Archived - Model Class Screening Report

The Importation of Certified European Honeybees to Canada

2.0 The Model Class Screening Process for the Importation of Certified European Honeybees

• 2.1 Class Screening
• 2.2 The Importation of Certified European Honeybees and How This Triggers CEAA
• 2.3 Model Class Screening Process for the Importation of Certified European Honeybees
  • 2.3.1 Development of the Model Class Screening Process for the Class
  • 2.3.2 Implementation Of The Model Class Screening Process
  • 2.3.3 Responsibilities, Time Lines and Public Review

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2.0 The Model Class Screening Process for the Importation of Certified European Honeybees

2.1 Class Screening

The concept of a class environmental assessment process is based on the assumption that in practice, class screens apply to projects that:

• Are relatively routine or repetitive;
• Usually result in environmental effects that are well understood or predictable; and,
• The environmental effects can be mitigated using accepted methods such that significant environmental effects will not occur.

In order for the Act to be triggered a proposed development must:

• Be a "project": Under the Act, a "project"includes "a physical activity not relating to a physical work that is listed in the Inclusion List Regulations to the Act";
• Not be listed in the Exclusion List Regulation to the Act or otherwise be excluded; and,

A Federal Authority is required to exercise or perform one or more of the following duties relating to the project:

• Propose the project;
• Grant the money or any other form of financial assistance to the project;
• Grant an interest in land in order for the project to be carried out; or,
• Exercise a regulatory duty in relation to a project, such as issuing a permit or license, that is included in the Law List Regulation.

When an environmental screening is required, the federal authority shall ensure that it is conducted as early as practicable in the planning stages of the projects and before irrevocable decisions are made (Section 11(1) of the Act).

2.2 The Importation of Certified European Honeybees and How This Triggers CEAA

The projects that are subject to this MCSR are:

The importation of certified European honeybees from the countries of New Zealand and Australia.

The issuing of permits under article 10(1) a of the Health of Animal Act triggers the need for an assessment:

1. Included Projects
   • The importation of certified European honeybees is a physical activity not relating to a physical work that is listed in the Inclusion List Regulation. project requiring . Section 78 of the Inclusion List Regulations addresses the importation of non-domestic animals.
   • The importation of certified European honeybees is therefore a "project" within the meaning of the Act, and this project is not listed in the Exclusion List Regulations nor otherwise excluded.
2. Federal Authority
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is a federal authority within the meaning of the Act
3. Triggers under CEAA

The issuance by CFIA (the "federal authority") of permits under 10(1) a of the Health of Animal Act , for the purpose of authorizing the importation of certified European honeybees from the countries of New Zealand and Australia ( the "project") is a regulatory duty that is included in the Law List Regulations ( Section 5(1) b) of the Act and Section 10 of Schedule 1. Part 11 of the Law List Regulations)".

2.3 Model Class Screening Process for the Importation of Certified European Honeybees

2.3.1 Development of the Model Class Screening Process for the Class

The process through which the MCSR was developed and with which screening of individual projects are to be conducted involves four steps which are briefly described as follows, and are illustrated in Figure 1.

Step 1: Define the class of project

Given the requirements of the Inclusion List Regulations the activities involved in the importation of honeybees were reviewed to determine the scope of the project subject to screening and to define the relevant CEAA triggers (see Section 2.2). The project for this MCSR is considered to be routine, repetitive and relatively small in scale and size and thus amenable to class screening. The scope of the class of projects subject to this class screening is:

• The importation of certified European honeybees from the countries of New Zealand and Australia.

Step 2: Conduct an environmental review of the project

The second step in the development of the class screening process was to conduct an assessment of the environmental effects of the projects that constitute the class. This involved:

• Describing the need for the importation of certified European honeybees (which constitutes the class), describing the importation practices, including the seasons when importation takes place;
• Describing the current types of regulatory requirements and standards for importing certified European honeybees into Canada;
• Describing the environments that are potentially affected by the importation of certified European honeybees, assessing the potential environmental effects, and identifying any mitigation measures that may be necessary to avoid or minimize any potential adverse environmental effects that could result from the importation of honeybees into Canada; and,
• Describing the significance of potential residual environmental effects.

A discussion is also provided on the likelihood of accidents and malfunctions that could cause negative environmental effects, as well as potential cumulative environmental effects.

