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Cancellation of pesticide registrations also was a significant problem identified by the environment commissioner.

In all but one case examined, the agency took between four and 11 years to cancel the registrations of products deemed unsafe. In several cases, the agency said the lack of alternatives was the reason for delaying cancellations, while in other cases “the cancellations were delayed to allow suppliers and users to exhaust their inventories.”

“Overall, we found that the Pest Management Regulatory Agency did not promptly cancel the registration of some pesticides when it determined that they posed unacceptable risks,” the report says.

Neonicotinoid insecticides identified by the commissioner as a concern are widely used around the world. They have been used in Canada for more than two decades on corn, canola, soybeans and other crops – even though they are “now widely suspected of causing significant ecological harm,” the report says.

The neonicotinoids are believed to have negative effects on bees, but recent studies have indicated they have wider impacts on broad ecosystems, including birds, earthworms and other pollinators, the report says.

“The Pest Management Regulatory Agency has allowed the use of neonicotinoids since 1995 without having confirmed whether the risks are acceptable,” the report says.

As well, the agency failed to maintain a complete public registry of conditionally registered products, and did not “effectively communicate” new information on pesticide risks, the report says.

Canadians can’t make informed decisions on how to use pesticides safely if the agency does not provide required information and adequately communicate the potential risks, it says.

The environment commissioner made seven recommendations related to the registration, re-evaluation and cancellation of pesticides, and the agency’s communication with the public. The agency accepted all of the recommendations.

jfekete@ottawacitizen.com

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