Weed Control

Methods of weed control used by the City

• Line Trimming

  The City conducts manual line trimming on trails and pathways located within the City. The work is completed by contract forces and is done three times a year.

• Road Side Mowing

  The City maintains road shoulders in rural areas of the City including the Okanagan Landing and Blue Jay subdivision. The road shoulders are mowed with a tractor equipped with a flail mower. This work is performed three times a year by contract forces.

• Crack and Crevice Spray Program

  Weeds have a tendency to grow in gutter lines, asphalt cracks, and sidewalk expansion joints. Left unchecked, these weeds can damage the road and sidewalk surfaces and create a safety hazard for pedestrians, motorists and cyclists. The City’s crack and crevice weed spray program is intended to address weed growth in these areas.

  By Corporate Policy, the City endeavours to reduce or eliminate the non-essential use of chemical pesticides on City of Vernon owned lands. Recently the City reduced its number of spray applications and increased road side sweeping which helped reduced weed germination in road gutter lines.

  There are two spray applications made each year. The timing of the applications is dependent on weed growth and typically occurs in May and September. Chemical spray is applied directly to the weed with a fine-tipped applicator by a qualified contractor.  All licensed contractors are required to ensure compliance with standards for the use of integrated pest management (IPM) and the protection of human health and the environment, as specified in the IPM Provincial ACT and Regulations.

  City of Vernon residents can contact the Operations Department at 250-549-6757 to be placed on a notification registry. Residents on this registry are called prior to spray application so that they have the opportunity to manually remove weeds adjacent to their property to ensure that chemical spray is not applied.