Montreal may secretly dispense a prohibited pesticide over public areas, as revealed by Canadian authorities.
Title: Spraying Glyphosate on Hochelaga-Maisonneuve's Green Spaces Sparks Concern Over Health and Biodiversity
In the bustling neighborhood of Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, green spaces frequented by locals and their children could soon become a battleground over the use of glyphosate-based pesticides. The Canadian National Railway (CN) is eyeing the use of this controversial substance to control vegetation on railway tracks, sparking outrage from citizens over potential health and environmental risks.
According to the CN's herbicide-spraying schedule, they could potentially begin Spraying glyphosate as early as Thursday, targeting railway tracks in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve area, specifically between Ray-Mont Logistiques' container transshipment industrial site and the nearby residential sector. This area lies on land recently purchased by the City of Montreal, intended to create a buffer zone between the logistics site and housing.
Hochelaga-Maisonneuve residents, particularly those who have been advocating for several years against Ray-Mont Logistiques, often use this "wasteland" area with their children. Apart from unused railway tracks, there are green spaces connected to two wooded areas, including the Steinberg forest, home to more than 140 bird species, some of them endangered.
Elisabeth Greene, a concerned citizen and mobilization supporter, finds it perplexing that glyphosate, a potential carcinogen, would be used in this biodiverse green corridor. She points out that the proximity of nearby residential areas and a children's park, less than 50 meters from the area, leaves room for health concerns.
While the CN acknowledges the use of glyphosate on its website, acknowledging its non-selective weed-killing properties, the International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified glyphosate as a probable human carcinogen in 2015, a decision that has been contested. The City of Montreal banned the sale and use of glyphosate on its territory since 2021 due to health and environmental concerns.
However, the City notes that the use of a glyphosate-based pesticide remains authorized "in a railway transportation corridor." The CN claims that, while herbicides are used annually across the country, including in Montreal, the final plan for Hochelaga-Maisonneuve's railway tracks has not been specified yet.
University of Quebec at Montreal sociology professor Dr. Louise Vandelac believes that the use of glyphosate in this area should be avoided due to various health and environmental risks highlighted in scientific studies. Likewise, Thibault Rehn of Vigilance OGM expresses concern over potential health risks and the ecological consequences of glyphosate application, particularly in this disadvantaged sector of Montreal.
Residents had hoped to see the vast area occupied by Ray-Mont Logistiques transformed into an urban park, but their request for a Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (BAPO) study of the industrial project was denied by the Legault government.
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- The use of glyphosate-based herbicides, classified as a probable human carcinogen, has sparked concern among Hochelaga-Maisonneuve residents.
- Green spaces in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, frequented by locals and their children, could potentially become a battleground over the use of glyphosate.
- The Canadian National Railway (CN) is planning to spray glyphosate on railway tracks in the Hochelaga-Maisonneuve area.
- The area targeted for glyphosate application lies between Ray-Mont Logistiques' container transshipment industrial site and a residential sector.
- Elisabeth Greene, a concerned citizen, questions why glyphosate would be used in the biodiverse green corridor, given the proximity to residential areas and a children's park.
- The City of Montreal banned the sale and use of glyphosate on its territory due to health and environmental concerns in 2021.
- University of Quebec at Montreal sociology professor Dr. Louise Vandelac believes that the use of glyphosate in this area should be avoided due to potential health and environmental risks.
- Thibault Rehn of Vigilance OGM expresses concern over potential health risks and ecological consequences of glyphosate application in this disadvantaged sector of Montreal.
- The Legault government denied a request by residents for a Bureau d'audiences publiques sur l'environnement (BAPO) study of the industrial project, which initially aimed to transform the area occupied by Ray-Mont Logistiques into an urban park.
- In politics, the use of glyphosate in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve has become a topic of ongoing discussion and policy-and-legislation debates.
- In the realm of climate-change, the application of glyphosate could potentially impact biodiversity by affecting more than 140 bird species, some of them endangered.
- The European leagues and Premier League are not directly involved in the glyphosate issue in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, but sports and football continue to be topics of general-news interest.
- Mental-health experts argue that the stress and negative impact on lifestyle caused by car-accidents and crime-and-justice issues should be given equal attention during policy-making processes.
- In terms of food-and-drink and nutrition, debate continues over the role of environmental-science in promoting healthier lifestyle choices and sustainable food-producing methods.
- The weather in Quebec is unrelated to the glyphosate issue in Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, but weather-forecasting remains a vital aspect of the transportation industry and public safety, ensuring safe driving conditions across the province.
