About Us
The Canadian Association for Biological Safety/L’Association Canadienne Pour La Sécurité Biologique (CABS-ACSB) was formed in the 1990's as the Canadian affiliate of the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA). CABS-ACSB aims to establish a Canadian network of individuals interested in a wide variety of biological safety issues and to enhance the knowledge and understanding of biological safety.
CABS-ACSB is registered (since June 1990) as a not-for-profit corporation. Corporations Canada (https://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/cd-dgc.nsf/eng/home) provides a means to search for Directors, Annual Filings and Certificates of Continuance.
CABS-ACSB is also registered with Volunteer Canada (Membership ID 103918) (https://volunteer.ca/)
President's Message
Dear Members, both past, present and affiliates,
I am very excited to be stepping into the President role on behalf of CABS-ACSB. I have been on the Executive team for 5 years, and the growth and development since that time has been astounding. The Association is growing very quickly, and CABS-ACSB, as well as Canadian biosafety as a whole, is being recognized worldwide as a leader in the field. Notably, in August, CABS-ACBS signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the American and Mexican Biosafety Associations to form the Northern Alliance Agreement. This agreement brings our associations together in support of one another for the establishment, implementation, and evaluation of biosafety across North America.
Promoting learning and professional development is a key initiative within our organization. CABS-ACSB is continuing the maintenance and development of the Nationally recognized Registered Biosafety Professional designation, and continues to develop the Certified Biological Safety Professional designation, in collaboration with the Canadian College of Microbiologists (CCM). Continued learning opportunities within the CABS-ACSB webinar series showcase the expertise we, as an Association, have available, and provide collaborative opportunities for membership.
On behalf of the CABS-ACSB Executive team, thank you to all members. Your dedication and commitment to the Association, as well as your continued development of biosafety within Canada is not only appreciated within our Country, but is internationally recognized.
I invite all members to stay engaged, and to continue to share your expertise and talents. I very much look forward to working with the Association, and representing members throughout my term.
Sincerely,
Meghan Allen, President, CABS-ACSB
Our Mission
The Canadian Association for Biological Safety (CABS - ACSB) has adopted and, as a condition of obtaining and continuing their membership in this association, every member of CABS – ACSB accepts the Code of Ethics. In accepting the Code of Ethics, each member of CABS – ACSB pledges to subscribe not only to the letter but the spirit of the Code in all their professional activities.
Code of Ethics
To support and develop the profession of biosafety and biosecurity in Canada, and to share our expertise nationally and internationally.
Purpose
The purpose of the Code of Ethics is to provide guidelines to ensure that members of CABS – ACSB adhere to high ethical standards of practice.
The ethical relationships of members of CABS – ACSB are defined to ensure that their conduct will:
- Provide sound judgement in pursuance of their professional duties;
- Maintain the highest standards of integrity and professional competence; and,
- Uphold the honour and prestige of the association.
Professional Responsibilities
Directors shall:
- Not use membership lists for any purpose other than contacting the membership about matters relating to CABS – ACSB business as outlined in the By-laws of CABS – ACSB.
- Not permit the use of membership lists by members or any other organization or person, unless authorized by the board, and that use is for the purpose of contacting membership about matters relating to CABS – ACSB business as outlined in the By-laws of CABS – ACSB.
- Be bound by the membership responsibilities outlined below.
Members shall:
- Protect and promote the biosafety, biosecurity and health of humans, animals, property and the environment above any consideration of self-interest.
- Engage only in activities that maintain and enhance the quality of their professional service. This would include activities on List servers, social media sites, such as Facebook, Twitter, Linked-in, etc. and any other communication tools that may become available in the future.
- Avoid circumstances where compromise of professional conduct or conflict of interest may arise, including engagement in marketing and advertising products and/or services pertaining to Biological Safety unless authorized by the board. This includes presentations by members at CABS – ACSB sponsored events.
- Membership lists are not to be used for commercial or marketing purposes; the membership list is restricted to CABS-ACSB business.
- Be objective in the application of recognised scientific methods and in the interpretation of findings.
- Recognize and respect the original work, integrity and ability of their peers.
- Recognize their professional limitations and level of competence as well as the special skills of others in related professions.
- Continue professional development throughout their career and support and encourage fellow Association members to develop professionally.
- Protect the confidentiality of all professionally acquired information and disclose such information only when properly authorized or when legally obligated to do so.
- Represent their qualifications and experience accurately and not knowingly make false or misleading statements.
