community advocacy groups. This is an integrated and strategic approach with a philosophy of "Prevention at Source".

 

MOVED by Councillor Uteck, seconded by Councillor Cunningham that:

 

1. Regional Council continue to support an enhanced, qualified third party

pesticide permitting approach as described in this report.

 

2. A letter from the Mayor and Regional Council be forwarded to the Federal

Minister of Health, specifically requesting that federal recommendations to

improve human health and environmental protection through proposed and

approved changes in the Federal Pest Control Products Act and the Pest

Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) be expedited. Further, that the

PMRA expedite the process to bring safer pest control products onto the

market, as requested by the House of Commons Standing Committee on the

Environment and Sustainable Development.

 

3. A letter from the Mayor and Regional Council be forwarded to the Provincial

Minister of Environment and Labour, specifically requesting that where

possible, pesticide use information collected through the provincial pesticide

applicators certification programs be made available to HRM to help better

determine trends and overall pesticide use. Further, the Nova Scotia

Department of the Environment and Labour look at enhancing its public

education and awareness efforts towards more sustainable landscape

maintenance practices including working more closely with the landscape

industry, community and HRM.

 

MOVED by Councillor Mosher, seconded by Councillor Hendsbee that the motion be amended to include:

 

4. A letter from the Mayor and Regional Council be forwarded to the Provincial

Minister of Health, the Minister of Health Promotion, and the Minister of

Environment and Labour requesting financial contributions towards the costs

of public education and awareness campaign on sustainable alternatives to

pesticides.

 

Mr. King responded to questions from Council.

In response to a question by Councillor Hendsbee regarding whether the chemicals used in the application process were mixed at a company factory, or if they were mixed at the site to be applied, Mr. King advised he would follow up with the Department of Environment on this issue.

 

Councillor Hum indicated she was pleased with the process, however she felt there was room for improvement, and made the following points:

 

< the terminology 'IPM' should be removed from the document, and instead

encourage no use of pesticides

< ensure that sustainable practices are used

< the protection of notifying people that are impacted by pesticide spraying

reinforced in the education literature.

< organic certified inspectors be considered for the program

 

Following further questions with Mr. King responding,

THE AMENDMENT WAS VOTED ON AND PASSED.

THE MOTION, AS AMENDED, WAS VOTED ON AND PASSED.

 

 

 

 

April 13, 2004

 

11. MOTIONS

 

11.1 Councillor Smith

MOVED by Councillor Smith, seconded by Councillor Sarto, that Council request a

staff report regarding possible amendments to the appropriate municipal by-law

relating to a requirement to ensure that foundations for turf in new development have

a minimum depth of topsoil and the soil have a certain mixture or level of compost

added, and that compost in this instance not include bio-solids.

 

MOTION PUT AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

 

 

April 27, 2004

 

9.1.4 Request for Proposal 04-070, Property Pesticide Application

Assessment Program

 

Ä A report prepared for Mr. George McLellan, Chief Administrative Officer, dated April 19, 2004, on the above noted, was before Council.

 

MOVED by Councillor Goucher, seconded by Councillor Hum, that Regional Council approve the award of Request for Proposals #04-070 to the Ecology Action Centre in the amount of $71,791.44 (plus net HST) from Operating Account #D940-6999 and D945-6999. Funding is to be authorized as per the Budget Implications section of the report.

 

In response to Councillor Sarto, Mr. Stephen King, Manager, Strategic and Sustainable Resource Mgmt., advised that there will be an educational component as part of this process confirming that the permit application is on line.

MOTION PUT AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.

 

 

May 6, 2004

 

12.2 Pesticide By-Law / Insecticide Permit Process

 

Ä This matter was considered at the In Camera session of Halifax Regional Council held earlier today and was now before Council for consideration.

 

MOVED by Councillor Uteck, seconded by Councillor Fougere that:

 

1. Regional Council continue to support an enhanced, qualified third party

pesticide permitting approach as described in this report.

 

2. A letter from the Mayor and Regional Council be forwarded to the Federal

Minister of Health, specifically requesting that federal recommendations to

improve human health and environmental protection through proposed and

approved changes in the Federal Pest Control Products Act and the Pest

Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) be expedited. Further, that the

PMRA expedite the process to bring safer pest control products onto the

market, as requested by the House of Commons Standing Committee on the Environment and Sustainable Development.

 

3. A letter from the Mayor and Regional Council be forwarded to the

Provincial Minister of Environment and Labour, specifically requesting

that where possible, pesticide use information collected through the

provincial pesticide applicators certification programs be made

available to HRM to help better determine trends and overall pesticide

use. Further, the Nova Scotia Department of the Environment and

Labour look at enhancing its public education and awareness efforts

towards more sustainable landscape maintenance practices including

working more closely with the landscape industry, community and

HRM.

 

4. A letter from the Mayor and Regional Council be forwarded to the

Provincial Minister of Health, the Minister of Health Promotion, and the

Minister of Environment and Labour requesting financial contributions

towards the costs of public education and awareness campaign on

sustainable alternatives to pesticides.

 

MOTION PUT AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.