Pest Management
The presence of pests in and around electrical assets can adversely impact structural integrity which threatens workers and public safety and can compromise system reliability. Causes of wood rot, out-of-control vegetation, and noxious weeds in and around Nelson Hydro-owned poles, rights-of-way, and facilities are considered pests. This includes power generating stations, switching stations, substations, wood poles, pole yards, and around concrete dams, penstocks, spillways and diversion channels.
Integrated Pest Management
The purpose of Integrated Pest Management balances the need for safe and reliable operation and delivery of electric power while respecting and protecting natural environments. Nelson Hydro is in full compliance with the BC Integrated Pest Management Act through its 5-year Integrated Pest Management Plans (IPMP). IPMPs contain prevention, identification, monitoring, protection and procedures for the safe use, handling, and reporting of all products used for pest management within the Nelson Hydro service territory. They also contain protocols to ensure sensitive riparian areas are respected and protected. For more information on Integrated Pest Management, visit our Let's Talk site to learn more.
Nelson Hydro has decided to not submit the 2025-2030 IPMPs to the Ministry of Environment. Read the summary of findings for the pubic and first nations engagement from October to December 2025 as part of the drafting of the new Pest Management Plan documents.
An Integrated Pest Management Plan (IPMP) outlines the methods used to manage vegetation such as invasive plants around power poles and other utility-owned infrastructure. The IPMP ensures that:
- all work complies with the Integrated Pest Management Act (IPMA) and Integrated Pest Management Regulation (IPMR), as well as all applicable federal, provincial, and regional laws and regulations;
- strategies are developed and implemented to protect domestic and agricultural wells, endangered wildlife, riparian areas, fish, water intakes, and other sensitive ecosystems;
- protocols for the responsible use of pesticides, public notification, and record-keeping are followed; and
- only products approved by Health Canada are used.
If left unmanaged, vegetation can create safety and fire hazards that compromise the reliability of the electrical system and pose safety risks to crews working in the field. Most often, this involves fast-growing brush and tall plants near power poles and lines, but increasingly, invasive species like Knotweed are also becoming a concern.
Nelson Hydro uses several methods to control vegetation around substations, underneath power lines and around power poles. The most common is manual and mechanical removal, such as mowing, trimming, and cutting.
The PMP also includes clear guidelines for when chemical treatment may be necessary. We understand the community’s concern about pesticide use; these products are only used as a last resort, by certified and trained applicators, and applied using precise, targeted methods such as paste or wand application. These techniques minimize product use and ensure accuracy.
Nelson Hydro’s IPMPs aligns with other utilities across the province, complies with all regulatory requirements, and follows the City of Nelson’s Pesticide Use Bylaw.
Glyphosate (commonly known as Roundup) is included in Nelson Hydro’s draft IPMPs only as a last resort, when other methods have consistently failed. During the current IPMP period (2020–2025), glyphosate was used only twice—both times within fenced Nelson Hydro substations. In each case, all safety and environmental protocols were strictly followed.
Integrated Vegetation Management Policy
Based on the feedback received from emails, public consultation, and engagement from the Let's Talk Integrated Pest Management website, Nelson Hydro made the following decisions in January 2026:
- Not to submit the draft 2025-2030 Integrated Pest Management Plans to Ministry of Environment but keep them as administrative internal documents.
- Cancel the Integrated Pest Management pesticide pilot noted in the 2026-2027 Rates Application to the British Columbia Utilities Commission.
- Develop an Integrated Vegetation Management Policy that enhances current vegetation management practices based on the following principles:
- Non-Chemical Priority: The primary vegetation control methods must be prioritized as manual and mechanical removal (mowing, trimming, and cutting) within Rights-of-Way (ROWs).
- No Widespread Application: Formalize the historical practice of no broadcast or widespread application of pesticides in ROWs.
- Targeted Chemical Use: Any chemical treatment must be designated as a last resort only and applied using precise, targeted methods (e.g., cut-surface, paste, or wand application) to ensure minimal product use and pinpoint accuracy.
- Distinction between permitted vegetation methods within fenced substations versus publicly accessed rights of way.
- More robust public engagement and notification protocols that aligns with the standards set by the Central Kootenay Invasive Species Society (CKISS) supporting Vegetation Management within the tools, technology, and budget available to Nelson Hydro.
- Investigate the cost/benefit of improving and expanding the Geographic Information System with datasets that support Integrated Vegetation Management mapping and data collection.
- Present the Integrated Vegetation Management Policy to City Council for approval in March 2026.