Breach of Ethics
A member who breaches the Code of Ethics may have their membership cancelled without further legal challenge.
CABS-ACSB Executive
Left to right: Andrea Smida (Past President), Corrie Duchesne (Social Media Officer), Tom Walus (Treasurer), Meghan Allen (President-Elect), Tony Sambol (Elections Officer), and Eric Bouchard (Communications Officer) (Canadian Biosafety Symposium 2024). Missing Grant Norman (Secretary) and Kirishanthy Kathirkamathamby (Elections Officer).
The executive is the governing body of the Canadian Association for Biological Safety (CABS-ACSB). The executive consists of the President, Past President, President-Elect, Treasurer, Secretary, Communications Officer, Elections Officer and Member At Large.
Andrea Smida – Past President
Andrea Smida is currently an Occupational Hygienist with the Government of Saskatchewan for the past year. She has also served as the Biosafety Officer at the University of Saskatchewan (U of S) for 15 years. Andrea is currently a Registered Biological Safety Officer through CABS-ACSB and a Registered Biological Safety Professional through the American Biological Safety Association (ABSA). Andrea holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Biology (2000) and a Master's of Science degree in Toxicology (2004) from the University of Saskatchewan. Andrea has been active member on CABS and ABSA since 2008. She sat on the CABS Executive for the past 4 years, and currently sits as the CABS-ACSB President, and is eager to work hard to make CABS-ACSB the national voice for Biosafety professionals in Canada and help in the development of a national biosafety professional registration and certification program.
Tom Walus – Treasurer
Tom Walus graduated from the University of Winnipeg and did his medical laboratory training at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg. He worked at HSC for over 20 years as a senior technologist responsible for mycobacteria and as the clinical instructor. He left Winnipeg for 2.5 years to go to Saskatoon to be the laboratory manager for clinical microbiology with the Saskatoon Health Region. He returned to Winnipeg to work at St. Boniface General Hospital as the clinical instructor. In 2014 he worked at the International Centre for Infectious Diseases as the program manager for biosafety. His current position is biosafety and biosecurity officer for Diagnostic Services Manitoba. Tom has been and continues to be involved in many professional societies. From bench to boardroom, from classroom to teacher…he has seen just about everything!
Meghan Allen - President
Meghan completed her Bachelor of Science in Agriculture at the University of Saskatchewan in 2009, majoring in Food Science, and Applied Microbiology. Meghan spent the first years of her career in the food industry focused on quality assurance as well as research and development. In 2014, she shifted her focus from industry to the research sector, and joined the Canadian Light Source (CLS). Meghan’s role at the CLS began as a Biological Safety Coordinator, and has continued to expand into her current role, as the Biological, Chemical, and Occupational Health and Safety Lead within the Health and Safety Department. Meghan has also recently completed her Certificate in Occupational Health, Safety and Environmental Systems through the University of Fredericton. Meghan has been a part of the CABS Executive Team since 2020, beginning in the Secretary position, and now as President-Elect. She has enjoyed serving the Canadian biosafety community in this role, and is excited for the future development of the Association!
Corrie Duchesne – Social Media Officer
Corrie is currently the Science Lab and Biosafety Officer for Canadore College in Northern Ontario, where she oversees the daily operations of the laboratories for several science programs, as well as the overall management of the Biosafety program for the college . Corrie completed a diploma in Biotechnology from Canadore College, a Bachelor of Science – Specialization in Biology from Nipissing University, an Adult Educator certificate from Canadore College and a Professional Certificate in Public Health from the University of Alberta, and is a Registered Biological Safety Officer with CABS-ACSB. Corrie has been working in the post secondary educational sector for 15 years as a technologist, BSO and part-time instructor, and has a passion for safety in the labs! Prior to that Corrie worked as a Lab Analyst conducting water and wastewater chemical and microbiological analysis.
Grant Norman - Secretary
Grant has a BSc Honours degree from Queen's, specializing in vertabrate physiology, and he has two MSc degrees - one in Microbiology from the Royal Military College of Canada (RMC), the other is Neuroscience from U of Alberta. He has managed many labs and has worked with a variety of different animals (fish, turtles, birds, frogs, mice, rats, and hamsters). Grant also served as the BSO for the Centre for Prions and Protein Folding Diseases (CPPFD) at the U of Alberta. Grant is currently the BSO for the U of Regina, and has been in the position for about 1.5yrs now (2 yrs in June 2025).
