Mr. Jules Foisy-Lapointe reports

MORE THAN 95% OF PLANTS AT RONA ARE NEONIC-FREE

Rona Inc. has reached a new milestone in curbing the use of neonicotinoids, or neonics: more than 95 per cent of the plants now available at its big-box stores are free of these systemic pesticides believed to be harmful to bee populations. A year ago, 70 per cent of all plants sold in Rona and Reno-Depot corporate stores were grown without neonics.

For the past few years, the corporation has been working closely with its suppliers to reach the ambitious goal of gradually eliminating the use of neonics by implementing alternatives to its cultivation methods. Employees at the company's garden centres will have on hand the list of products grown with neonics and can help consumers buy their plants at the company's big-box Rona or Reno-Depot with full knowledge of how the plants were grown.

"We feel it is important to do what we can to protect the bee populations," said Jules Foisy-Lapointe, sustainable development director at Rona. "Rona's leadership in offering eco-friendly products is long-standing and we are proud to offer consumers a wide choice of eco-friendly herbicides and pesticides, all part of a line of Rona ECO-approved products which are respectful of the environment."