Ontario, Canada’s Lawn Care Industry Files Charge

A group representing three dozen lawn care companies is trying to bring charges against Ontario's Environment Minister John Gerretsen and senior bureaucrats over the province's controversial pesticide ban.

The action stems from Ontario’s pesticide regulations, which permit the use of azadirachtin, a chemical that is not approved for use in Canada.

Ontario's ban prohibits the sale and cosmetic use of more than 80 ingredients and 250 products, as a way of protecting public health and the environment.

Quebec has also stirred up controversy with its pesticide ban, which sparked a North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) challenge.

Additionally, Dow AgroSciences LLC, which manufactures banned weed killer 2,4-D, has decided to sue the federal government, seeking at least $2 million in damages.