The Vancouver Rat Project (who will often send a speaker for our SPMABC conferences), has asked for our support in their COVID-19 19 Rodent research.
The project explores how the P1 COVID-19 variant has effect rodent populations, and involves testing rodent carcasses that are trapped (not baited). They are offering payment for collection of these rodents.
If you’d like to participate by donating trapped rodents, please consult the flyer for further information.
We wanted to advise our members that the page on our website that allows members to access their detailed recertification points report is currently down.
Because we will be migrating to a new system in the coming months, we won’t be able to repair this system, so in the interim, we would ask that you email any points inquiries to this email address (info@spmabc.com) and we can manually pull your points report and email it to you.
Please be advised that it does take longer to pull these reports manually, so we would advise any members to contact us in plenty of time prior to your expiry date to ensure you have adequate credits in time for your renewal.
We cannot guarantee an immediate response to a request for a points report, due to the numbers of inquiries that are being sent to us.
We hope for your understanding and patience as we move towards our new points database.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions about this.
Hello,
Thank you all for your inquiries, and your patience as we address your industry-specific concerns. We have engaged with the Ministry of Health, the COVID-19 Workplace Task Group and public health about our status as essential workers.
Currently the list of Front-line priority workers doesn’t include our industry, but we are making the case that In Canada our industry has been designated as an essential service. The SPMABC and CPMA is working to ensure we also fall under the category of essential workers when it comes to vaccine rollouts. With that said, we are NOT attempting to jump the line ahead of health care workers, police, fire, etc. We believe that we fit in to Phase 2 of the rollouts:
Attached is the letter that went out on March 23rd to the National Advisory Committee on Immunization (NACI) and all Provincial Ministries of Health. A big thanks to Jake from the NPMA on crafting the letter!
Please note: we are not taking a position that it should be mandatory for all people to be vaccinated, we are merely stating that it should be available during phase 2 to those wanting it.
We would encourage you to share this with your technicians/members, and forward this information as you see fit.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or concerns at this time.
Hello SPMABC Members,
As many of you are already aware, the NPMA has released a second edition of the Service Technician’s Manual.
 | The second edition to NPMA’s top-selling training handbook, The Service Technician’s Training Manual, is available now! This revised and expanded second edition is loaded with new content including updated pest biology and control information, the latest advances in pest control technology, a revised overview of federal regulations, new full-color images, a comprehensive Q&A section and much more! The Service Technician’s Manual is the core training book for service technicians. It provides technicians with essential information on the pesticide label, basic steps to pest management, pesticides, insect and vertebrate pests, equipment, safety, procedures, and state/federal laws. This manual serves as a companion training aid to NPMA’s online training course: NPMA New Hire Training For Service Technicians. |
Due to the level of interest from our member companies, we are at this time hoping to offer a group buy option. The current price on the book is $30 USD + shipping, but if we are placing a bulk order, we may be able to reduce the price.
Any books purchased under this bulk order will be ordered to Integrated Pest Supplies. You would then be responsible to arranging pick up.
If you are interested, please advise us as soon as possible, as this offer is subject to availability of the handbook, and the level of interest.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions about this.
Thank you!
Hello SPMABC Members,
As you all know, COVID-19 has made it impossible to conduct an in-person AGM this year.
We will be holding the Annual General Meeting for the Structural Pest Management Association of British Columbia via Zoom on Wednesday April 14th. The meeting will begin promptly at 4:00p.m. Zoom information has been sent out to members via email.
We will be electing the new Executive for the 2021 to 2022 term, excluding the President, who holds office for a 2 year term. An email was sent in February asking for anyone who wanted to stand for the board this year to submit their name. Because of the meeting format, we will not be able to accept last minute nominations this year.
A special resolution will be introduced and voted on at the AGM as well. Please review this attachment in your email and be prepared to vote on this during the meeting.
For those who will be unable to attend the meeting, voting by proxy is permitted. If you are planning to appoint a proxy, please fill out the proxy form (which was sent to all our registered members by email) and submit it to the board prior to the meeting via email at info@spmabc.com.
Only members in good standing will be eligible to vote. Only one representative for each company may speak at the meeting.
Hope to see you all on Zoom on April 14th!
Hello SPMABC members,
Just one more reminder to let you know there is still time to sign up for the Professional Pest Management Module 1 training from KPU, which will be delivered online this year.
For those of you needing extra credits towards recertification, this course will offer 5 overall credits.
Please see our previous post which contains more details.
For more information or any questions regarding the course please contact fsh.ps@kpu.ca.
Hello SPMABC Members,
I know many of you have been eagerly await this update, so I am happy to finally confirm that the following sessions for the CPMA conference have been approved for recertification credits:
| Session Date | Session Time | Session Title | Approved Credit |
| February 22, 2021 | 9:40 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. PST | How COVID-19 Has Permanently Altered the Candidate/Employee/Employer Relationship | 1 credit Professionalism |
| February 22, 2021 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. PST | Vancouver Rodent Project Update | 1 credit Pest Management |
| February 22, 2021 | 12:10 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. PST | Health Canada Regulatory Update – Business Information | 0.5 credits Act and Regulations |
| February 23, 2021 | 8:30 a.m. – 9:35 a.m. PST | Cockroach Control: Where We’ve Come from and Where We’re Going | 1 credit Pest Management |
| February 23, 2021 | 9:40 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. PST | When is a Pest a Pest: Understanding Arthropod Diversity in Structures | 1 credit Pest Management |
| February 23, 2021 | 11:00 a.m. – 12:05 p.m. PST | Ant Identification: Learning to Identify Ants Like A Pro! | 1 credit Pest Management |
| February 23, 2021 | 12:10 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. PST | Health Canada Regulatory Update – Applicator Information | 0.5 credits Act and Regulations |
| February 23, 2021 | 12:50 p.m. – 1:20 p.m. PST | Caution: Slippery When Wet! – Avoiding Slips, Trips, and Falls in the Workplace | 0.5 credits Human Health & Safety |
If you have not already done so, and wish to participate, you may register for sessions at the link below.
