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Vegetation Management

The Transportation and Environmental Services Department is responsible for vegetation management along roadsides and in county forests. These services include roadside mowing and weed spraying that takes place in the spring and fall of each year and is based on our yearly weed audit. Invasive plants and noxious weeds are regulated by the Weed Control Act and the Invasive Species Act. Noxious weeds are a risk to livestock, agricultural land, and people. Only Government of Canada-approved herbicides are used to control the growth of undesirable vegetation along our roadsides.
wild parsnip

The Environmental Services Supervisor and Environmental Services Technician are appointed to carry out and perform the duties required under the provision of the Weed Control Act and to carry out and perform inspection and enforcement duties with respect to complaints regarding nuisance weeds. The County recommends using extreme caution in working with noxious weeds as many species can cause serious side effects to individuals.

The County is currently serving as the area Weed Inspector for the following municipalities:

  • Municipality of Northern Bruce Peninsula
  • Municipality of Kincardine
  • Municipality of Arran Elderslie
  • Municipality of Brockton
  • Municipality of South Bruce
  • Township of Huron Kinloss

Please note that the Town of Saugeen Shores has a Weed Inspector available to provide noxious weed services to residents within that community.

Roadside mowing and weed spraying play an important role of road maintenance that controls noxious and invasive species to improve sightlines, sign visibility and roadside drainage.

The County of Bruce controls noxious weeds under Public Works Exception of the Cosmetic Pesticides Ban for the promotion of public health and safety. The spraying of the herbicides will be completed by a qualified contractor licensed by the Ministry of the Environment and Climate Change under requirements of the Pesticides Act. A public notice of the pesticides to be used will be advertised in the local papers and on the County website.

The County contracts the services of Green Stream and the Town of Saugeen Shores to spray guard rails and roadsides to control weeds and noxious weeds. Due to the size of the county, weed spraying is alternated yearly between the north and south portions of the county with Bruce Road 11 being the dividing line.

Roadside spraying for the north portion of County covers the following County Roads: BR 3 (Hwy 21 - Paisley), BR 13, BR 33, BR 40, BR 10, BR 17, BR 14, BR 8, BR 9, BR 5, BR 25, BR 20, BR 1, BR 11 and the Grey Bruce Line.

Roadside spraying for the south portion of the County covers the following County Roads: BR 1(BR 20-BR 86), BR 2, BR 3(Paisley-Mildmay), BR 4, BR 6, BR 6E, BR 7, BR 12, BR 15, BR 19, BR 20(BR 1-Hwy 9), BR 22, BR 23, BR 28, BR 30, BR 86.

Property landowners that do not want their unmaintained ditch along the county roadside sprayed can post “No Spray” signs at the start and finish of their property. These signs must be at least 30cm x 60cm (1 ft x 2 ft) and be easily read from the shoulder of the road. Only unmaintained ditches will be sprayed with herbicide, while maintained yards and ditches will not be sprayed. Signs must not restrict visibility of vehicles and are only permitted between the dates posted on the Public Notice for Pesticide Use.

Landowners within urban areas are advised to contact their local municipalities regarding noxious weed concerns. The County recommends using extreme caution in working with noxious weeds as many species can cause serious side effects to individuals.

Be aware of local municipal bylaws regarding Property Standards. These standards cover a variety of items including noxious weeds. Property Standards Bylaws are put in place to protect the health and safety of occupants and the public.

 

Regulation 1096 General Regulations on noxious weed removal

For more information on noxious weeds and best practices, please review the Useful Links tab below.

See attached map for information on roadside spraying locations.

Contact us

General Inquiries

Transportation and Environmental Services

Tel : 519-881-2400

Transportationinfo@brucecounty.on.ca