Regulation of pesticides in Canada

Pesticides are registered in Canada under the authority of the Pest Control Products Act (PCP), administered by the Department of Agriculture. The Department of Agriculture calls upon various federal departments, including Health & Welfare Canada, to provide expert advice on hazards which may be associated with the use of the product. The Department of Health and Welfare requires and reviews a range of toxicological studies to assess potential health hazards which may be associated with exposure to the chemical. Studies required include acute, sub-acute, chronic, reproduction, teratology and metabolism. In addition, exposure studies are also required to provide estimates of anticipated human exposure during typical field use of the chemical. In summary, the various steps involved in the registration of pesticides will be discussed and the relationship between the predictive toxicology as determined through animal testing and exposure estimates for estimating hazard will be shown.