As you may know, a surfactant or "spreader" acts as a "wetting agent" by reducing a liquid's surface tension. When added to sprays for leaves that have a waxy coating that otherwise causes the spray to bead, it helps the spray spread over the leaf. It's a common chemical that's in, for instance, detergents. But I can't find ANY place in Ontario that retails it.
If you'd like to see a blank expression, go to a lawn-supply firm or farm co-op and ask if they have a surfactant. If you'd like to feel you're on another planet, email the makers of the spray products you'd like to add it to, and ask if they know where to get it. ("Federal law prevents us from recommending any change to our labels." Manufacturers don't sell retail or inform who does. It would be easier sourcing bomb-making supplies than this harmless spray adjuvant.
I don't know what to tell you, there's a long list of approved surfactants here in Ontario, we use several of them on a very regular basis, they're available in every little town.
I can't say we've ever had any issue with finding it. If you were closer I'd say stop by and you can have some, you only need to add a maximum of 0.5% by volume to the weed-killer. That's not much at all, as an example, a pop can would be enough to do 20 gallons of weedkiller.
Some of the most popular brands around here are Companion (by Dow), Assist Oil Concentrate (BASF), Amigo (Bayer), Ag-Surf (Co-Op's own brand).
Most however are designed to work with a particular brand of herbicide, and often even packaged together in with the herbicide itself.
It's really not rocket science though, there's no magic potion involved. If you mixed up batch of 25% vinegar and 75% dish washing liquid detergent it would do basically the same thing. Add about 1% of that mixture to the weedkiller.
If you're stuck on getting a manufactured product, find one of those 'places' that sells hydroponic gardening supplies. Surfactants are widely used to make the plants absorb the nutrients in the water to increase the yield.
KT: If it was me who initiated that thread, I plead Alzheimers. (Tried to find it using "Surfactant" in the TP Search box, but that took me to a Google search.)
Murph: And what can I say? Two things, actually.
1. Thanks -- I'm emailing those four asking who retails their brand.
2. This is why I like TP. No matter how offbeat the question, one of the brains will have an answer. And if not, Supermurph will!
Wow. Having grown up on a small organic farm I can see why dad would only use natural stuff.
I googled natural sufactant and a good read from the U of Georgia came up. Turns out there are many technical differences between adjucants, wetting agents, and surfactants. Contrary to my logic the paper states that naturals can actually become food for some algae and fungus.
No worries Jeff, you had the link right, but the software here doesn't like linking to a .PDF file hyperlink I guess, I changed it to open the HTML version of the same piece though and it works now.
Pics Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: The South Shore of Lake Ontario, New York Posts: 1247
re: SURFACTANT
I have used the dish soap mix with excellent success when applying a vegetation killer. Some of that stuff comes with a surfactant and some doesn't so obviously you need to read the label and take it from there.
SURFACTANT: Yanmar Tractors -- Other Tractor Brands Discussion Forum
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07-29-2010, 10:33 
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Manufacturers don't sell retail or inform who does. It would be easier sourcing bomb-making supplies than this harmless spray adjuvant. 
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