Expansion of the emerald ash borer regulated area in Quebec and Nova Scotia

OTTAWA, ON, April 30, 2026 /CNW/ - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is committed to protecting Canada's plant resource base from invasive pests that threaten our forests and forestry industry. Accordingly, the CFIA has put in place measures intended to protect Canada's economy by slowing the spread of emerald ash borer (EAB) to non-infested areas of Canada.

Following detections outside of regulated areas, the CFIA has updated its regulated areas for EAB to include three areas in Quebec (one municipal territory and two Regional County Municipalities) and part of one county in Nova Scotia.

Preventing and slowing the spread of invasive species, such as EAB, is critical to safeguarding forests, native plants and forestry-related industries.

The regulated area now includes the Regional County Municipalities of Bonaventure, Charlevoix-Est and the City of La Tuque, in Quebec, and part of Hants County, Nova Scotia. As a result, ash material (such as logs, branches and woodchips) and all species of firewood cannot be moved outside the regulated area without permission from the CFIA. If you need to move ash material or firewood, please contact your 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 it poses a major economic and environmental threat to urban and forested areas of North America.

The CFIA will continue to survey and monitor the spread of this pest through its annual surveillance program and, following a public consultation in the fall of 2025 on the re-evaluation of its EAB management strategy, anticipates finalizing its decision in 2026.

If you spot EAB outside regulated areas, report it to the CFIA to help stop the spread.

Quick Facts

• Moving untreated firewood is a common way for invasive insects and diseases to spread.
• EAB was first confirmed in Canada in 2002 and has since been found in parts of 6 provinces (British Columbia, Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia). It is spreading to new areas via the movement of firewood and ash material (such as logs, branches and wood chips).
• The CFIA regulates this pest to protect Canada's forests, municipal trees and nurseries.
• Canada is one of the largest exporters of forest products in the world contributing $27 billion dollars to Canada's gross domestic product (GDP) and employing nearly 200,000 people.

Associated Links

• Areas regulated for the emerald ash borer
• Additional information on the emerald ash borer
• Hazards of moving firewood
• Plant Pest Surveillance
• Stop the spread and help keep invasive species out of Canada
• How do forests benefit Canadians?
• How does the forest sector contribute to Canada's economy?

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Each day, hard-working Canadian Food Inspection Agency employees--including inspectors, veterinarians, and scientists--inspect food for safety risks, work to protect plants from pests and invasive species, and respond to animal diseases that could threaten Canada's animal resource base and human health. Guided by science-based decision-making and modern regulations, the Agency verifies that food sold in Canada is safe while supporting access to international markets for our high-quality agricultural products. To learn more, visit inspection.canada.ca.

SOURCE Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA)

Contacts: Media Relations, Canadian Food Inspection Agency, 613-773-6600, [email protected]