No Extension for June Expiring BC Landscape Category Pesticide Certificates

Despite stakeholder lobbying to extend June certificate expirees for six months, as was granted for April and May expirees, the BC Ministry of Environment has decided against any further extensions.

Jon Mullan, IPM Section head stated, “The goal of Phase 2 is to begin moving back to normal and, for the IPM Program, we see supporting this government initiative as reinitiating standard routes to meet requirements rather than relying on the temporary emergency measures.”

MOE sent letters to 40 pesticide applicators with certificates expiring in June, explaining alternatives to writing the exam at a ServiceBC location, a service that remains unavailable at time of writing (June 22).

“Unfortunately, two out of three options provided by the Ministry do not address the immediate concern of certificates expiring in June and the one that does has a high degree of uncertainty along with potentially high cost and delivery challenges,” stated WCTA Executive Director, Jerry Rousseau.  

The WCTA and BCLNA continue to work with MOE to facilitate private invigilation of the landscape exam but meanwhile, dozens more pesticide certificates are set to expire in July with no word on when ServiceBC will resume full services.

CLICK HERE for the letter sent by MOE to June certificate holders