Colwood residents will soon have a chance to voice their thoughts on a proposed ban on non-essential pesticide use in the city.

At its Monday (July 10) meeting, council unanimously approved public consultation on the draft bylaw, and engage local stakeholders including School District 62, Royal Roads University, West Shore Parks and Recreation and the Royal Colwood Golf Course.

Staff were also directed to prepare a public education campaign to accompany the new pesticide bylaw, should it receive final approval from council at a later date.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 so happy to see this come back to council,B次元官网网址� said Coun. Misty Olsen, whose April 11 motion directed staff to draft the bylaw. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 really happy to see this returned and partnered up with the integrated pest management policy. I think the education component will be vital to transitioning people away from using bad pesticides and educating them on what their alternatives are.B次元官网网址�

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If approved, the bylaw would ban pesticide use on public or private land in the city except for a list of exempted pesticides, for the management of pests which carry human diseases or impact agriculture or forestry, on the residential areas of farms, on or inside buildings, on land used for agriculture, forestry, transportation and utilities.

The bylaw would also allow residents to apply for a permit to use otherwise prohibited pesticides, which will be granted in situations where the pest infestation threatens a sensitive ecosystem, the infestation is of an invasive species or noxious weeds, or financial harm.

All exemptions to the pesticide ban will only be granted if the applicant also follows application and pesticide selection methods in line with the Integrated Pest Management Act.

People convicted of violating the ban would be subject to up to $50,000 in fines.

If the bylaw receives final approval from council following the public consultation period, Colwood would join several other municipalities in B.C. in restricting cosmetic use of pesticides, including Saanich, Oak Bay, Esquimalt, Victoria and Nanaimo.

The bylaw would also follow the cityB次元官网网址檚 work to reduce the use of pesticides in staff work. In May, the parks department released 35,000 ladybugs and aphid midges as part of a pesticide-free pest management effort against aphids.

READ MORE: Colwood turns to ladybugs for eco-friendly pest control