Pesticide Sales

In order to reduce the danger of exposure of the population to pesticides and to reduce the risk of environmental contamination, pesticide sellers must comply with certain requirements. These requirements cover the sale and storage of pesticides that are intended for sale.

Your company must hold one or more of the following permits in order to sell or offer to sell pesticides:

• Category A wholesale sales permit;
• Category B retail sales permit:
  • Sub-class B1 for use by professionals;
  • Sub-class B2 for use by individuals.

As a vendor, you must ensure that you hold a certificate that corresponds to the type of your sales activity, or are supervised by an on-site holder of the required certificate.

If you hold a sales permit, you must comply with the following:

• Sell or offer to sell pesticides through the holder of a certificate corresponding to the activity associated with your permit or someone that is supervised by the holder, on-site;
• Retain the prescription provided by the client at the time of purchase of a pesticide covered by an agronomic justification for five years;
• Keep a register of pesticide purchases and sales. Based on your permit, you may use this mandatory pesticides purchase and sales template for holders of Category A permits (XLSX 33 Kb) (French), or this one for holders of Sub-class B1 permits (XLSX 42 Kb) (French);
• Annually declare and submit required information from the register if you hold a Category A or Sub-class B1 permit.

To equip sales advisors regarding the application of regulatory requirements and encourage them to raise awareness among agricultural users about the risks associated with pesticide use, download the document Avec les pesticides, c’est la sécurité avant tout! (PDF 10.50 Mb) (French).

Sales conditions applicable to certain pesticides

You are prohibited from selling or offering the following for sale:

• Sales to clients that are not in possession of the required documents at the time of purchase, such as a permit or agrological prescription;
• Certain domestic pesticides meant for use on lawns. The brand names of prohibited pesticides must be checked;
• Domestic pesticides packaged with more than one pesticide container, with some exceptions ;
• Any pesticide mixed with or including a fertilizer.

Pesticides offered for sale must be kept out of reach of clients, with the following exceptions:

• Seeds coated with neonicotinoids (class 3A). As of January 1, 2025, the same will apply to Class 3B pesticides;
• Class 4 pesticides for use as a wood preservative or antifouling paint;
• Class 5 pesticides;
• Liquid animal repellent  pressurized sprays composed of capsaicin or a capsaicinoid.

Pesticide classification information can be found in the Classification of pesticides in Québec decision tree (French) (PDF 234 Kb).

Liability insurance

You will need a liability insurance policy (PDF 6.86 Mb) covering adverse effects on the environment for Classes 1 to 4 unmixed or undiluted pesticide storage locations with capacity in excess of 10,000 litres or 10,000 kilograms. The policy must include a rider specifying that the regional office  of the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs is to receive 48-hour notice following the revocation, termination, cancellation or change in coverage of the policy.

As applicable you are required to fill out the liability policy attestation  for adverse effects on the environment and attach it to your initial permit application or at the time of permit renewal.

Retention equipment

Retention equipment may include a leak-proof floor, platform or basin designed to confine pesticide leaks and spills and fully recover them.

If you hold a Class A wholesale sales permit or a Sub-class B1 retail sales permit, retention equipment is mandatory in the following cases:

• Loading and unloading category 1, 2 or 3 pesticides in a storage facility;
• Storing category 1, 2 or 3 unmixed and undiluted pesticides;
• Storing in excess of 100 litres or 100 kilograms of unmixed and undiluted categories 1 to 3 pesticides for more than 15 consecutive days.

Tanks and mobile cisterns

Tanks and cisterns have a capacity of at least 1,000 litres and are used to store categories 1 to 4 liquid pesticides. Tanks are not mobile, while cisterns can be attached to trucks, trailers or semis and are therefore mobile. They are often used by distributors of pesticides.

When using tanks or mobile cisterns, the following is mandatory:

• They must remain sealed and equipped with a safety mechanism that prevents their use when not loading or unloading;
• They must not be buried‑underground;
• Pesticide tanks or cisterns containing unmixed or undiluted pesticides must be loaded, unloaded and held within a retention area that is capable of containing at least 110% of the capacity of the biggest tank or cistern. Tanks must be protected from vehicular shocks by bumpers;
• Immediately remove accumulated pesticide spillage or rainwater from retention equipment after a spill or when rain stops.

Distancing from sensitive locations, including floodplains

The following is mandatory:

• Comply with appropriate distancing directives for sensitive environments (PDF 259 Kb);
• Do not store categories 1 to 3 pesticides in a high-velocity flood zone (0-20‑years);
• Do not store categories 1 to 3 pesticides in a low-velocity flood zone (20-100 years) except when storing:
  • Less than 100‑litres or 100 kilograms;
  • 100 litres or 100 kilograms or more for less than 15 consecutive days;
  • Storage facility is above the 100-year high water line.