The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has updated its requirements for importing organisms – such as certain insects, bacteria, fungi and yeast species and many others– that pose a direct or indirect risk to the health of Canada’s agriculture, forests and natural environment.
Directive D-12-02: Import Requirements for Potentially Injurious Organisms (Other than Plants) to Prevent the Importation of Plant Pests contains the plant protection import requirements for potentially injurious organisms (other than plants) from all origins whether present or not in Canada and which may be directly or indirectly injurious or potentially injurious to plants.
This includes, but is not limited to:
- Invertebrates, including insects, mites, and millipedes;
- Micro-organisms, including bacteria, fungi, viruses, viroids, phytoplasmas, and nematodes;
- Terrestrial molluscs, including snails and slugs, of the Class Gastropoda;
- Earthworms;
- Biological control agents (BCAs);
- Pollinators, including all bees other than those belonging to the genus Apis;
- Mushroom spawn for mushroom production;
- Invertebrates and micro-organisms which are living modified organisms or organisms modified through biotechnology and which may be expressing novel traits; and
- Insects which have been rendered sterile for the purpose of release as part of a pest control program.
Note: Toxic compounds derived from invertebrates or micro-organisms, in their pure state, are not regulated under the Plant Protection Act.
The table of organisms provides a list by scientific name, type of organism/description, intended use, country of origin, and if a CFIA Plant Health Permit to Import is required to import.
Learn more in: Appendix 1: Plant health requirements for the import into Canada of certain potentially injurious organisms.