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The Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) helps to protect thousands of the earth's species of wild animals and plants by regulating the international movement and trade of these species.
(Masdevallia gilbertoi) Appendix II
CITES Photo Gallery
All orchids are listed in either CITES Appendix I or II. Permits are required whether orchids are wild or artificially propagated. There are however a few exemptions as explained below.
How do I import into Canada?
To import a CITES Appendix I species into Canada, you must first obtain a valid CITES import permit from the Canadian CITES Management Authority. You will also need a CITES export permit issued by the exporting country. You will need to provide a copy of the Canadian import permit with your application for a CITES export permit. The Canadian Management Authority can provide the addresses in most countries to which you can apply for this permit or preferably, please visit the National contacts section of the CITES Secretariat's Website.
If you wish to import an Appendix II species into Canada you will need a CITES export permit from the exporting country. A CITES import permit is not needed in this case.
How do I export from Canada?
To export a CITES Appendix I species out of Canada, you must first obtain a valid CITES import permit from the importing country. The Canadian Management Authority can provide the adresses in most countries to which you can apply for this permit. You will also need a Canadian CITES export permit. Apply to the wildlife service in the province or territory from which you intend to export the item for this permit, except for Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec in which case you must apply to the Canadian CITES Management Authority at the addresse below. Send in the valid foreign import permit with your application.
To export an Appendix II species from Canada you will need a Canadian CITES export permit. Check with the government of the importing country to find out if they have import requirements.
Orchids native to Canada
To export an orchid native to Canada,
- for orchids obtained from the wild, contact your provincial or territorial wildlife service (except British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec, in these cases application forms are available online on the Canadian CITES website (www.cites.ec.gc.ca) and must be sent to the Canadian CITES Management Authority at the address below);
- for artificially propagated orchids, contact the Canadian CITES Management Authority at the address below;
Exotic orchids
To obtain a Canadian CITES permit to export an exotic orchid species (a species not native to Canada), apply in all cases to the Canadian CITES Management Authority.
Greenhouses
Greenhouses that frequently export shipments of orchids artificially propagated in Canada may apply to the Canadian CITES Management Authority for a Multiple-Use CITES Export Permit. This permit is issued in the number of originals needed to export all shipments from a nursery in one year. Originals must be presented to foreign Customs, a photocopy of the original will be retained by Canada Customs and another photocopy must be returned by the permittee to the Canadian CITES Management Authority. This procedure is available mostly to greenhouses that are certified under the Agriculture & Agri-Food Canada Greenhouse Certification Program and that frequently export to the U.S.
Orchids artificially propagated in Canada and that are from Appendix II or III species or Appendix I hybrids can be exported using a Phytosanitary Certificate issued by CFIA when associated with a CITES Inventory Attachment. However this special procedure is not available to greenhouses certified under the AAFC (Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada) Greenhouse Certification Program when exporting to the U.S.A. - please refer to the above paragraph.
Are there any exemptions to these permit requirements?
The above CITES permit requirements do not apply to:
- plants that are personal or household effects, as described in the Information Note Personal and Household Effects. Plants that are part of a personal collection that is owned and possessed in your home country may be exported from or imported into Canada without CITES permits on condition they be carried in your accompanying personal baggage. You may not sell or dispose of the items within 90 days of carrying them into or out of Canada, and they must not be intended for commercial purposes;
- seeds and pollen (including pollinia) of artificially propagated Appendix I hybrids and Appendix II orchids;
- seedling or tissue cultures obtained in vitro, in solid or liquid media, transported in sterile containers;
- cut flowers of artificially propagated Appendix I hybrids and Appendix II orchids;
- fruits and parts and derivatives of naturalized or artificially propagated plants of the genus Vanilla;
Specific Exemptions for the orchids from the genera Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis and Vanda*
A) Artificially propagated specimens of hybrids of the genera Cymbidium, Dendrobium, Phalaenopsis and Vanda are not subject to the provisions of the Convention when:
- the specimens are traded in shipments consisting of individual containers (i.e. cartons, boxes or crates) each containing 20 or more plants of the same hybrid;
- the plants within each container can be readily recognized as artificially propagated specimens by exhibiting a high degree of uniformity and healthiness; and
- the shipments are accompanied by documentation, such as an invoice, which clearly states the number of plants of each hybrid.
