EarthCare requests public notification for Pesticide Spraying

May 26, 2003 Presentation to Kelowna

Dear Mayor and Council

The Canadian EarthCare Society appears before you today requesting you consider two recommendations:

1.      Council directs the establishment of a Pesticide Exemption Registry. And further, that

2.      Council establishes a committee to draft a Pesticide Right To Know Bylaw for the City of Kelowna.

Here’s how the Pesticide Exemption Registry Program works:

-         A computer database is established. Residents or homeowners, who wish, may register their home as a pesticide free zone. By registering the resident is then guaranteed that they will be notified by any professional applicator hired or assigned to spray a neighbouring residence or lot.

-         Spray applicators contacts database to see if there are any neighbours registered. Applicator notifies neighbours.

-         Proper notification includes advance notice by a mailbox flyer AND advance notice by either telephone/fax or email of those registered. It remains the responsibility of the applicator to insure notification is provided.

What are the costs?

A basic database may be easily established on city computers or existing current data banks expanded or utilized. After initial program is established it would simply be a matter of entering data. (Registration may be set up by phone, answering machine message, email, or fax or the. Residents simply provide information needed on registry form.

A Pesticide Right To Know Bylaw Committee could:

-         Make recommendations to Council on the criteria of said bylaw considering such things as Proper Notification, public information packages, guidelines for enforcement, and establishment of fines or penalties, etc.

-         Consult with various stakeholders including commercial and other applicators, other municipalities with similar bylaws, other related experts, etc.

-         Reduce pesticide use initially through educational programs

Benefits of a Right To Know Bylaw include:

-         Establishing standards in criteria, signage, and penalties.

-         Allows for the possibility to establish guidelines that may also help protect residents from unsafe pesticide use by other neighbours. (It’s anticipated that eventually either Kelowna or provincial/federal government guidelines will impose a ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides.) Until then the ‘right to know’ bylaw will have a positive impact).

What Constitutes ‘Proper Notice’?

-         A flyer delivered to a residential mailbox or slot that instructs the owner of:  the scheduled time and location of spray application, name of the spray, name and contact number of the applicator. We suggest a minimum of 24 hours advance notice.

-         Either a phone call, fax or email (as specified by the resident when registering) with the same information as preceding paragraph. We suggest a minimum of 24 hours notice.

-         Signage posted on edge of property alerting pedestrians, pet owners etc that an area has been treated. Signage should include name of pesticide, time and date of application, and possible side effects. Suggest signage be consistent in size and format for easy recognition.

Our Not So Hidden Agenda:

EarthCare is quite clear in its ultimate eventual goal of seeing a complete ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides in Kelowna and the entire Okanagan Valley. Such bylaws and bans are being agreed to by municipal councils on a regular bases in Canada today. Toronto agreed to such regulations just late last week.

Likewise EarthCare is adamant about soon seeing a very limited use of pesticides by commercial or other registered applicators in our community.

However, we likewise acknowledge that total change rarely happens immediately, and certainly not often in Kelowna. We therefore hope to help create healthy change in our community with a few steps at a time. If, as a Municipality, we are going to allow residents to be poisoned while they play, relax, or work in their yards and gardens, while laying on the lawn, or the kids splash in their plastic pool we should at least only allow it to happen with their knowledge and consent.

The establishment of the data base registry provides residents with an opportunity to better protect themselves and their loved ones – and places the onus on the resident to register.

The Bylaw establishes the guidelines and the criteria as well as the ability to enforce. It helps protect the health of residents in a much broader and more effective manner and gives more weight to the registry program. It places the onus of notice on the applicator.

Thank you for your consideration on this matter and I await your questions.

Environmentally yours,

Canadian EarthCare Society

Charlie Hodge

Executive Director