Pesticide assessments in Canada: Introduction

On this page

• What pesticides are
• What pesticide assessments are
• Why we need pesticide assessments
• When we assess pesticides
• How we assess pesticides

What pesticides are

Pesticides are anything that prevent or manage pests. This can include substances, products, and organisms.

Examples of pesticides include:

• herbicides, which are used against weeds
• insecticides and insect repellents, which are used against bugs
• rodenticides and rodent-controlling devices, which are used against rodents (like mouse traps)
• fungicides and antimicrobial agents, which are used against fungus and other microorganisms
• algicides, which are used against bacteria, mold and algae (often in pools and spas)
• material and wood preservatives

What pesticide assessments are

All pesticides used in Canada must be evaluated and then approved by Health Canada's Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). At the PMRA, we use science-based approaches to evaluate pesticides. We study the chemistry of a pesticide, how well a pesticide works, and the potential risk of a pesticide for people's health and the environment. This is the pesticide assessment process.

We evaluate pesticides in four ways:

• chemistry assessment: reviews what a pesticide is made of, including its chemical and physical properties
• value assessment: checks whether a pesticide can effectively prevent or manage a pest without causing harm to the crops or sites where it is used
• human health risk assessment: studies if pesticide exposure could cause negative effects to people's health
• environmental risk assessment: studies if pesticide exposure could cause negative effects to plants, animals and the environment

For a pesticide to be approved for use in Canada, all four pesticide assessments must show that the pesticide meets Health Canada's requirements for protection of human health and the environment.

For detailed information about value and risk assessments, visit Framework for Risk Assessment and Risk Management of Pest Control Products.

Why we need pesticide assessments

The goal of pesticide assessments is to protect people's health and the environment. Assessments also help set guidelines for using pesticides. Using pesticides properly helps with food production, household pest control and more.

When we assess pesticides

We assess every pesticide used or sold in Canada. The assessments are done:

• when an individual or group submits a new pesticide for approval
• when there is a proposed change to the way a pesticide is used in Canada
• when there is a request to import pesticide-treated food grown outside of Canada
• every 15 years to make sure an approved pesticide still meets health and environmental protection requirements (re-evaluation)
• when there is a concern about an approved pesticide based on new information (special review)

How we assess pesticides

Individuals and groups (like pesticide companies) submit scientific studies and test data to the PMRA when they apply to:

• have a new pesticide approved
• add a new use to a pesticide that's already approved
• have pesticide-treated food imported from outside of Canada

The studies submitted must meet scientific standards. Studies must follow international guidelines like the Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals set by the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development.

PMRA scientists also consider information from a wide range of other sources. Sources can include scientific journals, information from other regulators, incident reports, and human health and environmental monitoring data. We review scientific studies and test data to decide if a pesticide is safe and effective for use in Canada.

PMRA evaluation teams have experts in toxicology, health sciences, chemistry, biology, environmental sciences and related fields. For each application, PMRA scientists will review about 100 scientific studies, totalling around 14,000 pages. If all those pages are stacked up, the pile would be 140 cm tall, which is about the height of an average car.

For more information on the PMRA's data requirements and study criteria, visit:

• Regulatory Proposal PRO2016-01, Revised Environmental Data Requirements
• Guidance: Developing Datasets for Conventional Pest Control Product Applications
• PMRA Guidance Document, Registration of Non-Conventional Pest Control Products
• Information Note: Determining Study Acceptability for use in Pesticide Risk Assessments
• PMRA Guidance Document, Updated Residue Chemistry Guidelines