Pesticides

The City of Surrey's Pesticide Bylaw states that you must not use certain pesticides on City lands or on residential lots in Surrey.

This bylaw is in place because many pesticides are harmful to people, pets, and the environment. Pesticides runoff from your property may also end up in streams and other waterways.

The Pesticide Bylaw offers guidelines for appropriate pesticide use in the City. It applies to residential properties and impacts renters, homeowners, and provincially certified pesticide applicators.

The bylaw does not apply to agricultural lands, wood lots, or golf courses.

Controlling a pest infestation

Under the Pesticide Bylaw, you are permitted to apply pesticides on residential lands to control pests that have caused an infestation as defined under the bylaw. Some of the most common pests found in Surrey are aphids, chafer beetles, Lymantria moth, and rodents.

Under the bylaw, you must avoid pest control products that contain active ingredients such as:

• 2,4D
• Mecoprop
• Dicamba
• Glyphosate
• Carbaryl
• Diazinon

Note that this is only a partial list of pesticides that are banned in Surrey. Pesticides must be applied by a provincially certified pesticide applicator.

Infestation means the presence of a pest in numbers or under conditions that involves an immediate risk of damage to property or significant financial loss in respect of the use of property. A provincially certified pesticide applicator must determine if the pest problem is an infestation.

Pests are any unwanted organisms such as weeds, insects, fungi or rodents that may occur in your yard. A pesticide is a product used to control or destroy these pests and include herbicides, insecticides, fungicides and rodenticides, as well as weed and feed products.

Pesticides may also be used for controlling pest infestations on or inside buildings or structures, or preventing the deterioration of hard landscapes.

Permitted pesticides

The provincial government offers a complete list of pesticides that are excluded from the bylaw, meaning you are permitted to use them even where the bylaw is in effect.

Alternatives to pesticides

Consider using natural gardening remedies like mulch, sticky traps, cover crops, beneficial bugs, and organic compost for controlling pests without pesticides. The federal government offers several pest control tips.

Fertilizer use

Residents are allowed to use fertilizers in Surrey, unless they contain banned pesticides or herbicides. Most weed and feed products are not permitted because they contain pesticides or herbicides not permitted under the bylaw.

If your A-1 land has been classified as a farm by the BC Assessment Authority, or you are farming your A-1 land, with “farming” as defined under BC’s Farm Practices Protection Act, then you are exempt from the bylaw.

Disposing of pesticides

Always read the label for information on proper pesticide disposal. Do not dispose of leftover pesticides down the drain, down storm sewers, or in your garbage.

For more tips of pesticide disposal, see BC's safe disposal of pesticides guide.

For a complete list of places you can dispose of pesticides, see Metro Vancouver Recycles.

For questions relating to correct pesticide use, call 604-501-5050 or email us at pesticidebylaw@surrey.ca.