National Centre for Foreign Animal Disease (NCFAD) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada is nominated as a reference laboratory by the world organization for animal health for bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), or mad-cow disease and bird flu.

The Winnipeg lab can now provide scientific and technical training for scientific personnel around the world, develop new techniques for diagnosis and perform checks for both the diseases. Canadian Agriculture Minister Chuck Strahl was very happy and praised Canada's world class scientists and the diagnostic laboratory.

Apart from this reference laboratory there are 16 other Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres located in Canada. The NCFAD in association with the National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada is part of the Canadian Science Centre for Human and Animal Health which conducts experiments and research to diagnose diseases such as BSE and avian flu that can threaten both human and animal health.