Amid jeers, name-calling – and whoops of joy – from onlookers, Toronto 
City Council approved on May 22 a bylaw that will severely restrict the 
use of chemical pesticides by homeowners to beautify their lawns and 
gardens. Councillor Jane Pitfield said  “The majority of residents have 
told us that this is the step they wanted us to take.”

 Following a long and emotionally charged debate, city councillors voted 
25 to 16 in favour of the bylaw, though many said they remained confused 
about what they had just enacted. Precisely what constitutes a weed 
"infestation" and the "cosmetic use" of a pesticide will be defined over 
the next year by a new advisory committee on pesticide use, to be made up 
of representatives of the city, the Board of Health, environmental groups 
and the lawn care industry. But until those terms are defined, the bylaw 
will not technically ban pesticide use on public and private property. The 
new bylaw won't be enforced until 2006. Homeowners caught violating the 
bylaw will be issued a warning, and if caught a second time, will face a 
$250 fine.

 The City will launch a public education campaign over the next two years 
to wean residents off non-essential use of pesticides in favour of natural 
and less-toxic alternatives to kill off weeds and insects.

  Sources: 
The Globe and Mail, May 23. 
National Post, May 23.




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