Question Period Note: AFRICAN SWINE FEVER

Q1 – What measures is the Government of Canada taking to address the threat that the global spread of African swine fever poses to swine in Canada? Q2 – How has the Canadian Food Inspection Agency tested or validated its preparedness efforts? Q3 - What other work is being done to support Canada’s pork industry in preparing for and responding to the disease? Q4 - What is the status of an African swine fever vaccine or treatment? Q5 – What risk is posed by Canada’s invasive wild pig population and what actions are being taken?

R.1 - The federal government continues to be vigilant and is working with all levels of government and engaging with industry to prevent African swine fever and prepare for the threat it poses to Canada.

A pan-Canadian approach is being implemented with a focus on four key areas: prevention and enhanced biosecurity; preparedness planning; ensuring business continuity; and coordinated risk communications.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has led the development of a national surveillance system to support early detection of the disease. If found in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has also developed comprehensive plans and policies to guide an effective response, and proactive trade arrangements to help reopen export markets and resume trade more quickly.

Similarly, Agriculture and Agri-food Canada has developed programs to support Canada’s pork industry and help producers prepare for and maintain business continuity if an outbreak occurs.

Strong import controls are also in place and enforced by Canada Border Services Agency officers and detector dogs identifying food, plant and animal products that can carry the disease at entry points. R.2 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has made significant progress in African swine fever response preparedness through the use of drills, tabletop exercises, and full-scale simulation exercises to validate stakeholder preparedness and identify gaps and areas for improvement.

These exercises have helped stakeholders refine complex plans and emergency procedures. They have also contributed to a shared understanding of what to expect during an African swine fever response, including coordinated communications, laboratory capacity and surge readiness, trade resumption and other critical actions relevant to African swine fever and other emerging zoonotic diseases. R.3 - The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is committed to safeguarding animal health and welfare and has proactively engaged with multiple trading partners to finalize trade arrangements. Following an outbreak and once safe to do so, these arrangements aim to allow Canada to resume pork exports more rapidly.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada is also working with provincial governments to develop a support program aimed at preventing or minimizing animal welfare issues that could arise because of an outbreak. This program is critical to supporting the financial stability of Canadian pork producers following a loss of market access. R.4 - There is currently no treatment or vaccine approved for use in Canada to prevent or treat African swine fever. While a vaccine developed by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) is licensed for use in Vietnam and has shown effectiveness and safety in studies conducted there, it does not meet certain important criteria required for use in Canada.

Canada is recognized as a global leader in scientific and technical expertise related to African swine fever. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease in Winnipeg has been officially designated as a World Organisation for Animal Health Reference Laboratory for African swine fever.

Canada continues to work with the global scientific community to study the African swine fever virus and support the development of a safe and effective vaccine. R.5 - Invasive wild pigs cause significant ecological damage, destroy wildlife habitat, damage crops, and pose risks to human safety. They can also carry and spread diseases that threaten both wildlife and livestock, including African swine fever.

The Government of Canada continues to work closely with provinces, territories, and other stakeholders to implement Canada’s Invasive Wild Pig Strategy, which aims to eradicate invasive wild pigs from Canada by 2032.

If African swine fever is detected in invasive wild pigs, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency will lead the emergency response in close collaboration with all levels of government, Indigenous communities, and relevant stakeholders to contain the disease and limit its impact.

Risks and impacts of African swine fever to Canada’s hog industry

African swine fever (ASF) is a reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act, which means that any suspected case must be reported to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

ASF does not pose a food safety risk and has never been reported in Canada.
The introduction of ASF into Canada would have serious consequences for the health of Canada’s pigs and would significantly disrupt the entire pork value chain. It is estimated that the Canadian hog sector contributes an estimated $24 billion to the economy and supports roughly 100,000 jobs. In the event of an ASF detection in Canada, all export markets for live pigs and pork products would immediately close and some markets could remain closed for several months or longer.

The Government of Canada continues to work extensively with international trading partners to prevent the introduction of ASF and to mitigate its potential impacts in the region.

Actions to date

The CFIA, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC), and Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) are engaging with industry representatives, as well as with provincial and territorial governments. Through the ASF Executive Management Board, stakeholders provide leadership and strategic direction through the Pan-Canadian Action Plan on African Swine Fever.

This plan outlines four pillars:
• Enhanced biosecurity and prevention
• Preparedness planning
• Ensure business continuity
• Coordinated risk communications

The action plan also supports the development of response tools, such as depopulation and disposal decision aids, financial recovery support for producers and processors and an African swine fever communication plan.

AAFC continues to work with provincial governments to develop a support program in advance of an outbreak. This program aims to enable the orderly, timely and humane destruction and disposal of healthy hogs rendered surplus due to ASF-related market disruptions.

To minimize the impact of ASF, the CFIA has finalized zoning arrangements with several close trading partners and is continuing to negotiate with other key trading partners. Should an outbreak occur, these arrangements aim to allow trade to resume more quickly.

The CFIA is monitoring the international disease situation closely and has strong import controls in place to prevent the entry of live pigs, pork products and by-products from ASF-affected countries and zones.

The Government of Canada has delivered significant ASF-related communications through targeted advertising campaigns, airport signage and in-flight messaging to travellers, as well as targeted outreach to small producers, retailers, and travellers.

The CFIA has made significant progress on its ASF response policy, the ASF Hazard
Specific Plan. Drills, tabletop exercises and full-scale simulation exercises are being used to validate stakeholder preparedness and identify gaps and areas for improvement.

• The Government takes the threat of African swine fever seriously and recognizes the impact that this disease could have on our pork sector if detected in Canada.

• Although it has never been detected in Canada, African swine fever continues to spread globally. It poses a significant risk to the health of the Canadian swine herd, pork industry and the Canadian economy.

• The Government of Canada is working with stakeholders across Canada and abroad to prevent and prepare for the potential introduction of African swine fever.