Reinstate the Use of Strychnine
Res #: 20-24M
Number: 20
Year: 2024
Midterm: Yes
Expired: No
Responses Received: Yes
Departments: Health Canada
WHEREAS the Richardson’s Ground Squirrel meets the definition of an agricultural pest under the Pest Control Products Act due to the substantial damage inflicted on crops, livestock and equipment resulting in economic losses for farmers and ranchers.
WHEREAS strychnine sale or distribution has been prohibited by federal statute since March 4, 2022.
WHEREAS there is no adequate alternative to strychnine for controlling the Richardson’s Ground Squirrel population.
BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) to restructure the guidelines and reinstate the use of strychnine to control mass populations of Richardson’s Ground Squirrel while meeting current standards for environmental protection.
Responses From: Health Canada
December 18, 2024
Thank you for your email dated November 26, 2024, in which you shared with me a letter from Bill Huber, Acting President for the Saskatchewan Association of Rural Municipalities, whom wrote regarding the availability of strychnine to control Richardson’s Ground Squirrel (RGS) in Canada.
As outlined in Re-evaluation Decision RVD2020-06, Strychnine and Its Associated End-use Products (Richardson’s Ground Squirrels) published on March 4, 2020, https://www.canada.ca/en/health-canada/services/consumer-product-safety/reports-publications/pesticides-pest-management/decisions-updates/reevaluation-decision/2020/strychnine.html, Health Canada concluded that the environmental risks associated with the use of strychnine for the control of RGS were not shown to be acceptable when used according to label directions and that no further feasible mitigation measures could be implemented by users of the product. Consequently, the registration of products containing strychnine used to control RGS was cancelled and a 3-year phase-out period was allowed until March 4, 2023. In its decision, Health Canada recognized the value of strychnine because it is easy to use, cost effective, and manages RGS in a single feeding.
As noted in your letter, there are alternative pest control products registered to control RGS that are available to users: chlorophacinone, diphacinone, zinc phosphide, and aluminum phosphide. While these alternatives may have some limitations compared to strychnine, they were found to be efficacious against the target pest during the scientific review that led to their registration.
To re-instate (i.e., re-register) the use of a pest control product that has been cancelled, new information that demonstrates that the product has acceptable risk and value would need to be provided as part of a new registration application. Alternatively, efforts to identify new products and conduct additional research into RGS control could be undertaken and include grower groups, registrants of potential alternative products, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and/or provincial representatives.
Health Canada’s PMRA will continue to be available to provide information and guidance regarding the registration process, and information on currently registered products.
Frédéric Bissonnette – Senior Director General, Regulatory Science and Operations, Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Health Canada
