2021 Pest Management Canada

M | Crunching the Numbers: How to Maximize Profitability, Growth, and Long-term Success for Every Business
Bobby Jenkins, ABC Home and Commercial Services, Austin, Texas
How many more customers can you handle before you should hire a new technician? When is your business ready to take on non-revenue generating staff? Have you properly budgeted to thrive during the leaner months if business slows down? Get answers to these questions and much more in this informative and engaging session led by business leader, Bobby Jenkins of ABC Home and Commercial Services as he breaks down the keys to growth and success that every business owner should know. 

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M | How COVID-19 Has Permanently Altered the Candidate/Employee/Employer Relationship
Sara Cromwell, Abell Pest Control, Etobicoke, ON
With the arrival of Covid-19 to Canada in 2020, businesses were forced to make changes that altered the candidate experience and employee life cycle. As hope is on the horizon with the arrival of vaccines, many businesses wonder, will these changes be permanent? In this session, you’ll learn how the candidate and employee needs have changed and how to navigate the candidate and employment life cycle going forward to ensure future business success.

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M | Vancouver Rodent Project Update
Chelsea Himsworth, Ph.D., University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC
Kaylee Byers, Ph.D., University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia
The Vancouver Rat Project (VRP) is a research consortium that has been working since 2011 to better understand the health risks posed by urban rats and to develop innovative ways to monitor and mitigate those risks. The VRP was developed through a partnership between the University of British Columbia and the Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative and has since expanded to include a variety of national and international partners and collaborators, including pest control professionals. This talk will focus on the most recent findings from the group including new insights into the physical and mental health risks that can result from living with rats, the impact of lethal rat control on rat-associated health risks, and insights into barriers and opportunities for municipal rat control policy and programming.

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M | Health Canada Regulatory Update – Business Information
Kaitlin Thomson, Pesticide Compliance Program, Health Canada
This session will provide an overview of the federal government's role in regulating pesticides, focusing on Health Canada's involvement in the structural pest control industry. Topics discussed will focus on information relevant to business operations, including national inspection results and industry compliance statistics, as well as information on enforcement actions that can be issued when non-compliance is identified. In addition, Health Canada resources for staying up to date on pesticide label changes and approved pesticide uses will be provided. Lastly, regulatory updates about finalized pesticide re-evaluation decisions that impact the structural pest control industry will be provided. Proposed re-evaluation decisions that have not yet been finalized will also be discussed.

T | Cockroach Control: Where We’ve Come from and Where We’re Going
Phil Koehler, Ph.D., University of Florida, Gainesville, FL
Like so many things, pest management is constantly advancing. New products are being developed, improved tools are being manufactured, and management techniques are continually evolving. This makes for an exciting time to be in the pest management industry! These advancements improve our ability to control cockroaches and other dangerous pests that threaten public health, paving the way for a better quality of life for all of us. Learn where our industry started in cockroach control and what exciting advancements may lay ahead in this exciting session led by industry icon, Dr. Phil Koehler.

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T | When is a Pest a Pest: Understanding Arthropod Diversity in Structures
Jim Fredericks, Ph.D., BCE, National Pest Management Association, Fairfax, VA
PCOs realize there are a lot of insects and arthropods indoors, but research has lacked real data on this information – until now. Explore the diversity of pest and non-pest insects found inside structures in this session reviewing the latest data regarding the insects that are living right under our noses and the factors that cause people to classify them as pests.

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T | Ant Identification: Learning to Identify Ants Like A Pro!
Laurel Hansen, Ph.D., Washington State University, Pullman, WA
Ants are consistently ranked as the number one pest for call-backs and control challenges for several reasons. Colonies can be incredibly large and contain multiple reproductives, and control success often depends on proper identification to direct your management program. Learn how to identify one of the most diverse pest groups like a pro in this outside-the-box session that will walk attendees through key steps for proper identification. Be ready to take your ant management program to the next level!    

T | Health Canada Regulatory Update – Technical Information
Kaitlin Thomson, Pesticide Compliance Program, Health Canada
This session will provide an overview of the federal government's role in regulating pesticides, focusing on Health Canada's involvement in the structural pest control industry. Topics discussed will focus on information relevant to applicators, including national inspection results and common non-compliance identified from applicator inspections. The session will also include tips for staying in compliance and information about standardization of structural pesticide label terminology. Lastly, the session will also provide regulatory updates about finalized re-evaluation decisions that have resulted in changes to approved structural pesticide uses.

T | Caution: Slippery When Wet! – Avoiding Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Workplace
Susan Agee, Rentokil North America, Redding, PA
Do you feel that your Colleagues are prone to accidents involving slips and falls?  Whether the common injuries are same level trips and slips or falls involving ladders this session will review provide some everyday tips on preventing these devastating accidents.