Nursery stock and other regulated commodities imported from other countries require a permit. Nursery stock includes all kinds and species of living or dormant plants grown or used for ornamentation, propagation or cropping.
Nursery stock includes plants for ornamental or propagation purposes such as trees, shrubbery, climbing plants, stems and suckers, buds, scions, plants under glass, wild or indigenous plants, perennials, roots, bulbs (offset), tree and shrub seeds, etc.
However, it does not include flowers and vegetable seeds, field crop seeds, onion sets, garlic, mushroom spawn and seed potatoes and aquatic plants from the United States.
The following items are included in regulated commodities (e.g. articles admitted conditionally):
1. all species and varieties of wheat including straw, bran and chaff from other countries and from some states of the United States
2. broom corn including samples and brooms made from broom corn of countries other than the United States
3. raw root crops such as horseradish, carrots, beets, parsnips, turnips, marigolds, onions and onion sets, garlic bulbs, yams, seed potatoes, etc., from all countries except Bermuda, mainland United States and the West Indies (including Cuba and the Bahamas).
Bags or containers from all countries used to transport temperate fruits or root crops require a phytosanitary certificate.
All shipments containing any of the above mentioned items must be directed to one of the Ports of Importation (see following list) for inspection of the shipment. All nursery stocks coming from any country must be accompanied by a phytosanitary certificate of inspection issued by the Department of Agriculture of the originating country stating that the shipment is free from insects, pests or diseases. This certificate is to be inserted in an envelope marked Certificate of Inspection and attached to the nursery stock wrapper or container.
Nursery stock and other regulated commodities may be imported from other countries with a valid import permit. Application forms to obtain a permit are available on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency website at:
www.inspection.gc.ca/english/for/pdf/c5256e.pdf . Completed permit applications should be sent to:
CANADIAN FOOD INSPECTION AGENCY
PLANT HEALTH AND PRODUCTION DIVISION
PERMIT OFFICE
59 CAMELOT DR
OTTAWA ON K1A 0Y9
Along with an import permit, the importer will also be provided with a mailing label bearing the permit number, the name and address of the importer. This label should be forwarded to the shipper for affixing to the package before mailing.
Importers must retain their permit for presenting to Customs at the point where duty is paid so their shipment can be released. More information can be found on the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Plant Health and Production Division website at:
www.inspection.gc.ca/english/index/pppve.shtml .
Living insects, pests or diseases may be imported under permit for educational or scientific purposes only. Incoming mail containing these items will be routed through one of the Postal Ports of Importation listed below.
