Pesticides Banned in Ontario, Are Parks Safer?

Ontario’s parks became a lot healthier on Earth Day, April 22, 2009. That’s the date when the provincial ban of the cosmetic use of pesticides throughout Ontario came into effect. After listening to medical experts — like the Canadian Cancer Society — the ban was instituted to reduce exposure to pesticides, particularly by children who, because of their small size, are more susceptible to the toxic effects of pesticides.

I wonder what overriding concern demanded the application of an unnamed pesticide here in Springbank Park in London, Ontario. The small ducks swimming about the pond may, by the government's logic, be affected. I called the posted number but got an answering machine. I'm going to guess something has been used for fighting the West Nile Virus by going after mosquito larvae in the pond water. It would be nice if that information was given on the warning sign. The sign left a lot of strollers, especially those with young children, worried.