Charlottetown bans use of cosmetic pesticides

The City of Charlottetown will ban the use of cosmetic pesticides starting in the new year.

The bylaw passed third reading by a vote of 5-3 late Monday afternoon at city council.

A dozen supporters of the ban watched in the public gallery.

• Charlottetown closer to pesticide ban

• Cosmetic pesticide ban passed by Cornwall

• Cosmetic pesticide ban passed by Stratford

Roger Gordon of Pesticide Free PEI said he was pleased with the ban, and would like to see Summerside adopt a similar ban next.

New rules

The new bylaw is based on similar bans inCornwall and Stratford.

It bans the use of non-domestic pesticides on any residential or commercial property in the town with some exceptions such as golf courses, agriculture useor public utilities land.

There is a listof 41 allowable pesticides, and professional applicators can apply for an exception in the case of infestations ofinvasive species or tree bugs fora $50fee.

The fines for non-compliance will range from $1,000 to $2,500 for a first offense and go up as high as $5,000 forsubsequent offenses.

The bylaw goes into effect on January 1, 2017.

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS | LGBT teenagers set to get own youth group in Charlottetown

• MORE P.E.I. NEWS | Farmers raise pheasants from abandoned eggs