Kirishanthy Kathirkamathamby - Elections Officer
Kirishanthy brings over two decades of expertise in molecular biology, immunology, biosafety, and research safety management. She holds a Master of Science in Immunology from the University of Toronto and an Honours Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry/Biotechnology from the University of Waterloo, graduating with distinction. Currently serving as the Research Safety & Compliance Manager and Biological Safety Officer at Sunnybrook Research Institute, Kirishanthy oversees and provides directions for all safety programs for a research community of over 1,200 personnel. She is a Registered Biological Safety Officer with certifications in Joint occupational Health & Safety and Infection Prevention. She is also currently a member of the Public Health Agency of Canada’s Biocontainment Engineering Science Working Group. Her technical expertise is complemented by a strong academic research background and a demonstrated commitment to community leadership, including serving on the Sunnybrook Health Sciences President’s Anti-Racism Task Force and on being one of the board of directors for a non-profit affordable housing community land trust. Kirishanthy is a passionate advocate for advancing biosafety standards and fostering safe research environments. She aims to bring her insights and dedication to biosafety to CABs, helping the organization support biosafety professionals as they navigate the evolving landscape of biological research.
Stefan Wagener – Member at Large
Dr. Stefan Wagener is an international leader in biosafety, biosecurity, bioethics, and biorisk management. He is recognized as the originator of the “biorisk management” concept and is a global expert in biorisk management systems. After earning his M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Microbiology in Germany, he began his career in 1989 at Michigan State University as a research scientist, safety professional, and biocontainment specialist. In 2001, he moved to Winnipeg to become Chief Administrative Officer of Canada’s Biosafety Level 4 facility, later serving as its Scientific Director. He then held senior leadership roles with Health Canada, the Public Health Agency of Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, and the Canadian Grain Commission, retiring in 2019 as Director General. He chaired European workshops that produced the first global biorisk management standard (CWA 15793:2008) and its guidance (CWA 16393:2012), leading to ISO 35001:2019. He has advised the World Health Organization, Canada’s Department of Foreign Affairs, the Canadian Space Agency, and laboratories worldwide on biosafety, risk management, and policy. Since retiring, he has established global training platforms, founding the Biorisk Institute (2022) and Biorisk Management International Ltd (2024), which offers ISO 35001 Lead Auditor Training and develops AI tools for biorisk management. In 2025, he was appointed as Executive Director of the International Federation of Biosafety Associations. A certified Lead Auditor for ISO 17025, 45001, and 9001, he has extensive BSL-2 to BSL-4 experience. His leadership has earned him several honours, including the Everett Hanel, Jr. Presidential Award from the American Biological Safety Association, where he also served as president. As an Alexander von Humboldt Fellow, he continues to contribute to ISO standards and international biorisk management associations. Based in Malta and Canada, he is a respected international trainer, speaker, and executive coach.
Tanya Vlaskalin – Communications
Tanya is currently Manager of Radiation, Chemical and Biological safety at Toronto Metropolitan University. In this role she manages all high risk programs in research and teaching laboratories including the institutional hazardous waste and environmental emissions portfolios. She brings over 20 years of expertise in RP, chemical, biosafety, and research safety management. She is a Registered Biological Safety Officer with CABS-ACSB, a Registered Radiation Safety Professional with the Canadian Radiation Protection Association (CRPA), and Canadian Registered Safety Professional with the Board of Canadian Registered Safety Professionals. Tanya has been a member of CABS for several years and Past President and Director of the CRPA. She is also currently the Secretary of the CRPA Board of Directors. Tanya holds a Bachelor's of Science degree in Zoology from the University of Toronto and a Master's of Science degree in Molecular Medicine from the University of Ottawa. She also completed professional certifications in Occupational Health and Safety and Leadership in Organizations at TMU (formerly Ryerson University). For the past two decades, Tanya has used her knowledge and expertise in various capacities, sitting on local and federal working groups and committees to help shape best practices, guidelines and processes for legislative compliance and nonprofit organization operations.
President-Elect - Open
Past Presidents
- Stephen Thiereault
- Stephane Bourget
- Lois Sowden-Plunkett (2008/09 to September 2014)
- Andrea Smida (September 2014 to 2017)
- Tom Walus (September 2022 to September 2024)
- Andrea Smida (September 2024 to 2025)
CABS-ACSB Bylaws
A pdf containing our CABS-ACSB Bylaws is available in both english and french for download
CABS-ACSB Bylaws(ENGLISH)
Règlements Administratifs CABS-ACSB(FRANCAISE)
Partners and Affiliates