Step 3: Develop screening criteria and a screening form

As a result of the environmental review described in "Step 2", screening criteria were identified which all projects (i.e., honeybee imports) under the MCSR must adhere to. The screening criteria were formulated as questions so that they could be incorporated in a project screening form that can be completed by the importer (proponent) and is linked to the CFIA's importation permit. A copy of the form is provided in Section 5.0 (see Figure 2). The form constitutes the Class Screening Project Report (CSPR), and when completed by the importer of certified European honeybees, is to be submitted to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency. The CSPR form requires that the proponent provide specific information on the importation project, and that the proponent meets or exceeds the screening criteria. The CSPR is reviewed by the CFIA who will make a decision pursuant to Section 20(1) of the Act.

Step 4: Incorporate/ Document in the Model Class Screening Report (MCSR)

The overall results of the environmental review and the screening criteria were then documented in the MCSR.

2.3.2 Implementation Of The Model Class Screening Process

The process through which the MCSR is implemented on individual projects involves three steps which are briefly outlined as follows, and are illustrated in Figure 1. A complete discussion of the class screening process and procedures is presented in Section 5.

Step 1: Determining if the project is subject to CEAA and the MCSR

The proponent must indicate on the CSPR form the type of project (i.e., what is being imported) by answering a question regarding the species to be imported and the source country. The RA, when reviewing the completed CSPR, will utilize this information to confirm that the project (a) is subject to the Act; and (b) is subject to this MCSR. If the project does not trigger the Act, it is excluded from the MCSR. If the project triggers the Act but does not meet the definition of the class described in this MCSR (see Section 2.2), the RA will re-classify the project as an individual screening.

Step 2: Determining whether a project has significant environmental effects

To allow the RA to determine whether the project (i.e., importation) will have adverse environmental effects, the proponent is required to provide information addressing the screening criteria for the class of projects which were developed through the Model Class Screening Process. These criteria have been incorporated into the following two key requirements:

• Imported honeybees must originate from New Zealand or Australia
• Only certified European honeybees

If the proponent answers "no" to both the questions posed on the CSPR form, then the RA may conclude that the project does not cause significant adverse environmental effects. The Canadian Food Inspection Agency may then make a decision in accordance with section 20(1)(a) of CEAA. In this case the CFIA may proceed with the preparation of the importation permit. Detailed information on preparing the Class Screening Project Report (the form) is provided in Section 5.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, as the RA, will make a decision on the importation of certified European honeybees based on using the following criteria:

• routine, repetitive and use will-understood technology;
• create no significant environmental impacts; and,
• abide by the mitigation methods outlined in the MCSR.

Step 3: Determining whether a project should be reclassified to an individual screening

If, upon completion of the Class Screening Project Report (form), the proponent answers "yes" to either of the questions, the RA will continue with an individual screening and, in doing so, require the importer to address the outstanding environmental issues. In this MCSR:

• European honeybees are products of countries other than Australia, New Zealand,
• European honeybees are not certified.
• Species other than certified European honey bees

In the event of reclassification, the importation project will be removed from the class screening process and the proponent will be required to prepare an individual screening under the Act.

2.3.3 Responsibilities, Time Lines and Public Review

The responsibilities of the proponent and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency in the Class Screening Process are outlined below:

• It will be the responsibility of the proponent (the importer) to prepare a Class Screening Project Report.
• It will be the responsibility of the proponent to ensure that all information provided in the CSPR form is accurate. The proponent will be required to sign a statement to this effect. If it becomes known that inaccurate information has been provided by the proponent, the CEAA decision and subsequent approval may be invalidated.

It will be the responsibility of the Canadian Food Inspection Agency to:

• Provide the Class Screening Project Report form, and appropriate information and advice to the proponent;
• Review the completed screening form; and,
• Make a decision on the proposed importation project pursuant to Section 20(1) of the Act, or reclassify the project to an individual screening.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, will review all importation of certified European honeybees projects and provide a response to the proponent as soon as possible, and within the following time frames when there are no outstanding issues.

• For Class Screening Projects: the import officer will sign the Class Screening Project Report ( Figure2), if the bees originate from New Zealand and or Australia and are certified European Honey bees
• For those projects which are reclassified from a Class Screening to an individual screening, notification of this reclassification will be provided as soon as possible.

The Class Screening Project Reports (the Forms) are available at the following location(s):

• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency, Ottawa; and,
• The Canadian Food Inspection Agency regional offices.