$350,000 upgrade at federal pesticide lab

St-Jean-Sur-Richelieu, QC – The pesticide testing laboratory at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s Horticulture Research and Development Centre in St-Jean-sur-Richelieu has received $350,000 from the federal government to renovate and modernize its lab.

The upgrade will enhance the capabilities of research being done under the Minor Use Pesticide Program of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and Health Canada’s Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA). The laboratory will be partitioned into well ventilated smaller rooms that will enable staff to perform experiments under very strict health and safety conditions. The project will create up to four jobs for the construction phase. The production and commercialization of these new biopesticides are expected to create a few jobs over the next five years.

The lab conducts research in the areas of sustainable production, pesticide management and preservation of the quality of crops and horticulture after harvesting, with scinetists specializing in vegetables, tree fruits, small fruits, ornamental shrubs and new crops.

There are about 200 federal laboratories and scientific facilities in Canada, and the federal government has committed to providing $250 million, over the next two years, to address deferred maintenance at these laboratories.