https://www.pestworldcanada.net/meetings-events/2021-virtual-pest-management-canada/
We’re also excited to confirm that the upcoming NPMA Back In Action Web Sessions have been approved for the following credits:
| Session Date | Session Time | Session Title | Approved Credit |
| Friday, February 26, 2021 | 1:00-2:00PM EST | Keeping Roof Rats from Turning Your Rodent Control Efforts into a Circus | 1 credit Pest Management |
| Friday, February 26, 2021 | 2:00-3:00PM EST | Optimizing Rodent Control for Commercial Accounts | 1 credit Professionalism |
| Friday, February 26, 2021 | 3:00-4:00PM EST | Managing House Mice: America’s Most Common and Most Under-Appreciated Rodent Pest | 1 credit Pest Management |
| Friday, March 26, 2021 | 1:00-2:00PM EST | Everything You Never Knew You Wanted to Know About Carpenter Bees | 1 credit Pest Management |
| Friday, March 26, 2021 | 2:00-3:00PM EST | Termites: Understanding the Past and Looking to the Future | 1 credit Pest Management |
| Friday, March 26, 2021 | 3:00-4:00PM EST | Meet the (Wood Destroying) Beetles! | 1 credit Pest Management |
| Friday, April 23, 2021 | 1:00-2:00PM EST | Big Picture Pest Control for Small Fly Problems | 1 credit Pest Management |
| Friday, April 23, 2021 | 2:00-3:00PM EST | Uncontrollable Ants… Or are They? | 1 credit Pest Management |
| Friday, April 23, 2021 | 3:00-4:00PM EST | Beyond the Brown Recluse: Managing Nuisance Spiders in Homes | 1 credit Pest Management |
If you would like participate in the NPMA sessions, please visit this page to register.
https://npmapestworld.org/education-events/upcoming-events/back-in-action-2021-training-webinars/
If you are seeking a credit which is not listed above (I know many of you have expressed a concern for application technology credits) and your renewal is coming up this year, we would recommend seeking an online course to satisfy that requirement. I have included below a list of online training websites with training sessions that are available for recertification credits.
https://pestweb.ca/protraining
Please don’t hesitate to contact us should you have any questions or concerns at this time.
Hello SPMABC Members!
KPU will once again be offering the Professional Pest Management Module 1 training this year from Feb. 18-20, however, this time, due to COVID-19, it will be delivered online.
KPU Professional Pest Management | Module 1
The Professional Pest Management (PPM) course was designed for industry professionals and anyone interested in learning more about pest management. The content was created by Dr. Cameron Lait, a respected entomologist and co-chair of KPU’s School of Horticulture. This course is recognized by the Structural Pest Management Association of BC (SPMABC) and students who successfully complete Module 1 will receive five credits towards their pest applicator license recertification.
Module 1 includes online lectures, lab demonstrations and quizzes delivered over three days. Students will need access to a computer with a microphone and web cam, as well as high speed internet to participate in classes. Students are encouraged to review lecture slides prior to each class and be prepared to discuss. There will be a brief quiz at the beginning of each class to review material from the previous day. At the end of the three-day training, there will be an exam to test your knowledge of all of the content covered.
Participants who successfully complete the course will reliably demonstrate the ability to:
Who Will Benefit
Tuition cost: $375 (plus GST)
Instructor: Dr. Cameron Lait, BSc (Biology), PhD (Major Plant Biochemistry & Physiology)
Dates: Feb. 18, 19 & 20, 2021 (We, Fr, Sa) | 9:00 am-3:30 pm
Location: ONLINE
REGISTRATION: kpu.ca/cps-pest
CE Credits: 5 industry-recognized credits issued by the SPMABC
For any questions regarding the course please contact fsh.ps@kpu.ca.
Hello All,
Due to COVID-19, the CPMA will be hosting its annual conference virtually this year. We have put together a great lineup of speakers and topics. As always, there will be a Management Day and a Technician Day. For Provinces where continuing education credits are permitted; we have submitted the sessions for approval.
The CPMA is committed to providing for its members, and this year we are offering the virtual sessions at a very affordable rate of $75 for the Management Day and $50 for the Technician Day (includes tax). An a-la-carte option is available on demand the first week in March at $25.00 a session.
Let’s please support the CPMA by showing up in strong attendance from the SPMABC members as always!
https://www.pestworldcanada.net/meetings-events/2021-virtual-pest-management-canada/
Hello SPMABC members!
This is your friendly reminder that the deadline for early bird fees for SPMABC membership is fast approaching!
After December 31st, fees will increase as per the below table:
For our members who have not already submitted payment, you will receive another invoice reminder from Quickbooks today. Please ensure that quickbooks@notification.intuit.com is added to your safe list for your email.
Thank you so much to those who have already submitted their payment and submitted their application and certificate of insurance. Please note, your membership is not considered valid until we have received all three. Once we have receive your certificate of insurance and application, I will provide you with a link to a page where you can make your payment online.
We’d also like to introduce our brand-new News Updates page. Any updates we provide via email will also be posted here: https://spmabc.wordpress.com/. This is also linked from the SPMABC website (http://www.spmabc.com/) from News > News Updates
Wishing all our members a lovely holiday and all the best for 2021!
Warm Wishes!
Kiley Crossby
Executive Secretary, SPMABC
