How to choose a green space maintenance service

Many people use landscaping services to maintain their lawns, trees and ornamental shrubs. These companies offer various sorts of treatments including plant fertilization and, if need be, pesticides. As a rule, these companies provide consumers with an agreed-upon upkeep plan. Here are a few things to consider when choosing and planning a rational and secure pesticide program.

Before any work begins

• Ensure that your supplier holds a valid permit issued by the Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs as well as a local permit if your municipality so requires
• Discuss all aspects of regular upkeep required to keep your plants healthy with your maintenance provider. Ask for information about the methods they use for grass cutting, fertilization, aeration, etc.
• Make sure that your supplier acts on the root causes of problems and not just on the presence of pests. It may be necessary to change maintenance methods or to select species or varieties of plants, trees or bushes that are better suited to your particular set of existing conditions
• Require a written service contract that justifies and provides full details on the nature of work to be performed as well as which products will be used
• Discuss alternatives to the use of pesticides. It is possible that pests may be controlled without the use of pesticides
• Ensure that the supplier knows that your authorization is required before pesticides can be applied

During the season

• Pesticides can only be applied by an individual who holds a certificate issued by the Ministère du Développement durable, de l'Environnement et des Parcs, or by someone who is supervised by a permit holder. Demand to see the certificate before authorizing any work to proceed
• Certificate holders should be able to provide you with information about the products they intend to use and any precautions that are necessary for the protection of health and the environment
• Ensure that your service provider rigorously follows the written maintenance program that was agreed upon between yourselves
• It is important that the use of local and last resort pesticides be preferred, while selecting products that are the least harmful to the environment. You can find information on the relative toxicity of the main pesticides used for green spaces in one of the following documents:
  • Pesticides for domestic use (PDF, 88 kB);
  • Pesticides for commercial use (PDF, 170 kB).
• Ensure that your supplier follows these rules when applying pesticides:
  • No one except for the individual applying the pesticide is to be present during application or exposed to the pesticide
  • All necessary measures must be taken to avoid contaminating surfaces or objects that are not supposed to be treated
  • Pets are not to be exposed to pesticides
  • All building openings that could lead to infiltration by the pesticide must be closed before work commences
• Ensure that a sign stipulating that pesticides have been used, warning that contact with treated surfaces is prohibited for 24 hours, listing the plants that have been treated and the date and time of the application as well as the name and registration number of the pesticide used, is placed in full view

Sample regulatory sign to be displayed after pesticides have been applied to grass, paved surfaces, trees or shrubs

Note: When pesticide application includes the exclusive use of a biopesticide or a pesticide containing one of the active ingredients listed in Schedule II of the Pesticides Management Code, the circle and the slash on the pictogram may be either red or yellow.