March 15, 2009
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is proposing to establish two large regulated areas within the province to combat the increasing number of EAB findings throughout Ontario.

The first area is in the southwestern Ontario counties of Middlesex, Elgin and Lambton that will be added to the already regulated counties of Chatham-Kent and Essex. The proposed ministerial order will allow for movement of ash products among joining (contiguous) counties.  As previous quarantine areas were established independently, movement between joined counties was prohibited.

The second large quarantine area will include much of the GTA, including Halton, Peel, Durham, York and the City of Toronto.Again, ash products will be able to move freely within, but not out of, this regulated area.

At press time, officials said the recommendation would be presented to the minister during the last week of February.  It was not clear when the quarantine regulations would go into effect.