Public Health Agency of Canada
www.publichealth.gc.ca
Laboratory Biosafety and Biosecurity
IMPORTANT CHANGES
As of April 1st 2013, some programs at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s Office of Biohazard Containment and Safety were transferred to the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC). That is, issuance of import permits for human and most terrestrial animal pathogens, as well as requests for CL2 compliance letters and High Biocontainment certification of laboratories handling these types of pathogens will be offered through a single office located within the PRD at PHAC. For more information, please do not hesitate to contact our office by phone at 613-957-1779 or by email: for permits and compliance letter questions permit-permis@phac-aspc.gc.ca; for biosafety questions biosafety_biosécurité@phac-aspc.gc.ca; and for high biocontainment certifications and questions biocon@phac-aspc.gc.ca.
The Public Health Agency of Canada (the Agency) is the national authority on biosafety and biosecurity for human pathogens and toxins and has developed a domestic and international reputation for excellence. For many years, the primary tools applied by the Agency’s Pathogen Regulation Directorate (PRD) were the Human Pathogens Importation Regulations (HPIR), which include inspecting and certifying laboratories importing human pathogens and toxins into Canada, and the Laboratory Biosafety Guidelines. In 2009, the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act (HPTA) became the newest tool at the Agency’s disposal to promote biosafety and biosecurity. The HPTA expands the Agency’s ability to reduce the risks posed by human pathogens and toxins by standardizing controls over activities involving these agents, whether they are imported or domestically acquired.
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