Canadian Facts about Pest Control Products

Pest control products keep your family healthy and safe

Pest control products, also known as pesticides, are organisms, chemicals and devices that are designed to control, destroy, attract or repel pests. The benefits of pest control products are twofold: they play an important role in protecting the health of our families and our homes.

Pesticides: Is there a risk to the environment?

Pesticides: Is there a risk to health?

To Protect Your Family

  • remove noxious weeds like rag weed and poison ivy that can cause allergies
  • control wasps and hornets that can cause stings and extreme allergic reactions
  • repel mosquitoes that can carry West Nile Virus
  • eliminate cockroaches that can carry and spread diseases
  • eliminate rodents like mice and rats that can spread diseases

To Protect Your Home

  • control carpenter ants and termites that can weaken the structural integrity of your home or cottage
  • protect your trees from insects and diseases
  • maintain your swimming pool so it is clean and free of green algae
  • protect your lawn and ornamental plants from weeds, insects and diseases

Learn more about pest control products

How pest control products are regulated in Canada

The registration process for pest control products in Canada is considered to be one of the most rigorous worldwide. In 2006, Canada introduced a new Act with many requirements, such as added safety factors and taking into account vulnerable populations.To meet the strict requirements for registration in Canada, industry is required to submit extensive scientific and technical data for screening and review by the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) under the Pest Control Products Act. PMRA evaluates the data for the product’s “effectiveness and the potential for adverse impact on human health and the natural environment.” Only products that pose no unacceptable risks to health and environment are approved by Health Canada.

The Benefits of Keeping a Healthy Lawn

Turfgrass makes an amazing contribution to our environment – especially important in our cities. A healthy lawn:

  • Provides us with clean air by neutralizing pollutants, such as carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide and other gaseous pollutants, converting them to oxygen
  • A 50 by 50 foot lawn produces enough oxygen for a family of four for a full day
  • Traps dirt, dust, pollen and other airborne particles that reduce sunlight and cause allergies
  • Keeps us cool – the front lawns of 8 average homes have the cooling effect of 70 tons of air conditioning – equivalent to central air conditioning for 23 homes
  • Reduces noise levels by 20 to 30 percent
  • Protects topsoil from erosion by wind and water
  • Absorbs rainwater, recharging our groundwater supply, which is pumped by municipalities to provide us with clean water

The healthier the lawn, the bigger the contribution to our environment!