The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is proposing an amendment to extend compensation to Dec. 31, 2014 for persons who have had trees removed because of the emerald ash borer, Asian long-horned beetle and brown spruce longhorn beetle.

This amendment would extend the deadline for Canadians who had to have trees removed as a result of the management of these three invasive forest pests. The CFIA says current regulations allow those landowners who received a Notice to Dispose before Mar. 31, 2008 to apply for compensation.

Extending the compensation regulations will allow individuals to apply for compensation in cases where their trees have been, or will be, removed. At the present, removing infested host trees is no longer considered an effective tool to manage the emerald ash borer or brown spruce longhorn beetle. The CFIA removes trees for research purposes only and, if required, for the Asian long-horned beetle eradication program.

The proposed amendment was published in Canada Gazette on Apr. 11, 2009 for a 30-day comment period.