During a meeting Friday, the watershed council passed a resolution stating its opposition to a Hydro One request to apply the herbicide Roundup to approximately 1,000 kilometres of district roads that support hydro lines.

Hydro One said the herbicide would reduce its brush-clearing costs and potentially improve power reliability across Muskoka.

The request was the second time the power company made a bid to apply a chemical herbicide to local road allowances. Last year, Hydro One sought approval to use Garlon 4, a toxic herbicide that controls deciduous trees, in Muskoka. The request was turned down by district council due to environmental concerns by the watershed council.

Council members felt Garlon 4 posed too great a risk to fish and aquatic plants, should it ever enter the water.

This time around, the watershed council based its decision on the fact that Hydro One’s use of Roundup is not entirely necessary. Although Roundup’s main ingredient, glyphosate, is considered only moderately toxic, council members felt Hydro One could conduct its brushing-clearing work without it.

“What (we’ve) generally said is, if you’re going to use a pesticide, glyphosate is likely not too bad,” said Judi Brouse, Muskoka’s director of watershed programs. “But watershed council’s policy position is we don’t support the non-essential use of pesticides. The feeling, quite strongly, has been that Hydro One did not make the case that it’s an essential use.”

Until such a case is made, the watershed council will remain opposed to the idea, she said.

A letter will be sent to Muskoka district council informing it of the watershed council’s position, she added.

Bracebridge district councillor Scott Young, however, expressed concern that the watershed council was playing “cat and mouse” with Hydro One over the issue.

Young noted that the watershed council has clear policies on the non-essential use of pesticides. It should not give Hydro One any indication that it will remain open to the idea, he noted.

“We should base our position on those . . . policies and leave it at that,” said Young.

“Are we going to reverse our position if they come back to us again? I don’t think so. I’m certainly not. I don’t care what kind of business case they bring to me.”

Young asked that Brouse’s memo to the district be amended to indicate the end of the issue.

Watershed council chair Ian Turnbull said the details of Brouse’s report were for watershed council members only. Only the council’s resolution opposing the use of Roundup will be sent to the district, something that will clearly convey its position on the matter, Turnbull noted.