Cosmetic pesticide ban on P.E.I. could be delayed

Getting P.E.I. pesticide regulations in line with the other Maritime provinces could slow down the process, says Environment Minister Richard Brown.

In March, Brown said regulations would be tabled in the spring 2009 session of the legislature, for a P.E.I. ban to come into effect next spring. But those regulations didn't surface. Instead, Brown said the Island  would work with Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to come up with Maritime-wide regulations.

On Thursday, the government in New Brunswick announced a ban would come into effect this fall on 200 lawn products, most of which contain the herbicide 2-4-D. Brown said P.E.I. is still working with the other provinces, including New Brunswick, but that co-operation could slow things down.

"The regulations are being drafted on Prince Edward Island now. It has to go through the caucus and the legislation has to go through the legislature. So it will be up to the legislature to determine when the timeline will be," he said.

"We're working with our sister provinces. There has been a new government in Nova Scotia ... and we will be revealing our regulations and our methodology with the Nova Scotia government, and in line with the New Brunswick government."

New Brunswick's policy has already come under fire from the Canadian Cancer Society, which says the list doesn't go far enough.

Brown said he'll be reviewing those regulations and the criticisms.