Domestic plant protection measures

Many pests present risks to Canada's environment and natural resources, including to our agricultural and forestry sectors. As part of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) plant protection mandate and as Canada's National Plant Protection Organization, the CFIA adopts regulatory measures under the Plant Protection Act and Plant Protection Regulations to prevent the introduction and spread of these plant pests in Canada.

Different regulatory measures are adopted by the CFIA to prevent and control the spread of plant pests within Canada. This includes prohibiting or restricting movement of commodities that have the potential to spread pests across Canada. Examples of other activities that could be impacted by domestic measures include the handling, growing, distribution, sale, and production of pests or commodities.

This page provides an overview of some of the domestic regulatory measures adopted by the CFIA and that may have an impact on your activities.

On this page

• What the CFIA regulates
• How the CFIA regulates
  • General prohibition
  • Ministerial orders
  • Movement prohibitions and restrictions in Canada under the Plant Protection Act
  • Legislative notice
• Where the CFIA regulates
• What you can do
• Contact us

What the CFIA regulates

The CFIA regulates plant pests, as well as commodities or articles capable of harbouring or spreading these pests. The scope and strength of regulatory measures adopted by the CFIA are informed by an evaluation of risk which considers scientific and economic evidence.

Plant pests are insects, pathogens, plants, or other organisms which are injurious or potentially injurious to plants or plant products. They may directly or indirectly impact plants, including from their effects on other organisms.

Because plants and plant products are considered principal pathways of introduction for many plant pests, these commodities are also regulated by the CFIA.

The following provides an overview of commodity types and classes that are commonly regulated by the CFIA under the Plant Protection Act and Plant Protection Regulations for their potential to introduce or spread pests:

• plants for planting, including rooted plants and plant root systems; greenhouse and nursery plants; fruits; vegetables, including root crops; cut flowers; branches
• trees and any part thereof, sawn wood, bark, logs, lumber, and pulpwood; firewood; Christmas trees; wood chips; wood packaging and dunnage
• grains and field crops, including cereals, oilseeds, pulses, hay and pastures; straw; hay
• potatoes and potato parts for propagation including seed tubers, true (botanical) seed, in vitro plantlets, micro-tubers, mini-tubers and cuttings; potatoes not intended for propagation, including packaged and bulk potato tubers for human or animal consumption, processing, packing, and repacking
• soil and related matter, as well as the loose surface of the earth in which plants grow which includes humus, compost, earthworm castings, muck, plant litter and debris; peat moss

Other commodities or articles that may be the subject of plant protection measures include soil-contaminated vehicles, equipment or machinery, as well as bags, boxes, containers or other things used to hold or transport a regulated commodity.

How the CFIA regulates

Domestic regulatory measures may consist of prohibitions, restrictions, or requirements, and may apply to a variety of persons, activities or commodities. These measures are implemented by the CFIA using one or more of the mechanisms provided under the Plant Protection Act and Plant Protection Regulations^Footnote 1. The different regulatory mechanisms are summarized below.

General prohibition

The Plant Protection Act prohibits certain activities from being undertaken in respect of organisms and other things that present a risk to plant health. This is covered by subsection 6(1):

"Except as permitted under this Act or the regulations, no person shall move, grow, raise, culture or produce any thing that there are reasonable grounds to believe is a pest, that is or could be infested with a pest or that constitutes or could constitute a biological obstacle to the control of a pest."

The movement and handling of regulated pests or of commodities infested with pests may be allowed by the CFIA under strict conditions and in special circumstances, notably for scientific research, educational, processing, industrial or exhibition purposes^Footnote 2.

Ministerial orders

Domestic regulatory measures may be specified in orders made by the Minister under subsection 15(3) of the Plant Protection Act. These orders are used for declaring infested areas in Canada, and may prohibit or restrict the movement of persons or things into or out of these areas.

Orders are communicated by the CFIA to persons likely to be affected by them.

• Brown Spruce Longhorn Beetle Infested Place Order
• Hemlock Woolly Adelgid [Adelges tsugae (Annand)] Infested Place Order
• Golden Nematode Infested Places Order
• Golden Nematode Order^Footnote 3
• Plum Pox Virus Infested Place Order, 2014
• Potato wart order, 2021
• Box Tree Moth Infested Place Order, 2023

Movement prohibitions and restrictions in Canada under the Plant Protection Act

Several domestic movement prohibitions or restrictions that apply in Canada are listed in the document: Movement Prohibitions and Restrictions in Canada under the Plant Protection Act.

Incorporated by reference into the Plant Protection Regulations, this document specifies the pests and commodities regulated, and as applicable, the requirements that must be met before movement is allowed. The affected areas are either identified in the document itself, or are communicated by the CFIA to persons likely to be affected by them and defined in plant protection directives.

For more information, consult Notice to industry: Amendments to the Plant Protection Regulations now published – Document submission process and incorporation by reference of movement requirements.

Legislative notices

Inspectors have authorities under the Plant Protection Act and Plant Protection Regulations to prohibit, restrict or require actions to address risks to plant health. Regulatory measures are specified in notices which are communicated to the persons concerned (for example, the owner or the person in possession, care or control of a pest or commodity).

Notices are issued by inspectors for different purposes, including to detain, quarantine or confiscate, prohibit or restrict activities including movement, and to require disposal, treatment or processing. Regulatory measures may also be specified in conditions to permissive notices, such as movement certificates or other written authorizations.

Where the CFIA regulates

Regulatory measures may be in place wherever plant pests are located in Canada. Measures may apply to any area, from small properties specified in legislative notices to entire provinces. Larger areas are normally identified in Ministerial orders, in the Movement prohibitions and restrictions in Canada under the Plant Protection Act or in plant protection directives. The following tables present infested areas in Canada and the products subject to movement restrictions from or within these areas.

What you can do

In addition to the mandate, policies, programs and work of the CFIA, actions initiated or led by others also contribute to meeting plant protection objectives. This includes actions of other governmental departments and jurisdictions, industry, non-governmental organizations, academic researchers and the general public.

Some steps that can be taken include:

• Stay informed: Consult the regulatory or policy documents referenced above to find out if regulatory measures apply to your planned activities or contact your local CFIA inspection office. Subscribe to plant email notifications for updates to policies and directives.
• Be aware: Your activities may also be subject to the requirements of other departments or jurisdictions, including at the federal, provincial, aboriginal and municipal levels. Contact the governmental department or agency concerned for more information.
• Adopt best practices: Prevent the spread of plant pests by adopting proactive management practices or avoiding high risk activities like moving firewood.
• Report plant pests: If you think you have found a plant pest, report it to the CFIA. The CFIA has developed materials to assist in the identification of plant pests (fact sheets, field guides, etc.).
• Comply: The CFIA has various means to generate, monitor and assess compliance and to respond to non-compliance. Consult the CFIA's Compliance and Enforcement Operational Policy to learn more about the CFIA's approach to compliance management.

Contact us

For information on plant protection measures that may apply to your activities, please contact your local CFIA inspection office. To find out more about the CFIA's domestic plant health program, please contact the Invasive Alien Species and Domestic Programs section by e-mail at: CFIA-IAS_ACIA-EEE@inspection.gc.ca