Mad Dog Case on Glyphosate: PMRA Refuses Action on New Science
Health Canada dismisses significance of new science, including forest studies, leaving Safe Food Matters to consider further action.
Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has decided to not take any steps regarding the registration of glyphosate, even after the Court ordered it to look at new science.
Safe Food Matters is reviewing PMRA’s decision to do nothing and is considering next steps.
PMRA took the decision, even though it was aware of new science from the Ramazinni institute that shows glyphosate causes cancer, and even though it was aware of risks to peoples who eat forest food from Safe Food Matters’ report that shows high levels of glyphosate arise in berries after forest spraying and that Indigenous peoples (and others) eat these berries.
The PMRA was told by the Federal Court on March 3, 2025, to redetermine the application for renewal of a glyphosate product, Mad Dog Plus, withing 6 months (by August …Read More
New Report Shows Repeat Spraying of BC and New Brunswick Forests, Contrary to Federal Approval
New Report Shows Repeat Spraying of BC and New Brunswick Forests, Contrary to Federal Approval
Raising risks to Indigenous people, others who eat forest food
TORONTO, March 28, 2025 — A new report shows pesticides are sprayed on Canadian forests up to 7 times in the forestry cycle, not just once – as assumed in Health Canada’s approval for spraying. It also shows the risks to people eating forest foods, including Indigenous people and foragers, have not been assessed.
The report, written by Safe Food Matters Inc., presents data compiled by the Wilderness Committee and Stop Spraying New Brunswick showing cutblocks in New Brunswick and British Columbia have been sprayed 2, 3 or more times with glyphosate, the main pesticide used in forestry. It presents evidence that many Indigenous people eat forest foods, putting them at risk.
Recent science from the University of Northern BC shows glyphosate accumulates and persists for years in forest plants like berries and roots. When asked about the science, the Pest Management …Read More
Open Letter to Health Minister: Cancel Forest Spraying
Spring 2025
To: Minister of Health, Honourable Marjorie Michel
hcminister.ministresc@hc-sc.gc.ca, marjorie.michel@parl.gc.ca
Re: Cancel Approval of Glyphosate for Forestry Use
We are Canadian organizations and Indigenous peoples concerned about the spraying of pesticides on our forests.
A new report, Forest Spraying & Forest Food, shows the assessments for the use of glyphosate products on forests are flawed. Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) used a false assumption in its environmental assessment – that spraying occurs infrequently – and did not assess the consumption of food from the forest in assessment even though it was required to.
The result has been high pesticide levels in berries foraged by people as a source of food, disproportionately affecting Indigenous peoples and their food security. Scientific studies and surveys support this finding. Glyphosate is also toxic to terrestrial and aquatic forest species, based on PMRA findings.
We call on you to fulfill your primary mandate of protecting the environment and human …Read More
Forest Spraying 3: Forest Fires
Glyphosate is the main pesticide being sprayed on Canadian forests, and it increases the risk of forest fires.
2023 Forest Fires
The 2023 forest fires in Canada were devastating and destructive. Almost 19 million hectares of forest were burned – markedly more than the previous average of 2.5 million hectares. Hundreds of fires exceeded 10,000 hectares and were considered ““megafires”. (NASA Earth Observatory) Some fires smoldered underground and are emerging as “zombies” fires.
Smoke emitted from the wildfires caused air quality alerts and evacuations in Canada and the United States. In late June, 2023, the smoke crossed the Atlantic, reaching Europe.
Contributing Factors
Climate change is considered a contributing factor. Warmer and drier weather makes vegetation more flammable, increasing the risk of fire.
The forest management practise of spraying with glyphosate is also a contributing factor, in at least two respects. First, spraying the forest with glyphosate- based herbicides dries down the forest even more. Second, …Read More
FOREST SPRAYING 2: UNSAFE FOOD
Glyphosate is the main pesticide being sprayed on Canadian forests. Spraying is a big a problem:
for people who forage, including First Nations
for forest animals
for hunters
People who forage
People who forage for forest plants are at risk. Two recent studies show that glyphosate persists in forest plants for years, including in wild blueberries and raspberries. The University of Northern British Columbia studies are: (1)“The presence of glyphosate in forest plants with different life strategies one year after application” (2) “Glyphosate remains in forest plant tissues for a decade or more”. (BC Forest Studies)
The first study tested plants one year after spraying, and found glyphosate in newly grown shoots and berries that were not sprayed, which was not expected. All the plants tested positive for glyphosate, with the highest levels found in the roots. The take away is glyphosate is stored in the roots in the dormant season and moves …Read More
Forest Spraying 1: Based on Faulty Approval
Pesticides are being sprayed on Canadian forests, killing the diversity of forest life. The resulting harms are plant and animal death, destruction of forest foods, and accelerating forest fires.
How is this allowed?
The registration approval for this use of pesticides comes from the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) of Health Canada, the agency responsible for “managing pests”. The licenses to spray are then granted by the provinces. (Quebec has banned forestry spraying since 2001.)
PMRA says that unwanted trees and brush are “pests”. Pests are defined in the “Pest Control” law to include “a plant… that is injurious, noxious or troublesome”.
So trees are a troublesome pest? The forest industry and PMRA think they are. The aim of industry is to “harvest” one type of tree “crop”, usually evergreens (conifers), and get rid of the leafy trees (broadleaf) that get in the way – the pests.
The PMRA Glyphosate Approval
Glyphosate …Read More
