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National Invasive Species Information Center
U.S. Department of Agriculture
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Canada

Provides selected Canada resources from agencies and organizations with an interest in the prevention, control, or eradication of invasive species.

Spotlights

  • Canadian Minister of Transport Announces New Regulations to Help Prevent Spread of Aquatic Invasive Species in Canada

    • Jun 23, 2021

    • Transport Canada.

    • Canada's coasts and waterways are vital to our environment, livelihoods, and economy, and must be protected. Ballast water, which helps keep vessels stable in the water, can accidentally introduce and spread aquatic invasive species, like the zebra mussel, if released in the water untreated. To further protect Canadian waters, the Government of Canada is taking action to limit the introduction and spread of aquatic invasive species in ballast water. Today, the Canadian Minister of Transport announced the coming into force of the new Ballast Water Regulations to strengthen existing rules for vessels on international voyages and the introduction of new rules for vessels which remain in Canada and on the Great Lakes. These regulations, which replace the Ballast Water Control and Management Regulations, apply to vessels in Canadian waters and to Canadian vessels anywhere in the world. Vessels are now required to:

      • plan their ballast water management and reduce the number of organisms in their ballast water, typically by installing a ballast water management system; and
      • carry a valid certificate, keep records, and be regularly surveyed and inspected. Smaller vessels may follow an equivalent approach tailored to their operations and size.

      See also: Managing Ballast Water and Backgrounder: Ballast Water Regulations.

  • Government of Canada Invests $14.7M in Conservation Projects in Five Mountain National Parks to Prevent and Manage Aquatic Invasive Species

    • Dec 4, 2021

    • Parks Canada.

    • On Dec 4, 2021, the Minister of Environment and Climate Change and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, announced federal investments of $14.7 million over the next five years for conservation projects to prevent and manage aquatic invasive species in Banff, Jasper, Kootenay, Waterton Lakes and Yoho national parks.

      The mountain national parks are particularly vulnerable to aquatic invasive species due to the high amount of water recreationists who visit each year. Aquatic invasive species alter aquatic ecosystems, cause irreversible damage, impact vulnerable species at risk, and spread downstream beyond park boundaries through the interconnected river systems. Of particular concern for the mountain national parks are invasive mussels, which deplete available nutrients and in turn affects the entire food web by altering water chemistry and quality, as well as the parasite that causes whirling disease, which leads to skeletal deformities for native species. This investment will help address major threats to aquatic ecosystems by funding programs to prevent and educate against the spread of aquatic invasive species.

  • Pest Alert: Asian Giant Hornet [PDF, 330 KB]

    • Sep 2019

    • Government of British Columbia. Ministry of Agriculture.

    • Three Asian Hornets (Vespa mandarinia) were found in the Nanaimo area on Vancouver Island in mid-August. The identification has been confirmed by Canadian and international experts. This is the first time this insect has been found in British Columbia. Please report suspected Asian giant hornet sightings to the Invasive Species Council of British Columbia.
      See also: Invasive Insects and Spiders for related information

  • Inspect and Protect: Safe Food. Healthy Animals. Disease and Pest-Free Plants.

    • Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

    • The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) touches the lives of all Canadians in so many positive ways. Each day, hard-working CFIA employees — including inspectors, veterinarians and scientists — inspect food for safety risks, protect plants from pests and invasive species, and respond to animal diseases. Inspect. Protect. Connect. Join us as we proudly celebrate our 25th anniversary and introduce you to some of our amazing experts across the country.

  • Latest Emerald Ash Borer Detections

    • Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

    • The emerald ash borer (EAB) is a highly destructive invasive beetle which attacks and kills all species of ash, but not mountain ash, which in spite of its name, is a completely different species of tree. To help prevent the spread of EAB, the movement of ash logs and firewood out of regulated areas is restricted. Report any detections outside of regulated areas to one of the CFIA's offices.

All Resources

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Selected Resources

The section below contains highly relevant resources for this location, organized by source.

Council or Task Force
Partnership

  • iMapInvasives: Sharing Information for Strategic Management

    • Nature Conservancy. iMapInvasives.

    • i is an invasive species reporting and data management tool that is on-line and map-based. The primary focus for iMapInvasives is to track invasive species locations and management efforts. iMapInvasives tools can be used by citizen scientists, land owners, natural resources managers, and others who are working to prevent, control, or manage invasive species.
      See also: The iMapInvasives Network is comprised of organizations that host the iMapInvasives Network database in their respective state or province.

  • Alaska Exotic Plants Information Clearinghouse (AKEPIC)

    • University of Alaska - Anchorage. Alaska Center for Conservation Science.

  • Firewood Map

    • Nature Conservancy. Don't Move Firewood.

    • October is Firewood Month! Learn about firewood rules and how moving firewood hurts our environment and economy by spreading invasive species. Provides specific state information on their firewood regulations and recommendations (includes Canada and Mexico).

  • InvadingSpecies.com

    • Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters.

  • Invasive Alien Species in Canada

    • Canadian Wildlife Federation; Environment and Climate Change Canada. Hinterland Who's Who.

  • NatureServe Network Directory

    • NatureServe.

    • This searchable directory includes contact information and self-identified areas of individual expertise for NatureServe, NatureServe Canada, and our Network Programs in the United States, Canada, and Latin America. More than 80 NatureServe Network Programs collect and analyze data about the plants, animals, and ecologi­cal communities of the Western Hemisphere. They are the leading source of information on the precise locations and conditions of at-risk species and threatened ecosystems in their jurisdictions. NatureServe collects, curates, and distributes that information for use at regional, national, and international scales. Staff throughout the Network are experts in their fields, and include some of the most knowledgeable field biologists and conservation planners in their regions.

  • Our Work - Invasive Species

    • Great Lakes Commission.

  • Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes Collaborative

    • Midwest Invasive Plant Network; Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

    • The Woody Invasives of the Great Lakes Collaborative provides information related to woody invasive species identification, distribution, impacts, regulatory status, and control and management. The collaborative has also developed recommendations on trees, shrubs and vines that gardeners and landowners can plant as alternatives to known woody invasives. The WIGL Collaborative was founded in early 2018 and is coordinated by the staff of the Midwest Invasive Plant Network (MIPN).

International Government
Academic

  • Electronic Atlas of the Flora of British Columbia - Invasive Species

    • University of British Columbia.

  • National Plant Information Network - Special Collections

    • University of Texas - Austin. Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.

    • Provides lists of native plants recommended for various purposes (by State or Canadian Province). Once you have selected a collection, you can browse the collection or search within it using the combination search. Also provides other special collections resources.

      See also: Native Plant Database to explore the wealth of native plants in North America. Use the options below to search for 25,169 native plants by scientific or common name or choose a particular family of plants.

  • Niagara Region’s Aquatic and Riparian Invasive Species Control Database

    • Brock University (Canada).

    • The Niagara Region’s Aquatic and Riparian Invasive Species Control Database (created by Lyn A. Brown as part of a Master of Sustainability thesis at Brock University) provides a baseline for the 2017/18 state of aquatic and riparian invasive management activities in the Niagara Region of Ontario. An interactive GIS map uses the database information to show where those control efforts are occurring, and users can filter points on the map by invasive species, control type, control effectiveness, or organization.

Professional