October 19, 2006
To the Honourable Mayor and Council of the District of Maple Ridge.
The Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Environmental Council, comprising 12 community groups active in environmental stewardship, strongly endorses the enactment of “Pesticide Use Control Bylaw No. 6413 – 2006” to restrict the non-essential, cosmetic use of pesticides on public and private property in the District of Maple Ridge.
We represent hundreds of citizens directly and many thousands who share our concerns about the security of our environment. The risks of pesticide use and the long-lasting effect on our water supplies and soil are well documented so we will not go into further detail in this presentation. But we do remind you that they are a major concern. Fifty-four local physicians have asked for these restrictions on behalf of their patients. The Canadian Cancer Society also has to deal with the results of chemical exposure and joins other organizations, such as the David Suzuki Foundation and the Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment, in expressing warnings about pesticide use. More than 3,600 citizens of this District have directly expressed their desire for a bylaw of this nature in a petition. Councils in 120 other cities have already enacted similar bylaws, including such major centres as Toronto, Halifax and Vancouver. So too has the entire Province of Quebec.
There are some elements of our society that are willing to ignore the economic opportunities provided by organic practises, that are willing to compromise our water and soil for short-term gain and that will ask you to water down the provisions of the bylaw. We call upon you to recognize the self-interest represented by these elements and to act instead in the best interests of all.
Your Worship and Councillors, we raise our collective voice in calling for you to take this bylaw through the second, third and final readings to bring it into force.
It is time for Maple Ridge to fulfill its obligation to protect its citizens.
Thank you for your consideration.
Adopt-A-Block
Alouette Field Naturalists
Alouette River Management Society
Blue Mountain Kanaka Creek Conservation Group
Campaign for Pesticide Reduction Maple Ridge
CEED Centre Society
Haney Horsemen Association
Kanaka Education and Environmental Partnership Society
Pitt Polder Preservation Society
Residents for the Preservation of Thornhill
Silver Valley Neighbourhood Association
Thornhill Aquifer Protection Study
Spokesperson: Tel 604-463-2229, Fax 604-463-4640
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mrpmec/
http://www.fraserinfo.org/006RMEC-Title.htm