Biosafety Program

The University of Calgary has developed a Biosafety Manual to provide direction through policies and procedures to minimize the risks when working with and disposing of biohazards. The Biosafety Manual applies to all persons performing controlled activities involving the handling or storage of biohazards for research and teaching purposes within facilities managed and controlled by the University of Calgary.

'File' is defined as: keep in printed format in the Laboratory Safety Manual under the tab - Emergency Response.

• Biohazard Laboratory Rules Poster - Review and post inside the lab, near the entrance(s) to all CL2 lab space(s) (see Biosafety Manual).
• Biosafety Permit - File the current Biosafety Permit. 
• Biosafety and Emergency Response Standard - Review and file. Revised 2018.02.02. 
• Post-exposure Protocol for Biological Hazards - Review and file. Revised 2015.07.20.
• Biosafety Cabinet Standard - Review and follow standard. Revised 2021.12.02.
• Viral Vector Standard - Review and follow standard. Revised 2017.09.15.
• Autoclave Standard - Review and follow standard. Last revised: 2023.12.12.

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) has classified biohazards into four Risk Groups (RG) - see Biosafety Manual.

Principal Investigators (PIs) responsible for a laboratory or a facility must obtain a Biosafety Permit from the Biosafety Committee prior to purchasing, handling, and/or storage of biohazards (RG1 excluded). PIs must keep their Biosafety Permit current as to biohazards and locations.

When applying for a Biosafety Permit for the first time, PIs must contact biosafety.officer@ucalgary.ca.

Biosafety Permit application/modification/renewal and biohazard(s) inventory are all managed online through BioLogistix, a module of Chematix^TM (see BioLogistix Instructions).

The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) set the regulatory requirements that govern the import, export, receipt, and transfer of biohazards (RG1 excluded).

• Biohazard Transfer Procedure (Recipient-Importer) - Review and follow procedure. Revised: 2024.07.31
• Biohazard Transfer Procedure (Supplier-Exporter) - Review and follow procedure. Revised: 2024.07.31
• Biohazard Transfer Poster

Biosafety Permit Renewal and Modification Instructions. Revised 2024.10.13

Below is a non-exhaustive list of relevant legislations:

• Public Health Agency of Canada
• Canadian Food Inspection Agency
• Human Pathogens and Toxins Act and Regulations
• Health of Animals Act and Regulations
• Canadian Biosafety Standards and Guidelines
• Containment Standards for Facilities Handling Aquatic Animal Pathogens
• Containment Standards for Facilities Handling Plant Pests
• Arthropod Containment Guidelines
• Biosafety Directive for Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)

The Biosafety Committee is an advisory committee to the Vice-President Research, ensuring the effectiveness of the Biosafety Program. The committee meets quarterly and is responsible for developing standards or procedures to be followed when handling biohazards in accordance with the applicable acts, regulations, directives, standards and guidelines. See Biosafety Legislation.