Question Period Note: IMPORT OF HONEY BEES

Q1 – What were the findings of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency’s risk assessment on honey bee packages imported from the United States?

R1 - In 2023, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency initiated a new import risk analysis for honey bee packages from the United States to determine whether the importation of honey bee packages from the United States could be allowed.

The hazard identification and risk assessment, (completed in Fall 2024), identified hazard risks that exceeded Canada’s acceptable level of risk.

A Risk Management Framework document that explained the expectations for any risk mitigation proposals was drafted and shared with Canadian stakeholders and the United States Department of Agriculture.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency held a 60-day consultation from November 7, 2024, to January 9, 2025, with an extended deadline of January 31, 2025. Canadian stakeholders, the United Status Department of Agriculture – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, and other organizations and individuals with an interest in honey bee health were invited to submit to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency any science-based risk mitigation proposals.

After careful evaluation of all risk mitigation proposals received, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency concluded that no feasible, scientifically-supported mitigation measures are currently available to bring all identified risks within acceptable levels.

As a result, Canada maintained its current import restrictions and will not permit the importation of honey bee packages from the United States at this time.
These import restrictions are in place to help protect the long-term health and sustainability of Canada’s honey bee population.

The importation of all honey bees (Apis mellifera subspecies) from the United States (U.S.) into Canada have been restricted since 1987 as a result of the presence of pests and diseases of concern in the U.S.

Based on import risk analyses completed for the importation of honeybee packages from the U.S. in 2003 and 2014, the importation of individual hand-picked honeybee queens from the United States has been permitted since 2004. Honeybee packages however, still present a higher risk than honeybee queens and therefore they continue to be restricted from importation into Canada.

In 2023, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) began a new import risk analysis to assess whether importing approximately 50,000 (between 24,000 and 75,000) honeybee packages per year from the U.S. could be allowed into Canada. The hazard identification and risk assessment steps completed in Fall 2024 found that the risk was too high for bee packages imported from the U.S.

To explore possible solutions, the CFIA invited Canadian stakeholders and United States officials to submit science-based proposals to reduce the risks. The public consultation ran from November 7, 2024, to January 31, 2025.

After reviewing all proposals received, the CFIA concluded that no feasible and scientifically supported mitigation measures currently exist to bring all identified risks within acceptable levels. As a result, Canada continues to restrict the import of honey bee packages from the U.S.

While some stakeholders, especially in Western Canada, support lifting the ban, most—including provincial associations—support keeping the restriction in place to mitigate risks to the health of the honey bee population.

Canada continues to assess new international sources for bee imports. Based on scientific evidence and science-based risk assessments, Canada currently allows honey bee queens from the United States, Chile, Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, and Malta.

Honey bee packages are only allowed from Chile, Australia, New Zealand, and Italy.

• Honey bee health is important to the sustained success of many agricultural sectors.
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency continues to put significant resources and effort into scientific evaluations of new sources of packaged bees and queen bees internationally. This work is part of a broader strategy to ensure the resilience and sustainability of the Canadian agricultural sector.
• Import restrictions on honey bee queens and packages remain in place to protect Canada’s honey bee populations.