Between May and September 2025, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will be inspecting select properties in the Niagara Region and the City of Hamilton as part of the ongoing Plum Pox Monitoring and Management Program.
Plum pox virus (PPV) is a serious plant disease that threatens Canada's stone fruit industry. A regulated area has been established in parts of the Niagara Region and the city of Hamilton, where PPV is present. Regulations are in place to prevent the spread of PPV outside of the regulated area.
The CFIA will be conducting sampling and inspection activities on select orchard and residential properties to monitor for signs of the virus and/or to verify compliance with the propagation ban currently in place. This means that property owners may see CFIA inspectors on their property.
Plants that are susceptible to the virus include apricot, nectarine, peach and plum trees, and some ornamental shrubs such as purple leaf sand cherry. It does not affect human or animal health.
PPV can be spread by aphids and through the movement or propagation of infected plants. Within the regulated area, a propagation ban is in place which prohibits the propagation or multiplication of plants that are susceptible to the virus. It is also prohibited to move regulated plant material out of the regulated area without prior written authorization from CFIA.
For more information, please contact the CFIA at:
- 905-937-7434
- PPV-Sharka@inspection.gc.ca