Expansion of the emerald ash borer regulated areas into British Columbia

Canadian Food Inspection Agency

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has updated its regulated areas for emerald ash borer (EAB - Agrilus planipennis) to include an area in British Columbia, in an effort to slow the insect's spread.

The regulated area in British Columbia includes the City of Vancouver, the University of British Columbia (UBC) campus and the University Endowment Lands (UEL). This is the first expansion of the EAB regulated area in British Columbia.

EAB is most commonly spread through the movement of firewood and other infested ash wood products, although it can also spread by flying up to 10 kilometers.

Effective immediately, ash material (such as logs, branches and woodchips) and all species of firewood cannot be moved outside of the regulated area without permission from the CFIA. If you need to move ash material, 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 regulated areas in Canada and the United States and 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 in British Columbia and will continue to work with federal, provincial, municipal and First Nations partners and organizations to slow its spread.

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