The Public Health Agency of Canada, in collaboration with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, is pleased to announce the release of the updated guideline, Containment Level 1: Physical Design and Operational Practices, on April 18, 2024. (See link below).

The Containment Level 1 (CL1) guideline has been revised to align with the Canadian Biosafety Standard (CBS), Third edition, which came into effect April 1st, 2023.

The CL1 guideline outlines risk-based recommendations and best practices for facilities where Risk Group 1 (RG1) biological material is handled. Since CL1 facilities often fall outside the regulatory scope of the CBS, this update helps stakeholders follow current biosafety and biosecurity practices. RG1 biological material can sometimes cause infection, such as in people with a compromised immune system.

The CL1 guideline now also includes:

tailored recommendations and best practices for CL1 zones to reflect CBS updates
CBS explanatory notes adapted for RG1 biological material, to make the CL1 guideline a standalone document for most CL1 facilities
updated information and references
updated preface, glossary terms and formatting to align with CBS

For questions about the updated CL1 guideline, please email pathogens.pathogenes@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Download from here.