The Ontario Animal Health Act, 2009 (AHA) came into force in January 2010. It gives the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA) important tools to detect and respond to significant animal health hazards or animal-related threats to human health in Ontario. This legislation helps keep animals healthy and the agri-food industry strong, which in turn protects Ontario families and strengthens Ontario's economy.

The Reporting of Hazards and Findings Regulation (O. Reg. 277/12) under the Ontario AHA came into force in January 2013 and helps OMAFRA better detect and monitor serious and emerging animal health hazards. Under this regulation, veterinary diagnostic laboratories operating in Ontario must report certain laboratory test results associated with diseases that are deemed 'immediately notifiable' and 'periodically notifiable' under the AHA, to the Chief Veterinarian for Ontario (OCVO) at OMAFRA. Veterinarians licensed in Ontario who are having testing done by laboratories out of province are also required to report certain related findings.

Reports to the OCVO can be made directly by email to: OCVO-reportable-noti@ontario.ca.

Additionally, the regulation requires veterinarians to report findings of serious risk to animal health, human health, or to the safety of food or other consumable products, to OMAFRA. This is done via the Agricultural Information Contact Centre (1-877-424-1300), where such findings may be of public interest. Situations where a serious risk may be present include:

  • suspicion of an emerging disease;
  • unusually high mortality in a herd or flock;
  • an unusual cluster of a serious disease on multiple premises; or
  • a serious threat to food safety or public health from animals.

Some specific examples of serious risks that should be reported under veterinary reporting requirements include suspected or confirmed cases of lead intoxication, sudden death in poultry without an obvious cause, and suspected or confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 in domestic animals.

All veterinarians practicing in Ontario are encouraged to review and understand the reporting obligations, including the provincially notifiable diseases, outlined in O. Reg. 277/12.

Additional information regarding the reporting regulation can be found on OMAFRA's Animal Health and Welfare Branch website.