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Gov wants to end mandatory re-evaluation of pesticide risks

Ottawa is weakening pesticide oversight. I just signed a petition to express my concern. Will you sign too?In June, the federal government passed a law allowing cabinet ministers to greenlight the use of pesticides that would otherwise be banned due to environmental risks — overriding Health Canada’s science-based risk evaluations.Now, buried in an omnibus budget bill set to be voted on when Parliament resumes sitting later this month, Ottawa is proposing to eliminate mandatory 15-year pesticide re-evaluations. These re-evaluations are the main mechanism for comprehensive review of new data on pesticide risks.These changes represent the most significant overhaul of federal pesticide regulation in a generation – and would be a big step backwards. Will you join me in signing a petition opposing the pesticide law amendments in Bill C-31?Say no to permanent pesticide approvals

The amendments the government is proposing in Bill C-31 would undermine public confidence in how Canada regulates pesticides, harm public health and the environment and limit export opportunities for Canadian agricultural products.An official parliamentary petition opened for signature last week, calling on the House of Commons to reject amendments to the Pest Control Products Act that weaken oversight. Please consider adding your name to Petition e-7742.Thanks for your support.Lisa Gue
National policy managerP.S. Sign now! MPs return to Ottawa on September 21. We need your help to gather as many signatures on this petition as possible before then! It’s one way we can demonstrate that people across Canada do not want to see pesticide risks deregulated in the name of expediency.

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Drax to stop burning B.C. wood pellets for U.K. energy: A significant milestone for the climate

March 12, 2026

səl̓ílwətaʔɬ (Tsleil-Waututh), xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam) and Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish) Territories (Vancouver, B.C.) — International energy giant Drax has begun to phase out burning forest biomass from British Columbia at its power station in the United Kingdom. As reported by The Guardian, Drax will stop burning “controversial” wood from forests in Canada at its North Yorkshire power station within the next year.

This is a significant milestone. It demonstrates that burning forest biomass to generate energy at utility-scale is untenable and sends a warning signal to all governments and investors currently supporting the global biomass industry: this dirty form of energy is a weak economic proposition.

B.C.’s failure to properly protect old growth and enact a biodiversity law have been exposed on the international stage. As other countries examine their wood pellet supply chains, the facts are clear – there is no sustainable way to source biomass for export from forests in B.C.

This move by Drax follows years of political controversy and public outcry in the U.K. over the company’s Canadian sourcing practices. Most recently, a Stand.earth investigation confirmed that Drax purchased whole logs cut from old growth forests in 2024, and very likely in 2025. This conclusive finding adds to an existing body of evidence in reports, documentaries, and whistleblower testimony.

However, the broader problems with the biomass export industry in Canada continue. While the company will no longer burn biomass from B.C. in the U.K., Drax continues to hold a near-monopoly on wood pellet production in the province, and is likely to continue sourcing from old growth and primary forests to supply customers in Asian and European countries.