Pesticide Use

Vegetation control along the County roadsides is an important part of road maintenance. It ensures clear sight lines for signs, intersections and roadside wildlife, promotes drainage and drying and prevents the establishment of trees and brush in the right of way. Controlling noxious and invasive weeds is another objective of the County vegetation management program.

Roadside herbicide spraying will be completed in May and June along rural County Roads in the West half of the Counties (Road 1, 2 (Brockville to SD&G), 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 26, 28, 29, 31, 41, 45 as well as selected Municipal Roads in the Athens, Augusta, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, Elizabethtown-Kiltley, Front of Yonge, Leeds and Thousand Islands, Merrickville-Wolford Leeds and North Grenville (See 2024 Spray Map). The herbicide will selectively kill weeds but not the grasses and is approved for use on roadsides under the public works exemption of the cosmetic pesticide ban. Spraying of the herbicide will be completed by a qualified contractor licensed by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change under requirements of the Pesticides Act. Only unmaintained ditches will be sprayed with herbicide, maintained yards and ditches will not be sprayed.   

Guide rail weed spraying will also be completed in May and June along all the County Roads. Herbicide will be used to control vegetation within one metre of the guide rail. The spray is applied to only a narrow strip along the guide rail.

A public notice of this pesticide use has been advertised in the local papers and on the County website. 

Property owners who do not want the unmaintained ditch in front of their property sprayed can post “No Spray” signs at the start and finish of their property. These signs must be at least 30cm x 60cm (1 ft x 2 ft) and be easily read from the shoulder of the road. You can make your own sign or the Counties have a limited number of these signs available for pick up at the Counties office in Brockville. To obtain one of these signs or for more information please contact the Counties at (613) 342-3840 ext. 2413.

The United Counties of Leeds and Grenville intends to utilize Wagar and Corput Weed Control Inc. to control weeds along the following rural roadsides:

• Select sections on County Roads 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 15, 16, 17, 26, 28, 29, 31, 41and 45.
• Selected Township Roads in the municipalities of Athens, Augusta, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, Elizabethtown-Kitley, Front of Yonge, Leeds and Thousand Islands, Merrickville- Wolford and North Grenville.
• All County guide rails, except for those in Rideau Lakes.

For roadside and guide rail weed control, the contractor will be using the following pesticide products registered under the Pest Control Products Act (Canada): ClearView Herbicide (Reg. #29752), containing the active ingredients Metsulfuron-methyl and Aminopyralid, present as potassium salt, Navius FLEX (Reg. #30922), containing the active ingredients Metsulfuron-methyl and Aminocyclopyrachlor and Gateway Adjuvant (Reg. #31470), containing the active ingredients Paraffinic oil and Alkoxylated alcohol non-ionic surfactants.

Commencing: May 21, 2024 (weather permitting) to June 21, 2024. This pesticide use falls under Public Works Exception of the Cosmetics Pesticide Ban for the promotion of public health or safety.

For further information contact:

Wagar & Corput Weed Control Inc. (613) 938-2117 (call collect)

United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (800) 770-2170 / (613) 342-3840 x 2413

Please contact the Counties if you require more detailed information regarding our program, including additional information on how to post “No Spray” signage in front of your property. This information along with maps of the roads to be sprayed is available on our website at www.leedsgrenville.com under Government, Divisions, Public Works, Weed Control.