Biosafety Legislation in Canada

The use of Biohazardous materials (pathogens and toxins) in Canada is regulated under the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act (HPTA) and the Health of Animals Act (HAA) and associated Regulations (HPTR and HAR).

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) jointly developed the Canadian Biosafety Standards and Guidelines (CBSG), 1st Edition in 2013 for use by laboratory researchers and workers in facilities where biohazardous materials are processed, handled, used or stored. Implementation of the CBSG allowed the PHAC and CFIA to harmonize biosafety standards in Canada and apply to both imported and domestically-acquired biohazards. The Canadian Biosafety Standards (CBS) was released in 2015 and updates the biosafety standards originally published in the CBSG.

The CFIA also publishes the Containment Standards for Facilities Handling Aquatic Animal Pathogens and the Containment Standards for Facilities Handling Plant Pests which outline the physical and operational requirements for work with aquatic animal pathogens and plant pests, respectively.