Human Pathogens and Toxins Act Security Clearance Reminders

To start the application process for a Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance, create a user profile in the Biosecurity Portal. To obtain clearance, you must be endorsed in the Biosecurity Portal by your facility’s licence holder (or licence holder representative where applicable) or the biological safety officer. Their endorsement in the Biosecurity Portal means they confirm your need for access to a specific zone where security sensitive biological agents are handled or stored. To gain unsupervised access to such an area, you must have a valid Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance.

Records of valid Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearances are kept by licence holder, licence holder representative and biological safety officer

The licence holder or licence holder representative is responsible for:

•         maintaining an up-to-date list of persons authorized to access any part of the facility where controlled activities are conducted with regulated material
•         providing this list to the Public Health Agency of Canada (the Agency) upon request
•         maintaining a record of all entries and exits of authorized persons where controlled activities with security sensitive biological agents are conducted
•         maintaining a record of persons under one-to-one supervision within their licensed facilities

Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearances are portable

Once a Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance has been issued to you, it’s portable to other licenced facilities that endorse you. You can be endorsed by multiple facilities at the same time.

For more details, contact the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act screening team at hpta.screening-filtrage.lapht@phac-aspc.gc.ca

Withdrawing an endorsement

The licence holder or licence holder representative is responsible for withdrawing endorsements when access to security sensitive biological agents is no longer required. They must also inform the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act screening team at the Agency of the reason for the withdrawal. Examples of reasons for withdrawal include:

•         maternity or parental leave
•         retirement
•         end of contract
•         re-assignment to new duties
•         security concerns

The licence holder or licence holder representative must inform the Agency without delay if a withdrawal of endorsement is due to a potential or realized security concern by contacting the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act screening team at hpta.screening-filtrage.lapht@phac-aspc.gc.ca.

Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance expiry

Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance holders, licence holders and licence holder representatives are responsible for maintaining a record of Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance issuance and expiry dates. You should apply to renew your Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance at least 6 months before the expiry date, to avoid disrupting your access to security sensitive biological agents.

You are in non-compliance with the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act if your Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance has expired and you continue to conduct unsupervised, controlled activities with security sensitive biological agents in Canada.

To check the expiry of your Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance

If you applied for clearance after April 1, 2021, you can access your Biosecurity Portal account to find the expiry date of your security clearance.

If you applied before April 1, 2021 (using the PDF application form), check your most recent Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearance issuance letter for the expiry date. You can also email the Human Pathogens and Toxins Act screening team at hpta.screening-filtrage.lapht@phac-aspc.gc.ca for help.

For more information about Human Pathogens and Toxins Act security clearances, please refer to the Biosecurity web page or contact hpta.screening-filtrage.lapht@phac-aspc.gc.ca.