Ottawa-The decision of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to move forward with ill-conceived post-market registration fee changes is extremely disappointing, says Pierre Petelle, President and CEO of CropLife Canada.

The proposed changes fail to take into account the concerns that have been expressed by registrants, growers and the entire agricultural value chain over the last year about the negative impact the increased fees PMRA is proposing would have on innovation and  Canadian growers’ competitiveness, Petelle said.

“The proposed changes would raise post-market fees for maintaining pesticide registrations in Canada up to seven times higher than they are in the U.S. This, unfortunately, is just the latest example of the federal government failing to recognize the importance of the agricultural sector and its critical role as an economic driver in Canada.”

A comprehensive review of the PMRA’s budget and activities is needed to inform a long-term, strategic and sustainable approach to funding the agency’s work and driving efficiency at the Agency, he said. “The plant science industry remains committed to paying its fair share of the registration process and to working with regulators on a reasonable path forward.”

PMRA said that as the federal regulator for pesticides, Health Canada is responsible for assessing and monitoring the risks to human health and the environment posed by pest control products available in the Canadian market and enforcing their safe use. To support this work, Health Canada charges fees to industry to cover a portion of the costs of regulatory services or activities. This approach is consistent with international practices.

Businesses that wish to have their pesticide products marketed and sold in Canada must pay fees for the initial review of their applications and then pay an annual charge for each registered pest control product. Health Canada’s current post-market fee structure is out-of-date and does not reflect current regulatory costs associated with pesticide regulation.

Health Canada posted proposed regulatory changes on Dec. 20 to update the annual fees charged for registered pest control products. The proposed amendments have been published for public consultation and aim to respond to feedback about potential impacts of the updated annual charge, while better reflecting Health Canada’s current regulatory costs for pesticides and aligning with fee regimes of other jurisdictions.

Health Canada said it will consider the feedback received from Canadians and stakeholders during this consultation period to inform the final regulations.

This news item prepared for National Newswatch