Quebec Moves to Ban Neonics and other Agricultural Pesticides

A briefing by the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE) regarding the Quebec Pesticide Strategy 2015-2018, which proposes expanding the list of banned pesticides to 60 active ingredients, including neonicotinoids, atrazine, and chlorpyrifos.

• On November 22, 2015, Quebec's Minister of the Environment, David Heurtel, proposed updating pesticide regulations to expand the list of banned pesticides from 20 chemical pesticides (banned in 2003 for lawns and gardens) to 60 active ingredients.
• The Quebec Pesticide Strategy 2015-2018 aims to ban neonicotinoids for agricultural use, including neonic-treated corn and soya seeds, unless an agronomist demonstrates the necessity. This differs from Ontario's 2015 regulations, which focused on reducing the acreage of treated seeds, whereas Quebec seeks to reduce risk across all crops.
• Quebec's proposal includes banning atrazine, a substance identified as an endocrine disruptor linked to prostate and mammary cancer and neural and immune system effects. If implemented, Quebec would be the first North American jurisdiction to ban atrazine, which is used extensively on corn.
• The strategy targets chlorpyrifos, which the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has found to be acutely toxic to honeybees, fish, birds, mammals, and aquatic invertebrates. It is also identified as a developmental neurotoxicant capable of causing brain damage in children exposed to low doses during pregnancy or early postnatal life.

APA

Perrotta, K. (2016). Quebec Moves to Ban Neonics and other Agricultural Pesticides. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment. https://cape.ca/quebec-moves-to-ban-neonics-and-other-agricultural-pesticides/

Chicago

Perrotta, Kim. Quebec Moves to Ban Neonics and other Agricultural Pesticides. Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, 2016. https://cape.ca/quebec-moves-to-ban-neonics-and-other-agricultural-pesticides/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |last1=Perrotta |first1=Kim |title=Quebec Moves to Ban Neonics and other Agricultural Pesticides |publisher=Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment |date=14 January 2016 |url=https://cape.ca/quebec-moves-to-ban-neonics-and-other-agricultural-pesticides/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{perrotta2016quebec, author = {Perrotta, Kim}, title = {{Quebec Moves to Ban Neonics and other Agricultural Pesticides}}, institution = {Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment}, year = {2016}, month = jan, url = {https://cape.ca/quebec-moves-to-ban-neonics-and-other-agricultural-pesticides/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }