RMD-13-04: Consolidated Pest Risk Management Document for pest plants regulated by Canada
4.0 Background
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- This RMD describes the risk associated with each invasive plant and the management options available to mitigate that risk and is an effort to prevent the introduction of invasive plants and weeds into Canada under the authority of the Plant Protection Act and the Seeds Act.
- The CFIA is evaluating and, where appropriate, restricting the importation and spread of invasive plants as part of its mandate to protect Canada's plant resource base and itscommitment to limit the introduction and spread of invasive plants under An Invasive Alien Species Strategy for Canada (Government of Canada 2004). The Strategy aims to reduce the risk of invasive species to the environment, economy, and society, and to protect environmental values such as biodiversity and sustainability.
- The CFIA prevents the introduction andspread of some invasive plants in Canada, those regulated as quarantine pestsunder the Plant Protection Act and designated as prohibited noxious weeds under the Seeds Act. (A quarantine pest is a pest of potential economicimportance to the endangered area and not yet present or present but notwidely distributed and being officially controlled.).
- Under the Plant Protection Regulations, Importation Requirements (subsection 29.1) "… no person shall import into Canada anything that is a pest, is or could be infested or constitutes or could constitute a biological obstacle to the control of a pest, unless the person has obtained and furnished to an inspector a valid permit number and, as applicable, a foreign Phytosanitary Certificate or a foreign Phytosanitary Certificate for Re-export."
- The CFIA requires that certain measures be taken both for import and domestic movement; to prevent the introduction or spread of plants considered to be pests in Canada. The D-12-01: Phytosanitary requirements to prevent the introduction of plants regulated as pests in Canada, outlines the general phytosanitary requirements to prevent the introduction or spread of these plants in Canada under the Plant Protection Act.
Note: It is well recognized that the risk of invasive species in Canada is a shared risk and therefore a shared responsibility among government jurisdictions and stakeholders. Once an invasive plant is determined to be a pest and is introduced into Canada, the CFIA develops and enforces domestic regulatory measures to mitigate the risks associated with the plant species. The CFIA's approach for domestic regulation is based on the principles of: most up-to-date science during the Pest Risk Assessment, shared responsibility and partnerships with provinces and industry stakeholders, consultation and regular review.
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