Current status: Closed
This consultation ran from November 18, 2025, to January 29, 2026.
About the consultation
Phytophthora abietivora (P. abietivora) is a fungal plant pathogen that causes root rot in fir (Abies spp.) trees. It is a recently documented pathogen that was originally isolated from diseased Christmas trees (fraser fir, Abies fraseri) in 2019 in Connecticut, United States. Since 2024, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed its presence in:
- 4 Christmas tree plantations in Quebec
- 1 provincial park in Ontario
- 3 sites in Nova Scotia
The Province of Quebec has also reported detections at over 50 sites across the province.
Given the known presence of P. abietivora in Eastern Canada and the ineffectiveness of possible regulatory actions for this pathogen, the CFIA proposed to deregulate P. abietivora in Canada.
Who was the focus of this consultation
We were seeking comments from:
- the nursery industry
- the forestry industry
- plant importers, distributors and retailers
- industry associations
- other government departments
- international trading partners