Thursday, March 30th, 2006

Brandon Sun

Spraying bylaw will have to pass Brandon's sniff test

By: Robson Fletcher

Now that the city's new pesticide bylaw is on the books, how will it
be enforced?
That's easy, according to public works manager Rick Bailey. Just use
the sniff test.

"It's obvious if someone has sprayed," he said yesterday. "If you
investigate it right away, you'll smell it right off the bat."

Bailey doesn't think enforcement will be a big problem, though. He
imagines most residents will observe the rules voluntarily.

According to the new bylaw, anyone who suffers genuine health
problems from pesticide exposure can register with the city, provided
they have a doctor's note to prove it.
It will then be illegal for anyone to spray cosmetic pesticides
within 30 metres of a registered person's home. Enforcement will be
on a complaint basis.

"We're not going to be out there combing the streets every day," he said.

If someone complains that a pesticide has been illegally applied, the
city's bylaw enforcement division will investigate. Bailey said It's
usually pretty clear if a pesticide has been used, because you can
smell it for a day or two afterwards.

A first offence is punishable by a fine of between $50 and $1,000.
Subsequent offences will carry a fine of between $100 and $1,000.
Offenders may also be sentenced to up to 30 days in jail.

The bylaw comes into effect on April 1.

© 2005 The Brandon Sun

http://www.brandonsun.com/pfstory.php?story_id=22565

=====================

Mar 30 2006

CBC.CA  

Pesticide ban in 'Peg next year?

The City of Winnipeg will not rush to follow Brandon's example when
it comes to pesticide regulation, allowing Winnipeggers at least one
more summer to spray their lawns for weeds and insects.This week,
Brandon city council passed a bylaw aimed at addressing concerns
about toxins in pesticides. Starting in April, pesticides will not be
used in public areas such as parks, school yards and daycare centres,
and Brandon residents with medical issues can apply to have a
pesticide-free buffer zone around their properties.

Coun. Gord Steeves, head of Winnipeg's environment committee, says a
similar bylaw could work in Winnipeg, but isn't likely this year.

"Our department already has the information from Brandon. We were
discussing it yesterday, but maybe asking for a report to come back
at some stage to look at it," he told CBC News. "It's probably too
late to do anything for this season."

Steeves says city officials will watch how the bylaw works in
Brandon, and could consider similar measures in Winnipeg for the
summer of 2007.

Ian Greaves with the Campaign for Pesticide Reduction, says Winnipeg
should follow Brandon's lead, pointing out that several major
Canadian cities, including Ottawa, Toronto and Halifax, are moving
away from the use of lawn chemicals.

"The City of Winnipeg is way behind as far as the issue of pesticides
bylaw anywhere in Canada," Greaves said. "They have to look at this
and take strong action because we have to protect our children with
regard to these chemicals."

Copyright © 2006 Canadian Broadcasting Corporation - All Rights Reserved

http://www.cbc.ca/manitoba/story/print/mb_pesticide-ban-20060330

=====================

Wed 29 Mar 2006

Broadcast News

Mba-Pesticide-Bylaw-Update (Green reaction)

BRANDON, Manitoba -- Manitoba's Green Party is seeing red over the
new get-tough pesticide policy in Brandon, Manitoba.

The environmental party says the new bylaw passed by councillors is
not as groundbreaking as it appears.

The party says it is fraught with loopholes.

The bylaw will make it illegal to use cosmetic pesticides on parks or
school and hospital property.

There will be restricted use at day-care centres and senior citizens homes.

The rules are believed to be the first of their kind in Manitoba.

But the Green Party says the law is flawed because officials still
have the authority to use pesticides in cases where public health
could be at risk.

The bylaw takes effect this spring.

Pesticide restrictions are already in place in other areas of Canada,
including Toronto and Halifax.

=====================

Fri 31 Mar 2006

Winnipeg Free Press

Brandon council passes bylaw restricting pesticides

by Robin Fletcher

BRANDON -- Brandon residents who prove a chemical sensitivity can now
legally stop the spraying of pesticides near their homes.

City council approved a new bylaw this week that will restrict the
use of pesticides on public property and ban cosmetic use of the
chemicals near the homes of people who suffer from adverse health
reactions.

Other Canadian municipalities have created similar rules, but
Brandon's bylaw is the first in Manitoba.

The city will create a registry for people who suffer from
pesticide-related health problems.

To qualify for the registry, citizens need a doctor's note to affirm
that they have a real health concern.

No one will be able to apply cosmetic pesticides within 30 metres of
a registered person's home.

A first offence is punishable by a fine of between $50 and $1,000.
Subsequent offences will carry a fine of between $100 and $1,000.
Offenders may also be sentenced to up to 30 days in jail.

The bylaw comes into effect tomorrow.

There are exceptions. Pesticide use will be allowed in cases where
human health is at risk, according to the city's public works manager
Rick Bailey.

Representatives from an extermination company warned councillors the
bylaw could prevent them from dealing with emergency situations, such
as a rat infestation in a school or a hornet's nest near a day care.

But Bailey said the bylaw is only intended to deal with the cosmetic
use of pesticides and it would allow the chemicals to be used in
situations like those.

"By all means, those are things we just have to do," he said.

The bylaw also allows Manitoba Health to use pesticides to deal with
insect-borne diseases like West Nile virus or other threats to human
health.

"They have the final authority," Bailey said.

Enforcement will be on a complaint basis.

"We're not going to be out there combing the streets every day," he said.

Bailey said it's usually pretty clear if a pesticide has been used,
because you can smell it for a day or two afterwards.

The bylaw will also restrict the use of pesticides in public parks
and around schools, day cares, senior citizens' complexes and
hospitals.

-- Brandon Sun