Words Jamila Douhaibi
Photos Public Services and Procurement Canada
On East Saanich Road near the Panorama Rec Centre, there’s a fenced in 40-hectare expanse of land that looks over Bazan Bay across the Salish Sea on W̱SÁNEĆ territory. People drive by the gate all the time and wonder what happens at this very official-looking Government of Canada facility. On a recent tour, staff explained the variety of research and lab work that they are doing at this impressive site.
The Centre for Plant Health, named ÍY¸NOṈET¸ÁUTW̱, E TŦE, SJESEṈENEȻ (“the place that is good for the plants”) in SENĆOŦEN, is one of 13 laboratories operated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). It is Canada’s only “post-entry quarantine, research and diagnostic facility for virus testing of all fruit-bearing trees, grapevines and small fruit.” The Centre plays a critical role in testing these plants to ensure there are no harmful viruses travelling in and out of Canada. The area started as an experimental farm for crops and animal husbandry over 100 years ago, and in late 2024 moved into a new facility on the same property.
The Centre is not open to the public because it is a secure quarantine facility; however, agricultural and other groups are occasionally granted access to it. I visited the greenhouses and labs and learned that the whole building is heated and cooled by one of the largest geothermal fields at a federal government property in Canada. The greenhouses all have dedicated temperature controls and some equipment is monitored 24/7.
Allison Gratz, one of over 40 staff members at the site, is a Program Head for Virus Diagnostics at the Centre. A 1997 Parklands graduate who was an early recipient of the Canadian Federation of University Women (CFUW) scholarship award, Allison led the tour of CFUW members – and me – through the Centre.
What the Centre does is fascinating. If a farmer wants to import certain fruit trees or grapevines into Canada, they must contact the Centre first. If a new or unknown virus comes into the country it could cause potential economic damage, so rigorous testing is necessary to protect places like the Okanagan, where tree fruits are a huge industry. The standard has been three years or more of quarantine, but the Centre is currently verifying new methods of testing that may take far less time.
Allison showed everyone on the tour a variety of apples, including one that was small and inedible – and infected with a virus. Though this is a clear example of a disease symptom, she says “just because you can’t see something, doesn’t mean it’s not there.” The effects can be less obvious, so plants intended for import and export are thoroughly examined.
The new facility that opened last year combines the functions of 20 smaller buildings and provides space for research and diagnostics, plant growth, tissue culture, plant propagation and soil processing. The upgraded facilities also mean that staff, who were previously scattered across multiple buildings, can better collaborate with each other to advance their work. Though the space, equipment and work of the Centre represent a significant investment, Allison says “the cost of prevention is much less than the cost to fix if something is introduced.”
The Centre for Plant Health is so well respected internationally for their high standards that New Zealand, known globally for its strict biosecurity protocols, accepts cuttings from apple and cherry processed at the Centre without requiring additional virus testing.
According to Allison, the facility’s location was not randomly chosen; she says “the mild climate for growing plants year-round outside, and the natural isolation on an island make it an ideal setting for quarantine operations.” But for locals, it demonstrates how important the Saanich Peninsula is on the world stage, and how the Centre for Plant Health – as Allison says – is an “integral part of the history of this area.”
