Canadian Tire exploits loophole to sell dangerous household pesticides
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Media Advisory – Vancouver, BC
WHAT: Concerned citizens, including representatives of the Wilderness Committee and Toxic Free Canada, will reveal how Canadian Tire is exploiting a legislative loophole to sell dangerous household pesticides that cannot be used in Vancouver legally. WHEN: Wednesday September 30, 2009, 10 AM
WHERE: Outside the Canadian Tire store at 2290 Cambie Street in Vancouver.
WHY: “Vancouver has outlawed the use of these dangerous household pesticides, but Canadian Tire is exploiting a loophole and selling products that can’t be used legally in Vancouver. They don’t even have a sign to warn their unsuspecting customers that using these products as intended is illegal in Vancouver,” said Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner with the Wilderness Committee.
“For health and environmental reasons, many municipalities, including the City of Vancouver, have made a democratic decision to ban the use of cosmetic pesticides. But stores like Canadian Tire can ignore these decisions because the province still allows their sale,” said Mae Burrows, Executive Director of Toxic Free Canada.
“This week, local government representatives at the UBCM (Union of BC Municipalities) will debate and, hopefully, again pass this year a resolution calling on the BC government to ban the sale of these unhealthy pesticides. It’s time for the province to step up and do the right thing environmentally, and for these stores to let their customers know what they’re buying,” said Burrows.
A recent poll by the Canadian Cancer Society shows that over 75% of people in BC support a provincial ban on cosmetic pesticides.
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For more information please contact:
Ben West, Wilderness Committee Healthy Communities Campaigner, 604-710-5340
Mae Burrows, Executive Director of Toxic Free Canada, 604 916-9026
WHAT: Concerned citizens, including representatives of the Wilderness Committee and Toxic Free Canada, will reveal how Canadian Tire is exploiting a legislative loophole to sell dangerous household pesticides that cannot be used in Vancouver legally. WHEN: Wednesday September 30, 2009, 10 AM
WHERE: Outside the Canadian Tire store at 2290 Cambie Street in Vancouver.
WHY: “Vancouver has outlawed the use of these dangerous household pesticides, but Canadian Tire is exploiting a loophole and selling products that can’t be used legally in Vancouver. They don’t even have a sign to warn their unsuspecting customers that using these products as intended is illegal in Vancouver,” said Ben West, Healthy Communities Campaigner with the Wilderness Committee.
“For health and environmental reasons, many municipalities, including the City of Vancouver, have made a democratic decision to ban the use of cosmetic pesticides. But stores like Canadian Tire can ignore these decisions because the province still allows their sale,” said Mae Burrows, Executive Director of Toxic Free Canada.
“This week, local government representatives at the UBCM (Union of BC Municipalities) will debate and, hopefully, again pass this year a resolution calling on the BC government to ban the sale of these unhealthy pesticides. It’s time for the province to step up and do the right thing environmentally, and for these stores to let their customers know what they’re buying,” said Burrows.
A recent poll by the Canadian Cancer Society shows that over 75% of people in BC support a provincial ban on cosmetic pesticides.
-30-
For more information please contact:
Ben West, Wilderness Committee Healthy Communities Campaigner, 604-710-5340
Mae Burrows, Executive Director of Toxic Free Canada, 604 916-9026