Pesticides

Coquitlam’s Pesticide Use Control Bylaw

Since Coquitlam City Council adopted the Pesticide Use Control Bylaw Number 4254 (PDF) on April 23rd, 2012, many pesticides can no longer be used for garden and lawn beautification or maintenance on residential and City land, even if they are legally allowed for sale.

As per the bylaw, retailers of pesticides in Coquitlam must display the Schedule B notice where banned pesticides are for sale. Failure to post Schedule B may result in a $300 fine.

Protect Our Pollinators

Almost 90% of flowering plants need pollinators to reproduce, according to the Pollination Ecology Lab at Simon Fraser University. Although bees are the most frequent pollinators, any insect or animal that visits a flower can be a pollinator, including hummingbirds, butterflies, flies, moths, beetles and bats. Gardening with safe alternatives helps to protect our natural habitat.

Want to learn more about gardening? Visit the Inspiration Garden page for hours of operation, information on upcoming classes and details about the City’s teaching garden conveniently located off Pipeline in Town Centre Park.

Chafer Beetle

For information on nematodes which are a safe alternative to treat an infestation of European Chafer Beetle, visit the European Chafer Beetle page.

Weed Out Invasive Plants

Visit the Invasive Species page to learn how to identify and safely remove invasive plants.

Banned Pesticides

  • 2,4-D (2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid)
  • Bendiocarb
  • Benomyl
  • Carbaryl (Sevin®, GrubOut®)
  • Chlorothalonil
  • Clothianidin (Arena®)
  • Glyphosate (Roundup®)
  • Imidacloprid (Merit®, Bayer Advanced™ Grub Control
  • Mecoprop (MCPP)
  • MCPA (2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid)
  • Quintozene

Safe Alternatives

There are many effective alternatives exempt from the bylaw that are safe and effective. Using these applications may take a bit more time but it’s healthier for everyone - people, pets and the environment.

  • Acetic acid
  • Animal repellents except thiram
  • Anti-fouling paints
  • Antisapstain wood preservatives
  • Asphalt solids (pruning paints)
  • Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki (BTK)
  • Bactericides used in petroleum products
  • Boron compounds
  • Boron compounds with up to 5% copper for insect control and wood preservation
  • Capsaicin
  • Cleansers
  • Corn gluten meal
  • D-phenothryn
  • D-trans-allethrin (also referred to as d-cis-trans allethrin)
  • Deodorizers
  • Fatty acids
  • Ferric phosphate
  • Ferrous sulphate
  • Hard surface disinfectants
  • Insect bait stations, pheromones and repellants
  • Laundry additives (e.g. borax)
  • Material preservatives
  • Methoprene
  • Mineral oils for insect and mite control
  • N-octyl bicycloheptene dicarboximide
  • Naphthalene for fabric protection
  • Paradichlorobenzene for fabric protection
  • Pesticides in aerosol containers
  • Pesticides registered under the Pest Control Products Act (Canada) for application to pets
  • Piperonyl butoxide
  • Plant growth regulators
  • Polybutene bird repellents
  • Pyrethrins
  • Resmethrin
  • Rotenone
  • Silica aerogel also referred to as silica gel, amorphous silica and amorphous silica gel
  • Silicon dioxide, also referred to as "diatomaceous earth"
  • Slimicides
  • Soaps
  • Sulphur, including lime sulphur, sulphide sulphur and calcium polysulphide
  • Surfactants
  • Swimming pool algicides band bactericides
  • Tetramethrin
  • Wood preservatives