Owen Vanstone, chair of Growers’ Canada (Commodity Group) is particularly pleased to announce the launch of a whole new initiative on behalf of Canada’s wholesale nursery sector, namely the RBC Grower of the Year Award. “I’ve long been a fan of the CNLA Awards of Excellence Program and see it as a great venue to recognize the outstanding talent that exists in the landscape, maintenance and retail sectors,” notes Owen. “But as a grower, and especially as the chair of the national commodity group, I’ve also been very aware that there was nothing similar in place for Canada’s wholesale grower industry.”

Garden Centres Canada members hosted “National Plastic Recycling Week" from June 28 - July 5, 2010.

Baddeck, Nova Scotia May 25, 2010 — The Sustainable Sites Initiative™ (SITES™) announced the selection of the Alderwood Long-term Care Facility as one of the first landscapes to participate in a new program testing the nation’s first rating system for green landscape design, construction and maintenance.

It has been brought to the attention of the CNLA that occasionally trucks loaded with nursery stock and destined for the US are being unloaded for additional inspections. These additional inspections, which are ordered by the US Customs and Border Protection appear to be random in nature and nursery stock or floriculture product is not being specifically targeted.

Take this survey to rate your company based on various environmental best management practices for the green industry.

CNLA would like to invite you to the 7th Annual National Awards of Landscape Excellence in Ottawa, ON on Wednesday February 17, 2010 at the Sheraton Hotel. This gala event will be held in conjunction with the Green Trade Expo hosted by Landscape Ontario's Ottawa Chapter. Landscape Ontario and CNLA will also have their board of directors meetings the same week. The green industry is coming to Ottawa in February! Please join us! 

Michael Murray, owner of Murray’s Horticultural Services in Portugal Cove, NL is no stranger to horticulture industry members across Canada. As current Past President of the CNLA, and board member for Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador, Michael Murray now has one more achievement under his belt.

Canadian and Mexican officials are scheduled to meet today, Monday, April 27, 2009, to assess whether it's safe for thousands of Mexican agricultural workers to travel to Canada in light of the outbreak

As part of the federal government's Paper Burden Reduction Initiative, the Horticulture Section of the CFIA have combined the requirements of several plant policy directives into a single new directive, D-08-04. In this new directive, CFIA has also sought to achieve a clearer definition of the term 'origin' of plant material, which now includes a determined period of time for woody and non-woody greenhouse and nursery plant material.

October 29, 2008 -- The landscape horticultural industry initiative to achieve Red Seal Status took a major step forward at a recent meeting of the Canadian Council of Directors of Apprenticeship (CCDA).  The application for the Interprovincial Standards Red Seal Program for the landscape sector was approved.  This decision starts a process that should lead to Red Seal status.

D-01-01 "Phytosanitary Requirements to Prevent the Entry and Spread of Phytophthora ramorum. This policy has been revised to reflect changes to the host list in Appendix 1 and to adjust the phytosanitary import requirements of plants imported from the United States (U.S.) in accordance with U.S. certification programs.

In my family there is only one star -- Rachel. Now six, she was born with a sense of humour, could read at two, play chess at three and piano a year later. It was during a game of chess she revealed she couldn't see out of her left eye anymore. The short version of what followed: Rachel had melanoma and the eye would be removed. Just like that Rachel was a cancer patient.

Members of CNLA and Landscape Ontario came together last week to grant the wish of a 6 year old's wish to have a butterfly garden of her own. Rachel was diagnosed with eye cancer at the age of 4 and had to have left eye removed and lost hearing in her left ear. She was referred to the Make-a-Wish Foundation last year with the hopes that the experience of a wish would help lift her spirits.

Canada's employs over 200,000 people and contributes approximately $12 billion to the Canadian economy annually. The green industry's products and services appreciate over time and positively contribute to Canada's environmental movement. Healthy trees, lawns, shrubs and flowers all work to sequester CO2 and produce oxygen. Water usage is decreased in the maintenance of gardens and lawns through the installation of irrigation systems. Property values are increased when landscaping is completed by professionals. When a homeowner purchases healthy trees, lawns, shrubs and flowers they are contributing to the greening of Canada by increasing the amount of CO2 filters in their community.

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) is a national not-for-profit federation of nine provincial landscape and horticulture associations representing over 3,500 members in the landscape, retail garden centre, and nursery sectors.

The New Brunswick Community College's (NBCC) Woodstock campus has started a landscape blog.  Have a look at what they're doing!

CFIA have informed industry and other government agencies that their revised Pest Risk Assessment on P. ramorum (Sudden Oak Death) rates the risks associated with this disease lower than previously considered. 

CFIA have informed industry and other government agencies that their revised Pest Risk Assessment on Sudden Oak Death rates the risks associated with this disease lower than previously considered. 

