Changes to the registration of imidacloprid pesticides (seed treatments)

Organization: Health Canada

Date published: November 2023

ISBN: 978-0-660-67668-5

All pesticides used in Canada must be registered under the Pest Control Products Act. Pesticides are re-evaluated to ensure that they continue to meet health and environmental requirements. Re-evaluation may result in the revocation of a product or product uses. Health Canada may also request changes to a product's label, including mitigation measures, use sites and application methods.

Imidacloprid is a neonicotinoid insecticide used on several crops, for seed treatments, for the treatment of structures and on home pets against fleas and ticks. Highlights of the re-evaluation decisions for seed treatment uses of the active ingredient imidacloprid, published on April 11, 2019, and on May 19, 2021, are summarized below.

In this factsheet, the term "seed treatment" includes treatment of potato seed pieces, in-furrow application, and soil drench. The changes concerning the other agricultural uses are summarized in the factsheet "Changes to the registration of pesticides containing imidacloprid (agricultural uses)".

Label changes for imidacloprid pesticides

Cancelled uses

As of May 19, 2023

Stop the treatment of seeds of the following crops:

• Sweet corn and field corn for the control of corn flea beetles
• Brassica vegetables and leafy vegetables for direct seeding in the field
  • The treatment of these seeds for transplant is maintained

End of use delayed to May 19, 2025, for ginseng against European chafer by soil drench.

Stop the following applications:

• Broadcast seeding of treated seeds
• In-furrow application for:
  • Brassica vegetables
  • Leafy vegetables
  • Root vegetables
  • Tuber vegetables, including potatoes
  • Tobacco
• Field application by soil drench for:
  • Brassica vegetables
  • Leafy vegetables
  • Root vegetables
  • Tuber vegetables, including potatoes, excluding sugar beets
• Field application by transplant tray plug drench for leafy vegetables

Other risk reduction measure

As of April 11, 2021

• Added measures to minimize bee exposure to dust produced during planting of treated seeds of cereals and legumes crops

As of May 19, 2023

• Reduction of the maximum rates for seed treatments of:
  • Field corn, sweet corn, and seed corn
  • Soybean
• When treating seeds in commercial facilities, including mobile units:
  • The installation must have closed transfer systems
  • Added personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements
  • Added risk reduction measures for anyone accessing the seed treatment site
• New guidelines for disposing of excess treated seeds
• Added statements on the label of treated seeds bags, including:
  • "Spilled or exposed seeds and dust must be incorporated into the soil or cleaned up from the soil surface"
• Added requirements to prevent the release of effluent or runoff containing imidacloprid into an aquatic environment following greenhouse soil drench or transplant tray plug drench

Users must follow the instructions on the updated labels.

Using a pesticide contrary with the label directions is a violation of the Pest Control Products Act.

Read the label

All pesticides registered in Canada have a Health Canada-approved label with a registration number. Read the pesticide label carefully, as it contains specific information on how to use it.

To find the most up-to-date label, use our online label search tool, or search for "Health Canada pesticide labels" using your favourite search engine.