Letter to BC Golf Superintendents from M.O.E.

December 18, 2017

Dear Golf Course Superintendent:

Re: Update on inspection activities and a reminder of the changes to the IPM Regulation

As of July 1st, 2016, amendments to the Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Regulation were brought into force that changed the requirements for the use of pesticides on landscaped areas on private land, including most golf courses. This letter is being sent to all golf course superintendents in BC to promote a consistent understanding of these regulatory changes, and to provide an update on the inspection activities that the Ministry conducted in 2017. At all times, we strive to promote voluntary compliance among pesticide users, especially with regards to regulatory changes and new requirements.

Beginning in July 2017, Ministry inspectors started an audit of BC golf courses to ensure that the industry is following environmental and human health protection requirements outlined in the IPM Act and Regulation. Inspections revealed that while many golf courses were aware of the changes and had taken the appropriate steps to ensure compliance, a number of golf courses were not aware of the changes to the regulation. As such, please keep in mind the following:

1. The application of most pesticides to landscaped areas of both private and public land now requires a pesticide user licence. In order to obtain a licence, at least one staff member must have a pesticide applicator certificate in the landscape category, and an annual fee is required. If you have not already obtained a pesticide user licence for your golf course and wish to do so, please visit: http://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/pesticides-pest-management/business-industry/authorization-to-sell-or-use-pesticides. 

2. If you currently have a pesticide user license for your golf course, one of the requirements is to submit an annual summary of pesticide use to the Ministry by January 31st, 2018. The Annual Use Summary form is located on our website here: https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/environment/pesticides-pest-management/business-industry/authorization-to-sell-or-use-pesticides, or by entering “BC Pesticide Annual Use Summary” into a search engine.

It is important to note that if your golf course does not wish to obtain a pesticide user licence, you have the option of:

a) hiring a licenced company to apply pesticides, or
b) only using excluded pesticides that do not require a licence.

The list of excluded pesticides that do not require a licence are found on Schedule 2 of the IPM Regulation (CLICK HERE for “The Rules Have Changed” document).

Finally, a licence holder must follow environmental and human health protection requirements outlined in the IPM Act and Regulation including:

- ensuring that pesticide application is performed or supervised by certified staff,
- storing pesticides appropriately,
- using the principles of Integrated Pest Management as outlined in the regulation,
- posting treatment notifications,
- keeping daily pesticide application records, and
- submitting an annual summary of pesticide use to the Ministry by January 31st in the next calendar year.

For more information please refer to the enclosed “The Rules Have Changed” document, and access the Landscape Sector Review Paper at http://www2.gov.bc.ca/assets/gov/environment/pesticides-and-pest-management/pesticide-use/reviews/landscape_review.pdf.

Ministry inspectors will continue to focus on conducting on-site inspections of golf courses to determine compliance with the IPM Regulation in 2018.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to me. I can be reached at (604) 582-5337 or chelsea.eby@gov.bc.ca. 

Sincerely,

Chelsea Eby
IPM Officer Audit Lead
Ministry of Environment & Climate Change Strategy
Integrated Pest Management Environmental Protection Division

Mailing Address:
Suite 200 – 10470 152 Street
Surrey BC V3R 0Y3 
Telephone: 604 582-5200
Facsimile: 604 584-9751
Website: www.gov.bc.ca/env