Question Period Note: Pesticide Program Modernization

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KEY MESSAGES
• The Government of Canada takes pesticide safety very seriously and is taking action to ensure sustainable pesticide management in Canada.
• Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency is modernizing to be more efficient, without compromising health and safety.
• An effective pesticides regulatory program is essential to maintaining the productivity and economic viability of the agricultural sector.
• These efforts respond to new challenges, evolving public and stakeholder expectations, and the need for continuous improvement.
IF PRESSED
Q1 : IF PRESSED ON WHAT MEASURES HEALTH CANADA HAS TAKEN TO MODERNIZE THE PESTICIDE PROGRAM
A1 :
• Measures have been taken to increase the use of real-world data and independent advice to better inform regulatory decision-making, including the creation of
o a national water monitoring program, and of
o an external Science Advisory Committee to provide Health Canada with independent scientific advice.
• PMRA has enhanced human health and environmental protection through increased monitoring of emerging science and a new approach that will focus efforts on pesticides that pose the highest potential for health and environmental harm.
• It has also improved transparency to increase understanding and enabled meaningful public participation by enhancing public understanding of PMRA’s regulatory processes in plain language publications.
Q2 : IF PRESSED ON WHAT MEASURES HEALTH CANADA WILL BE TAKING TO REDUCE THE REGULATORY BURDEN OF PESTICIDE REGULATION IN CANADA
A2 :
• Health Canada is seeking to expand joint reviews for pest control products with our international regulatory partners, such as the United States, European Union, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
• Health Canada will amend the Pest Control Products Regulations to authorize certain products that are critical to certain sectors and to focus its scientific capacity on higher risk products.
• We are also proposing regulatory changes to reduce administrative requirements by eliminating 5-year renewals and exempting low-risk products from registration, freeing up resources to focus on higher-risk areas.
• Plus, we are leveraging the use of AI to improve efficiency in screening data.
• These actions support the Government of Canada’s commitment to eliminating outdated or unnecessary rules, to reducing duplication or overlap with provincial rules, and to streamlining the delivery of regulatory decisions.
Q3 : IF PRESSED ON HOW MODERNIZATION EFFORTS SUPPORT FOOD COST AND SECURITY AND REDUCE REGULATORY BURDEN
A3 :
• The use of pesticides registered by Health Canada contribute to food security, sustainability, and the reduction of food prices by reducing crop loss at the farm and beyond.
• The increased use of real-world data and modernized business processes ensure that Health Canada’s actions are well informed and don’t unnecessarily restrict the use of pesticides.
• We are currently working to advance transition strategies and the use of alternative products when older products are restricted or removed from the market.
• We are also reviewing and updating the Cancellation Policy to further consider phase-out timelines.
• We have also expedited work around the use of drones for pesticide application as a further tool used in modern crop production.
Q4 : IF PRESSED ON HOW HEALTH CANADA CONSIDERS ECONOMICS IN THE REGISTRATION OF PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS
A4 :
• The PMRA is working to accelerate its review of new products to ensure farmers have ready access to effective products.
• Under the Pest Control Products Act, a pest control product must demonstrate acceptable health and environment risk, as well as acceptable value to be approved for use and sale in Canada.
• Health Canada considers the economic impacts of its decisions and will concentrate its efforts in finding solutions where the impact is greatest.
• Information pertaining to economic considerations is gathered through increased engagement and close collaboration with agricultural sectors. Such information is key to inform Health Canada’s decisions in relation to the registration of pest control products. It also recognizes the important role pesticides play in supporting and sustaining broader social benefits such as food security and public health.
Q5 : IF PRESSED ON WHY HEALTH CANADA IS NOT PROCEEDING WITH PROPOSED AMENDMENTS TO THE PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS REGULATIONS (PCPR – “Strengthening” package)
A5 :
• The Government of Canada takes pesticide safety very seriously and is committed to ensuring pesticides used in Canada are safe for human health and the environment, when used according to the label.
• Health Canada consulted with a wide range of stakeholders and partners on these proposed regulatory amendments regarding data transparency and environmental protection. .
• After carefully considering the comments received during consultations, Health Canada decided not to move forward with the proposed regulatory amendments. Health Canada will continue to explore more cost-effective approaches to address the objectives of the proposal.
Q6 : IF PRESSED ON THE STATUS OF THE SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE ON PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS
A6 :
• The Government of Canada is responsible for the registration or authorization of pesticides across the country and has taken numerous steps to increase transparency and accessibility of decisions, including launching the external Science Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products (SAC-PCP).
• The Committee has met ten times since its establishment in June 2022 and has provided over 80 recommendations to Health Canada on various scientific topics related to the assessment and management of pesticide risks.
• The Committee members provide independent scientific advice to support Health Canada in evidence-based decision-making on pesticides. The Department retains sole responsibility and authority to make regulatory decisions on pesticides.
Q7 : IF PRESSED ON THE GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSAL TO AMEND THE PEST CONTROL PRODUCTS ACT TO REMOVE CYCLICAL PESTICIDE RE-EVALUATIONS AND THE IMPACT ON POST-MARKET PESTICIDE REGULATION IN CANADA
A7 :
• The Government of Canada has proposed, in Budget 2025, to amend the PCPA to remove 15-year mandatory cyclical pesticide re-evaluations to enable modern, risk-based oversight.
• This would allow Health Canada to redirect resources to re-evaluating higher-risk products, rather than spending time and effort re-evaluating low risk products.
• Health Canada will also be increasing its monitoring efforts to identify emerging risks and take necessary measures sooner.
• These efforts respond to new challenges, evolving public and stakeholder expectations, and the need for continuous improvement.

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KEY STATS
• Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is responsible for regulating pesticides under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act. PMRA’s primary mandate is to prevent unacceptable risks to Canadians and the environment from the use of these products.

• Over a 3-year period beginning in August 2021, the Government of Canada provided funding of $42M to support PMRA’s oversight and protection of human health and the environment, and increase transparency in the regulation of pesticides. An additional $32M (2024-26) was provided to support ongoing efforts to enhance regulatory effectiveness and efficiency, and to integrate those activities into regular PMRA operations.

• These efforts respond to emerging challenges, evolving public and stakeholder expectations, and the need for continuous improvement. The focus is on evidence-based decision making, operational efficiency, and improved transparency.