Winnipeg is the only major Canadian city to conduct a large-scale spraying effort against adult nuisance mosquitoes. The recommendations include:

• reducing buffer zones (residence of an individual who chooses to opt out of the mosquito-spraying program)
• a reduction in number of days mosquito count traps need to be above 25 nuisance mosquitoes before spraying can commence
• a shortened period of public notification before spraying.

All three recommendations require approval from the Manitoba Government Environmental Assessments and Licensing Branch to amend the City of Winnipeg's current Pesticide Use Permit.

On July 27, 2010 Resource Conservation Manitoba (RCM) launched a letter writing campaign to prevent the Manitoba Government from approving alterations to the City of Winnipeg's current Pesticide Use Permit (see link below for sample letter).

"What (the government) needs to do is ensure there's opportunity for public comment and a review of any changes to the pesticide permit," said Josh Brandon, the Living Green co-ordinator at RCM.

Malathion is the only chemical presently approved in Canada by the Pesticide Management Regulatory Agency for spraying adult mosquitoes in urban areas. Studies have shown that malathion destroys populations of insects other than mosquitoes, and its long-term effects on human health are unclear.

"People tell me to mind my own business, but I'm concerned for my own family and other peoples' families. It's not good for children to be exposed to these chemicals." Said Anne Lindsey, Executive Director of the Manitoba Eco-Network.