Anti-pesticide group gains traction; gets spraying moratorium on city property
By Kyra Hoggan
City council’s Transportation and Civic Works (TCV) committee met today, and heard from TCV director Chris Barlow that the city will be declaring a moratorium on pesticide spraying on city property until such time as feedback has been garnered and report sent to council for its approval or rejection.
“(Barlow) has asked for comment from the user groups (ball, soccer, field hockey, etc.),” said committee chair and city councillor Kevin Chernoff. “We’re hoping to have some feedback before next council meeting. We’re not doing any spraying or anything until we get that feedback.”
In fact, he said, they won’t be spraying at all anymore until council has an opportunity to vote on the issue.
He also said the activist group Citizens for a Pesticide Free Castlegar and Area (find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/520978651273161/?fref=ts), and their petition with more than 1,000 signatures, was instrumental in making the moratorium happen.
“I think their input has been important in developing which direction the city takes,” he said, adding the city only sprays as needed, so there wasn’t much left to be done this season anyway. “Ultimately, it will be up to council to decide if they’ll continue spraying as needed or ban pesticides on city property.”
Council’s next meeting is Aug. 12, but the issue may not come before council until the following meeting on Sept. 3, depending on how quickly the committee can garner feedback and develop a report.
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