Pest control products (pesticides) acts and regulations
Acts and regulations applicable to the regulation of pesticides and other pest control products in Canada.
Pest Management Regulatory Agency
Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) is responsible for administering the Pest Control Products Act on behalf of the Minister of Health. The Pest Control Products Act regulates the products used for the control of pests.
Pest Control Products Act
The current Pest Control Products Act received Royal Assent on 12 December 2002, and came into force on 28 June 2006.
Recent Amendments
- Pest Control Products Act amendment under Canada Gazette part II: Vol. 152, No. 26 (Published 26 December 2018). Pursuant to subsection 73(3) of An Act to amend the Food and Drugs Act, the Hazardous Products Act, the Radiation Emitting Devices Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the Pest Control Products Act and the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act and to make related amendments to another Act, chapter 9 of the Statutes of Canada, 2016, fixes the 210th day after the day this Order is made as the day on which section 39 of that Act comes into force. (Dec 24, 2018).
- Pest Control Products Act amendment under Canada Gazette, Part III: Vol. 39, No. 2 (published 16 March 2017). This enactment enables Canada to implement the Agreement on Trade Facilitation, which was done at Geneva by members of the World Trade Organization, including Canada, on the 27th November, 2014, as an amendment to Annex 1A of the Marrakesh Agreement Establishing the World Trade Organization. It amends the Food and Drugs Act, the Hazardous Products Act, the Radiation Emitting Devices Act, the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999, the Pest Control Products Act and the Canada Consumer Product Safety Act.
- Pest Control Products Act amendment via the Canada-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement Implementation Act and to provide for certain other measures, Bill C-30 (received Royal Assent on 16 May 2017).
Regulations under the Pest Control Products Act
Visit the Pesticides and Pest Management Policies and Guidelines webpage to find links to consultations on the regulation of pesticides and other pest control products in Canada.
Recent Amendments
- Regulations Amending the Pest Control Products Regulations (Exclusive Rights and Compensable Data) (19 May 2023)
- Regulations Amending the Pest Control Products Regulations (Sodium Bromide and Potassium Monopersulfate) (23 December 2020)
- Regulations Amending the Pest Control Products Regulations (Labelling) (29 May 2019)
- Regulations Amending the Pest Control Products Regulations (Products not Intended for the Canadian Market) (26 December 2018).
- Regulations Amending the Pest Control Products Regulations (Personal Use Import Exemption) (18 October 2017)
- Regulations Amending the Pest Control Products Regulations (Test Data Protection) (7 September 2017)
- Regulations amending the Pest Control Products Regulations (Statement, Notice and Conditional Registration) (31 May 2017)
Agreements under Section 66 of the Pest Control Products Act
- Agreement for Data Protection under Section 66 of the Pest Control Products Act (2019)
- Agreement for Test Data Compensation under Section 66 of the Pest Control Products Act for Pest Control Product Applications (2023)
- Agreement for Test Data Compensation under Section 66 of the Pest Control Products Act for Re-evaluations and Special Reviews (2023)
- Agreement for Data Compensation under section 66 of the Pest Control Products Act for Re-evaluation and Special Review Decisions Published before 4 December 2023 (2025)
- PMRA Guidance Document, Guidance for Registrants and Data Holders for Use or Reliance on Test Data Considered in Support of Re-evaluation and Special Review Decisions (2023)
- PMRA Guidance Document, Guidance for Registrants and Data Holders for Use or Reliance on Test Data Considered in Support of Re-evaluation and Special Review Decisions Published before 4 December 2023 (2025)
Visit the Pesticides and Pest Management consultations page to find links to consultations on Pest Control Products Regulations amendments.
- Review Panel Regulations
- Pest Control Products Fees and Charges Regulations
- Pest Control Products Incident Reporting Regulations
Recent Amendments
- Regulations Amending the Pest Control Products Incident Reporting Regulations (12 June 2019)
- Pest Control Products Sales Information Reporting Regulations
- List of Pest Control Product Formulants and Contaminants of Health or Environmental Concern
Recent Amendments
- Canada Gazette, Part 2, Volume 154, Number 13: Order Amending the List of Pest Control Product Formulants and Contaminants of Health or Environmental Concern (24 June 2020)
- Canada Gazette, Part 2, Volume 158, Number 20: Order Amending the List of Pest Control Product Formulants and Contaminants of Health or Environmental Concern (25 September 2024)
Pesticide Residue Compensation Act
The PMRA also administers the Pesticide Residue Compensation Act.
