Illegal weedkillers containing the chemical glyphosate, like Roundup, are being sold at Montreal hardware stores. According to a report by Radio-Canada, hardware chains like Rona and Canadian Tire have been stocking the product, despite a municipal ban that kicked in at the start of the year.

"It is unacceptable that glyphosate is still available on shelves in Montreal," Mayor Valérie Plante wrote on Twitter.

"We have a regulation that prohibits the sale of toxic pesticides, under penalty of fines. It comes down to the health of our residents and biodiversity."

Montreal was the first city in Canada to enact such a pesticide ban. The Plante administration approved the by-law last August, prohibiting personal and agricultural use of 36 weedkillers.

The municipal government warned that inspectors would be trained to enforce the ban and that rulebreakers would be penalized.

But no reported municipal inspections have taken place this year.

According to the WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer, glyphosate is a probable carcinogen for humans, among others. While some studies deny the toxicity of the chemical, Monsanto has been embroiled in over 100,000 lawsuits linking the pesticide to various forms of cancer.

The company has paid roughly $11 billion in Roundup-related court settlements since 2020.

Some Montreal hardware stores are now reportedly moving their pesticide stock to outlets just off the island, where it's still legal to sell.

Any businesses caught selling banned weedkillers in Montreal could be fined up to $2,000. Repeat offenders could be slapped with $4,000 in fines.

This article's left-hand cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.