April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020 Plant Health Survey Report
The objectives of the Plant Protection Program within the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are to prevent the introduction and spread within Canada of plant pests of quarantine significance, to detect and control or eradicate designated plant pests in Canada, and to certify plants and plant products for domestic and export trade.
Plant health surveys support the Plant Protection Program in a number of ways. They help to detect new populations of quarantine pests or potential quarantine pests being considered for regulation. Delimitation surveys are also conducted to determine the range of pest populations with limited distributions in Canada (International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPM) no 08). Surveillance data allows Canada to maintain claims of Pest Free Area (ISPM no 04), Pest Free Place of Production and Pest Free Production Site (ISPM no 10) status, and supports our ability to meet a number of international phytosanitary standards under the International Plant Protection Convention. Surveys provide information in support of import, export and domestic regulatory programs. They are a key contribution to policy development and trade negotiations. In all cases, reliable and accurate pest distribution data provides the basis for sound regulatory decisions. The information may be used for a variety of purposes, including reasons for removing, altering, or even not establishing a quarantine regulation. Plant pest surveys are also an integral part of control and eradication programs (ISPM no 09).
In the 2019 to 2020 fiscal year (April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020), the CFIA conducted surveys for the plant pests listed below.
| Forest pests | Provinces surveyed | Results Table note a |
|---|---|---|
Asian longhorned beetle (ALHB) |
BC, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE, | AB: ALHB was detected in a warehouse in Edmonton following the importation of goods from Asia. Additional survey activities are planned for 2020 to 2021 at that location. ON: ALHB was declared eradicated from Mississauga, where an infestation was detected in 2013. |
Emerald ash borer |
BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE, NL | QC: Detection in St-Jean-Port-Joli. NB: Detection in Oromocto and Moncton. |
| Invasive alien forest insects | BC, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE, NL | No regulated pests or pests of quarantine significance were detected outside of their known range. |
| Spongy moth (Lymantria dispar dispar) |
BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE, NL | BC: Adult moths detected in Surrey (14 moths), Lake Cowichan (21), Maple Ridge (3), Castlegar (13), Hope (1), Revelstoke (1), Saanich (1), and Metchosin (3). AB: 2 adult moths detected in Calgary (1) and Edmonton (1). SK: 2 adult moths detected in Regina (1) and Moose Jaw (1). MB: Adult moths detected in Winnipeg (3), Virden (1), Wasagaming (1) and Portage La Prairie (7). ON: Adult moths detected in Thunder Bay district, Thunder Bay, Markham, Mississauga, Brampton, Picton, Port Weller, Port Colborne, Hamilton, Johnstown, Goderich, Windsor, Sarnia, St. Catharines, Niagara Regional Municipality, Kitchener, and Greenstone. QC: Adult moths detected in Québec, Sorel, Bécancour, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Trois-Rivière, and Montréal. NB: Adult moths detected in St. Stephen, Bayside, Saint John and Belledune. NS: Adult moths detected in Mulgrave, Tantallon, Halifax, Eastern Passage, and Dartmouth. PE: Adult moths detected in Borden-Carleton and Summerside. NL: 5 adult moths detected in St. John's. |
| Brown spruce longhorn beetle (Tetropium fuscum) |
QC, NB, PE, NL | NB: Detected at 1 site in Moncton. |
| Hemlock woolly adelgid (Adelges tsugae) |
ON, QC, NB, NS, PE | ON: Detected in Wainfleet and Niagara Falls. NS: No new detections. |
| Oak wilt (Ceratocystis fagacearum) |
ON, QC | No detections. |
| Horticultural pests | Provinces surveyed | Results Table note b |
|---|---|---|
Ramorum blight |
BC, ON, QC | BC: Ramorum blight was detected in Aldergrove, Chilliwack and Saanichton. |
Oriental fruit moth |
BC | BC: Oriental fruit moth was detected in Abbotsford. |
Japanese beetle |
BC, NL | BC: Japanese beetle was detected at 51 locations in Vancouver. |
Blueberry maggot |
BC, ON, QC, NL | QC: Blueberry maggot was detected in Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc, Saint-Eugène-d'Argentenay, Saint-Méthode, Dolbeau, Saint-Eugène, and Saint-Augustin. |
Apple maggot |
BC | No detections. |
| Tobacco blue mold (Peronospora hyoscyami f.sp. tabacina) |
BC | No detections. |
| Plum pox virus | ON | No new detections. |
| Seed potato pests | Provinces surveyed | Results Table note c |
|---|---|---|
Potato cyst nematode |
BC, AB, SK, MB, QC, NB, PE, NL | No detections. |
| Potato wart (Synchytrium endobioticum) |
PE, NL | No detections |
| IASDP pests | Provinces surveyed | Results Table note d |
|---|---|---|
| Invasive plant survey: seed and grain handling facilities | BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE | ON: Jointed goatgrass was detected at 1 site. |
Kudzu |
ON | No new detections. |
| Lymantria dispar asiatica or Lymantria dispar japonica | BC, AB, SK, MB, ON, QC, NB, NS, PE | BC: Detection of a single male moth in Delta. Increased surveillance in that area is planned for next year. |
The CFIA's Plant Health Surveillance Unit (PHSU) is also dedicated to preventative science and research that supports risk mitigation and early detection. Research projects in which the PHSU has been involved in from April 1, 2019 to March 31, 2020 include:
- plant health diagnostic pilot project with the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph to assess potential for eDNA metabarcoding for detecting species of regulatory concern
- chemical ecology of Chinese Agrilus species
- rearing moth eggs collected on international vessels
- improving detection survey methodology of wood boring insects
- determining the capacity for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to assess the kudzu infestation and site characteristics pertinent to the eradication program
- evaluating the potential for roadside capture techniques to rapidly survey for and detect Arundo donax in Ontario
- assessing the efficacy of a community-based monitoring program for box tree moth
- searching for hemlock woolly adelgid biocontrol agents and developing tools to detect and quantify predatory fly populations
(Leucotaraxis spp.) - testing the operational feasibility of using camera traps as part of the European gypsy moth and Japanese beetle surveys
- developing a sea container taping program to mitigate pest risk in lieu of the fumigation only option when containers need to be returned to country of origin due to non-compliant pest detection
Note: in 2019, the strawberry blossom weevil, Anthonomus rubi, was found at a residential property near Abbotsford, BC for the first time in Canada.
Finally, the unit is committed to building and maintaining collaborations and networks through innovative education, outreach and awareness strategies that strengthen networks and build surveillance capacity.
The CFIA has worked closely with its collaborators, including provinces and municipalities to expand the reach of surveillance efforts for gypsy moth and emerald ash borer. Collaborations with the Invasive Species Centre, Ontario, Parks Canada Agency and the Canadian Council on Invasive Species have continued and several Memoranda of Understanding for data sharing with provinces have been established. The unit regularly holds training and outreach events with the public and stakeholders, in addition to providing internal training for CFIA inspectors. Please contact the Plant Health Surveillance Unit if you or your organization would like to receive support for training or public outreach events.
Furthermore, as 2020 has been declared the International Year of Plant Health, the CFIA worked with Scouts Canada to develop a crest with the mention '2020 Protecting Plants in Canada' to raise awareness about plant health in the youth community.
For any question regarding CFIA's plant health surveys, please contact the Plant Health Surveillance Unit.
- Date modified: