You must cut or pull up ragweed and poison ivy on your property!

The Town of Sutton wishes to remind its residents of the obligation and importance of getting rid of ragweed and poison ivy on their property.

Both are very common weeds in Quebec. Ragweed pollen is one of the main causes of seasonal rhinitis which affects one in five Quebecers. The plant starts to bloom in mid-July. Poison ivy is dangerous to the touch because it contains a toxic sap that causes an allergic reaction in the skin.

In order to prevent their proliferation, our Municipality has adopted a by-law requiring owners, tenants or occupants of land to cut ragweed and poison ivy.

Excerpt—Article 10 of the Town of Sutton Nuisance By-law Number 113 (free translation)

It is a nuisance for the owner, tenant or occupant of land to:
(a) Located one hundred metres (100 m) or less from a water or sewer line or both, to fail to cut ragweed (Ambrosia trifida or Ambrosia artemisiifolia), poison ivy (Toxicodendron radicans) at least two (2) times per calendar year, the first cut to be made before July 15 and the second cut before August 22. This subsection does not apply in an agricultural zone, on land under cultivation, on the portion of land subject to an easement for the protection of a natural environment, on the bank of a watercourse or lake, or under the forest canopy of a woodlot;

The two plants are very different.

To identify and get rid of them, see the government’s tips on ragweed and poison ivy.