The Regulation & Use of Pesticides in Canada

Pesticide use is strictly regulated in Canada, but many pesticide products are approved for use and readily available on store shelves. Because these products are freely available, it can be helpful to understand how their use is regulated, which work best in what situations and why you may sometimes want to call in the Victoria and Vancouver pest control experts at Pest Detective to handle the job of using them

How is Pesticide Use Regulated in Canada?
The health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is responsible for evaluating and approving all pesticides that are available on the market. All pesticides must be registered and tested and are required to meet strict health and safety standards.

Which Pesticides Work Best?
With all of the different pesticides available on the market, it is important that you use the right type depending on your situation and your needs. One important question to ask yourself is if you are having a problem with numerous different kinds of pests, or whether you need to target a specific type of pest.

Broad spectrum pesticides are useful when you are having problems with many different types of pests. Narrow spectrum pesticides, on the other hand, are made to target pests which share similar characteristics. For example, chitin inhibitors only target insects (as opposed to pests such as spiders and snails) and growth regulators target even more narrow groups of pest species.

Pesticides also vary on whether they are short-term or residual. Short-term pesticides break down quickly and are often used in homes so that people and animals are not exposed for long periods of time. Residual pesticides are used to actively kill pests for a longer period of time.

How to Use Pesticides Safely
The best way to ensure safe pesticide use is to carefully follow all label instructions and warnings. If not used correctly, pesticides can cause harm to the people and pets in your home, as well as to the surrounding environment. Make sure that all children and pets leave the area when the pesticide is being applied and that you never use more than one pesticide in one area at a time.

If you have any reservations at all about using pesticide, or if your pest problem is too large to be dealt with by using store-bought pesticides, then it’s time to give Pest Detective a call. Pest Detective is your go-to pest control and exterminator in the Victoria, Vancouver, Langley, Surrey and Coquitlam areas.

At Pest Detective, we have the right tools for any pest control job and we know exactly what sort of pesticide to apply depending on the situation. Most importantly, we know how to use it safely and ensure that no harm comes to your home, your family or the surrounding environment.