Surveillance is an obligation of national plant protection organizations (NPPO) under the International Plant Protection Convention. As Canada's NPPO, the CFIA is responsible for administering a plant health surveillance program with the aim to determine the presence, absence or distribution of regulated plant pests, thereby providing data to inform regulatory decisions. Regulated plant pests include insects, nematodes, diseases (caused by fungi, bacteria, viruses), and invasive plants.
On this page
Annual survey reports
Plant health surveys are an important part of control and eradication programs. Surveys support import, export and domestic regulatory programs. They are required to maintain claims of "pest-free" status of an area, to detect new populations of quarantine pests and to delimit populations. Each year survey data are consolidated, analyzed, and reported, which supports risk intelligence gathering and decision-making on plant pests of concern to Canada.
Current year
Survey report 2024-2025 (In progress)
Previous years
- Survey report (2023-2024)
- Survey reports – (2018-2023)
- Survey reports – (2009-2017)
- British Columbia Japanese beetle survey report
Survey methodology
CFIA's surveys are delivered in accordance with science-based protocols, which provide clear instructions on how to complete survey activities in a consistent manner across different regions within Canada. Pest-specific survey methods are defined based on relevant scientific, geographical, and statistical information, ensuring delivery is operationally feasible. Visual, trapping, sampling and rearing surveys may be used to assess the environment for plant pests.
Visual survey
Survey that involves looking for signs or symptoms of a pest's life stages, the physical damage it produces or a plant physiological response to its attack.
Trapping survey
Survey that uses chemical attractants to lure and trap specific target pests in a given area.
Sampling survey
Survey that involves the collection of samples of a suspect pest, affected plant, or soil for laboratory analysis.
Rearing survey
Survey that involves the collection of suspect host material placed in a suitable, contained environment to detect pests as they emerge from their larval habitats.
More information on survey methods can be found in the annual reports. To receive a copy of our pest survey protocols, send us an email.
Plant pest identification resources
Various survey tools have been developed to help inspectors, partners, stakeholders and the general public to identify plant pests of concern. Plant pests not known to occur in Canada or regulated plant pests outside of the regulated area must be reported.
Invasive species factsheets
Outreach products
Training guides
- Emerald ash borer biosurveillance guide
- Invasive plant field guide
- Field guide to jewel beetles (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) of Northeastern North America
- Exotic forest insect guidebook
- Training guide: Detecting signs and symptoms
Field training
Training sites marked with simulated signs of an Asian longhorned beetle attack have been set up in various locations in Canada to promote awareness. Information on how to identify the pest is placed next to simulated infestation.
If you are interested in having an Asian longhorned beetle simulation site set-up in your municipality or if you would like to explore other knowledge transfer opportunities, send us an email.
Contact us
For more information, contact the Plant Health Surveillance Unit.
We coordinate the national survey program, including:
- design new surveys
- refine survey techniques and tools
- foster collaborative surveillance and research
- provide training, technical support and surveillance tools maintain the national repository of survey data
- develop national survey protocols, outreach products, and information sheets
- lead community science projects for priority pests