What is the Ontario Pesticide Ban?

May 6th, 2009 | posted by helen

Effective April 22, 2009, Ontario has banned the use of more than 250 pesticides, and over 80 pesticide ingredients for cosmetic use. The ban, which is now law across the province of Ontario, bans the sale of pesticides "for cosmetic purposes on lawns, gardens, parks and school yards, and includes many herbicides, fungicides and insecticides".

Find out more about how this ban might affect you as a homeowner, and how you take care of your lawn this summer without pesticides.

The law is designed to replace existing municipal laws, so for cities like Toronto which had their own ban, those bans have now been replaced by this Ontario-wide ban on pesticides.

Pesticides and the Homeowner

If you previously used pesticides on your lawn or garden, you can now no longer do that. There are no exceptions for pesticides on lawns, vegetable and ornamental gardens, patios, driveways, cemeteries, and in parks and school yards.

If you need to use pest control, you can use biopesticides or lower risk pesticides to control pests and weeds. If a pesticide contractor uses one of these products on your property, they must post a notice on your lawn. This is designed to let the public know that something has been used, and that the product is not illegal.

According to the Toronto Star, If you have pesticides on your property, you must dispose of them through your municipal hazardous waste collection. Those who ignore the ban will first be warned, but will later be fined. Rules for selling the banned products will slowly be phased in, and by 2011 the products will be locked behind glass or otherwise kept away from customers.

Controlling Weeds and Pests Without Pesticides

Lawns and Grass with No Pesticides

The Ontario Government recommends using natural methods for a healthy lawn. These tips are covered in more detail on the MoE website.

Aerate
Overseed
Mow smarter
Feed it naturally
Water wisely
Pluck weeds by hand

Gardening Without Pesticides

The following tips are given by the Ontario Government for healthy pesticide-free gardening. The tips are also covered in more detail on the MoE website.

Mulching
Manual controls (Handpicking, Copper barriers, Cutworm collars, Diatomaceous earth, Water spraying)
Cleaning up
Selecting the right plants
Encourage natural predators
Vegetable gardens
Amend the soil

Pesticide Ban Exceptions

The Ontario Government states that there are some exceptions "for public health or safety reasons". Those exceptions are stated to include controlling West Nile Virus, controlling poisonous plants such as poison ivy, and controlling wasps and other stinging insects. Agriculture and forestry is also excluded from the ban.

Following are other exceptions to the ban, although you should absolutely check the MoE website which lists the specific exceptions and provisions before choosing to use a pesticide.