432-00064 (Environment)

The Government is committed to the health and safety of Canadians, their environment and their food supply.  Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) continues to diligently ensure that only pest control products meeting our stringent health and environmental standards are approved for use in Canada. Pesticides are regulated under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA), which is administered by Health Canada, to protect Canadians and their environment from risks associated with the use of pesticides.  If the use of a pesticide poses unacceptable risks to human health or the environment, it is not registered or otherwise authorized for use in Canada.

Federal, provincial/territorial and municipal governments have shared responsibilities for regulating pesticides. While Health Canada registers pesticides, it does not decide whether those products will be used for forestry or any other purpose. Permitting or restricting the use of federally approved pesticides falls under the authority of the province, for both provincial crown land and privately held land within the province.  The  use of a herbicide in forestry operations is subject to the relevant provincial requirements. For example, in some provinces, such as Ontario,  forest management plans must include the pesticides that are expected to be used in forestry operations. While there are some differences from province to province, the approval of plans generally fall under the jurisdiction of a provincial natural resources department.

Provincial responsibilities for pesticides also include, but are not limited to, regulating the sale, use, transportation, storage and disposal of pesticides. Provinces also conduct compliance monitoring that complements federal compliance programs, and issue spray licences and/or permits to pesticide applicators, operators and vendors. For example, the use of herbicides in forestry management may require the use of aerial application.  Pesticide regulators, generally located within provincial environment departments, issue site specific permits when any pesticide is applied by air. These provincial approvals are designed to complement the federal pesticide regulatory system.