Health Canada announces members of the new Science Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products

The panel will provide independent scientific advice to Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency.

June 27, 2022 | Ottawa, ON | Health Canada

The Government of Canada takes pesticide safety very seriously, and it is working to ensure an open and inclusive process in the areas of safety, transparency and sustainability. Today, Health Canada officially named the nine members of the recently formed Science Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products (SAC-PCP).

The nomination process for the committee was launched in January 2022 and closed in March 2022. The committee will act as in an advisory role to the Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). Members will provide expert, independent scientific advice to support Health Canada in evidence-based decision making on pesticides to better protect human health, wildlife and the environment.

The SAC-PCP members are:

Dr. Maricor Arlos, University of Alberta
Dr. Stéphane Bayen, McGill University
Dr. Kyle Bobiwash, University of Manitoba
Dr. Valérie Langlois, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Eau Terre Environnement Research Centre
Dr. Bruce Lanphear, Simon Fraser University
Dr. Eric Liberda, Toronto Metropolitan University
Dr. Christy A. Morrissey, University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Sean Prager, University of Saskatchewan
Dr. Xianming Zhang, Concordia University

Health Canada’s nomination criteria requested a wide range of relevant knowledge and experience in the areas of pesticide use in Canada, environmental fate and modelling, health and environmental risk assessment, food and workplace exposure, pesticide value assessment, and Indigenous knowledge of pesticides and traditional land use. The SAC-PCP members are representative of the diverse regional and linguistic communities in Canada.

In addition to the nine members, the SAC-PCP will benefit from a community of specialized experts to provide supplementary scientific expertise as needed. This will ensure that the Committee remains current depending on its evolving needs. This could include additional sectoral expertise in sectors such as agriculture and forestry, or expertise in other specific scientific areas. Health Canada intends to maintain this membership evergreen to ensure that required independent advice is available at any time.

Quotes

“Our government is committed to ensuring pesticides used across the country are safe for the wellbeing of Canadians and for our environment. With this new advisory body, we are further strengthening the rigorous, science-based regulation of pesticides while ensuring the pesticide review process meets the expectations of Canadians in the areas of safety, transparency, and sustainability.”

The Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health

“Congratulations to the appointed members of the Science Advisory Committee in support of the Pest Management Regulatory Agency. Their work will help further protect our environment and Canadians from risks posed by pest control products.”

The Honourable Steven Guilbeault,
Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“As our agricultural producers are working to feed a growing global population, it is more important than ever that they can effectively and sustainably control pests that reduce or jeopardize their crops. The experts appointed to the Scientific Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products will strengthen Canada’s rigorous assessment methods to ensure that our food continues to be produced according to the highest standards.”

The Honourable Marie-Claude Bibeau
Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

Quick Facts

• The Science Advisory Committee will hold its first official orientation meeting on July 8^th. Details on upcoming meetings and work plans will be shared publicly online.
• The committee's members are expected to serve 36-month terms with possible extensions.
• On August 4, 2021, the Government of Canada announced a $50 million investment in the PMRA, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, and Environment and Climate Change Canada over three years to strengthen Canada's pesticide regulatory system.

Associated Links

Transforming the Pest Management Regulatory Agency

Government of Canada launches call for nominations for new Science Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products

Science Advisory Committee on Pest Control Products: Terms of Reference

Contacts

Marie-France Proulx
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos
Minister of Health
613-957-0200

Kaitlin Power
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Environment and Climate Change
819-230-1557
kaitlin.power@ec.gc.ca

Marianne Dandurand
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food
marianne.dandurand@agr.gc.ca
343-541-9229

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