Ottawa-The Pesticide Management Review Agency has approved the use of the neonicotinoid insecticide imidacloprid after careful study and consultation and is reviewing objections to the product raised by Christy Morrissey, a professor at the University of Saskatchewan and a member of the PMRA's Science Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products.

Green Party Leader Elizabeth May raised the issue in the Commons in October saying PMRA worked hand in glove with the pesticide manufacturer Bayer to prevent a ban of neonicotinoid insecticides because they posed threats to human health and the environment. She called for an investigation “to stop having our Pest Management Regulatory Agency defend manufacturers and start defending Canadians.”

At the time, Yasir Naqvi, Parliamentary Secretary for health, said all pesticides undergo a rigorous scientific review process prior to being approved for sale in Canada and they are regularly reviewed to ensure they continue to meet health and safety standards.” PMRA was examining Morrissey’s concerns.

Asked for more details, Health Canada responded after a couple of weeks that “the regulatory decision by the PMRA on imidacloprid was supported by data from registrants, provincial and federal governments, academia, non-governmental organizations, grower groups and open literature.” The evidence included environmental and ecotoxicology studies along with water monitoring data and incident reports.

“Under the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA), PMRA thoroughly reviews all data from independent researchers, industry and other interested stakeholders to ensure that pesticides do not represent risks to human health. Geographical coordinates of the sampling site play a crucial role in validating study results and supporting science-based decisions. To inform our regulatory decisions, we actively consult diverse groups including scientists, non-governmental organizations, and farmers. Regulatory decisions including data from industry, government, and independent researchers are subject to public consultation.”

The decision to approve imidacloprid was open to public consultation for 120 days which ended in March 2017 and resulted in approximately 46,000 comments. In addition, a forum composed of federal and provincial agencies, grower groups, independent researchers, non-government organizations and manufacturers, facilitated by Agriculture Canada, examined the use of neonicotinoids in agriculture.

The forum “undertook several initiatives including the examination of alternative risk management strategies, the generation of supplemental water monitoring data and the identification of potential alternative pest control products to replace imidacloprid. This information was formally submitted to the PMRA in October 2017 and, along with feedback from the consultation, was considered in the final decision on the acceptability of the continued use of imidacloprid.”

In 2021 PMRA requested monitoring information from a variety of groups outside of the forum, which generated a vast amount of new information and resulted in a public webinar on the findings and to address questions.

PMRA excluded portions of water sampling data submitted by Morrissey based on a careful assessment of the relevance of the sampling sites as aquatic habitats. Morrissey filed a notice of objection to that decision, which PMRA is currently reviewing.

As well, PMRA is currently implementing significant improvements to strengthen environmental and human health protections and incorporate real-world monitoring data. “We are working closely with members of the Science Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products to ensure independent scientific advice supports evidence-based decisions on pesticide risks, enhances transparency and communication of the science behind our decisions and informs a rigorous and useful water monitoring approach. These commitments ensure that our decision-making becomes increasingly inclusive, more transparent, and better informed.”

Of the 120 registered neonic insecticides available in Canada. 65 are domestic products that can be used by the public on companion animals for flea and tick control while 55 are commercial products to be applied by professionals for a variety of uses including food crops, feed crops, ornamentals, forestry, and structural for  controlling bedbugs, cockroaches and other insects in homes, commercial buildings or agricultural structures.

This news item prepared for National Newswatch