Centre for Biosecurity

Learn more about the Centre for Biosecurity (CB) and our work.

CB protects the health, safety and security of the Canadian public from the risks of human and animal pathogens and microbial toxins by administering the:

• Human Pathogens and Toxins Act (HPTA)
• Human Pathogens and Toxins Regulations (HPTR)
• certain sections of the Health of Animals Act (HAA) and the Health of Animals Regulations (HAR)

CB has five offices:

• Office of Biosafety and Biocontainment Operations
• Office of Biosafety Programs and Planning
• Office of Horizontal Policy and Strategic Initiatives
• Office of Pathogen Security
• Office of Stakeholder Engagement and Regulatory Affairs

Office of Biosafety and Biocontainment Operations (OBBO)

OBBO is responsible for conducting compliance activities related to the handling of regulated pathogens and toxins. To monitor and verify compliance, OBBO:

• authorizes the conduct of controlled activities by issuing Pathogen and Toxin Licences to facilities
• issues importation permits
• conducts biosafety inspections and audits
• provides technical expertise in biosafety and biocontainment
• identifies and addresses knowledge gaps related to biosafety standards and guidelines
• leads Canada's international commitments for poliovirus containment

Office of Biosafety Programs and Planning (OBPP)

OBPP develops risk mitigation biosafety and biosecurity programs for handling pathogens and toxins.

To fulfill its mandate, OBPP develops and maintains:

• biosafety and biosecurity standards and guidelines
• pathogen and toxin risk assessments
• the ePATHogen database
• Pathogen Safety Data Sheets
• Training and PHAC Training Portal
• the Laboratory Incident Notification Canada program, which is used when:
  • a lab incident may lead to an infection
  • a person has been exposed to a pathogen or toxin
  • a non-exposure report occurs
  • other lab incidents occur

OBPP is also Canada's focal point for some international forums that address biological threats. These include the:

• Australia Group (in collaboration with the Office of Pathogen Security)
• International Experts Group of Biosafety and Biosecurity Regulators
• International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM)

Office of Horizontal Policy and Strategic Initiatives (OHPSI)

OHPSI manages corporate functions, planning and reporting and oversight of horizontal policy and initiatives with centre-wide impact by:

• overseeing financial and strategic HR management
• developing operational plans and performance reports
• managing audits and evaluations
• managing program funding
• enhancing policy development
• leading on compliance and enforcement

Office of Pathogen Security (OPS)

OPS is responsible for improving biosecurity in Canadian facilities as well as supporting global health security through maintaining key biosafety and biosecurity partnerships in Canada and abroad. To fulfill its mandate, OPS:

• issues HPTA Security Clearances for work with higher-risk organisms
• promotes and uses information technology to support the work of CB
• promotes compliance with facility biosecurity requirements
• provides biosecurity expertise to prevent misuse of regulated materials
• maintains partnerships that advance global biosafety and biosecurity policies and solutions

OPS is also Canada's focal point for some international forums that address biological threats. These include:

• Australia Group (in collaboration with OBPP)
• the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (including the Confidence Building Measures)
• UN Security Council Resolution 1540
• biosafety and biosecurity elements of the International Health Regulations
• CB's WHO Collaborating Centre

Office of Stakeholder Engagement and Regulatory Affairs (OSERA)

OSERA's mandate is to maintain appropriate legislative and regulatory oversight for work with pathogens and toxins, as well as to develop strong relationships with biosafety and biosecurity program stakeholders by communicating regulatory information to promote compliance with the HPTA/R. It does this through:

• outreach activities
• targeted communications
• engagement and consultation
• support to the Advisory Committee on Human Pathogens and Toxins

OSERA also oversees Acts and Regulations administered by CB.

Related resources:

• Compliance and enforcement
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