WCTA Update Fall 2016
If you’ve been following along, you know it’s been a busy year for the golf and sportsturf management industry in terms of regulatory changes.
The biggest challenge for any association engaged in advocacy is to manage day-to-day operations and provide member services while finding time and resources required to lobby the authorities on any number of current and upcoming issues.
Another challenge is coming to consensus. What’s important in BC’s Lower Mainland may not be in the North or on Vancouver Island or in Alberta. Creating priorities becomes a critical component of any advocacy effort but we can build on previous efforts.
Yet another challenge is managing ourselves. Are we efficient enough in our operations to create time for advocacy? Do we know who to talk to and what questions to ask? What are other organizations doing (and can we learn from them)? Are we duplicating efforts? Who is being represented (and who isn’t)? Are we all relaying the same messaging?
Since the timely addition of ‘advocacy’ to our mandate in 2015, significant headway has been made in several areas with efforts planned to continue as required.
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Chlorothalonil and Iprodione re-evaluation latest news
Communication with the PMRA continued over the summer. An excerpt below from a Sept 21st communication indicates a final decision for these active ingredients is not expected until March 2018.
“As such, a final re-evaluation decision for these chemicals is not anticipated until March of 2018. For that reason, the proposed labelling requirements are not being implemented at this time and labels are unaffected until a final decision is made. For the time being, all chlorothalonil and iprodione-based pesticides be used according to the current product labels.”
New BC IPM regulation in force July 1, 2016
BC Ministry of Environment staff understand the seasonality of the golf business but expects full compliance with the new IPM regulation. A MOE representative will be participating in our 2017 Conference, taking place Feb 15-17 in Penticton, to further explain the regulation and answer questions.
Groundwater licencing
The new Water Sustainability Act, aimed at regulating groundwater, came into force this past February and includes golf courses. Do not wait to apply for a licence, if wells are licensed before March 2017, the Ministry will waive the application fee. Also, ‘First in Time, First in Right’ applies the same way as surface water rights. In other words, it’s first-come, first-serve in the event of well water volume restrictions.
GVRD Water Shortage Response Plan (WSRP)
The first round of Metro-Vancouver’s WSRP amendments were put in place this spring and a more comprehensive review of the plan is currently in progress. Both the Allied Golf Association of BC and WCTA were asked to participate, as were many other stakeholders.
Preliminary data from 21 of the 67 golf courses in the GVRD was compiled and passed along to the consultant. Further responses were received but the data has not been compiled nor has a summary presentation been created. AGA-BC has not published interim survey results.
AGA-BC Receives Additional $20k to Fund New IPM Manual
This free, online resource was originally planned to go live later this summer or early fall. We have been in touch with Environmental Committee Chair, Keith Lyall and await an update on the manual’s progress and projected completion date.
First Green
2017 events are being planned, watch for details next spring.
Alberta Sports Turf Field Day Blows Away Expectations
About 75 delegates were expected on field at New Brighton Athletic Park but at the end of the day, over double that number participated in the education and networking event featuring University of Tennessee’s, Dr. John Sorochan and Olds College PTRC Lead Research Scientist, Katie Dodson plus an afternoon trade show with various exhibitor demonstrations and educational stations on the field.
Western Canada Turfgrass Association Announces 2017 Conference and Trade Show
Catering to the professional golf and sportsturf management industry, the WCTA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the 54th Annual WCTA Conference and Trade Show will take place at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre, Penticton, British Columbia, February 15-17, 2017
The conference program has been overhauled to maximize our time in Penticton and a theme has been announced, “Climate Change and What it Means to Turf Management”. A preliminary list of speakers was released Sept 30 and final touches are in progress. Watch for more information and registration coming soon.
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Our turf research funding department has been busy this summer also and we should have some very exciting announcements to make soon. Stay up-to-date by visiting www.wcta-online.com, through our e-newsletter and of course the Turf Line News magazine.
Thank-you for your continued involvement and support.
Respectfully submitted,
Jerry Rousseau, WCTA Executive Director