Ottawa residents support City policies on pesticide ban on City properties; polls show majority see pesticides as hazardous to young children, pets, wildlife and water quality

Ottawa - In a series of public opinion polls conducted for the City of Ottawa by Decima Research, Ottawa residents strongly or generally support (82%) the City of Ottawa's pesticide-free policies on its sports fields and green spaces (Decima, November 2001). Further, another Decima public opinion poll indicates that 57% of Ottawa residents saw pesticides as a significant hazard to young children, 52% as a significant hazard to pets, 52% as a significant hazard to water quality, and 50% as a significant hazard to local wildlife (such as birds and squirrels) (Decima, April 2002). Those who thought pesticides to be no hazard at all to these groups ranged from 4 to 7%.

As well, the recent City's Ottawa 20/20: Charting a Course public consultation indicates significant positive support for banning the urban use of pesticides. On a scale of 1 to 5 (1 representing "least effective"; 5 representing "most effective"; scores over 2.5 indicating positive support) on a  question on "Protecting Residents and the Environment", banning the home use of lawn and garden pesticides received a score of 3.6; a second question on "Water Protection", banning the urban use of pesticides received a score of 4.

Said Mike Christie, Co-Chair of the City's Health Dangers of the Urban Use of Pesticides Working Group: "We were encouraged to learn from these surveys that over 60% of Ottawa's residents don't use pesticides, and that the major reasons are concerns over health, children, pets and the environment. And we are extremely encouraged to learn that of those who do use pesticides, over half are interested in switching to safer alternatives. This tells us that the City is on the right track in promoting safer alternatives to pesticides."

The City of Ottawa is expected to launch its public education campaign promoting pesticide reduction through using safer alternatives in the next few weeks.

For more information on HDUUP, please contact Mike Christie at 228-7499For information on the Decima polls, please contact City of Ottawa Communications at 580-2450