March 25, 2024

The MoA regulates licensed pesticide applicators in Saskatchewan under The Pest Control Products (Saskatchewan) Act and Regulations and is responsible for investigating complaints related to pesticide misapplication, misuse, or unsafe practices in the province by licenced applicators.

MoA requires that all pesticide misuse complaints be in writing and submitted within 30 days of the incident occurring to allow the ministry to gather evidence without delay to conduct a thorough investigation. Without sufficient information and evidence, the MoA may not be able to investigate in a science-based manner.

The 30-day time limit to submit complaints is not a legislative requirement but an MoA policy. Reporting pesticide-related incidents promptly aids the MoA in determining the cause of the incident, assessing the severity of the impact, and taking any necessary steps to mitigate further risks, such as compliance enforcement with a licensed applicator. With time, other factors such as climatic conditions can cause damage to vegetation, and it would be very difficult to impossible to definitively determine if pesticide application was the cause of the damage to the vegetation once significant time has passed since the pesticide was applied.

The MoA encourages those who suspect their crop or property has been damaged by a pesticide-related drift to contact the suspected applicator as soon as possible and view the damage with the suspected applicator. Many complaints are resolved quickly and efficiently by communicating with the applicator. Compensation for damage related to a pesticide-related incident is a civil matter worked out between the complainant and the applicator.

Hon. David Marit – Minister of Agriculture