June 13, 2013, Ottawa: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is continuing to protect Canadian trees from the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB) by implementing two new spread-limiting measures.
The CFIA establishes regulated areas to restrict the movement of potentially infested wood items from areas where the emerald ash borer (EAB) exists. On April 1, 2014, the Agency will consolidate most of the regulated areas into one large area in Ontario and Quebec. This large area will include Highways 400, 401, 416 and 417 in Ontario and Highways 15, 20, 40 and 50 in Quebec.
This approach takes into account the CFIA's current understanding of the distribution of EAB and will more effectively slow the spread of this pest to other parts of these provinces and to the rest of Canada.
The Agency will continue its surveillance, regulatory, enforcement and communications activities across Canada, but a strong focus will be placed on the outer edge of the large consolidated area, where EAB has not currently been detected.
"Based on the expected distribution of this pest, and following consultations with our stakeholders, we have determined that expanding the regulated area is the best way to use CFIA resources to protect uninfested areas of Canada," said Greg Wolff, the CFIA's Chief Plant Health Officer.
Also, as part of the long term strategy to manage EAB, the CFIA has approved the release of two stingless wasps as new biological control agents to combat the spread of EAB. One wasp that has now been released in limited areas in southwestern Ontario by Natural Resources Canada is Tetrastichus planipennisi.
"The approval of biological control agents for use against EAB offers promise for slowing spread over time. Although it will take time for wasp populations to build up and for their effectiveness to be evaluated, we must take a long-term view to finding innovative ways to manage the EAB situation," said Mr. Wolff.
The CFIA continues to actively engage its stakeholders, including municipalities, the provinces of Ontario, Quebec and Manitoba; and federal partners to assess and select the best approach for the management of EAB. As the situation evolves in the future, the CFIA will continue to review its approach and management of EAB.
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