December 3, 2025
Amendments to the Plant Protection Regulations have been published in Canada Gazette, Part II: Regulations Amending the Plant Protection Regulations. These changes strengthen the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's (CFIA) ability to safeguard Canada's agriculture, forests and natural environment from plant pests.
The amendments introduce greater regulatory flexibility, reduce administrative burden, and facilitate the adoption of digital processes. The impact on both stakeholders and the CFIA is expected to be minimal, as the amendments do not change existing programs or operational procedures.
Key changes
1. Incorporating by reference domestic movement prohibitions and restrictions
Previously, movement prohibitions and restrictions were listed in Schedules I and II of the regulations which required formal regulatory amendments to update. This slowed the CFIA's ability to respond to new risks.
Now, these prohibitions and restrictions are consolidated into a single document : Movement Prohibitions and Restrictions in Canada under the Plant Protection Act. The Domestic plant protection measures page, which describes domestic regulatory measures applied by the CFIA, was also updated to reference this new document.
This change allows the CFIA to update movement prohibitions and restrictions more quickly and efficiently, while maintaining its commitment to consult stakeholders through a pest risk analysis process. This approach aligns with the requirements of its Incorporation by Reference Policy, ensuring transparency and regulatory consistency.
2. Removing the automatic requirement for hard copies of electronically submitted documents
Section 10 of the regulations previously required stakeholders to submit an original hard copy of documents that had already been sent electronically to the CFIA. This created unnecessary administrative burden for both stakeholders and the CFIA. The updated regulation removes this blanket requirement. While the CFIA retains the authority to request hard copies when necessary, such requests will now be made on a case-by-case basis.
3. Updated wording to support future electronic exchange of phytosanitary certificates
Changes to subsection 29(1.1) of the regulations ensure that Canada can fully participate in electronic exchanges of phytosanitary certificates between governments in the future. Once implemented, the inter-governmental exchange system will reduce fraud, improve efficiency and facilitate trade in plants and plant products.
More information
For more details about these amendments, consult the Regulations Amending the Plant Protection Regulations published in the Canada Gazette, Part II.
For questions, please contact: CFIA-IAS_ACIA-EEE@inspection.gc.ca.