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5. CITY OF OTTAWA
CORPORATE PESTICIDE USE ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2007 RAPPORT ANNUEL 2005-2007 DE
LA VILLE D’OTTAWA SUR L’UTILISATION GÉNÉRALE DES PESTICIDES |
That
Council receive this report for information.
Recommandation du Comité
Que le Conseil prenne connaissance du présent
rapport.
Documentation
1.
Deputy
City Manager's report Planning, Transit
and the Environment dated 22 May 2008 (ACS2008-PTE-ECO-0016).
Report to/Rapport
au :
Planning and Environment Committee
Comité de l'urbanisme et de l'environnement
and Council / et au Conseil
Submitted by/Soumis par : Nancy Schepers, Deputy City Manager
Directrice municipale adjointe,
Planning, Transit and the Environment
Urbanisme, Transport en commun et
Environnement
Contact Person/Personne ressource : Carol Christensen
Economic
and Environmental Sustainability/Direction de la viabilité économique et de la
durabilité de l’environnement
(613)
580-2424 x21610, Carol.Christensen@ottawa.ca
SUBJECT:
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CITY OF OTTAWA CORPORATE PESTICIDE USE
ANNUAL REPORT 2005-2007 |
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OBJET :
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RAPPORT
ANNUEL 2005-2007 DE LA VILLE D’OTTAWA SUR L’UTILISATION GÉNÉRALE DES PESTICIDES
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That the Planning and Environment Committee and Council receive this report for information.
Que le Comité de l’urbanisme et de
l’environnement ainsi que le Conseil prennent connaissance du présent rapport.
On August 25, 2004 Council approved a Corporate Pesticide Use Policy for City-owned outdoor property. The purpose of this policy is to promote the optimal health of all people of Ottawa. As such, it is now the policy of the City of Ottawa that in order to reduce the risk to human and environmental health as a result of pest control activities, chemical pesticides will not be applied to City properties for cosmetic or aesthetic purposes.
As part of the policy's accountability and for public information, "Section 6 Documenting and Reporting" requires an annual report be prepared regarding that year's use of pesticides. This first summary report will report on the first three years of the program. Henceforth, reporting to Council will continue on an annual basis.
In all cases, the application of a pesticide under this policy was approved by the Medical Officer of Health, or by the delegated authority provided to Surface Operations staff by the Medical Officer of Health, specifically for bees or poison ivy.
Pesticide use in 2004
· Prior to the Corporate Pesticide Policy being adopted in August 2004, pesticides had not been used on outdoor City property since the municipal amalgamation in 2001.
· After Council adopted the policy in 2004, one request for pesticide application on a sports-field in the reconstruction phase was received in 2004 (Ken Steel Park). This request did not meet the criteria established in the new policy, and was not approved.
· Training and awareness of the policy was initiated with the operations groups responsible for the building, maintenance and operations of the parks and sports fields.
Pesticide Use in 2005
· Training and awareness of policy continued with city operations groups involved in applying the policy.
· Three sports fields under reconstruction requested and received permission to apply herbicides in 2005. These fields were Ken Steel Park, Richmond Lions Park Soccer Field and Deevy Pines Park Soccer Field. The City web page notified residents of these applications in advance.
· Two newly constructed sports fields did not qualify for pesticide applications in 2005. These were Bannockburn and Grovehurst Parks.
· One request was received and approved for a pesticide application along the O-Train right-of-way to comply with Transport Canada safety requirements. Public notification for this application was placed on the OC Transpo website, and the appropriate signs were posted.
Pesticide Use in 2006
· One new sportfield (Millennium Park) and one field under reconstruction (Scala Soccer Field) were approved for a herbicides application in 2006.
· Three fields under reconstruction did not meet the policy criteria (Scala Baseball, Kinsella and the Potvin Ultimate Field).
· Consultant entomologist spoke to City staff about dealing with grubs on sports fields.
Pesticide Use in 2007
· The O-Train rail lines received approval for an application of herbicides along the O‑Train right-of-way to comply with Transport Canada safety regulations. The required public notifications signs were posted and additional public notification for this application was placed on the OC Transpo website.
· Five sports fields in the reconstruction phase were assessed (Linda Lane, Ravine Park, Trillium Fields (2), and Des Pionniers) but none qualified for pesticide applications at the time of inspection.
· A request for insecticides for grub control at Des Pionniers Park was not approved.
· Audit of the Corporate Pesticide Use policy was conducted.
Planning for 2008
Activities planned for 2008 include the following:
· Complete the review of the Corporate Pesticide Use Policy in June 2008.
· Develop and pilot a new pesticide request and reporting form.
· Action the recommendations from the Corporate Pesticide Use Policy audit conducted in 2007.
Table 1: Requests and Approvals to Use Pesticides on City Sportsfields
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Year |
Phase I -Sportsfields (New Constructions) |
Phase 2 Sportsfields (In Active Use) |
Phase 3 Sportsfields (Reconstructions) |
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Reviewed |
Approved |
Reviewed |
Approved |
Reviewed |
Approved |
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2004 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
1 |
0 |
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2005 |
2 |
0 |
- |
- |
3 |
3 |
|
2006 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
3 |
2 |
|
2007 |
- |
- |
1 |
0 |
5 |
0 |
Table 2: Reporting of Pesticide-Use for Poison Ivy and Bee/Wasp Nest at City Facilities
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Year |
Poison Ivy |
Bees/Wasps |
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2005 |
34 |
5 |
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2006 |
17 |
29 |
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2007 |
16 |
27 |
Table 3: Non-Sportfield Requests for Pesticide Use on City Properties
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Year |
Applications Reviewed |
Applications Approved |
Information on Use |
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2004 |
- |
- |
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2005 |
1 2 |
1 0 |
O-Train Railway application approved. Not approved were grubs on road right of way and shrubs at Petrie Island |
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2006 |
- |
- |
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2007 |
1 |
1 |
O-Train Railway application approved. |
The Corporate Pesticide Use Policy has experienced a successful implementation since its adoption by City Council in August 2004. Pesticides have not been used on parks, boulevards and rights-of-way, and very little has been applied to sports fields, and then only during construction and reconstruction to kill off any seeds and roots imported as part of the soil beds.
Herbicides were applied to the sections of the O-Train rail lines and rights-of-way in 2005 and 2007 to comply with Transport Canada safety regulations, and to maintain the integrity and safety of the rail beds.
Spot applications of pesticide against poison ivy and bees/wasps remained at a steady level in 2006 and 2007.
In all cases, appropriate signage was installed to conform to the Pesticide Act, and in cases involving the O-Train, notification was also placed on the City’s O-Train website.
In 2007, an audit of the policy showed that the auditors were satisfied with the implementation and application of the policy. The auditors did have several recommendations regarding the reporting aspect of the policy and communications with the public and contractors. These issues are being cleared up as part of the 2008 policy review that will be completed by the end of July 2008, and a report will be forthcoming to Committee in September.
This report was prepared in consultation with the Ottawa Public Health Branch.
N/A
DISPOSITION
This report is submitted for information
purposes and no further action is required.