A majority of Canadians want tighter controls on pesticides and continue to harbour negative views about them, an in-house report has shown.
In accordance with the Pest Control Products Act, chemicals licensed for sale in Canada must be reevaluated every 15 years. A July 14 report, titled “Awareness and Confidence in Canada’s Pesticide Regulatory System,” asked Canadians how they felt about changing the time parameter to two years. Nearly all Canadians said they thought the 15-year cycle was too long to be effective.
“These feelings were based on the notion that much can change in 15 years and that period could allow for the emergence of harmful side effects of pesticide use,” said the report. “A shorter evaluation cycle of ‘one or two years’ was suggested as well as the provision of details outlining the review process.”
The report quoted one respondent as saying that health issues caused by pesticide exposure might take 15 years to develop in children. “What is needed? Is it when a large group of people die?” said another.
Questionnaires were provided to 2,206 Canadians across the country and six focus groups. The PMRA paid Ipsos $124,646 for the research.
Almost two-thirds of respondents said they were concerned that pesticides were not safe even when used as directed, while 45 percent said they believed pesticides currently used in agriculture in Canada are safe. The report suggested the public has grown more concerned about pesticides in the last four years.
A majority opposed pesticide use near livestock barns, on fruits and vegetables, on imported foods, and in “public green spaces,” and believed natural alternatives to conventional pesticides existed that are just as effective.
Two-thirds of Canadians reported being confident that Health Canada does a good job of protecting human health from the risks of pesticides. Fewer Canadians in the 35 to 54 age group said they were confident in Health Canada’s ability to regulate the safety of pesticide use compared to those under 35.
When respondents were asked what comes to mind on the topic of pesticides, most thought they were “unhealthy.” Others associated them with cancer and the “extinction of bees.”
Nearly a quarter of respondents said they thought the European Union did a better job of regulating pesticide use than Health Canada, and 38 percent thought Canada performed better than the United States in that regard.
The report follows controversy surrounding the popular glyphosate weed killer Roundup sold in Canada since 1976. In 2020, Roundup’s manufacturer agreed to pay over $13 billion to settle approximately 95,000 cancer claims.
