KJIPUKTUK (Halifax) – In early June the Nova Scotia Advocate reported that CN would be applying herbicides on and around its railway tracks in Nova Scotia between June 24 and July 27.
According to the CN website these dates have changed. In Halifax, Truro, Amherst and Stewicacke, as well as the municipalities of Cumberland, East Hants, Colchester and HRM spraying of the gravelled part of the railway right of way is now set to occur between July 29 and August 4.
In 2017 we reported on a similar spraying program by CN. At that time urban right of ways were not sprayed, although provincial permits to do so were in place.
A permit posted on the Department of Environment’s website for a “Railway vegetation management herbicide program throughout Nova Scotia was issued to Asplundh Canada. That permit lists the herbicides that may be used and the requirement to advertise in newspapers 20 days prior to spraying.
We have not been able to confirm whether Asplundh Canada is indeed the company that will do the spraying on behalf of CN.
Most of the herbicides listed are suspected of causing cancer and other diseases.
A FAQ posted on the CN website the company states that all herbicides it uses have been approved for use in the province and are used in accordance with label directions.
When queried, the Department of Environment suggested we talk to CN. After an initial high-level reply our inquiries around further details in terms of location and type of herbicide used, submitted to CN for our June story, never received a response.
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