A look at North America's first regulatory restrictions on bee-killing pesticides

Happy Canada Day! Welcome North America's first neonic regulations. (Credit: Duncan Rawlinson via Flickr)

Ontario's ground-breaking regulatory restrictions on bee-killing neonicotinoid pesticides took effect July 1, 2015. Many David Suzuki Foundation supporters have written to us asking about the nitty gritty details. Let's take a closer look at what the new rules mean for Ontario and the rest of the country.

Q. Restrictions or ban? What's the difference?

A. Neonics are not altogether banned in Ontario. For one thing, the new regulation targets only neonicotinoid seed treatments and only for certain crops (grain corn and soybean). Other neonic products are not affected, including agricultural sprays and animal flea treatments. Likewise, seed treatments for other crops are not restricted. Furthermore, neonic-treated corn and soybean seeds, while generally prohibited, still can be used if certain conditions are met. Starting in fall 2016, farmers will need to submit a pest assessment if they wish to purchase and plant treated seeds. The pest assessment must follow established protocols and demonstrate the presence of relevant insect pests above established thresholds. The government expects that this system will reduce the use of neonic-treated corn and soybean seeds by 80 per cent by 2017.

The limited scope of the new rules is the main weakness of Ontario's approach. More comprehensive action to phase out neonics altogether would better protect the environment. Nevertheless, Ontario's targeted restrictions are a bold first step and a reasonable starting point. The federal Pest Management Regulatory Agency determined that planting neonic-treated corn and soybean seeds in particular led to reported incidents of sudden honeybee die-offs in Ontario and Quebec during the spring planting season, concluding that bees were likely exposed to neonic-laced dust from seeding equipment. Corn and soybeans are Ontario's two largest field crops, planted on close to five million acres. Virtually all Ontario grain corn and 60 per cent of soybean seeds are treated with neonics. Reducing this usage by 80 percent should mean three million more acres are neonic-free, and that's good news for bees.

Q. What is the timeline for implementing the new restrictions?

A. Although the new regulation entered into force on July 1, 2015, some requirements will be phased in over the next two years. In the first year, farmers will be able to purchase and plant neonic-treated seeds on up to 50 per cent of their corn or soybean fields without conducting a pest assessment. If farmers want to buy and plant neonicotinoid-treated seeds on more than 50 per cent of the total area of their corn or soybean crop, they will need to complete a pest assessment report and provide it to the seed vendor. Starting in 2016, a pest assessment report will be required for any purchase of neonic-treated seeds.

Once every three years, the pest assessment report must be prepared by an independent, third-party pest adviser, to improve accountability. This requirement does not kick in until August 2017, 2018 or 2019, depending on the region.

A final condition for the purchase and use of neonic-treated seeds is completion of a training course in integrated pest management, which will emphasize environmental considerations and alternatives to neonics. This requirement will take effect in time for the 2017 planting season, giving farmers a year to take the course. Farmers purchasing neonic-treated seeds will be required to submit a written declaration that IPM principles were followed.

Q. How will Ontario's new rules be enforced?

A. The new rules are subject to the general inspection and enforcement provisions in Ontario's Pesticide Act, although in reality the system relies to a large extent on the honour system to ensure pest assessments are valid, especially in the years when an independent third-party assessment is not required. Pest assessment reports must be submitted to the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, and could be audited. Also, seed vendors are required to report annually on sales of neonic-treated and untreated corn and soybean seeds, and the regulation requires the government to publish a summary of this information online (the first summary report is due January 2017). This ensures an important measure of accountability for meeting 80 per cent reduction target.

Q. What about domestic neonic products, like lawn pesticides?

Ontario's Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act of 2008 banned lawn pesticides containing neonics. (Nova Scotia also bans neonic lawn pesticides; other provincial cosmetic pesticide bans do not restrict neonics.) However, neonics could still find their way into your home and garden via treated bedding plants and houseplants or flea treatments for pets. Some major retailers have pledged to phase out the sale of plants that have been treated with neonics, or at least label them so consumers can make informed choices.

Q. Is Ontario's approach the model that other provinces should follow?

Ontario is the first jurisdiction in North America to introduce regulatory restrictions on neonics (although European governments have been quicker to act). Despite the limitations of Ontario's approach, this marks an important milestone in our continuing campaign to protect pollinators from toxic pesticides. An 80 per cent reduction in the use of neonic-treated corn and soybean seeds in Ontario will significantly reduce environmental contamination and encourage development of a market for safer alternatives. The David Suzuki Foundation is calling on other provinces and the federal government to meet or beat the standard Ontario has set.

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