CFIA & Provincial Forestry Biosecurity Radar
Canadian Invasive Tree Pest, Disease & Pruning Ban Tracker
Protect your trees against Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), Dutch Elm Disease (DED), Oak Wilt, Spongy Moth, and Mountain Pine Beetle. Check active provincial pruning bans and book certified Plant Health Care (PHC) trunk-injection specialists.
Live Canadian Seasonal Pruning Status
✅ Dormant Fall/Winter Pruning Window Open: Ideal Season for Elm, Oak & Ash Canopy Pruning
Bark beetles and fungal vectors are dormant across Canada. Now is the safest time to book structural pruning without spreading Dutch Elm Disease or Oak Wilt.
Filter Pest & Disease Advisories by Province:
🔍 Diagnose by Tree Symptom / Species:
Critical National AlertProvinces: ON, QC, MB, NB, NS, BC
Emerald Ash Borer (EAB)
Scientific Name: Agrilus planipennis • Hosts: All Native Ash Species (Green, White, Black, Blue Ash)
Restriction / Timing: Avoid moving firewood year-round; treat May 15 – Aug 31
Diagnostic Symptoms: Canopy dieback starting at top crown, D-shaped exit holes in bark, S-shaped larval galleries under bark, heavy woodpecker flecking, epicormic shoots on trunk.
ISA Treatment Protocol: Systemic trunk injection with TreeAzin® (Azadirachtin) every 2 years by a licensed pesticide applicator & ISA Certified Arborist, or safe crane removal of dead brittle ash trees.
Strict Provincial BanProvinces: MB, SK, AB, ON, QC, NB
Dutch Elm Disease (DED)
Scientific Name: Ophiostoma novo-ulmi • Hosts: American Elm, Red Elm, Rock Elm
Restriction / Timing: STRICT PRUNING BAN: Apr 1 – Sep 30 (AB/SK/MB)
Diagnostic Symptoms: Sudden wilting and yellowing ("flagging") of leaves on one or more high branches in summer, brown streaking under peeled bark, rapid mortality.
ISA Treatment Protocol: Never prune elms during the provincial ban window when elm bark beetles are active! Preventative macro-infusion fungicide (Arbotect/Alamo) and immediate sanitary removal + debarking of infected wood.
CFIA Quarantine AlertProvinces: ON (Niagara, Springwater, Niagara Falls) & Border Zones
Oak Wilt Fungal Pathogen
Scientific Name: Bretziella fagacearum • Hosts: Red Oak Group (Pin Oak, Northern Red Oak, Black Oak) & White Oaks
Restriction / Timing: DO NOT PRUNE OAKS: April 1 – November 1
Diagnostic Symptoms: Bronze/reddish browning of leaf margins progressing inward from the top of the tree, premature leaf drop of green/bronzed leaves in July, fungal pressure pads under bark.
ISA Treatment Protocol: Zero pruning of oaks during sap-beetle flight season (Apr–Nov). Trench root-graft barriers and report suspected infections immediately to CFIA or an ISA Certified Arborist.
High Wildfire & Forest RiskProvinces: BC, AB, YT, SK
Mountain Pine Beetle & Western Bark Beetles
Scientific Name: Dendroctonus ponderosae • Hosts: Lodgepole Pine, Ponderosa Pine, Whitebark Pine, Scots Pine
Restriction / Timing: Remove infested trees before May beetle flight
Diagnostic Symptoms: Popcorn-like pitch tubes on trunk, boring dust in bark crevices, foliage turning yellowish-green to bright red across entire crown.
ISA Treatment Protocol: FireSmart stand thinning, pheromone verbenone anti-aggregation packets on high-value residential pines, and winter removal of red/beetle-hit trees.
Seasonal Defoliation AlertProvinces: ON, QC, NS, NB, PE
Spongy Moth (Formerly LDD / Gypsy Moth)
Scientific Name: Lymantria dispar dispar • Hosts: Oak, Sugar Maple, Birch, Beech, Willow, Apple, White Pine
Restriction / Timing: Egg mass scraping: Oct – Apr; Btk spray: May
Diagnostic Symptoms: Tan/buff fuzzy egg masses on bark and undersides of branches, heavy caterpillar feeding holes in leaves in May/June, severe summer canopy defoliation.
ISA Treatment Protocol: Dormant egg mass scraping & horticultural oil application in winter; targeted biological Btk (Bacillus thuringiensis kurstaki) or TreeAzin application in spring.
Expanding Coastal & Southern AlertProvinces: NS, ON (Niagara/Hamilton/Haldimand), BC
Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA)
Scientific Name: Adelges tsugae • Hosts: Eastern Hemlock, Western Hemlock
Restriction / Timing: Inspect November – May for white woolly sacs
Diagnostic Symptoms: White cottony "woolly" ovisacs at the base of needles on underside of twigs, needle cast, greyish-green crown thinning, premature branch death.
ISA Treatment Protocol: Targeted basal bark or trunk systemic treatments and deep-root fertilization by certified Plant Health Care specialists.
Verified Canadian Arboriculture Showcase
Browse All Certified ArboristsBefore & After Case Studies From Our Listed Master Arborists
Rosedale, Toronto, ONProject Cost: $3,400 CAD
Tree Removal & Crane Assisted Felling • Silver Maple (115cm DBH)
95ft Century Silver Maple Crane Dismantling Over Glass Sunroom
Before Challenge:Severe basal cavity decay and co-dominant stem split directly overhanging a historic Victorian glass conservatory with zero side-yard access.
After Resolution:Completed City of Toronto RNFP Ravine Permit and lifted 14 modular sections over the house using a 50-ton hydraulic crane in 5 hours with zero turf impact.
Completed by Maple Leaf Canopy & Tree Care Inc.View Crew Profile →
North Vancouver, BCProject Cost: $1,650 CAD
Crown Pruning & Structural Trimming • Coastal Douglas Fir
135ft Coastal Douglas Fir Windfirming & Crown Reduction
Before Challenge:Dense upper canopy acting as a wind-sail during Pacific winter gales, causing heavy torsion over a steep canyon deck.
After Resolution:Performed ANSI A300 20% selective end-weight reduction and deadwood extraction via technical rope-access climbing, preserving the coastal ocean view.
Completed by Pacific Spirit Arboriculture Ltd.View Crew Profile →
Mount Royal, Calgary, ABProject Cost: $980 CAD
Cabling, Bracing & Lightning Protection • American Elm (85cm DBH)
Heritage American Elm Cobra® Dynamic Bracing & DED Care
Before Challenge:Three heavy co-dominant leaders showing included bark tension after an early September wet snowstorm in Calgary.
After Resolution:Installed 4-ton Cobra® dynamic shock-absorbing bracing systems in the upper canopy plus deep-root biochar aeration.
Completed by Chinook Winds Tree Service & ConsultingView Crew Profile →
Halifax, NSProject Cost: $2,250 CAD
24/7 Emergency Storm Damage Response • Red Spruce & Sugar Maple
Post-Hurricane Emergency Roof Extraction & Canopy Restoration
Before Challenge:110km/h Atlantic gust uprooted a mature Red Spruce onto a two-storey heritage roofline during an overnight storm.
After Resolution:Dispatched within 40 minutes; stabilized the structure with rigging blocks, craned the trunk clear without secondary shingle damage, and provided full insurance documentation.
Completed by Atlantic Gale & Acadian Arborists Ltd.View Crew Profile →