M.D. restricts strychnine use to end of May

Strychnine is often used to control the gopher population from damaging crops or hurting livestock. 

Farmers and ranchers within the M.D. will see a change in the municipality’s strychnine policy.

The M.D. will distribute strychnine from early spring until the end of May, restricting the amount provided to producers by up to two cases.

“There was a very good discussion in the fall. We had a presentation form locals as well who are very knowledgeable on the subject. What we saw was we needed to tighten that up. There is a smaller window to use that product and we don’t know how long that product is going to be available either,” said Reeve Greg Sawchuk.

Council approved the new policy at their council meeting Wednesday.

In October, the Pest Management Regulatory Agency was reviewing the use of strychnine province-wide.

The M.D. wrote a letter to Alberta Agriculture to speak in favour of the poison, as long as it was used within reason.

“This is controlled at a level well beyond us and it may be a product that’s taken off the market,” said Sawchuk responding to the idea that the province may rule later on strychnine.

In the fall, the M.D. heard from residents about the ramifications of strychnine use into the summer.

Extended Producer Responsibility Program

Council agreed to provide a letter of support to be forwarded to the Alberta Minister of Environment and Parks for the Extended Producer Responsibility Program (ERP).

The program is meant to shift the funding and operational responsibility for recycling, recycling collection, processing and material marketing to the producer.

Alberta lacks in this area compared to other provinces, it was noted at Wednesday’s council meeting.

There would then be incentives to producers to make and sell products that are more durable, reusable and recyclable, then less waste would end up in landfills.