Liberals, Greens pledge to stop glyphosate spraying on public land

The New Brunswick Liberal and Green parties both promised in separate announcements Monday to end the use of glyphosate on public land if elected.

Licences to spray the herbicide are approved by the provincial government each year for use by the forestry industry as well as NB Power to stem plant growth or encourage growth of certain tree species.

Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers says the party would eliminate glyphosate spraying on Crown Land over a four-year period, saying that would give industry time to adjust. This would also apply to NB Power.

The promise wouldn't apply to private land, but Vickers called it "a first step."

"Our final goal in the end would be the end, obviously, would be the end of glyphosate spraying here in New Brunswick and in our country," Vickers said in Rogersville as he campaigned for election Sept. 14.

Green Party Leader David Coon said that party would "act immediately to eliminate the spraying of glyphosate and all toxic herbicides on Crown lands and under power lines."

Coon also promised to end clear cutting, instead allowing selective logging.

"Everyone knows that so much power has been handed over to the large forestry companies to make decisions about how our forests are being managed, and that's wrong and we'll change that," Coon said.

Quebec banned use of glyphosate on Crown land. The chemical is subject of several lawsuits in Canada and the U.S. that allege it is to blame for health risks, such as some forms of cancer.

Health Canada has said no regulatory authority in the world considers glyphosate to be a cancer risk to humans at the levels at which humans are currently exposed.

Industry group Forest NB has said the use of chemicals such as glyphosate is the least costly and most efficient way to maximize productivity.

Progressive Conservative candidate Mike Holland called the Liberal plan a "confusing announcement" during an appearance in Saint John alongside Blaine Higgs, the party leader.

"I wonder if Mr. Vickers understands that forestry takes place on industrial freehold land, on private land, a number of different other settings," said Holland, who has held the natural resources portfolio. "It seems as though it's a knee-jerk reaction."

Holland questioned what the move would mean for forestry companies in the province.

Holland, as minister of energy and resource development, last year announced a reduction of 30 per cent in the spraying around NB Power's power lines.

He said the PCs continue to support studying the issue.

Higgs said the legislature's standing committee on climate change and environmental stewardship was studying glyphosate and other herbicide spraying. The committee met in February this year but has not issued a report on the topic and its work stopped when the election began.

A full-page ad in Irving-owned daily newspapers Saturday with the logos of Irving Woodlands, a company using glyphosate, and Forest NB calls promises to ban its use "strictly politically motivated" if the measure doesn't extend to use of other chemicals in agriculture, private property and golf courses.

Jason Limongelli, vice-president of woodlands for J.D. Irving Ltd., said in an interview he's disappointed and surprised by the party promises. Limongelli said the parties should have allowed the committee to carry on its work before making promises.

Election issue

"This is not being driven by a study of the science," Limongelli said. "Clearly the election is playing into it."

The People's Alliance opposes glyphosate spraying.

"We will continue to fight against its use on Crown lands," Laverne Stewart, a party spokesperson, said in an email.

NDP campaign spokesperson Nathan Davis said in an email that limited use of glyphosate would be acceptable if proper applications are submitted and notifications provided to residents in the area.

The announcements happened less than a week after the group Stop Spraying New Brunswick handed out failing grades to the four parties that had seats in the legislature, saying even those who opposed spraying glyphosate and other herbicides on Crown land were not dogged enough.

Donald Bowser, the group's vice-chair, said Monday that the group is hopeful, but wants to see concrete action.

"We remain very skeptical about what many of the mainstream parties have said," Bowser said.

In 2018, the Green Party tabled a non-binding motion in the legislature to ban glyphosate but it didn't move on to debate.

A 2019 bill tabled by the party dealt with a ban on spraying, along with other forestry issues but it didn't move ahead.

The Liberals tabled a non-binding motion in November 2019 to study glyphosate.

The Green Party proposed an amendment to ban spraying on Crown land, but it was defeated after receiving support only from the Greens and the People's Alliance.