OFA provides comments together with the Ontario Agri-Business Association (OABA) and Grain Farmers of Ontario (GFO) to extend the validation period of expiring pesticide safety certifications due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Our groups greatly appreciate that this extension was granted in early 2020 which allowed approximately 1,400 Ontario growers to continue to purchase and use the products needed for the 2020 growing season. Due to the third wave of the pandemic, the province implemented another lockdown which has prevented 700 growers that were registered for in-person sessions in April from obtaining their certification. While we appreciate that growers have the option to recertify online, our groups are concerned that online-only delivery is difficult for a significant number of Ontario farmers who do not have suitable broadband access. On the Ontario Pesticide Education Program’s (OPEP) website, it states that a high-speed internet connection is required to enroll in the course. OFA’s 2020 broadband survey showed that 62% of participants had unreliable internet access and therefore, 62% cannot meet this criteria. We respectfully request MECP extend pesticide certificates which have an expiry date in 2021 for farmers who have been unable to recertify this year to December 31, 2021. An alternative solution would be to allow growers a one-year extension from their individual expiry dates. The province has given Ontarians a reprieve on renewing driver’s licences, health cards and licence plate stickers during the COVID-19 pandemic and we would respectfully request that a similar reprieve be offered immediately to Ontario’s farmers.
Submissions & Correspondence
Joint letter to the Ministry of the Environment regarding the request to extend the validation period of expiring pesticide safety certificates
Updated: May 11, 2021