Cosmetic pesticide ban on Charlottetown agenda

Charlottetown city council passed a resolution Monday night asking the province to give municipalities the ability to regulate cosmetic pesticides.

P.E.I. banned the use of the pesticide 2,4-D in 2010, but other pesticides are still commonly used on lawns in the province. A Town of Stratford survey found the use of cosmetic pesticides increased there in 2012-13, rising from 22 per cent to 38 per cent of the population. That use fell back to 20 per cent in the most recent survey.

That town has also asked the province to give it the power to implement its own bylaws.

Charlottetown Mayor Clifford Lee believes most city residents support a more extensive ban, and is making a new ban part of his campaign for re-election in November.

"The approach of asking the province to bring that ban in obviously has not worked over the years," said Lee.

"If I'm re-elected as mayor of this city, I will be encouraging the next council to come in with a ban of cosmetic pesticides."

In order to make changes to the Municipalities Act, the province would have to pass an amendment through the legislature.

Lee said if the act is changed, the city would have to work with the province to figure out how to enforce these regulations.

For mobile device users: Should the province allow municipalities to implement their own cosmetic pesticide control bylaws?