THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Province of British Columbia enact provincial legislation that will ban the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides province-wide.
Ministry of Environment British Columbia recognizes and relies on the mandate of the Federal government to determine acceptable uses of potentially dangerous chemicals. Nine pieces of Federal legislation apply to toxic substances in Canada. New and existing substances are primarily regulated by the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Food and Drugs Act, the Pest Control Products Act, the Hazardous Products Act, the Fertilizers Act, the Fisheries Act and the Feeds Act. Pesticides can only be used in Canada if they have been evaluated and registered by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada. Any user of a registered pesticide must follow the label directions under Federal regulation. Provincial law imposes additional requirements to control the use and sale of pesticides. Collectively, existing Federal and Provincial regulations ensure that pesticides used in the Province of British Columbia pose the minimum risk possible to human and environmental health. In February 2010, the Province concluded collecting opinions on the regulation of pesticides used for cosmetic purposes. It was clear from the submissions received that most people believed that pesticides should be used only when necessary. The government is currently considering various options to ensure that pesticides are used only when essential.