Whereas anticoagulant rodenticides are highly toxic, persistent and bioaccumulative compounds used to eliminate rodent populations that pose serious threats to BC wildlife including raptors, songbirds, coyotes, snakes, raccoons, owls and the environment including aquatic ecosystems through primary and secondary poisoning of non-target species placing owls and raptors are at a particularly high risk of secondary poisoning because of their dependence on rodents as a food source; And whereas anticoagulant rodenticides are an ineffective and counterproductive means of controlling rodent populations long-term because they fail to address the root of the infestation problems ie access to food, shelter and other attractants and kill predators that serve as natural and chemical-free methods of pest control eg. a single owl eats around 1,000 rats per year; And whereas local governments have passed motions to ban the use of anticoagulant rodenticides on city-owned property and have petitioned the BC government to implement a province-wide ban because existing risk mitigation measures implemented by federal and provincial governments are inadequately addressing the threats that anticoagulant rodenticides pose to the environment, wildlife and human health: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM request that the Province implement a province-wide ban on the sale, purchase and use of anticoagulant rodenticides, and call for the Minister of Health to initiate a special review of the regulation of anticoagulant rodenticides.
Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy The Province jointly regulates pesticide use with Health Canadas Pest Management Regulatory Agency PMRA to ensure pesticides pose minimal risks to people and the environment. The PMRA evaluates pesticides for their potential impacts, establishes restrictions to mitigate unreasonable risks, and approves their sale for use in Canada. The PMRA periodically re-evaluate their assessment and ensure recent scientific findings are considered. The PMRA also chairs a Federal, Provincial, Territorial Committee on Pest Management where BC can ensure environmental and public health concerns are considered. In addition to the regular re-evaluations, the PMRA can also initiate a Special Review of a pesticide if there is enough new scientific evidence to suggest that an approved pesticide presents a significant health or environmental risk. The Province is able to participate in these re-evaluations. The Province further regulates pesticide use through the Integrated Pest Management Act IPMA and Regulation IPMR which aims to protect human health and the environment. The IPMR is administered by the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy, and defines which pesticide uses require an authorization, establishes additional environmental and human health protection standards, and sets minimum training requirements for pesticide users. The ministry understands that managing rodent populations is important for several reasons, including public health and safety e.g., disease transmission, electrical hazards and environmental protection. However, all pesticide use should only be considered within an Integrated Pest Management IPM program. A key principle of rodent IPM is the focus on long-term solutions with an emphasis on prevention methods such as removal of rodent attractants. If these measures are not sufficient to reduce pest populations, control measures, including rodenticides and alternatives to pesticides, may be warranted. The ministry maintains a commitment to protect wildlife from adverse impacts resulting from pesticide use and is concerned about recent reports of wildlife poisoning from the use of certain rodenticides. On July 21, 2021, a Ministers Order was issued under Section 8 of the IPMA which bans the sale and use in BC of second-generation anticoagulant rodenticides SGARs that contain brodifacoum, bromadiolone or difethialone as the active ingredient. The Ministers Order will be in place for 18 months while ministry staff undertake a science review to better understand the risks of SGARs to wildlife and determine mitigation methods. Recommendations based on the outcome of the science review will be used to inform future policy options. Exemptions to the ban are being provided for essential services and agricultural operators. Essential services have been identified to avoid disruption to critical safety and food supply functions in the province and were based on the COVID-19 essential services provincial list. Essential services include businesses and services for public health and safety, critical infrastructure, food supply, transportation, sanitation, communications and information technology and mortuary related services. Other uses of SGARs not identified as essential are banned. For example, SGARs cannot be used in or around most residential buildings, office buildings, parks, schools or non-food retail shops. In addition to imposing a temporary ban on the use of SGARs, ministry staff are taking action to address risks associated with the use of rodenticides, including: - Conducting compliance inspections of vendors and users to ensure the products are only being used by certified operators for essential services and that an integrated pest management approach is being utilized prior to pesticide use; - Raising awareness with rodenticide users on the impacts of misusing rodenticides with an emphasis that prevention is the best long-term strategy; - Coordinating with Indigenous Peoples, local government, and provincial and national wildlife experts; - Developing education materials for the public and agricultural operators to better manage rodents as part of an integrated pest management program; and - Updating materials used by individuals intending to become certified to apply or sell rodenticides. Details of the ban, including a recorded presentation explaining the changes, are available at: www.gov.bc.caRodentIPM