The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer (EAB) in Saint-Jean-Port-Joli, Quebec. This finding is outside of the current regulated areas for EAB in Canada.
After assessing the situation and evaluating the risk of EAB spreading to the adjacent territories, CFIA decided to expand the regulated area in Quebec to include the regional county municipalities of Montmagny, L’Islet and Kamouraska.
Effective immediately, the movement of ash materials, including logs, branches and woodchips, and all species of firewood out of the regulated areas is restricted. If individuals or businesses, such as nurseries, sawmills, forest companies, firewood facilities, and municipalities need to do so, they must first contact their local CFIA office to request written authorization.
Although the EAB poses no threat to human health, it is highly destructive to ash trees. It has already killed millions of ash trees in Canada and the United States and poses a major economic and environmental threat to urban and forested areas of North America.
CFIA continues to work with federal, provincial, municipal and First Nations partners and organizations to slow the spread of this pest.
Quick facts
- Moving untreated firewood is a common way for invasive insects and diseases to spread.
- The EAB is native to eastern Asia. Its presence in Canada was first confirmed in 2002.
- CFIA regulates this pest to protect Canada’s forests, municipal trees and nurseries.