Coalition calls for an immediate glyphosate moratorium and modernized pesticide oversight in Canada
A coalition of nearly 30 civil society and academic organizations is calling on the federal government to halt plans announced in the latest budget to weaken Canada’s pesticide regulatory process. Instead, they are demanding a long-overdue public debate and comprehensive reform to protect farmers, public health and the environment.
At the center of concern is the government’s intention to abolish the cyclical re-evaluation of pesticides, a key mechanism designed to monitor pesticide safety over time. Eliminating this process would further weaken a system already skewed in favour of the agrochemical industry, giving more power to a regulator that has lost public trust. Between 2022 and 2025, Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) spent $42 million on its so-called “transformation agenda” — with no meaningful improvements to safety oversight.
The coalition also emphasizes that the statutory review of the Pest Control Products Act (PCPA) is nearly four years overdue. By law, the PCPA must undergo parliamentary review at least every seven years; the last review was conducted in 2015.
“The science model used by PMRA is antiquated and does not protect Canadians from the risks of pesticides. We demand a regulator who uses up-to-date scientific thinking, methods, and evidence to assess the true risks of pesticides. We need an overhaul of the entire scientific approach,” said Mary Lou McDonald, President of Safe Food Matters.
Recent Glyphosate Controversies Highlight Regulatory Flaws
Recent developments have exposed serious weaknesses in Canada’s pesticide oversight. A decades-old study claiming glyphosate-based herbicides (GBH) were safe has now been formally retracted, after it was revealed to be ghostwritten by Monsanto employees and to have ignored independent research.
Independent science continues to raise concerns:
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In 2015, WHO’s International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classified glyphosate as carcinogenic to animals and probably carcinogenic to humans.
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The Ramazzini Institute’s Global Glyphosate Study found low-dose exposure caused multiple cancers in rats, reinforcing IARC’s conclusions.
“Glyphosate-based herbicides contribute to the increasing cancer rates, and constitute a substantial economic burden. According to the Canadian Cancer Society, the cost of cancer on Canada’s healthcare system and patients reached $37.7 billion in 2024,” said Meg Sears, chair of Prevent Cancer Now.
An Opportunity to Reform Pesticide Regulation
Experts note that Canada’s current pesticide regulatory framework:
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Focuses on “active ingredients” rather than full formulations.
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Does not fully incorporate independent scientific research.
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Provides limited public access to studies and data used in decision-making.
“Canada falls short of responsible pesticide regulation to protect public health and the environment. We need to overhaul the scientific approach of PMRA,” said Marie-Hélène Bacon, coordinator of the Ecohealth Research Collective on Pesticides, Policies and Alternatives (CREPPA).
Coalition Demands
The coalition is urging the federal government to:
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REFORM pesticide assessments to evaluate marketed products, consider multiple exposures, and rely on up-to-date independent science.
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MAINTAIN periodic and ad-hoc reviews of pesticides to quickly respond to emerging risks.
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CONDUCT a full review of the PCPA, not just the re-evaluation provisions, to strengthen PMRA’s scientific rigor.
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LAUNCH an expedited special review of glyphosate-based herbicides, including carcinogenicity, and impose a moratorium on new registrations or renewals until a full, modern scientific assessment is complete.
Read the coalition’s press release here and
Radio-Canada Thomas Gerbets’ article: Pesticides : la fin des évaluations régulières de Santé Canada inquiète
TAKE ACTION
Please join us in urging Health Minister Marjorie Michel, to act on the coalition’s demands.
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