The answer is as follows:
(a) We have 250 macaques, of which 223 are kept at the Health Canada, Sir Frederick Banting Research Centre (Ottawa) and 27 are kept at the Anthropology Laboratory, University of Montréal, Ste-Madeleine, Quebec.
(b) Ste-Madeleine: No cages are in use.
Ottawa: In total, 35 animals are kept in cages; 8 of these macaques are in individual cages for health reasons or an inability to coexist (social misfit) with others, while 27 are paired.
(c) Ste-Madeleine: No cages in use.
Ottawa: Exercise run; 5.5'h X 2.5'w X 6'd; 8 cages are in use (1 or 2 macaques per cage). Custom cages for males; 8'h X 4'w X 4'd; 10 cages in use (2 macaques per cage). Allentown cages; 34"h X 24"w X 28" d; 2 cages used (1 sick female per cage). Cadillac cages; 28"h X 24"w; 24"d; none are presently in use (1 animal per cage when needed). This type of cage is used to house sick troop females in the ante-room to favour their acceptance by troop mates upon their return (once healed).
(d) Ste-Madeleine: Loose housing room; 13'h X 21'w X 100'd; 1 troop of 27 animals (adults, juveniles, infants).
Ottawa: Loose housing rooms; 7.5'h X 10'w X 15'd; 17 rooms (10 to 12 females and one male per room for a total of 15 troops housed in this manner. Two free rooms are maintained to allow sanitation to be done and the troops all rotate to a new room approximately every 10 days.
Health Canada has made improvements to the animal holding facilities, consistent with the recommendations of the 1997 report of the Royal Society Expert Panel.
(e) The monkeys receive, once a day, biscuits commercially available for macaques called Purina Nonhuman Primate Regular Chow. Fresh fruits, vegetables and various treats (sunflowers, peanuts, etc.) are also served daily. Food is always provided on the litter to favour their natural foraging instinct.
(f) There is no ban on access to the facility. However, visits and visitors must be controlled in order to maintain the disease free status of the animals, and maintain a suitable environment. Visitors must adhere to the medical requirements as outlined in our standard operating procedure. This requirement is the same for everyone accessing the colony, including staff.