Ashcroft Council is looking for answers to the pesticide dilemma and wants more public input before making a decision.
Ashcroft Administrator Michelle Allen noted at the Sept. 10 Council meeting that the provincial Special Committee on Cosmetic Pesticides report released in May recommended restricting cosmetic pesticides, but not banning them.
“It’s a pretty complex issue,” agreed Coun. Jackie Tegart. She suggested making it a topic for public discussion at an upcoming Town Hall meeting in November.
Mayor Andy Anderson wondered what similar-sized communities were doing.
Coun. Helen Kormendy wanted to know if there was a correlation between high pesticide use and high rates of cancer.
“It’s on everyone’s radar,” said Tegart. “We need to help people think aobut it in a bigger way. It’s a huge health issue.”
Coun. Alice Durksen agreed: “We need to give our citizens a chance to discuss it before we made a decision.”