Lawn maintenance contractors and you
If you hire a contractor who specializes in green spaces…
All lawn maintenance and extermination contractors must be registered with the City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux. This is to monitor contractors who are working in Dollard-des-Ormeaux and is not intended as a guarantee of the quality of their work and services.
A reputable contractor should:
- Carry out a soil and pH analysis and suggest corrective measures.
- Suggest aerating the soil, adding compost and reseeding with different varieties of grass seed to make the lawn thicker and more resistant to diseases and pests.
- Mow the grass high, 8 cm in height, and recycle the grass cuttings (leaving them on the lawn).
- Apply only 100 % natural granular fertilizer (with the exception of seaweed, fish or beet juice emulsions).
- Use only low-impact or organic pesticides, including insecticidal soap, natural pyrethrin, borax and nematodes, approved by the City bylaw
Tips on choosing a reputable contractor
- Ask if the contractor has a pesticide-free approach to prevention and uses the least harmful pesticides as a last resort only.
- Request a detailed service contract that specifies, among other things, the steps taken and why, products used and advance notification of treatment.
- Demand that the lawn care company have your approval before applying any treatment.
- Shop around for reputable contractors, ask questions and be watchful. Sometimes chemical pesticides are applied under the guise of “organic” treatments.
- Beware of contractors who claim that pesticides are not dangerous or that they are approved under Québec’s Pesticides Management Code. Since the same pesticides may not be approved under the city bylaw (e.g., Dicamba, a selective herbicide).
- It is your responsibility to ensure that the contractor is registered with the city and that the service contract does not contravene Bylaw pesticides R-2015-099.pdf concerning the use of pesticides.
How to choose a company
- Association des services en horticulture écologique du Québec 450-764-3535
- Fédération interdisciplinaire de l’horticulture ornementale du Québec (FIHOQ) (French only)
- Members list for the Montréal region l-ASHOQ Association des services en horticulture ornementale du Québec (French only)
To summarize
- All chemical (synthetic) herbicides and insecticides are prohibited for lawn care, unless a permit is issued by the Green Line’s eco-technician.
- Herbicide-free chemical, organic-based or organic (100% natural) fertilizers may be used.
- Only contractors listed in the city’s annual register are authorized to apply chemical (synthetic) pesticides, and only after a temporary application permit has been issued by the person responsible for applying Bylaw pesticides R-2015-099.pdf at the Dollard-des-Ormeaux’s Green Line.
- A temporary application permit is valid for a 10-day period from the date of issue to the applicant and only for services guaranteed by the contractor prior to listing on the city’s annual register.
- All claims of false or misleading representation of goods or services or breach of contract should be directed to the Office de la protection du consommateur.
Attention lawn care companies
Any company that intends to apply fertilizer or phytosanitary treatments, including any pesticide (chemical and low impact) to lawns in Dollard-des-Ormeaux is required to be listed on the City’s register. The company must renew this registration annually.
Offering contracted services in the City requires the company or contractor to comply with Bylaw pesticides R-2015-099.pdf governing the use of pesticides in the City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux. Any violation of this bylaw is subject to a fine as outlined in the said bylaw.
You can request a registration form by email at: LigneVerte@ddo.qc.ca.
For more information
You can contact your horticultural advisor by telephone at 514 684-1012, extension 507 or by e-mail at the following address: LigneVerte@ddo.qc.ca
