Government of Canada taking action to further protect Canadians and the environment from the risks of pesticides

The Government of Canada is committed to ensuring that Canadians are protected from all risks associated with the use of pesticides while working to better protect human health, wildlife, and the environment. That is why Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) ensures that all pesticides approved for use in Canada meet strict standards for health, safety, and environmental protection.

Today, the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Health, officially launched the discussion document Further Strengthening Protection of Health and the Environment: Targeted Review of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA), and an online public consultation.

This review follows the Government of Canada’s August 4 announcement, which highlighted that Health Canada will begin a review of specific provisions of the Pest Control Products Act. It also aligns with the  Minister of Health’s Mandate Letter.

The discussion document and consultations are seeking the ideas and input of Canadians and stakeholders on how the PMRA can transform its work in the following areas:

• Strengthening human health and environmental protection by modernizing the pesticide review process;
• Improving transparency and stakeholder accessibility to information to bolster meaningful participation in decision making; and
• Increasing the use of real-world data and independent advice in the decision-making process to better inform decisions to protect human and environmental health.

PMRA is planning the broadest possible engagement on its review of the Pest Control Products Act. In addition to inviting comments from Canadians, consultation sessions will be held with provincial and territorial governments, non-governmental organizations, academia, Indigenous communities, consumer groups, user groups, and manufacturers.

The existing Pest Control Products Act (PCPA) provides strong, evidence-based protection of human health and the environment and is the foundation for Canada’s science-based approach to pesticide regulation. The Government of Canada is committed to continuing to make decisions based on the best science available.

However we also know that Canadians expect further transparency in regulatory decisions, with more efficient and effective review processes and increased use of real-world and independent data.

To meet Canadians expectations and to build a cleaner, greener future, the Government of Canada will continue to work with all partners to ensure that pesticides used in Canada are safe for human health and our environment.

Quotes

“We are committed to ensuring that pesticides used in Canada are safe for human health and the environment. Our decisions on pesticides will benefit from more real-world and independent data. We will be able to make better linkages, identify areas with a higher risk potential sooner, and see where further investigation may be needed. These improvements will strengthen environmental protection in Canada.”

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health

“Our pesticide-related decisions will benefit from more real-world and independent data. We will be able to make better linkages, identify areas with a higher risk potential sooner, and see where further investigation may be needed. These improvements will ultimately strengthen environmental protection in Canada.”

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault,
Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“Canadian agriculture is driven by science and innovation. We rely on our scientists at PMRA and the CFIA to ensure that the food on our tables meets the highest standards. It is important for Canada’s agricultural producers to have continued access to pesticides that are safe for the health of consumers and users, and for the environment. As consumers at home and around the world become increasingly interested in how food is produced, our government is committed to modernizing the regulatory framework through a transparent and participatory process, which ensures that the best scientific practices continue to be at the heart of decision-making.”

The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food

Quick facts

• As many elements of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA) are working well in guiding stringent, world-class, science-based evaluations of pesticides, this public consultation will target specific provisions of the PCPA; it is not a complete overhaul of the Act. 
• The consultation period will run for 60 days, from March 21 until May 20, 2022.
• To further strengthen the transparency and sustainability of pesticide management in Canada, the Government of Canada announced on August 4, 2021 an investment of $50 million in PMRA and Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s pest management research, to be supported by Environment and Climate Change Canada.