Toronto, August 11, 2005 During on-going surveys, the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency (CFIA) has detected a number of trees infested with the Asian
Long-Horned Beetle (ALHB) at three sites in the City of Vaughan and one
location in the City of Toronto. To prevent the further spread of the beetle,
approximately 7,000 trees will be removed from these locations beginning August
22, 2005.
The infested
trees were discovered in three locations in the City of Vaughan: a
cemetery, located near Steeles Avenue and Jane Street; a commercial area south
of Highway 7, west of Weston Road; and a residential area located north of
Chancellor Drive, west of Ansley Grove Road. In the City of Toronto, the
ALHB infested maple trees
were discovered in a predominantly residential neighbourhood north of Finch
Avenue and west of Jane Street.
All the infested locations are within the ALHB Regulated Area, which was established
in parts of Toronto and Vaughan in February 2004 to prevent the spread of the
beetle. The Asian Long-Horned Beetle Infested Places Order restricts
the movement of any tree materials (including nursery stock, trees, leaves,
logs, lumber, wood, wood chips and bark chips from susceptible species of trees
as well as firewood of all species) out of the Regulated Area, unless
authorized by the CFIA.
Public information sessions will be held in the communities affected by the
tree removal operations. Area residents and members of the general public will
be invited to attend these sessions to learn more about the beetle. A
Notice to Dispose will be issued to affected property owners prior
to tree removal.
The CFIA has
proposed an amendment to the Introduced Forest Pest Compensation
Regulations to compensate property owners to replace trees ordered
destroyed. The start date is anticipated in September or October, in time for
the fall planting season.
For more information on the ALHB and on how to identify signs of
infestation, please visit the website at
www.inspection.gc.ca or call us toll free at1-800-442-2342. In Toronto, please
call 416-665-5055.
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For more information, please contact:
Media Relations (Toronto)
(416) 665-5033
Media Relations (Ottawa)
(613) 228-6682
