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Introduction to the Animal Health Centre

The Animal Health Centre is the largest section of the Animal Health Branch and is responsible for the rapid and accurate detection and diagnosis of animal diseases and other factors contributing to ill health or suboptimal production performance in livestock and companion animals in British Columbia. Submissions are made to the laboratory by veterinarians, livestock producers, the general public, and other government agencies; laboratory findings are used to monitor the status of animal health in British Columbia. Staff veterinarians and laboratory scientists investigate and identify major livestock and companion animal diseases that could have potentially devastating effects on the food supply or pose a threat to public health. Professional staff consult with producers, research scientists, and private veterinarians on a variety of animal and public health related issues.

In 1997, following extensive documentation and an on-site evaluation visit, the Animal Health Centre became only the second laboratory in Canada to be accredited as a full-service veterinary diagnostic laboratory by the American Association of Veterinary Laboratory Diagnosticians.  In 2003, the AHC went through the accreditation process for the second time and maintained this accreditation distinction.  Accreditation by the AAVLD assures our clientele of our commitment to providing a quality service and to provide confidence that all tests conducted within the laboratory meet very high quality assurance standards.  We look forward to our third on-site review by the AAVLD in late 2008.

Disease diagnosis and monitoring of animal health are essential for British Columbia's agri-food industry.  Ongoing surveillance and reporting of listed diseases to appropriate federal or provincial agencies is a crucial role of the Animal Health Centre and has important implications for product export certification.  In addition, the diagnosis of diseases that may be transmitted from animals to people is important to health authorities.  Up to 70% of all the diseases affecting people come from animals and an even larger percentage of newly-emerging diseases originated with animals.  There are ongoing efforts to monitor the potential impact of global climate change and emergence of exotic diseases or resurgence of past health issues in production animals and wildlife species. Although primarily concerned with food-producing animals, the AHC also provides diagnostic services for companion animals, captive and free-ranging wildlife, zoo animals, fish, and fur-bearers.  In recent years, testing has been expanded to meet the need for advanced diagnostics relating to disease of bees and to also support research into the declining populations of species at risk, especially frogs, in British Columbia.

History

The AHC was housed on the campus of the University of British Columbia until 1965 when it was moved to a new facility, the John Bankier Building, approximately 80 kilometres east in Abbotsford in the central Fraser Valley. Over the following thirty years, the changes in the types of testing being performed and the complexity of various new technologies outgrew the capacity of this building. Recognizing the advantages of consolidating all Ministry of Agriculture and Lands offices in the Fraser Valley, the new Abbotsford Agriculture Centre (AAC) was built and completed to serve these purposes. The AHC began accepting submissions at the new site in late July 1995 and the Abbotsford Agriculture Centre was officially opened in September 1995. The Animal Health Centre occupies approximately 3,950 sq metres of the 7,300 sq metre Abbotsford Agriculture Centre.

The new Abbotsford Agriculture Centre consolidates the offices of the Investment and Innovation Branch; Food Safety and Plant Health Branch; Sustainable Agriculture Management Branch; Regional Operations (Abbotsford) Branch; and the Animal Health Branch. A new Containment Level 3 laboratory addition to the Animal Health Centre was announced by the Minister of Agriculture and Lands in November 2006 and construction began in December of that year.  The CL3 laboratory provides an additional 365 sq metres of laboratory space (with another 730 sq metres of space required for laboratory support such as HVAC, disinfection etc).  This new high-level containment laboratory will improve safety for laboratory workers; prevent the escape of potentially significant disease agents to the surrounding community; enhance our ability to more rapidly respond to animal disease events; and increase our preparedness for dealing with newly-emerging diseases that could affect both animal and human health. 

Construction is expected to be complete in mid-August 2008.  Following extensive testing by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency and approval by Health Canada, it is anticipated that the new CL3 laboratory will be fully functional by December 2008.

Location

Abbotsford is a community of approximately 130,000 located in the central Fraser Valley of British Columbia, eighty kilometres east of Vancouver. It is a prime agricultural area for livestock, berry, and vegetable crops. Dairy cattle, commercial poultry, and swine are the major livestock commodities although there are also large numbers of horses, and several smaller sheep and goat holdings.

The AAC is immediately adjacent to the north side of Highway #1 (the Trans Canada highway) midway between the Mission/Sumas exit to the west and Whatcom Road exit to the east.

The AHC is located at 1767 Angus Campbell Road (a short cul de sac off Delair Road). Please call ahead should you require more specific directions.

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