Health Minister Jane Philpott announces that Health Canada intends to stop granting new conditional registrations of pesticides as of June 1, 2016.
Pesticides are registered in Canada only after a rigorous scientific evaluation determines no harm to human health, future generations or the environment will result from exposure or use, a news release stated.
Conditional registrations have been granted on occasion when the scientific review determines that the risks of a pesticide are acceptable but that additional confirmatory information is required. Unlike full registrations, conditional registrations do not undergo a public consultation until the registration is amended, renewed or converted to a full registration.
Moving away from conditional registrations will provide reassurance that all pesticide registration decisions are made with the same high level of scientific and public scrutiny, Philpott said.
A Notice of Intent has been posted on Health Canada’s website and is open for comment for 60 days until March 19, 2016. The final decision will be published following the consultation once all comments have been considered.
