THE NEED
• The Society believes that Ontarians should not be exposed to cancer-causing substances at home, at work or in their environment. Wherever possible, exposure to substances that are known, or believed, to cause cancer should be identified and eliminated by substituting safer alternatives. When elimination is not possible, exposure should be reduced to the lowest possible levels. • Evidence from occupational studies suggests a positive association between exposure to certain pesticides and some types of cancer, including non-Hodgkin lymphoma and leukemia, brain cancer, kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, prostate cancer and lung cancer. • Strong evidence also exists indicating that children may be more at risk than other population groups due to their rapidly developing bodies and their more direct means of contact. • A 2007 Oracle Poll of 1,000 Ontario residents shows 71 per cent of Ontario citizens supported province-wide restrictions on pesticides.
O U R AC T I O N S
• Since 2002, Society volunteers and staff worked tirelessly with governments and community partners across Ontario to prohibit the use of cosmetic pesticides. • At the municipal level, this involved meeting with and sending letters to local councillors and mayors, attending city council meetings and delivering deputations, writing letters to the editor and calling community members and other volunteers asking for support. • Provincially, Society volunteer and staff advocacy efforts included responding to public consultations through the Environment Bill of Rights (EBR) consultation periods, meeting with MPPs and Ministers, sending letters to MPPs, the Premier and Minister of the Environment and writing letters to the editor.
T H E I M PAC T
• On June 18, 2008, Queen’s Park passed the Cosmetic Pesticide Act, which banned the sale and use of cosmetic pesticides across Ontario. This regulation matched the toughest existing municipal bylaw in Ontario, and will protect the health of Ontarians with the strongest cosmetic pesticide legislation in North America.
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Ann McGoey played a key role in advoca t ing for T hunder Ba y’s ban on cosmetic pest icides.