There has been good industry participation in the DPCP training workshops that have been held across Canada with cooperation from the provincial trade associations. 

Through reduced demand and a subsequent reduction in the selling price of Fraxinus spp, all Ontario caliper tree growers have been impacted by the emerald ash borer. 

In late January, CFIA announced that they intended to regulate an additional three counties (bringing the total to five) in Nova Scotia and three counties in New Brunswick, under Directive D-96-15, to prevent the spread of Japanese beetle. 

The Canadian Agricultural Human Resource Council (CAHRC) has received funding to implement a project on curriculum development for the ornamental sector. The first step to this process consists of reviewing, updating and validating the National Occupational Standard (NOS) and Essential Skills Profile for Landscape Horticulturists. In January 2008, a group of highly experienced landscapers and horticulturists from across Canada updated the NOS for ‘Landscape Horticulturist’ and the revised draft standard that was created needs to be reviewed by hundreds more horticultural and landscape industry people to make sure it is an accurate snapshot of what Landscape Horticulturists actually do.

Where are they the "greenest"?

This study is based primarily on data from the 2006 Households and the Environment Survey (HES), conducted as part of the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators project.

Nursery growers have identified the lack of access to newer, environmentally friendly pesticide products as an impediment to adopting IPM strategies. 

OTTAWA, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - Sept. 13, 2007) - The Honourable Gerry Ritz, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Minister for the Canadian Wheat Board, and the Honourable Pat Bell, British Columbia Minister of Agriculture and Lands, today announced a federal and provincial government investment of $311,500 in support of two pest management projects aimed at helping to protect the environment in British Columbia.

This year’s conference theme is brought together for a consideration of where plant propagation and production is today, and how the immense challenges looming before us in energy and labor will shape our future.

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association and Landscape Ontario will be holding the second annual Garden Centre Symposium on Monday October 15, 2007.  All garden centre operators from around the country are invited to attend this full day of seminars just before the opening of the Garden Expo Tradeshow (held October 16 – 17) at the Congress Centre in Toronto, ON.

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) held their semi-annual Board of Directors meeting in St. John’s, NL at the Fairmont St. John’s from August 23 - 25. Aligning national priorities was the focus of these meetings.

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association continues to work towards the development and implementation of a domestic phytosanitary certification program for Canada's wholesale nursery sector. With financial assistance from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's ACAAF funding program, and technical industry advice from the Canadian Nursery Certification Institute (CNCI) a systems-based certification program (the Domestic Phytosanitary Certification Program or DPCP) has been developed.

Durham Local News Coverage of Hayden's Wish Garden Unveiling

Thursday July 19, 2007 -- He is just seven years old, and has spent most of his life in a wheelchair.  Hayden MacIntyre lives in Port Perry, ON and he has SMA, or Spinal Muscular Atrophy, a rare genetic disorder.   It is very difficult for him to leave his house, and up until now he has not even been able to venture out into his backyard.

The CFIA have advised the CNLA and BCLNA that the regulation supporting compensation payments to nursery producers and retailers impacted by the quarantine pest Phytophthora ramorum have received final approval and will be published in the Canada Gazette, Part II, on June 27, 2007. 

The CFIA announced new regulatory controls on Friday, June 15th to prevent the spread of light brown apple moth to Canada from California and all other areas where LBAM is known to occur. These new regulations will go into effect on June 25th, 2007.

A report outlining the results of a Economic Impact Study strategy meeting held by all provincial and national Executive Directors is now available.  The meeting was held on August 19th, 2006 at the CNLA summer meeting in Collingwood, Ontario. The report is expected to lead to a research proposal submission to fund an Economic Impact Study of the Green Industry in Canada.

Landscape Canada and CNLA is proud to announce that Landscape New Brunswick will host the 5th Annual National Awards of Landscape Excellence in Saint John, NB

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association is currently looking to fill a vacancy on its Board of Directors for the Garden Centres Canada position.

Ruth Olde, CLD, of Blasig Landscape Design & Construction, had the honor of presenting the newly certified Bruce Hunter of Hunter Landscape Design Ltd.,

Rita Weerdenburg (CNLA) and Jamie Aalbers (Flowers Canada Growers) continue to work with the consulting team at Mercer Oliver Wyman in the development of business risk management options for the nursery and floriculture industries respectively. 

In lieu of granting emergency registrations year after year, the PMRA has granted industry temporary national registrations for both Subdue Maxx ® and Aliette ®.

Both the CNLA and Landscape Ontario have received a number of queries from nursery suppliers as well as customers related to the implementation of the JB certification program.  

