For Immediate Release
November 14, 2008

Cemetery boards should voice concern over pesticide regs

Simcoe – Cemeteries serve a special and unique purpose in our communities; however, the McGuinty government doesn’t feel they should be lush and green.

Draft regulations for the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban Act have finally been released, and despite assurances from the government that cemeteries would be exempt from the ban, they are not.

“When friends and families visit cemeteries they want it to be a peaceful and pleasant experience,” said Toby Barrett, Opposition Environment Critic and MPP for Haldimand-Norfolk. “My office receives calls from time-to-time from folks complaining about increased weeds in their local cemetery. I expect those calls to increase next spring.”

Barrett continued by saying that many cemeteries have already adopted Integrated Pest Management Strategies (IPM) and taken a proactive approach to reducing the amount of pesticides used on cemetery properties.

The Ontario Association of Cemetery and Funeral Professionals wrote to Environment Minister John Gerretsen asking that cemeteries be exempt from the ban, provided they adhere to the IMP strategies. The information seems to have fallen on deaf ears.

“I think we must all be mindful of the chemicals that are being sprayed on our properties both for the safety of our children as well as for the environment,” Barrett said. “However, I don’t believe in a ban and I certainly don’t think we should penalize folks who belong to cemetery boards who have long demonstrated that they are good stewards of the land. This ban is just another example of this government’s unthink and unblink attitude.”

The Environment Critic is encouraging all opposed to the pesticide ban, especially cemetery boards, to visit the Environment Registry at: www.ebr.gov.on.ca/ and post your thoughts and concerns regarding the pesticide ban. Input will be received until December 22, 2008.

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