Port Coquitlam joined a growing list of municipalities across the country when it voted unanimously in favour of banning cosmetic pesticides on private property.
Following the approval of fourth and final reading of the bylaw on Monday, residents who use banned chemicals to enhance their lawns and gardens will be subject to fines.
The average ticket would be in the range of $100 to $300 and would be issued following a verbal and then a written warning. Flagrant disregard of the bylaw could lead to penalties of up to $10,000 in extreme cases.
While PoCo council unanimously supported the pesticide ban, Mayor Greg Moore told The Tri-City News last month he was hoping the provincial government would step in with a B.C.-wide ban. Leaving the issue up to individual municipalities, he said, does not restrict the sale of the chemicals and makes the regulations difficult to enforce.
In the meantime, he added, the city would adopt its bylaw and begin to educate residents why it is important to avoid garden chemicals.
Municipalities across the country have adopted similar regulations and the Canadian Cancer Society said that between 7 and 11% of cancer deaths are related to environmental carcinogens.
Port Coquitlam was one of the first municipalities in the country to stop using cosmetic pesticides on city lands and promotes natural lawn care techniques on its website.
SHRED PAPERS SAFELY ON SATURDAY
Port Coquitlam residents looking to dispose of sensitive financial or personal documents are invited to do so - for free - without a shred of worry this Saturday.
From 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. June 18 at the PoCo rec complex, residents are invited to bring a maximum of two boxes or recycling bags full of paper to be securely shredded and recycled by the city in conjunction with the city's contracted shredding service, Recall Secure Destruction Services.
The event coincides with the Community Volunteer Services for Seniors' garage sale, happening inside Wilson Centre from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. (Apart from selling quality used items, garage sale organizers will also hold a book and bake sale, with all proceeds going to the CVSS, a seniors' outreach program for homebound or isolated seniors living in the Tri-Cities. For more details, see story on page 20.)
For more information about the community shredding event, visit www.portcoquitlam.ca/shred or call 604-927-5212.
For more information about the garage sale, call Wilson Centre at 604-927-7970.
