'Customers very satisfied': The use of cosmetic pesticides once again allowed on Manitoba lawns
Winnipeg lawn care companies have an old weapon back in their arsenal as they begin their annual war against weeds.
Cosmetic pesticides are once again allowed to be used in Manitoba after the provincial government relaxed a ban on the products.
Pramila Behl wants her lawn to be as green and weed-free as possible. So she takes matters into her own hands when she notices a dandelion rearing its ugly head.
"I ended up buying some vinegar and lemon juice. I mix it up and I'm going to sprinkle it," said Behl.
For nearly 20 years she's also been hiring companies to spray her lawn with pesticides. However she said a number of years ago their effectiveness began to fade.
"It was much better. Much better," she said.
In 2014, the then NDP government passed legislation banning the use of certain cosmetic pesticides. It forced lawn care companies to switch to more eco-friendly products like Fiesta that they argued were costlier and less effective.
But following new legislation by the Manitoba government relaxing the ban, companies are now once again free to use those cosmetic pesticides.
"It's going pretty good! Customers are very satisfied, and there's been virtually no interest in going back to Fiesta whatsoever," said Tim Muys with Green Blade Lawn Care.
He said the chemicals have been approved by Health Canada as safe, and wishes he hadn't had to wait so long for the ban to be reversed.
"We go through about 5,000 litres of Par 3, and by contrast we were going through over 50,000 litres of Fiesta," Muys said. "Ten times the product for less results. Ten times the price for less results. It just doesn't make sense!"
But some are worried about the potential costs to the health of people and pets now that cosmetic pesticides are back in use.
"I mean if you had to choose between a potential of cancer or other illnesses that these chemicals have been linked with and a few dandelions on your lawn, I think the choice is obvious," said Anne Lindsay with Cosmetic Pesticide Ban Manitoba, an advocacy group looking to keep the ban in place.
"We are in line with Health Canada and the rest of Canada," said Environment Minister Kevin Klein in a statement to CTV News. "So far we have received less than five complaints concerning the non-essential pesticide use regulation. We are always open to hearing from Manitobans regarding their views on this legislation. Municipalities are also free to enact by-laws to set further regulations on pesticide use based on local considerations.”
Behl said she doesn't like chemicals, but she doesn't like weeds either.
Muys said lawn companies won't use a drop more than necessary to get the job done.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
'Anything to win': Trudeau says as Poilievre defends meeting protesters
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is accusing Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre of welcoming 'the support of conspiracy theorists and extremists,' after the Conservative leader was photographed meeting with protesters, which his office has defended.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
'One of the single most terrifying things ever': Ontario couple among passengers on sinking tour boat in Dominican Republic
A Toronto couple are speaking out about their 'extremely dangerous' experience on board a sinking tour boat in the Dominican Republic last week.
Boeing's financial woes continue, while families of crash victims urge U.S. to prosecute the company
Boeing said Wednesday that it lost US$355 million on falling revenue in the first quarter, another sign of the crisis gripping the aircraft manufacturer as it faces increasing scrutiny over the safety of its planes and accusations of shoddy work from a growing number of whistleblowers.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Fair in Ontario, flurries in Labrador: Weather systems make for an erratic spring
It's no secret that spring can be a tumultuous time for Canadian weather, and as an unseasonably mild El Nino winter gives way to summer, there's bound to be a few swings in temperature that seem out of the ordinary. From Ontario to the Atlantic, though, this week is about to feel a little erratic.