Regulations under the Pesticide Residue Compensation Act
Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Act
In addition, the PMRA uses the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Act as an enforcement tool for the Pest Control Products Act.
The Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Act establishes a system of administrative monetary penalties for the enforcement of the Canada Agricultural Products Act, the Farm Debt Mediation Act, the Feeds Act, the Fertilizers Act, the Health of Animals Act, the Meat Inspection Act, the Pest Control Products Act, the Plant Protection Act and the Seeds Act.
Regulations under the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Act
Recent Amendments
- Regulations Amending the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations Respecting the Pest Control Products Act and Regulations (Incident Reporting) (12 June 2019)
- Regulations Amending the Regulations Amending the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations Respecting the Pest Control Products Act and Regulations (Penalties and Schedules) (3 April 2019)
- Regulations Amending the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations Respecting the Pest Control Products Act and Regulations (Penalties and Schedules) (12 Dec 2018)
Food and Drugs Act and Regulations
The PMRA specifies the maximum residue limits (MRL) on foods as per the Pest Control Products Act, and regulates the default MRL of 0.1 part per million as per DIVISION 15 Adulteration of Food B.15.002 of the Food and Drug Regulations
The full text of the Food and Drugs Act and the full text of the Food and Drug Regulations are available on the Department of Justice Web site.
Memoranda of Understanding
Below you will find Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between PMRA and other federal government departments. The objectives of these MOUs are to establish mechanisms for the exchange of information and advice about pesticides, and pest management issues. They also outline how the departments work together to promote stronger working relationships.
Memoranda of Understanding between:
- Memorandum of Understanding between Environment and Climate Change Canada and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Health Canada on the exchange of information and advice, and promotion of working relationships (2024)
- Memorandum of Understanding Between Health Canada and the Standards Council of Canada pertaining to good laboratory practice monitoring authority recognition (2019)
- Memorandum of Understanding between the Pest Management Regulatory Agency of Health Canada and Canadian Food Inspection Agency on the regulation of nitrogen stabilizers in Canada (2018)
- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency Laboratory Services on collaborating with the provisions of yearly administrative arrangements (2015)
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency on the promotion of Canada's interests in international standard-setting for pesticide Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) on agricultural commodities (2014)
- Memorandum of Understanding Between the Healthy Environments Consumer Safety Branch, Health Canada, and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency, Health Canada to outline principles for cooperation, agree to establish mechanisms that facilitate the exchange of information and advice, and promote strong working relationships for the management of issues related to pesticides and drinking water (2005)
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency and Treasury Board Secretariat regarding the development and implementation of commodity-based risk reduction strategies for the agriculture and agri-food sector and the improvement of access to agricultural minor-use pesticides, and reduced-risk pesticides for agricultural use (2003)
- The Canadian Food Inspection Agency and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency for the promotion of working relationships regarding pest control products, food safety, sustainable pest management and related activities (2000)
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency on the facilitation of exchange of scientific information/advice and the promotion of working relationships (2001)
- Natural Resources Canada and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency on exchange of information and advice and promotion of working relationships regarding sustainable pest management and related activities (1996)
- Australia (Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority) and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency on cooperation regarding operational aspects of pesticide regulation (2004)
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Health Canada pertaining to delivering the Minor Use Pesticide Program (MUPP) (2023)
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Health Canada pertaining to pest management programs developed in accordance with Growing Forward agricultural policy (2009)
- Environment Canada, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, Fisheries and Oceans, Natural Resources Canada, Canadian Food Inspection Agency and Health Canada pertaining to pesticide research and monitoring (2008)
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Environment Canada and Health Canada regarding cooperation in the implementation of pollution prevention provisions of the Fisheries Act (2015)
Other agreements:
- Confidentiality Agreement between the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Pest Management Regulatory Agency on the exchange of reviews of studies supporting regulatory decisions on pest control products (1995)
- Letter of Cooperation between Environment and Climate Change Canada and Health Canada Pest Management Regulatory Agency on the international management of chemical substances (2018)
- Annex 1 arrangement between the Canada Border Services Agency and Health Canada respecting the import of health products, consumer products, cosmetics, controlled substances, precursors, radiation emitting devices and pest control products (2014)
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