Winnipeggers react to pesticide changes

For the first time in nearly a decade – more pesticides are legal in Manitoba. While they may save you some time in the yard, not every Winnipegger is behind the change.

“If people say they can’t control their weeds, well that’s because they don’t work at it,” said Cecelia Lipischak, a gardener.

“These things kill the bugs. Everything that keeps our flora and fauna going, get out there and pull your own weeds,” said a Winnipegger CityNews spoke to. “If they’re allowing these heavy-duty pesticides to come into the city, all it’s going to take is one kid, and then all of these councillors will go oh-me-oh-my, what happened.”

Amendments to the Environment Act will now allow Manitobans the flexibility to use federally approved cosmetic pesticides that haven’t been allowed in Manitoba for seven years, according to Climate and Parks Minister Jeff Wharton.

Gardening in Winnipeg. (Photo Credit: Mike Albanese, CityNews)

But some Winnipeggers working on their gardens Monday recoil at the idea.

“If they’re going to use it I hope they spray it downwind of me. I don’t want it drifting over to me,” said Lipischak.

Another Winnipegger saying, “A few years ago I had a flowering crab apple tree in my backyard. Somebody was killing broadleaf plants in their driveway on a windy day – it wiped out a tree that had been there for 20 years. So I think it’s bad, I don’t like the idea of pesticides at all, I think there is a natural way to do it.”

The province says more than 60 per cent of respondents to their pesticide survey indicated the restrictions on the sale and usage of pesticides for cosmetic use were too strict, and over 70 per cent wanted to see the current restrictions reduced or rescinded.

Max Warniski, General Manager of Nutri-Lawn says this aligns with what he’s heard since the restrictions have lifted.

Gardening in Winnipeg. (Photo Credit: Mike Albanese, CityNews)

“A lot of our customers are extremely excited – we are pumped like you can’t believe. This is going to be a changer for everybody, everybody will get a green fresh lawn again, and not have to deal with the weeds,” said Warniski.

“As long as everything is applied properly there shouldn’t be any worries, like for ourselves we keep our distances from gardens and stuff because we don’t want to contaminate the fruits and vegetables people are growing.”

Warniski says the newly legalized pesticides are much cheaper, which will help businesses like his. But a resident we spoke to Monday says there is a danger in giving the average person access to more potent pesticides, and worries about accidents happening.