Resident wants complete ban of cosmetic pesticide use

North Bay now has a city-wide pesticide bylaw, but Jim Cotter doesn’t think it goes far enough.

Cotter, a Korean War veteran, developed multiple chemical sensitivities during that conflict, and has no bodily tolerance for pesticides and he’s been lobbying the city to bring in a pesticide bylaw with teeth.

Complete ban
A year ago North Bay council passed a bylaw restricting the use of pesticides in the Trout Lake watershed area with promise of spreading it throughout the municipality.

That happened at Monday night’s meeting.

Still, Cotter, who has filed a complaint against the city through the Ontario Human Rights Commission, has mixed emotions about the new bylaw.

“I’m glad to see we’ve got a pesticide bylaw but I think there should be a complete ban on the cosmetic use of pesticides,” Cotter said.

“It amazes me that people who know this is nerve gas from the Second World War and First World War would continue to use it on their lawns.”

Cotter coughed several times while being interviewed.

"This is what you get from pesticides," he said.

Buy into this
Soon after the council meeting started, Peggy Walsh Craig, of Nipissing Environment Walsh, asked councilors to “embrace your inner dandelions” and pass the new bylaw.

Coun. Maureen Boldt, vice chair of the Engineering and Works Committee, said it was never the city’s intention to ban pesticide use.

“What we want to do is restrict the use of pesticides so that we’re not going to endanger our water and so that Mr. Cotter can come out his house in the summer time.” Boldt said.

She also hopes the public will “buy into this” the same way as they did with lawn watering restrictions.

As well, Boldt doesn’t want residents who find themselves with weed or insect infestations to take matters into their own hands.

“Call the experts and they’ll help you out,” Boldt said.

Flag went up
Cotter said many studies out now show pesticides can cause death, cancer and heart, liver, lung and brain diseases.

Coun. Sarah Campbell said she read one article which stated pesticides were the fifth leading cause of cancer.

“When I read that a flag went up,” Campbell said.

She acknowledged the bylaw didn’t go as far as Cotter wants.

“It is progress,” she said.

“Everything takes time.”

Will be evaluated
Coun. Judy Koziol suggested council representatives on the North Bay and District Health Council should bring the matter up at the next health council meeting.

No one will be hired to enforce the bylaw, which will be evaluated in one year’s time.

Koziol suggested that, at some point, if an enforcement officer is hired the position should also include enforcement of other city bylaws.

The bylaw's effectiveness will be evaluated next March.