Lawn laws: New pesticide regulations take effect in B.C.

New pesticide regulations take effect in B.C. Some property owners may have to change their gardening habits as new pesticide regulations went into effect July 1 across the province.

Some property owners may have to change their habits with how they keep their lawns perfectly manicured as new pesticide regulations went into effect Friday across the province.

The regulations now require private land owners to obtain a certificate from the province through an online course before using certain pesticides on landscaped areas such as lawns or flower beds.

Vancouverite Drew Stewart and his daughter Ella are careful not to use anything that isn’t organic when it comes to weeding pests in their garden, and are unperturbed by the new regulations.

“We just use plants over time that the pests don't really care for, and then we make our plant choice around that,” said Stewart. “[The new regulations] seem reasonable – poison is poison.”

Yet other green thumbs who prefer stronger chemical based solutions will now find their favourite pesticides guarded by lock and key. The changes do not apply to residents growing food gardens or hobby farms, however, and they do not override existing municipal bylaws.

Plant pharmacist Tyler Enns believes the new regulations are a positive thing. Provinces such as Manitoba and Ontario have banned the use of cosmetic pesticides altogether.

“I think it’s a great thing that they’re implementing, because it allows customers to actually get the knowledge about how to use the pesticide,” Enns said. “It’s important that people know how pesticides work.”

He hopes people will now be drawn more to organic gardening products that are available “over the counter”, which can be very effective.

“This could gear people more towards organic methods first,” Enns said. “I think the province is going in the right direction by making people learn about the products that their using.”

With files from CTV Vancouver’s Sarah MacDonald and The Canadian Press