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Plant Health Risk Assessment Unit

The Plant Health Risk Assessment (PHRA) Unit carries out plant health risk assessments for the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The purpose of risk assessments is to determine if commodities could be carrying pests, diseases or weeds that could establish in Canada and cause losses affecting farmers or foresters, or environmental change. If an organism should pose a risk to Canada, it can be regulated by the Plant Health Division to prevent it from entering the country, or from spreading if it is already there.

Risk assessments are carried out for each species that is a potential quarantine pest to Canada. Assessment is based on the biology of the organism and whether it would be able to live in some part of Canada. Risk management is the responsibility of the Plant Health & Production Division, which regularly consults with other agencies, industry stakeholders and the public before making a decision on whether or not to regulate an organism. There are presently six risk assessors in the PHRA Unit - three entomologists, two pathologists and one botanist.

In addition to risk assessments, the PHRA Unit provides PHPD with technical information on pests, diseases and weeds for many purposes, including phytosanitary certification of commodities for export.

For more information contact: Dr. D. Watler, Chief, Plant Health Risk Assessment Unit, Canadian Food Inspection Agency at, watlerd@inspection.gc.ca,   telephone 613-228-6698, fax 613-228-6100.