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Context
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)
- invasive plants
Annual survey reports
Plant health surveys play an important role in programs that control or eliminate plant pests. These surveys support regulations for imports and exports as well as domestic plant movement. They are also needed to confirm that an area is:
- free of certain pests
- to find new infestations of quarantine pests
- to determine how far a pest has spread
Each year, the survey results are combined and analyzed then reported. This information helps Canada gather risk intelligence and make informed decisions about plant pests that may threaten the country.
Current year
Previous years
Survey methodology
Our 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. To ensure delivery is operationally feasible, pest-specific survey methods are defined based on relevant information that is:
- scientific
- geographical
- statistical
Other surveys that may be used to assess the environment for plant pests can include:
- visual
- trapping
- sampling
- rearing
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 identify plant pests of concern to help:
- inspectors
- partners
- stakeholders
- general public
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.
Intercepted Pest List (IPL) for plant commodities
IPLs are prepared by the Plant Health Laboratory Services Unit. They are prepared on demand and tailored to requestor's needs. Typically, IPLs summarize detections from samples submitted to CFIA Plant Laboratories of pests found in:
- plants
- plant products
- passenger baggage
- used equipment
- cargo
- other carriers entering or leaving Canada
The detections are performed by the trained experts of CFIA's Plant Laboratories with support from specialists at the Canadian Forest Service, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada and reference to the national biological collections.
For more information on our four Plant laboratories, visit our website.
- Charlottetown Laboratory
- Ottawa Plant Laboratory
- Saskatoon Laboratory's Center for Seed Science and Technology
- Sidney Laboratory, Centre for Plant Health
To request an IPL contact Plant Diagnostics. Ensure the request includes details regarding the plant pest and/or commodity of interest as well as the time period of interest.
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
- surveillance tools maintain the national repository of survey data
- develop national survey protocols
- outreach products
- information sheets
- lead community science projects for priority pests