B) Artificially propagated specimens of the following hybrids:
- Cymbidium: Interspecific hybrids within the genus and intergeneric hybrids
- Dendrobium: Interspecific hybrids within the genus known in horticulture as "nobile-types" and "phalaenopsis-types"
- Phalaenopsis: Interspecific hybrids within the genus and intergeneric hybrids
- Vanda: Interspecific hybrids within the genus and intergeneric hybrids
are not subject to the provisions of the Convention when:
- they are traded in flowering state, i.e. with at least one open flower per specimen, with reflexed petals;
- they are professionally processed for commercial retail sale, e.g. labelled with printed labels and packaged with printed packages;
- they can be readily recognized as artificially propagated specimens by exhibiting a high degree of cleanliness, undamaged inflorescences, intact root systems and a general absence of damage or injury that could be attributable to plants originating in the wild;
- the plants do not exhibit characteristics of wild origin, such as damage by insects or other animals, fungi or algae adhering to leaves, or mechanical damage to inflorescences, roots, leaves or other parts resulting from collection; and
- the labels or packages indicate the trade name of the specimen, the country of artificial propagation or, in the case of international trade during the production process, the country where the specimen was labelled and packaged; and the labels or packages show a photograph of the flower, or demonstrate by other means the appropriate use of labels and packages in an easily verifiable way.
Plants not clearly qualifying for the exemption must be accompanied by appropriate Convention documents.
* Exemptions under A) and B) must be considered separately.
Are there any cases in which a CITES permit cannot be granted?
A large number of species are threatened or may be threatened by international trade, so strict rules are applied in granting CITES permits for these animals. CITES permits can be granted only if it can be shown that
- the export and the import are not detrimental to the survival of the species;
- the specimens have been legally obtained in the country of origin and legally imported into a country of re-export;
- an Appendix I species will not be used for primarily commercial purposes.
Are there any other requirements?
If you wish to import live plants into Canada or another country, you may be subject to requirements under the Plant Protection Act and Regulations. For further information, please contact a Canadian Food Inspection Import Service Centre at (877) 493-0468 (Eastern), (800) 835-4486 (Central), or (888) 732-6222 (Western) or visit their Website.
You are required to correctly identify all goods being imported into Canada. With plant species and their parts and derivatives, this is best done using the scientific name of the species.
Where do I apply?
Import
To import a species native to Canada or an exotic species (non-native), you can print the application forms available online on the Canadian CITES website (www.cites.ec.gc.ca) or apply to the Canadian CITES Management Authority at the address below.
Export
Species native to Canada
- For plants obtained from the wild, contact your provincial or territorial wildlife service (except BC, Alberta, Saskatchewan and Quebec, in these cases application forms are available online on the Canadian CITES website (www.cites.ec.gc.ca) or apply to the Canadian CITES Management Authority at the address below);
- For artificially propagated plants, application forms are available online on the Canadian CITES website (wwww.cites.ec.gc.ca) or contact the Canadian CITES Management Authority at the address below;
Exotic(non-native)Species
To obtain a Canadian CITES permit to export an exotic species (a species not native to Canada), apply in all cases to the Canadian CITES Management Authority.
Application forms and additional information can be obtained from www.cites.ec.gc.ca or:
CITES Management Authority
Canadian Wildlife Service
Environment Canada
3rd Floor, Place Vincent Massey
351 St. Joseph Blvd.
Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0H3
Telephone: 819-997-1840
Telefax: 819-953-6283
email: cites@ec.gc.ca
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