The CNLA continues to move forward with the development of staff and auditor training programs for the Domestic Phytosanitary Certification Program.  This second phase nursery project is being fully funded through Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada’s ACAAF program.  This project is now being managed by Landscape Ontario’s risk management coordinator Christoph Kessel, who has taken on this role effective April 1, 2007 upon the retirement of former project manager Al Oliver.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has continued their consultations with the nursery and especially the tender fruit industry prior to submitting their recommendations for the future of the Plum Pox Virus eradication program. 

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) and the BC Nursery and Landscape Association (BCLNA) have realized a huge victory with the April 7th announcement of a proposed P. ramorum compensation regulation.  The new regulations proposed by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) will compensate nursery producers, wholesale, retail, landscape and private property owners in cases where the CFIA ordered plants destroyed in the eradication effort for Phytophthora ramorum (P. ramorum or Sudden Oak Death) in British Columbia.

The ornamental horticulture industry, as represented by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association and Flowers Canada Growers, recently undertook the completion of a Business Risk Analysis project.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has confirmed that two ash trees in London, Ontario, are infested with the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). This find was discovered during routine CFIA surveillance for EAB and is the first confirmation of the pest in Middlesex County. The two trees are located in a residential neighbourhood. The CFIA will continue intensive survey efforts in the area to determine the extent of the infestation. The pest is currently in its dormant period and will not spread naturally over the winter months.

PPV-positive P. cistena found in St. Catharine’s , ON    and PPV find in Michigan may result in border closures.

The CFIA have announced that Canada and the US have reached an agreement that lifts virtually all of the temporary U.S. import restrictions implemented on certain agricultural products from the Province of Quebec after the detection of Golden Nematode.

The CFIA has announced further actions to slow the spread of Emerald Ash Borer by implementing a new Ministerial Order that regulates the movement of ash wood and wood products and firewood of all species in Lambton and Elgin counties.

Member growers located in the Niagara area had the opportunity to meet with representatives of AAFC, CFIA and OMAFRA on June 28th to discuss in more detail the impacts of the recently announced moratorium on the PPV eradication program for 2006.

USDA-APHIS has confirmed that Plum pox virus (PPV) was detected in survey samples from New York State. This is the first time the disease has been found at any location in the US outside of Pennsylvania.

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association, in cooperation with Flowers Canada Growers, have signed a contribution agreement with AAFC’s Private Sector Risk Management Partnership (PSRMP) program, to begin the first phase of a business risk analysis on behalf of the ornamental horticulture sectors.

The Canadian Nursery Certification Institute (CNCI) has recently upgraded their website; the ‘new and improved’ version can be viewed at www.cleanplants.ca.

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association has been advised by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) that their funding application to the ACAAF program, for Phase II of the development and implementation of the Domestic Phytosantiary Certification Program, has been approved for the full proposal amount of $475,000.

CNLA has been advised by the CFIA that D-96-15, Phytosanitary Requirements to Prevent the Spread of Japanese Beetle, Popillia japonica in Canada and the United States has been revised and is now posted on the CFIA website.

A find of Golden Nematode in the province of Quebec in a 30-acre field approximately 20 kilometres east of Montreal has resulted in actions imposed by the USDA to prohibit the export of all soil-borne products from the province.

CNLA was advised by CFIA that a find of P. ramorum at an Oregon nursery would result in some trace forward activity in Ontario and British Columbia.

The Canadian Nursery Landscape Association (CNLA) and Flowers Canada Growers (FCG) have signed a Contribution Agreement with the Private Sector Risk Management Partnership office of AAFC to develop a business risk management analysis on behalf of the grower members of the two associations.

June 21, 2006 -- CNLA President, Mr. Paul Olsen, is pleased to announce the appointment of Victor Santacruz as CNLA’s new Executive Director. The CNLA hiring committee chose Victor Santacruz as their number one candidate out of 31 applicants based on his education, experience, and fit with the organization.

In response to the recent trapping of Pine Shoot Beetle (PSB), Tomicus piniperda, in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, USDA APHIS has quarantined the States of Massachusetts, Connecticut and Rhode Island to prevent the dissemination of PSB to other non-quarantined areas of the United States.

After more than three years of discussion with stakeholder groups across the country, the CFIA have indicated they will be ready to implement the revised directive D-96-15, to control the spread of Japanese beetle.

The CFIA has implemented a temporary prohibition on the import of all potatoes and soil from Idaho due to the detection of Potato Cyst Nematode (PCN).

CFIA announced on May 18, 2006 that a joint decision was made by CFIA, AAFC and OMAFRA to place a moratorium on the PPV eradication program for the summer of 2006.

The CFIA has prepared the following information as a reminder of the importance of applying in advance for an import permit (if required) when importing plants and plant products into Canada.

The CFIA has added new counties under the states of Ohio and Indiana to the list of areas regulated for Emerald Ash Borer.

P. ramorum positives found at Oregon nursery; trace forwards to be conducted in Ontario and BC.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has implemented a temporary prohibition on the importation of all potatoes, Solanum spp and Lycopersicon spp. plants, as well as soil and other plant material with soil from Idaho due to the detection of Globodera pallida, also known as Pale Cyst Nematode (PCN).

The USDA has informed the CFIA that there have been two finds of Potato Cyst Nematode in State of Idaho.

CNLA Executive Director, Chris Andrews, announces his retirement for August 31, 2006.

Is there truth to the rumour that Formosan termites could be shipped to Canada through mulch and other wood products from southern hurricane-impacted areas?

Further to the article in last month’s Newsbrief, there have been two members who acted on the information and applied for foreign workers.

The Census of Agriculture will be out to the farm operators of Canada on May 16th, 2006.

The CFIA has released their directive D-04-01 effective March 1, 2006. This export phytosanitary certification program contains some significant changes over the pilot program, with the new “sticky phyto,” which gives participating growers the ability to self-issue their own phytosanitary certificates being the most important upgrade.

The Canadian Standards for Nursery Stock, Eighth Edition is a set of minimum standards set out by the Canadian Nursery Landscape Association for use by the nursery industry.

The winners of the third annual National Awards of Landscape Excellence were announced on Friday February 10, 2006 at the Delta Halifax hotel in Halifax, NS.

The Canadian Food inspection Agency has informed CNLA of two new pests of concern with potential to impact the nursery and landscape industry.

A conference call meeting, including industry representatives of Ontario and the western provinces, as well as the forestry and plant health divisions of CFIA, was held recently to address concerns about the potential spread of EAB from Ontario to the Prairie Provinces.

Representatives of the Canadian and the US nursery industry, as well as provincial and state government agents, were invited to participate in USDA-CFIA P. ramorum bilateral meetings.

Effective June 30, 2006 all Ontario farming operations with paid workers will be subject to the provisions of Ontario’s Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSA).

CNLA has met with HRSDC following an urgent request from Landscape Alberta Nursery Trades Association, that there were critical labour shortages in 2005 for landscapers, which had a serious effect on their ability to complete scheduled jobs.

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) has granted British Columbia an emergency registration of Subdue MAXX (metalaxyl) and Chipco AlietteT&O (fosetyl al) for prevention of P. ramorum, the causal agent of Sudden Oak Death. T

The annual International Expert Panel meeting on PPV was held October 24th and 25th at the Renaissance Fallsview Hotel in Niagara Falls, followed by a PPV Task Force meeting at the CFIA office in St. Catharines on October 28th. T

Through the Canada-Ontario Research Development program (CORD), Landscape Ontario and Flowers Canada have received funding for a joint research program designed to help both sectors mitigate the risks associated with the spread of pathogens, and especially P. ramorum, through recycled irrigation water.

At the recent NAPPO meetings, held October 17-21 in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, the Invasive Alien Species (IAS) issue was identified as an issue of concern to all agriculture and horticulture sectors.

As a result of further finds of the Asian long-horn beetle, the CFIA have announced the planned eradication of a further 2,000 host trees.

The number of MRC's found to be infested with JB in the province of Quebec has more than doubled as a result of this season's survey activities by CFIA in that province.

With the assistance of government funding received through the federal ACAAF program, the CNLA has been able to hire Al Oliver as a project manager, charged with the responsibility of developing the audit programs and various other administrative details of this newly formed industry certification body.

There were a significant number of positive finds in the US this year.

The positive finds of P. ramorum in Canada were substantially reduced over last year's numbers, with only one wholesale nursery and two retail garden centres found with positive plants in 2005.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has detected additional trees infested with the Asian Long-Horned Beetle (ALHB) in the cities of Toronto and Vaughan, which will require the removal of an additional 2,000 trees from these locations this fall.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) announced today an amendment to extend the Introduced Forest Pest Compensation Regulations to compensate property owners in Ontario and Nova Scotia for the replacement of trees ordered destroyed to control the spread of three invasive forest pests.

September 1, 2005 amendment

General information.

Global competition in agriculture, coupled with the evolving expectations of the marketplace, is rapidly changing the business and public policy environment in which the agriculture sector operates.

As a member of the steering committee of the Agriculture Sectoral Council, CNLA certainly recognizes that the Canadian agriculture sector faces a growing human resources challenge. Among the common challenges faced by the sector in the area of human resources are the following...

The Pest Management Regulatory Agency (PMRA) recently announced the approval of a minor use registration for INTERCEPT 60 WP (imidacloprid) and MilStop® (potassium bicarbonate).

The University of Guelph’s Office of Open Learning has developed a new certificate program for the horticulture industry.